tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13444521667565847902024-03-14T07:51:55.863+04:00No BlindSpotrajhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06531205747408822310noreply@blogger.comBlogger49125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1344452166756584790.post-27489688684136934872008-08-01T11:46:00.003+04:002008-11-13T12:23:04.803+04:00Monsoon images from kerala<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvXT3rajKIBwxZrFeaeslwg7lpGswx2PW9gZsGA2Yw4R20QiVc7EkyUXmQ5SRTAKe5TmNAUENz15kyR8lmZPF8xpf_oYeRj-ktTkL3f4JDAUXdF4MyT-IBHu7H4lPyMmsbSQNNCStTi80n/s1600-h/monsoon+pics1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229454493003212562" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvXT3rajKIBwxZrFeaeslwg7lpGswx2PW9gZsGA2Yw4R20QiVc7EkyUXmQ5SRTAKe5TmNAUENz15kyR8lmZPF8xpf_oYeRj-ktTkL3f4JDAUXdF4MyT-IBHu7H4lPyMmsbSQNNCStTi80n/s320/monsoon+pics1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div>rajhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06531205747408822310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1344452166756584790.post-53675762301910206162008-05-31T00:04:00.003+04:002008-05-31T00:09:58.252+04:00Fight for a projectIf you are like me and have been chasing the IT ( information technology) desk in the office to install a MS Project and have been shocked to be informed that it would cost 2000$ - there is a way out . Just download the open source Project from the below link<br /><br />http://sourceforge.net/projects/openproj<br /><br />The look & feel and usage are similar to MS Project - infact it is better than in overall layout.rajhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06531205747408822310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1344452166756584790.post-13631223512410920912008-04-10T23:07:00.003+04:002008-04-10T23:17:11.884+04:00Infosthetics<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">i happened to stumble on this exciting site by </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Andrew Vande Moere, it is a interesting site that captures data visualization and visual communication. looking forward to track this site often </span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: 12px; white-space: pre; ">http://infosthetics.com/</span><br /></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></div></div>rajhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06531205747408822310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1344452166756584790.post-39435428699720319112008-03-03T17:22:00.002+04:002008-11-13T12:23:05.014+04:00How Australia got scratched this summer<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsY8XKnWuUNYXcaStnyeR-bmzWaYp2CL1sCguLCXWzgBOhVycFH4TGKfqMoEEfvccYABQu4XFCwub8BwKahrEnzxVDIfLvNarAhFmWk-hhFCFMD9C8vy52VnquuhTDWECE8pvd14ac7HdV/s1600-h/harbhajansingh_wideweb__470x297,0.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5173505223697208354" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsY8XKnWuUNYXcaStnyeR-bmzWaYp2CL1sCguLCXWzgBOhVycFH4TGKfqMoEEfvccYABQu4XFCwub8BwKahrEnzxVDIfLvNarAhFmWk-hhFCFMD9C8vy52VnquuhTDWECE8pvd14ac7HdV/s320/harbhajansingh_wideweb__470x297,0.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Absolutely fascinating summer of cricket – Australia started with some – ‘gunboat cricket’ by unleashing their ‘arrogance’ , ‘intimidating’ way , or as mentioned by Steven Waugh – ‘Mental disintegration’ on India. This entire ‘on the face’ cricket has badly boomeranged on Australia. Their captain woefully out of form scratched though out the whole summer and stamped that he still the bunny of Harbajan, their leading players instead of focussing on the game – was trying to ‘weed-out’ Indians. Adam Gilchrist undoubtly best wicket Keeper batsmen ever- sledged, cribbed, appealed and dropped umpteen catches to survive this summer, but in the end he had to hang his boot. Mathew Hayden went chest beating and proclaimed to whole world how ‘Cricket Australia’ thinks, talks and measures their opponents - especially a wily off spinner who has out foxed their captain time and again. Now the latest stunt was organised by Australian media, which was doing fairly unbiased reporting till now, by publishing a picture showing Harbajan scratching the armpits and indicating the same as monkey gesture . It is surprising to note that leading newspapers would publish something so inaccurate and misleading , where did the dictum of publishing something only after checking ‘corroborative evidences’ all go ? . BCCI and Harbajan should sue Sydney Morning Herald for defaming him and for brandishing him as a racist. In the end of the long summer Australia is left licking its wound.<br />- bag full of old players with few of them on the verge of retirement<br />- India produced few sensational young players<br />- BCCI put ICC in its place<br />- Steve Bucknor – atlast been told that he is fit to plays cards at home than officiate international match.<br /><br />The post-warne era looks bleak for Australia, they have to play consistent good cricket on the pitch than sledge, complaint & chest beat.<br /> </div>rajhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06531205747408822310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1344452166756584790.post-672118360645101322008-02-21T13:29:00.003+04:002008-11-13T12:23:05.157+04:00Whispers of March now a reality !<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0oOyZgc8Xt5tzS_TJSCsS5g1A84B-tylGUyuE6F1AjXw3Y2KA2_sust33ZSeQ_fDPrzqwduwflDXyvaiQSDTWg7t6rqRIhhkxLME_yLLmoaz5dfHJUkGNUvl9pIbXAVT-6xY7IMD1Yw5v/s1600-h/Obama+on+Time+Nov.+29,+2007.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5169367109231437986" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0oOyZgc8Xt5tzS_TJSCsS5g1A84B-tylGUyuE6F1AjXw3Y2KA2_sust33ZSeQ_fDPrzqwduwflDXyvaiQSDTWg7t6rqRIhhkxLME_yLLmoaz5dfHJUkGNUvl9pIbXAVT-6xY7IMD1Yw5v/s320/Obama+on+Time+Nov.+29,+2007.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>With 10 straight wins - USofA - is trying to affirm the greatness of a nation not because of the height of skyscrapers, or the power of military, or the size of economy; but pride based on a very simple premise, summed up in a declaration made over two hundred years ago: 'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal......' they might elect first black president in Barrack Obama. He has successfully dogged away from the 'plastic' campagin of Mr&Mrs Clinton. