The work culture has always been a discussion point amongst the employees of all organizations. It is said that the organisation’s work culture can be known from a simple litmus test i.e. whether the employees have Monday morning blues. "Great Place to Work" is an institution in the pursuit of the traits that make an organization great. The list of such organisations for India is mentioned.
History: The Great Place to Work® Institute was founded in 1991 by best-selling author Robert Levering and organization consultant Amy Lyman, in collaboration with a team of professional organization and management consultants. The services offered by the Great Place to Work® Institute are based on the over twenty years of research initiated by Robert Levering and Milton Moskowitz, and first presented in their book The 100 Best Companies to Work for in America 1984 Edition (Addison-Wesley 1984).
India's Best Companies to Work For - 2011
Rank Companies
1 Google India Pvt. Ltd.
2 Intel Technology India Pvt. Ltd.
3 Makemytrip India Pvt. Ltd.
4 American Express India Pvt. Ltd.
5 Marriott Hotels India Pvt. Ltd.
6 Classic Stripes Pvt. Ltd.
7 Scope International Pvt. Ltd.
8 Agilent Technologies
9 Claris Lifesciences Ltd.
10 NetApp India Pvt. Ltd.
11 Forbes Marshall Pvt. Ltd.
12 Idea Cellular Ltd.
13 Cactus Communications Pvt. Ltd.
14 Ujjivan Financial Services Pvt. Ltd.
15 Titan Industries Ltd.
16 SAS Institute (India) Pvt. Ltd.
17 Paypal India Pvt. Ltd.
18 Intelenet Global Services
19 NTPC Limted
20 HCL Infosystems Ltd.
21 Equitas Micro Finance India Pvt. Ltd.
22 Qualcomm India Pvt. Ltd.
23 NIIT Ltd.
24 Bharti Airtel Ltd.
25 Corbus India Pvt. Ltd.
26 Intuit Technologies Services Pvt. Ltd.
27 InterGlobe Enterprises Ltd.
28 Hilti India Pvt. Ltd.
29 Indian Oil Corporation Ltd.
30 Firstsource Solutions Ltd.
31 RINL-Visakhapatnam Steel Plant
32 Jubilant Foodworks Ltd.
33 The Oberoi Group
34 Brickred Technologies Pvt. Ltd.
35 Accenture Services Pvt. Ltd.
36 Adobe Systems India Pvt. Ltd.
37 Encore Capital Group - India Site
38 Tata Power Company
39 Johnson & Johnson Ltd.
40 HDFC Standard Life Insurance Company Ltd.
41 Tata Teleservices Ltd.
42 Bajaj Capital Ltd.
43 Blue Dart Express Ltd.
44 Microsoft India
45 Trident Ltd.
46 Godrej Consumer Products Ltd.
47 RFCL
48 Fabindia Overseas Pvt. Ltd.
49 Gujarat Cement Works
50 Ernst & Young Pvt. Ltd.
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
3rd weekend of Jul.'2011
We have all been talking of "marketing" in our day-to-day business. There are many myths attached with the thought(s) on the said subject. Though we do find very less time to pursuit academics, but nevertheless the subject is an important one. A small set of myths is attached for your perusal. Hope you like it.
Marketing is not mathematics. It is not exact or definite, because it deals with the human psyche and our consumption and buying patterns, which are very unpredictable. When marketers fail to realize this fundamental reality, they fall prey to marketing "rules" which don't exactly turn out to be rules. Here is a list of seven of such "pseudo rules" or myths. While a couple of them may be more prominent in the Indian market, none of them are exclusive to just India. Interestingly enough, the human mind seems to work more or less the same everywhere.
Myth # 1: Marketing is all about selling the products that have been made.
Reality: Marketing is primarily about understanding correctly what people want. And when you have understood that (which is extremely difficult, by the way), it is about creating good products that satisfy those wants and finally making them available to the customer (not the consumer, refer myth # 7). Indian marketers are still behind their western counterparts in understanding this. Confusing marketing with sales or advertising is rampant in India.
Myth # 2: Advertising is marketing.