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div><br />What Clinton's Wisconsin Loss Means<br />By ALAN FRAM – 46 minutes ago<br />WASHINGTON (AP) — Hillary Rodham Clinton's defeat in this week's Wisconsin Democratic presidential primary wasn't just any old loss.<br />Exit polls of voters show it was a serious collapse that saw Barack Obama erode — if not capture — much of the heart of her support. As the two rivals turn their attention to crucial showdowns in Ohio, Texas and Pennsylvania, here is a look at what Wisconsin portends for the road ahead.<br />Q: How bad was Wisconsin for Clinton?<br />A: Very. Of the types of voters who usually support her, only older people — especially whites over age 65 — remained solidly loyal. She and Obama essentially split the votes of many groups she has carried easily in previous primaries, including white women, whites with no more than high school diplomas, white Democrats and whites earning under $50,000 annually. In one remarkable turnaround, white men without college degrees supported Clinton in previous primaries by a combined 52 percent to 37 percent, but in Wisconsin they backed Obama 60 percent to 38 percent. The Illinois senator also improved his usual healthy margins with the youngest, most liberal and best educated voters.<br />Q: Does Obama's success in Wisconsin with groups that usually support Clinton mean he will hold onto them in the next big states?<br />A: No, but it does demonstrate that it's possible. Last year, before voting began, polls showed Clinton had sturdy-looking leads with those voters, so it's clear that Democrats of all stripes are showing a willingness to listen to him — and to abandon her. Keep in mind the Wisconsin results were not unforeseen, since Obama had been closing the gap with Clinton among some groups of voters last week in Virginia and Maryland and in some Super Tuesday states the week before.<br />Q: Won't the upcoming big states remove some advantages Obama had in Wisconsin?<br />A: That's true. For one thing, Wisconsin borders on Obama's home state and parts of southern Wisconsin are heavily influenced by his nearby home town of Chicago. Obama ran up some of his biggest margins in that part of Wisconsin. In addition, Obama had the aggressive help of Wisconsin's governor, Jim Doyle. Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland and Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell have endorsed Clinton.<br />Q: Obama was also helped because Wisconsin allows people of other parties to vote in the Democratic contest, right?<br />A: Yes, but so do Texas and Ohio, which vote on March 4. In Wisconsin, more than a third of voters were either independents or Republicans — a large number. About two-thirds of them voted for Obama. In the 2004 Democratic presidential primaries, almost three in 10 Ohio voters were independents or Republicans, as were a quarter in Texas, so these are substantial sources of potential strength for him. Pennsylvania's April 22 contest is for Democrats only.<br />Q: What about the racial makeup of the next states?<br />A: One potential edge for Clinton is in Texas, where Hispanics comprised a quarter of Democratic voters in 2004 and could be even more this year. Across the party's primaries so far in 2008, six in 10 Hispanics have backed Clinton. There were few of them in Wisconsin. In 2004, one in five Texas Democratic voters and one in seven in Ohio were black, a group that has voted in near unanimity for Obama. There were no exit polls of Pennsylvania Democratic primary voters in 2004.<br />Q: If Clinton's advantage has been with the elderly, white women and less educated whites, do any of these states have significant numbers of them?<br />A: Just over half of white Democrats who voted in Ohio in 2004 and six in 10 in Texas lacked college degrees, compared with 45 percent of whites who have voted in Democratic primaries so far this year. Of the Democratic primaries this year, about one in three voters have been white women, and Ohio had slightly more that in 2004, while Texas had a bit fewer. Neither state has unusually large numbers of older Democrats.<br />Q: With Texas one of the country's more conservative states, whom does that help?<br />A: Though Texas may be conservative, the overall ideology of its Democratic voters is similar to many other states, in part because of the substantial Hispanic and black populations, according to 2004 exit polls. Actually, Ohio was a bit less liberal than Texas. Over the first two months of this year's voting, Obama has had an edge over Clinton among those calling themselves very liberal — he won that group in Wisconsin by 16 percentage points. The two have run about evenly among all liberals and moderates, and he has had a slight advantage among party conservatives.<br />The data is based on exit polls conducted Tuesday in Wisconsin; in 21 other states that have held contested Democratic primaries this year; and in 2004 in Ohio and Texas. The margin of sampling error varies by survey and subgroup.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div>rajhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06531205747408822310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1344452166756584790.post-7503497130706936492008-02-19T13:23:00.001+04:002008-11-13T12:23:05.867+04:00Dubai Metro - Pictures of the new train<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVwMNdaBF8uxhrYI8oU0M7YMC4Gggadb747DRm93MPp2z9ggtI1zL3-qyc4_GT133Ssv5jygvBtkeqDaUSx0xcp-Utn-mrgwUl3O6AZqI7z73a8jvA6ZFx8ItEmy_F5mZgLApc0uQ7iLnZ/s1600-h/ATT3143520.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5168642161701546066" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVwMNdaBF8uxhrYI8oU0M7YMC4Gggadb747DRm93MPp2z9ggtI1zL3-qyc4_GT133Ssv5jygvBtkeqDaUSx0xcp-Utn-mrgwUl3O6AZqI7z73a8jvA6ZFx8ItEmy_F5mZgLApc0uQ7iLnZ/s320/ATT3143520.