Reality: Advertising is a form of promotion and promotion is just a small part of the overall marketing function. Advertising is not marketing. Also more advertising doesn't mean more sales. Advertising makes people aware of the brand. Now whether they trust the advertising (which they don't, most of the times, and that’s why PR works better) and go ahead and buy the product, is an entirely different issue.
Myth # 3: Branding is marketing
Reality: The scope of branding goes beyond marketing; rather it is the result of marketing. Apart from marketing, branding is also about the work culture, the employees, the leadership, the core values, the performance of the products, etc. The company makes a promise through advertisements and then fulfills it with the help of all its resources. Only when both promise and fulfillment happen the way they should is a brand built. Think of Tata or Infosys (or Satyam for that matter). And by the way, Amitabh Bachchan doesn't do marketing for himself.
Myth # 4: Only big companies need to invest in branding.
Reality: Another myth more prominent in the Indian market. Branding is not one of the many activities of a company, it is the activity. Everything that a business entity does contributes or takes away from its brand identity. Even if the company is small and has limited customers, it will be perceived in some way by those limited number of customers. Then why neglect brand building and lose even them?
Myth # 5: The best product or service will win.
Reality: Apple's iPod still wins not because it is the best, but because it is perceived to be the best. You don't go into a TV store and buy a Panasonic instead of a Videocon because you know for a fact that Panasonic is better, but because you perceive it to be better. Remember, marketing or branding or advertising is all about perception, human perception.
Myth # 6: Competitors are bad.
Reality: Competitors are good. Pepsi would not have been Pepsi without a Coke. Hutch would not have been Hutch without an Airtel. Times of India would not have been Times of India without a Hindustan Times. A competitor refines your own positioning. It tells the consumer, what you are not. By the way, do you know that TOI Mumbai and HT Mumbai use each other's production capacities to meet their sales? Competitors are good.
Myth # 6: Customer is always right.
Reality: Customer is sometimes wrong, horribly wrong. Considering the customer to be always right may sometimes harm the morale of the loyal and efficient employee. The Indian principle of Atithi Devo Bhavah (the Guest is God) doesn't apply to customers. And there are both good and bad customers. Seth Godin, the marketing Guru says that the customer is indeed always right, because when he is wrong, you should let him cease to be your customer. Sound advice!
Myth # 7: Customer and consumer is one and the same thing.
Reality: They are not! Customer is one who buys and consumer is one who consumes and they may sometimes be different. Considering both to be the same might be misleading for marketers. Cinthol maybe your favorite brand of soap, but if the brand manager doesn't also target your wife in its advertising campaign, she may just hate it and not buy it for you. Isn't she the one who does most of the shopping?
As I always say brickbats and bouquets welcome!
-Sukhi
Marketing is not mathematics. It is not exact or definite, because it deals with the human psyche and our consumption and buying patterns, which are very unpredictable. When marketers fail to realize this fundamental reality, they fall prey to marketing "rules" which don't exactly turn out to be rules. Here is a list of seven of such "pseudo rules" or myths. While a couple of them may be more prominent in the Indian market, none of them are exclusive to just India. Interestingly enough, the human mind seems to work more or less the same everywhere.
Myth # 1: Marketing is all about selling the products that have been made.
Reality: Marketing is primarily about understanding correctly what people want. And when you have understood that (which is extremely difficult, by the way), it is about creating good products that satisfy those wants and finally making them available to the customer (not the consumer, refer myth # 7). Indian marketers are still behind their western counterparts in understanding this. Confusing marketing with sales or advertising is rampant in India.
Myth # 2: Advertising is marketing.
Reality: Advertising is a form of promotion and promotion is just a small part of the overall marketing function. Advertising is not marketing. Also more advertising doesn't mean more sales. Advertising makes people aware of the brand. Now whether they trust the advertising (which they don't, most of the times, and that’s why PR works better) and go ahead and buy the product, is an entirely different issue.
Myth # 3: Branding is marketing
Reality: The scope of branding goes beyond marketing; rather it is the result of marketing. Apart from marketing, branding is also about the work culture, the employees, the leadership, the core values, the performance of the products, etc. The company makes a promise through advertisements and then fulfills it with the help of all its resources. Only when both promise and fulfillment happen the way they should is a brand built. Think of Tata or Infosys (or Satyam for that matter). And by the way, Amitabh Bachchan doesn't do marketing for himself.