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixsxd5IxD1UeDmWV8OHt3-zJqz8ywnB5xaosAMb7e-mcZHY_4z8DajMM8J8k8B2Rg2ku5K4bF1ihc4QDcAgeckApSBmfN1ivk3e6GTf-R1W1CIp-V266r7ZN80yV5xRU8g5d1TNG0kHANp/s1600-h/ATT3143521.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5168642165996513378" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixsxd5IxD1UeDmWV8OHt3-zJqz8ywnB5xaosAMb7e-mcZHY_4z8DajMM8J8k8B2Rg2ku5K4bF1ihc4QDcAgeckApSBmfN1ivk3e6GTf-R1W1CIp-V266r7ZN80yV5xRU8g5d1TNG0kHANp/s320/ATT3143521.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTbXkp-scm1T-LRJw45zLLE9TxEF_PzegQorS4s-FHuy-gu57dtvRDMiTvk-cuyzEwSKm_ykCyhTMn3yo3RJYedg-iorMZQa_mBSaKdkh7LcTXjp2Fgl0UvuPhxwdf98-f90epPZPfWBcR/s1600-h/ATT3143522.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5168642165996513394" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTbXkp-scm1T-LRJw45zLLE9TxEF_PzegQorS4s-FHuy-gu57dtvRDMiTvk-cuyzEwSKm_ykCyhTMn3yo3RJYedg-iorMZQa_mBSaKdkh7LcTXjp2Fgl0UvuPhxwdf98-f90epPZPfWBcR/s320/ATT3143522.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Much awaited Dubai metro trains have finally arrived it seems !</div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div>rajhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06531205747408822310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1344452166756584790.post-61232115409327733372008-02-18T11:30:00.004+04:002008-11-13T12:23:06.347+04:00Punting is back<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJXl1rTJGfVx-wpxCmFAsrMLElqnk-jxOdkIzpKDY0IRTBhXV1UAJSlLhSDUsSEqkCtH3qENS0Biv1k_GAlxJdK0pNSwx5zKKyySmknYTHeSVUEW1ZhBGFt5laZZmQjgiebnK_1kkahlYL/s1600-h/champions_league_balls.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5168224154009462850" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJXl1rTJGfVx-wpxCmFAsrMLElqnk-jxOdkIzpKDY0IRTBhXV1UAJSlLhSDUsSEqkCtH3qENS0Biv1k_GAlxJdK0pNSwx5zKKyySmknYTHeSVUEW1ZhBGFt5laZZmQjgiebnK_1kkahlYL/s320/champions_league_balls.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Time for late night watching, printing your team sheet, calculating the points and betting how much your team would have won<br /><br />My revised team for the last 16 is this<br /><br />Casillas – GK – RM would surely make through and he would play<br />Bruno Alves<br />Zanetti – I was tempted to take Maldini though<br />Cristiano Ronaldo – captain – probability for doubling the scores<br />Deco – hope he is in the starting<br />J cole – Chelsea should make through<br />Kaka –<br />Ronaldhino –<br />Messi<br />Ibrahimovic – he was out with injury, should come back strongly<br />Tevez – Manu United should make to second round – and he should play.<br /><br />I have not taken any single player from Arsenal – which should not be surprising keeping in mind the form they are in. </div>rajhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06531205747408822310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1344452166756584790.post-28355318391923179262008-02-18T11:13:00.003+04:002008-02-18T11:29:12.770+04:00Marketers like sad Customer !Hezen has posted a interesting article in his new blog - indicating a Harvard study that - sad customers spends more than a happy one !. Many be this is why the spurt in sales for healthy feel good products, more about this on : <a href="http://theworldbeneathmyfeet.blogspot.com/2008/02/sad-consumers-good-for-marketers.html">http://theworldbeneathmyfeet.blogspot.com/2008/02/sad-consumers-good-for-marketers.html</a>rajhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06531205747408822310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1344452166756584790.post-65360104837975107362008-02-16T12:30:00.004+04:002008-11-13T12:23:06.504+04:00Region and roles-the success of regional fried chicken outlet – Al Baik<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqppmppOzyyxnzOUZp3iBhjaklH3L_IooAdEQW305ZXpIQUzLp1aPRr36pZiODHGD45lh1EL1-cS3wrlvxs8CCZQTfYJVC1Smv82Oczim63MjNZmawZoClDOSfKYfnPU9s25YAHFEGvV6L/s1600-h/al-baik_1184353645-78439.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5167497303809058850" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqppmppOzyyxnzOUZp3iBhjaklH3L_IooAdEQW305ZXpIQUzLp1aPRr36pZiODHGD45lh1EL1-cS3wrlvxs8CCZQTfYJVC1Smv82Oczim63MjNZmawZoClDOSfKYfnPU9s25YAHFEGvV6L/s320/al-baik_1184353645-78439.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, other than pumping 19MT of crude every second, is a vast expanse of land which lacks the hurried growth of Dubai or Doha. But it is a huge swath of a marketplace for any marketer. Port city of Jeddha has stretch of road which is lined up by numerous malls ( I counted atleast 18-20) selling Armani to Aston Martin and Riyadh packs the punch to match any top draw city. Amidst all this foreign brands a local fried chicken chain is teaching the lots of KFC’s and McDonald a lesson or two in running a food chain successfully. You would find MNC food chains aisle empty or near deserted (same is the fate of Carrefour). At Al Baik chain the story is different …people were queuing up.<br /></div><br /><div></div><div></div><div></div><div>The differentiation were the following<br /><br />1. Product – offering was uniquely different- the inner crust of the fried chicken has a special coating of condiments which was very tasty.<br />2. Execution of the product: Speed at which they served order was amazing , even though there was a long queue ( 25- 30 people before me ) I was served in under 10 minutes.<br />3. Viral : word of mouth – ‘You are in Jeddah and not tried Al Baik ??’<br />4. Exclusivity: Al Baik is limited to western part of the Kingdom. </div><br /><div></div>rajhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06531205747408822310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1344452166756584790.post-49654339708513159792008-01-30T15:05:00.000+04:002008-11-13T12:23:06.642+04:00Insipid food and some pictures<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFA1iGl84mFe0SEmhvLsN3rcXAZKYzjKcyWomww368JyOFhTkvJpEj12woVXagWCaAdnmTnAZG5lPKkdVXbZDARNlYwLduIHfXjO86VAEVdEhiEilmAc7_02P0c0fPaW7cnvYodAOrrjfW/s1600-h/DSC00169.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5161229643057404338" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFA1iGl84mFe0SEmhvLsN3rcXAZKYzjKcyWomww368JyOFhTkvJpEj12woVXagWCaAdnmTnAZG5lPKkdVXbZDARNlYwLduIHfXjO86VAEVdEhiEilmAc7_02P0c0fPaW7cnvYodAOrrjfW/s320/DSC00169.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">After much deliberation we decided to visit a restaurant that we had zeroed in few months back- chef Lanka in Burdubai area . We wanted to try some spicy food from Sri lanka - but it turned out to be a disaster. Like any good product hotel should also provide at least few basic things<br /><br />1. Warm Food<br />2. Waiter / server suggesting and helping us in making the right choice<br /><br />both didnt happen at chef lanka ..and we ended up eating some cold spicy food ....<br />the interior had some demon mask ......reminding us of the food we ate</span><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error"></span><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error"></span><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error"></span></div>rajhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06531205747408822310noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1344452166756584790.post-4927449304549294552008-01-30T13:29:00.000+04:002008-11-13T12:23:06.878+04:00Long Shadow of meat eating ....<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjOkqFYuDpCAYD3Sp5WNZpo4Qu0dMH96bOk1K-E-XWUWj-oj4QmRnznO4CbqBBfsAMCdZ1CJcrTTfg_smj17Buh4qT8ae6UKYEvI8rh2BHMPMAMdiK46PwJ01j9-2IgbmlId7hivISGpb4/s1600-h/NYtimes+-+2nd.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5161215409535785378" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjOkqFYuDpCAYD3Sp5WNZpo4Qu0dMH96bOk1K-E-XWUWj-oj4QmRnznO4CbqBBfsAMCdZ1CJcrTTfg_smj17Buh4qT8ae6UKYEvI8rh2BHMPMAMdiK46PwJ01j9-2IgbmlId7hivISGpb4/s320/NYtimes+-+2nd.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFfNRKHckwTGWvs9oIC3CBlzXR6uTTTjxeCF6VhReEBUBAxDAT5qDXambG4cGsDA0f9belfRh5LvWkRL97i6WAK1RkrS-xAAE87WFs8VaH73YSK59g3hvVJC7F08lbPyykYPv-DQCs5RNH/s1600-h/20080127_BITTMAN2_650_669.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5161200450164693394" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFfNRKHckwTGWvs9oIC3CBlzXR6uTTTjxeCF6VhReEBUBAxDAT5qDXambG4cGsDA0f9belfRh5LvWkRL97i6WAK1RkrS-xAAE87WFs8VaH73YSK59g3hvVJC7F08lbPyykYPv-DQCs5RNH/s320/20080127_BITTMAN2_650_669.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div>Mark Bittman's article on NYT on ' Meat -Guzzlers' is interesting</div></div><br /><div>he writes - </div><br /><div><em>a study last year by the National Institute of Livestock and Grassland Science in Japan estimated that 2.2 pounds of beef is responsible for the equivalent amount of carbon dioxide emitted by the average European car every 155 miles, and burns enough energy to light a 100-watt bulb for nearly 20 days.</em><br /></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div>more on this :<br /><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/27/weekinreview/27bittman.html?ei=5087&em=&en=7490d3223d2f16cb&ex=1201842000&pagewanted=all">http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/27/weekinreview/27bittman.html?ei=5087&em=&en=7490d3223d2f16cb&ex=1201842000&pagewanted=all</a><br /><div><br /></div><br /><div></div>rajhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06531205747408822310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1344452166756584790.post-50676833444295290232008-01-27T17:54:00.000+04:002008-11-13T12:23:07.045+04:00The Monkey Wrench Gang<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhINYorKTsGv7ll2t7ZFp79jGjk95qZOJu6TGYbOSb-5rI10Qs61JN5lvRXUXr05pXZ2uJiqA66ICYz-ZgwOO9smaA2oXjHl490IUnTXelNEAKXC-alF0kpJID9w3w4hPbrvDQZCdJzhPiR/s1600-h/monkey.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5160158735911819650" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhINYorKTsGv7ll2t7ZFp79jGjk95qZOJu6TGYbOSb-5rI10Qs61JN5lvRXUXr05pXZ2uJiqA66ICYz-ZgwOO9smaA2oXjHl490IUnTXelNEAKXC-alF0kpJID9w3w4hPbrvDQZCdJzhPiR/s320/monkey.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div>Absolute must read if you border the thoughts of being a solider in the 'eco defense'...Edward Abbey's proactive defense of nature in an era of hyperindustrialism.</div>rajhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06531205747408822310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1344452166756584790.post-36846110452848044712008-01-27T17:48:00.000+04:002008-01-27T17:54:39.551+04:00how 'House Poor' are you ?<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">It</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">was</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">intriguing</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">to</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">note</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">that</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">SEC</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">classification</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">across</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">the</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">world</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">differs</span>. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">So</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">this</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">term</span> - '<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">House</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">Poor</span>' <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">is</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">significant</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">classification</span>- <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">especially</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">since</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">in</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">certain</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">countries</span>/<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25">cities</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_26">this</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_27">affects</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_28">almost</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_29">all</span> !