Myth # 4: Only big companies need to invest in branding.
Reality: Another myth more prominent in the Indian market. Branding is not one of the many activities of a company, it is the activity. Everything that a business entity does contributes or takes away from its brand identity. Even if the company is small and has limited customers, it will be perceived in some way by those limited number of customers. Then why neglect brand building and lose even them?
Myth # 5: The best product or service will win.
Reality: Apple's iPod still wins not because it is the best, but because it is perceived to be the best. You don't go into a TV store and buy a Panasonic instead of a Videocon because you know for a fact that Panasonic is better, but because you perceive it to be better. Remember, marketing or branding or advertising is all about perception, human perception.
Myth # 6: Competitors are bad.
Reality: Competitors are good. Pepsi would not have been Pepsi without a Coke. Hutch would not have been Hutch without an Airtel. Times of India would not have been Times of India without a Hindustan Times. A competitor refines your own positioning. It tells the consumer, what you are not. By the way, do you know that TOI Mumbai and HT Mumbai use each other's production capacities to meet their sales? Competitors are good.
Myth # 6: Customer is always right.
Reality: Customer is sometimes wrong, horribly wrong. Considering the customer to be always right may sometimes harm the morale of the loyal and efficient employee. The Indian principle of Atithi Devo Bhavah (the Guest is God) doesn't apply to customers. And there are both good and bad customers. Seth Godin, the marketing Guru says that the customer is indeed always right, because when he is wrong, you should let him cease to be your customer. Sound advice!
Myth # 7: Customer and consumer is one and the same thing.
Reality: They are not! Customer is one who buys and consumer is one who consumes and they may sometimes be different. Considering both to be the same might be misleading for marketers. Cinthol maybe your favorite brand of soap, but if the brand manager doesn't also target your wife in its advertising campaign, she may just hate it and not buy it for you. Isn't she the one who does most of the shopping?
As I always say brickbats and bouquets welcome!
-Sukhi
2nd weekend of June'2011
Any Indian would definitely have relished the "king of fruit" i.e. mangoes. Needless to say, this is just the right season. Heres' attaching for you a collation of various facts about the same. Hope you enjoy it!
• The mango is known as the 'king of fruit' throughout the world.
• More fresh mangos are eaten every day than any other fruit in the world
• The name 'mango' is derived from the Tamil word 'mangkay' or 'man-gay'. When the Portuguese traders settled in Western India they adopted the name as 'manga'.
• Mangos originated in East India, Burma and the Andaman Islands bordering the Bay of Bengal. Around the 5th century B.C., Buddhist monks are believed to have introduced the mango to Malaysia and eastern Asia - legend has it that Buddha found tranquility and repose in a mango grove. Persian traders took the mango into the middle east and Africa, from there the Portuguese brought it to Brazil and the West Indies. Mango cultivars arrived in Florida in the 1830's and in California in the 1880's.
• The Mango tree plays a sacred role in India; it is a symbol of love and some believe that the Mango tree can grant wishes.
• According to Indian folklore, Buddha was given a mango orchard by a faithful follower so that he could rest in its cool shade.
• In the Hindu culture hanging fresh mango leaves outside the front door during Ponggol (Hindu New Year) and Deepavali is considered a blessing to the house.
• Mango leaves are used at weddings to ensure the couple bear plenty of children (though it is only the birth of the male child that is celebrated - again by hanging mango leaves outside the house).
• Hindus may also brush their teeth with mango twigs on holy days (be sure to rinse well and spit if you try this at home - toxic).
• Many Southeast Asian kings and nobles had their own mango groves; with private cultivars being sources of great pride and social standing, hence began the custom of sending gifts of the choicest mangos.
• The Tahis like to munch mango buds, with Sanskrit poets believing they lend sweetness to the voice.
• Burning of mango wood, leaves and debris is not advised - toxic fumes can cause serious irritation to eyes and lungs.
• Mango leaves are considered toxic and can kill cattle or other grazing livestock.
• In India, a certain shade of yellow dye was attained by feeding cattle small amounts of mango leaves and harvesting their urine. Of course as stated above, this is a contraindicated practice, since mango leaves are toxic and cattle are sacred. It has since been outlawed.