<br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_30">House</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_31">Poor</span> :<br />A <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_32">situation</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_33">that</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_34">describes</span> a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_35">person</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_36">who</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_37">spends</span> a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_38">large</span><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_39">proportion</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_40">of</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_41">his</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_42">or</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_43">her</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_44">total</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_45">income</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_46">on</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_47">home</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_48">ownership</span>,<br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_49">including</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_50">mortgage</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_51">payments</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_52">property</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_53">taxes</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_54">maintenance</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_55">and</span><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_56">utilities</span>. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_57">House</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_58">poor</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_59">individuals</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_60">are</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_61">short</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_62">of</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_63">cash</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_64">for</span><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_65">discretionary</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_66">items</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_67">and</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_68">tend</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_69">to</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_70">have</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_71">trouble</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_72">meeting</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_73">other</span><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_74">financial</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_75">obligations</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_76">like</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_77">vehicle</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_78">payments</span>.<br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_79">If</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_80">your</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_81">are</span> a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_82">expat</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_83">living</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_84">in</span> a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_85">city</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_86">like</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_87">Dubai</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_88">then</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_89">you</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_90">have</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_91">to</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_92">replace</span> '<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_93">ownership</span>' <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_94">with</span> '<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_95">Rent</span>'..rajhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06531205747408822310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1344452166756584790.post-91499441151383581642008-01-02T12:08:00.000+04:002008-01-02T12:21:00.207+04:00New year resolutions - and how to solve problemsMost of us would be facing some sought tough decision at work and life and would be grappling with them- at times <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">wondering</span> how to solve it . Read <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">seth's</span> tips<br /><br /><br /><em>There are three ways to deal with a problem, I think.<br />Lean into it.<br />Lean away from it.<br />Run away.<br />You lean into a problem, especially a long-term or difficult one, by sitting with it, reveling in it, embracing it and breathing it in. The problem becomes part of you, at least until you solve it. You try one approach and then another, and when nothing works, you stick with it and work around it as you build your organization and your life.<br />Some people choose to lean away from the problems that nag them at home or at work. They avoid them, minimize them or criticize the cause. Put as little into it as possible and maybe it will go away.<br />And sometimes, a problem is so nasty or overwhelming that you just run away.<br />I'm a big fan of the first approach. And sometimes, quitting isn't such a bad idea. The second approach, alas, is the one that many of us end up with by default, and the one that's least likely to pay off.<br />If that helps with this year's resolutions, it was worth thinking about...</em><br /><em></em><br /><em><a href="http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2008/01/solving-problem.html">http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2008/01/solving-problem.html</a></em><br /><em></em>rajhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06531205747408822310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1344452166756584790.post-52885772733260161222007-12-24T13:48:00.000+04:002007-12-24T13:54:22.436+04:00Top 10 Best Presentations EverInteresting article i read in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">KnowHR</span>, they have listed the top presentations that they feel are outstanding and great.<br /><a href="http://www.knowhr.com/blog/2006/08/21/top-10-best-presentations-ever/">http://www.knowhr.com/blog/2006/08/21/top-10-best-presentations-ever/</a><br /><br />you can access the source files here<br /><a href="http://www.squidoo.com/bestpresentationsever">http://www.squidoo.com/bestpresentationsever</a>rajhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06531205747408822310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1344452166756584790.post-51904216342911114512007-12-22T14:36:00.001+04:002007-12-22T14:36:58.114+04:00Fonts and Emotionsrajhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06531205747408822310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1344452166756584790.post-80076423459650661022007-12-11T15:27:00.000+04:002008-11-13T12:23:07.259+04:00Anivers - Font<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbAgAi0YIYC7yIn0movAGXyMZ_M15SxnoBVfZNHrqfKV0Xkujye36gNyLdUF39WthLNcE4_GQ2rm-2D15eD3HLZ4C_E7mE1CwWByjfnY7b6vj-19WfY5p1bt86U_TKZqGpVJCo1p2EZ-Zz/s1600-h/Picture1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5142681370959984658" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbAgAi0YIYC7yIn0movAGXyMZ_M15SxnoBVfZNHrqfKV0Xkujye36gNyLdUF39WthLNcE4_GQ2rm-2D15eD3HLZ4C_E7mE1CwWByjfnY7b6vj-19WfY5p1bt86U_TKZqGpVJCo1p2EZ-Zz/s320/Picture1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><br /><div>This is a new font that i saw,.. it is flexible and elegant and can be used in certificates, report titles and posters. you can download and use this<br /><br /><a href="http://www.josbuivenga.demon.nl/anivers.html">http://www.josbuivenga.demon.nl/anivers.html</a></div>rajhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06531205747408822310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1344452166756584790.post-36321449577053575982007-12-11T15:21:00.000+04:002007-12-11T15:26:33.055+04:00Have you ordered this book ??I think you should .. , I read <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Garr's</span> blog daily. It is loaded with <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">information</span> and 'essentials' for making better presentations. We all were delighted when he <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">decided</span> to write a book. check this link and order it - if you are interested in presentations, visual enhancements etc<br /><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0321525655/103-6148611-3957463?ie=UTF8&tag=garrreynoldsc-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=1789&creativeASIN=0321525655">http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0321525655/103-6148611-3957463?ie=UTF8&tag=<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">garrreynoldsc</span>-20&<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">linkCode</span>=<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">xm</span>2&camp=1789&<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">creativeASIN</span>=0321525655</a>rajhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06531205747408822310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1344452166756584790.post-81674130641654500242007-12-05T08:17:00.000+04:002007-12-05T08:21:50.090+04:00Unhappy? Self-critical? Maybe you're just a perfectionistIf you go for the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">jugler</span> always in a presentation, or if you sometime feels that you are tired of <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">mediocre</span> stuff from your agency ..then <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">pls</span> read this<br /><br /><br /><em>Just about any sports movie, airport paperback or motivational tape delivers a few boilerplate rules for success. Believe in yourself. Don't take no for an answer. Never quit. Don't accept second best.<br />Above all, be true to yourself.<br />It's hard to argue with those maxims. They seem self-evident — if not written into the Constitution, then at least part of the cultural water supply that irrigates everything from halftime speeches to corporate lectures to SAT coaching classes.<br />Yet several recent studies stand as a warning against taking the platitudes of achievement too seriously. The new research focuses on a familiar type, perfectionists, who panic or blow a fuse when things don't turn out just so. The findings not only confirm that such purists are often at risk for mental distress — as Freud, Alfred Adler and countless exasperated parents have long predicted — but also suggest that perfectionism is a valuable lens through which to understand a variety of seemingly unrelated mental difficulties, from depression to compulsive behavior to addiction.</em><br /><br /><br />full article here<br /><a href="http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/12/04/healthscience/04mind.php">http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/12/04/healthscience/04mind.php</a>rajhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06531205747408822310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1344452166756584790.post-81459497577193399002007-11-12T11:22:00.000+04:002007-11-12T11:32:50.774+04:00If you want to see heaven, you have to die yourselfThis is what each marketer would have to do to understand customers better and to build customer expertise - says Mohanbir Sawhney. He has listed interesting 'confusion' that prevails in marketing domain and cures for the same in his article titled <em>- A Manifesto for Marketing.