• Mangos are bursting with protective nutrients. The vitamin content depends upon the variety and maturity of the fruit, when the mango is green the amount of vitamin C is higher, as it ripens the amount of beta carotene (vitamin A) increases.
• There are over 20 million metric tons of mangos grown throughout the tropical and sub-tropical world. The leading mango producer is India, with very little export as most are consumed within the country. Mexico and China compete for second place, followed by Pakistan and Indonesia. Thailand, Nigeria, Brazil, Philippines and Haiti follow in order.
• According to the Foreign Agricultural Organization, the top mango exporters reported in 1997 are as follows in order: Mexico, Brazil, South Africa, Haiti, Guatemala, Venezuela, Peru, Nicaragua, Dominican Republic.
• The fruit of the mango is called a Drupe - consisting of the mesocarp (edible fleshy part) and endocarp (large woody, flattened pit).
• The mango is a member of the Anachardiaceae family. Other distant relatives include the cashew, pistachio, Jamaica plum, poison ivy and poison oak.
• The over 1,000 known mango cultivars are derived from two strains of mango seed - monoembryonic (single embryo) and polyembryonic (multiple embryo). Monoembryonic hails from the Indian (original) strain of mango,
polyembryonic from the Indochinese.
• Dermatitis can result from contact with the resinous latex sap that drips from the stem end when mangos are harvested. The mango fruit skin is not considered edible.
• Every part of the mango is beneficial and has been utilized in folk remedies in some form or another. Whether the bark, leaves, skin or pit; all have been concocted into various types of treatments or preventatives down through the centuries. A partial list of the many medicinal properties and purported uses attributed to the mango tree are as follows: anti-viral, anti-parasitic, anti-septic, anti-tussive (cough), anti-asthmatic, expectorant, cardiotonic, contraceptive, aphrodisiac, hypotensive, laxative, stomachic (beneficial to digestion)....
• Mangiferin - rich in splenocytes, found in the stem bark of the mango tree has purported potent immunomodulatory characteristics - believed to inhibit tumor growth in early and late stages.
As I always say brickbats and bouquets welcome!
-Sukhi
1st weekend of June'2011
We have all realised the importance of rainfall. The present finance minister, many scholars and economy controllers have many a times acknowledged the fact that rains after all are the real finance ministers. As we wait for the forthcoming new drops of this year, I thought of sharing a small example of artificial rain creation technique. I am sure many of you would be aware of it; the interested souls may conact google for more enlightenment. Hope you like it!
Cloud seeding, a form of weather modification, is the attempt to change the amount or type of precipitation that falls from clouds, by dispersing substances into the air that serve as cloud condensation or ice nuclei, which alter the microphysical processes within the cloud. The usual intent is to increase precipitation (rain or snow), but hail and fog suppression are also widely practiced in airports.
There are three cloud seeding methods: static, dynamic and hygroscopic.
• Static cloud seeding involves spreading a chemical like silver iodide into clouds. The silver iodide provides a crystal around which moisture can condense. The moisture is already present in the clouds, but silver iodide essentially makes rain clouds more effective at dispensing their water.
• Dynamic cloud seeding aims to boost vertical air currents, which encourages more water to pass through the clouds, translating into more rain. Up to 100 times more ice crystals are used in dynamic cloud seeding than in the static method. The process is considered more complex than static clouding seeding because it depends on a sequence of events working properly. Dr. William R. Cotton, a professor of atmospheric science at Colorado State University, and other researchers break down dynamic cloud seeding into 11 separate stages. An unexpected outcome in one stage could ruin the entire process, making the technique less dependable than static cloud seeding.
• Hygroscopic cloud seeding disperses salts through flares or explosives in the lower portions of clouds. The salts grow in size as water joins with them. In his report on cloud seeding, Cotton says that hygroscopic cloud seeding holds much promise, but requires further research.