</em> You can access this and much more in his website<br /><a href="http://www.mohansawhney.com/">http://www.mohansawhney.com/</a>rajhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06531205747408822310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1344452166756584790.post-20037267508026796122007-10-16T14:36:00.000+04:002007-10-16T14:50:20.174+04:00Sparklines - simple and intenseThis will surely enhance your reports and presentations. Sparklines was invented by Dr Edward Tufte. I have tried using it,( some sites are there from which you can download a xls file) and it makes the report , ppts a notch better.<br />you can read more about sparklines here<br /><a href="http://www.edwardtufte.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=0001OR&topic_id=1&topic">http://www.edwardtufte.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=0001OR&topic_id=1&topic</a>=rajhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06531205747408822310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1344452166756584790.post-89490439788339022022007-10-06T18:27:00.000+04:002007-10-07T10:39:38.470+04:00Whining world championsOne wonder what Australian cricket thinks about itself, a bunch of extra ordinary cricketers with immense talent, in the last 2 weeks have sullied the image of world champions beyond repair. They assumed that opponents would just cave in seeing them. That didn’t happen in T20. They were so upset with the loss that they even suggested that – India doesn’t know how to celebrate! If one tabulate what all has been said in media – it indicates the poor mind set of cricket Australia<br /><br />Gilchrist says – T20 is just luck and that India was just lucky (Alan Donald getting run out in the WC 2003 semi final against Australia? What about that Mr Gilchrist)<br />Andrew Symonds says India doesn’t know how to celebrate ( must be indicating that one should grab the cup and shove out the presenter like they did in during the last champions trophy)<br />Ponting says India seniors are a liability<br />Australians would talk tough and if India talks tough – it is not even backyard cricket!<br />Shane Warne says – this verbal slugfest would spice up the summer. Well it would not be as spicy as his SMS for sure.<br /><br />Being a champion doesn’t mean winning always – sometime it also involves showing grace when defeated - that Aussie cricket dont have.rajhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06531205747408822310noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1344452166756584790.post-27947392798846381572007-09-03T10:42:00.001+04:002007-09-03T11:16:57.651+04:00More brands under fire- Sweatshop and Much more !All major high end cloth brands are being dragged into another controversy. This time some from a serious studies done by Guardian. How far it will affect the brand is to be seen.<br /><br /><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="640"><tbody><tr><td style="font-weight: bold; font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span></td><td style="font-weight: bold; font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:georgia;" colspan="3" height="1" valign="top"><span style="font-size:130%;"><a name="content"></a></span><div id="GuardianArticle"> <h1><span style="font-size:130%;">The sweatshop high street - more brands under fire</span></h1><h1><span style="font-size:85%;">Guardian probe reveals 13p per hour wages behind cheap clothes <br /></span></h1><span style="font-size:85%;">Karen McVeigh<br />Monday September 3, 2007<br /><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/">The Guardian</a> </span></div></td></tr></tbody></table>Two of Britain's major high street retailers launched inquiries last night into allegations that factory workers who make their clothes in India are being paid as little as 13p per hour for a 48-hour week, wages so low the workers claim they sometimes have to rely on government food parcels.<p>Primark, the UK's second biggest clothing retailer, and the Mothercare, the mother and baby shop, were responding to a Guardian investigation into the pay and conditions of workers in Bangalore, India, who supply several high-profile UK and US fashion brands.</p><p>The investigation, which follows our report in July in which Primark, Asda and Tesco were accused of breaching international labour standards in Bangladesh, has uncovered a catalogue of allegations of Dickensian pay and conditions in factories owned by exporters who supply clothes to the UK. India's largest ready-made clothing exporter, Gokaldas Export, which supplies brands including Marks & Spencer, Mothercare and H&M, confirmed that wages paid to garment workers were as low as £1.13 for a nine-hour day. This fails to meet their basic needs, according to factory workers and Indian unions and so falls below the minimum international labour standards promised by the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI), a code of conduct which sets out basic rights for employees across the supply chain. Marks & Spencer is a member of the ETI, as are Mothercare, Gap and Primark.</p><p>Garment workers for factories owned by exporters who supply to Gap, Matalan and Primark, told the Guardian they were paid similar wages and regularly forced to work overtime of between six and 18 hours per week. The ETI code states that workers shall not regularly be required to work more than 48 hours per week, that overtime should be voluntary and that it should not exceed 12 hours per week.</p><p>Texport Overseas, which supplies Gap and Matalan, denied that workers were forced to do overtime.</p><p>Employees of factories owned by exporters who supply Gap and Matalan claimed they were often made to work extra hours without pay to meet unattainable production targets. They claimed the mostly female workforce was harassed and bullied by male production managers and supervisors for not achieving targets and that they were refused time off when ill. One worker claimed that security guards patrolled the toilets, harassing the women inside to get back to work, while the unions said public address systems were used to publicly humiliate and harass workers. Texport Overseas denied there was pressure to meet targets. It said female guards in the toilets were present to ensure "proper security", while the address system was to "coordinate production" and ensure health and safety.</p><p>One worker, a tailor who makes clothes for Gap, told the Guardian she was dismissed after being off work for more than 15 days due to illness. Texport Overseas denies this.</p><p>Another tailor who makes clothes for H&M, said that when she could not achieve her production targets, the clothes were thrown in her face. She said up to 15 workers a day collapsed and had to be given medical attention. Workers and unions claim the conditions in the factories led to two tragic incidents this year.</p><p>In February, a young woman hanged herself in the toilets of one factory, Triangle Apparels, owned by Gokaldas Exports. A report by a number of Indian NGOS alleges that she was verbally sexually harassed and repeatedly refused permission for leave on the day she died.</p><p>Jagadamba, 43, the mother of the dead woman, who now looks after her daughter's two sons, Sarti, eight, and Surya, four, told the Guardian that her daughter had only worked at the factory for 20 days, but had been very unhappy there. "She told me, 'They are always shouting at me because I can't meet the targets'."</p><p>Gokaldas denies that she was verbally sexually harassed. Triangle is not one of the factories supplying Marks & Spencer or Mothercare.</p><p>A month later, a nine-month pregnant woman from Shalina Creations, a factory supplying Gap, went into labour at work and subsequently lost her baby. Rathnamma, 27, a mother of two, claimed that she was refused immediate leave on March 29 this year, after going into labour. When she asked to go home, the production manager made her fill in forms that took an hour and a half, she said. "I was in such pain, I could hardly stand up."</p><p>When she finally made it outside the factory gates, she collapsed, she said, and gave birth to the baby in the street. A passerby helped her into an auto ricksaw, but when she got home, she discovered the baby was dead. Rathnamma, who has returned to work after being given paid leave for three months, said: "I feel angry. They gave me money, but nothing will bring the baby back. But I need the job. If I have no job, I have no food."</p><p>Gap representatives in the US did not dispute her allegations. However, a Gap representative in India denied that she was refused immediate leave, said that she gave birth in a rickshaw, and not on the street, and claimed the baby died when it slipped from her grasp.</p><p>KP Gopinath, the director of Cividep, an Indian workers' rights group, said: "When we speak to the workers, they tell us all they want is to be treated like human beings. They need a living wage to live in dignity, to get running water, to get a better education for their children."</p><p>He said a report by the Garment and Textile Workers union estimated a living wage in Bangalore to be at least £2.50 per day.</p><p>John Hilary from War on Want, said: "Exploitation of workers in developing countries such as India is standard practice for British retailers right across the spectrum. This just underlines the urgent need for Gordon Brown to step in now and stop these abuses once and for all."</p><p>A spokesman for Primark said that it took the allegations "very seriously".</p><p>He added that it had initiated immediate audits of all supplier premises and would re-audit to ensure compliance if necessary.</p><p>Mothercare also said it took the allegations seriously and would re-audit its two factories in India.</p><p>H&M said the harassment and forced overtime alleged was "unacceptable" and it would forward the complaints to its suppliers. It said it required suppliers to pay a legal minimum wage.</p><p>A statement from Gap said it regularly monitored suppliers, and had recently experienced a "number of compliance violations at factories in the Indian subcontinent region", and would work to resolve the issues.</p><p>A spokesman for Marks & Spencer said the two Gokaldas factories it used paid the legal minimum wage in India, as "there is no legal or industry-agreed" definition of a living wage. It added that it was working to "better understand this complex area".</p><p>Matalan said its suppliers paid above the minimum wage for Bangalore. Two compliance audits carried out on Texport Overseas in the past two years had found no record of forced overtime.</p>http://business.guardian.co.uk/retail/story/0,,2161302,00.html<br /><p><br /></p><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>rajhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06531205747408822310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1344452166756584790.post-36217235634437029012007-09-01T10:43:00.000+04:002007-09-01T10:52:56.139+04:00Prompt your CreativityCreativity do not exist in vacuum - peopled need some stimulation or source to start with. In case you want some stimulus to come with some great clean ideas - you can download this <span style="font-family:Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif;color:#660066;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Majency</span> Oracle- </span><span style="font-family:Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif;color:#660066;">The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Majency</span> Oracle is a 169-card deck of original prompts or "matches" to spark the imagination. You can download this and try !<br /><br />Link : http://www.jamesbickers.com/majency.html<br /></span>rajhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06531205747408822310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1344452166756584790.post-7356256007705049952007-08-24T12:24:00.000+04:002007-08-24T12:35:42.505+04:00Its Not Luck !Eliyahu Goldratt- have been always asking probing questions with Alex Rogo and we always waited for the inputs of mentor Jonah. I found this nice clip - Brings back the memories of project management Sessions- have you defined your constraints ??<br /><br /><a href="http://youtube.com/watch?v=WyZTRNbjoLE&mode=related&search">http://youtube.com/watch?v=WyZTRNbjoLE&mode=related&search</a>=rajhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06531205747408822310noreply@blogger.com0