¬Criticism
Cloud seeding is quite expensive, though potentially cheaper than other projects, like diverting rivers, building new canals or improving irrigation systems (aimed towards better agricultural productivity). Then again, the allure of cloud seeding may redirect attention and funding from other projects that could be more promising. Then there are questions about altering weather. Are some areas taking moisture out of the air that would have fallen as rain in another region? Despite reassurances from cloud-seeding companies, concerns also remain about expo¬sure to silver iodide toxicity and soil contamination.
Famous works / examples
¬China has a reputation for launching ambitious projects, from the Great Wall in ancient times¬ to the highest railroad in the world, connecting Qinghai to Tibet. But is the investment in cloud seeding worth it, and can the government really make it rain whenever it sees the need?
The Beijing Weather Modification Office spent a lot of time researching how to prevent rain in the city during the Aug. 8 opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics. The government even guaranteed clear skies for the event -- a promise it managed to deliver on. The feat only took the launch of 1,104 rain dispersal rockets from 21 sites in the city to pull off.
As I always say brickbats and bouquets welcome!
-Sukhi
Cloud seeding, a form of weather modification, is the attempt to change the amount or type of precipitation that falls from clouds, by dispersing substances into the air that serve as cloud condensation or ice nuclei, which alter the microphysical processes within the cloud. The usual intent is to increase precipitation (rain or snow), but hail and fog suppression are also widely practiced in airports.
There are three cloud seeding methods: static, dynamic and hygroscopic.
• Static cloud seeding involves spreading a chemical like silver iodide into clouds. The silver iodide provides a crystal around which moisture can condense. The moisture is already present in the clouds, but silver iodide essentially makes rain clouds more effective at dispensing their water.
• Dynamic cloud seeding aims to boost vertical air currents, which encourages more water to pass through the clouds, translating into more rain. Up to 100 times more ice crystals are used in dynamic cloud seeding than in the static method. The process is considered more complex than static clouding seeding because it depends on a sequence of events working properly. Dr. William R. Cotton, a professor of atmospheric science at Colorado State University, and other researchers break down dynamic cloud seeding into 11 separate stages. An unexpected outcome in one stage could ruin the entire process, making the technique less dependable than static cloud seeding.
• Hygroscopic cloud seeding disperses salts through flares or explosives in the lower portions of clouds. The salts grow in size as water joins with them. In his report on cloud seeding, Cotton says that hygroscopic cloud seeding holds much promise, but requires further research.
¬Criticism
Cloud seeding is quite expensive, though potentially cheaper than other projects, like diverting rivers, building new canals or improving irrigation systems (aimed towards better agricultural productivity). Then again, the allure of cloud seeding may redirect attention and funding from other projects that could be more promising. Then there are questions about altering weather. Are some areas taking moisture out of the air that would have fallen as rain in another region? Despite reassurances from cloud-seeding companies, concerns also remain about expo¬sure to silver iodide toxicity and soil contamination.
Famous works / examples
¬China has a reputation for launching ambitious projects, from the Great Wall in ancient times¬ to the highest railroad in the world, connecting Qinghai to Tibet. But is the investment in cloud seeding worth it, and can the government really make it rain whenever it sees the need?
The Beijing Weather Modification Office spent a lot of time researching how to prevent rain in the city during the Aug. 8 opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics. The government even guaranteed clear skies for the event -- a promise it managed to deliver on. The feat only took the launch of 1,104 rain dispersal rockets from 21 sites in the city to pull off.
As I always say brickbats and bouquets welcome!
-Sukhi
2nd weekend of May'2011
Nothing much is known about the author except for the fact that he is a banker like all of us. This is an article which I found at www.spiritualnow.com. I hope you like it.
Sita, Dhuba grass and Vishnu
Durbha or Dhuba grass has an important place in Hindu worship. The grass finds the highest position on a deity’s body i.e. the head. This grass belongs to the Poaceae family and botanically known as cynodon dactylon. It is the most sacred plant after Tulsi in India.
Since it has most of the body part like a creeper grass on the ground, it symbolizes humility; all living beings tend to walk on the same. This is one of the first reasons why it is placed on a deity’s head during worship. Humility as a virtue is an integral part of Hinduism.
A story also does the round that while Sita was asked to go through agni-pareeksha for the second time, she asked Mother Earth to engulf her. She being her daughter, an earthquake took place where she was standing. She stood with hands folded till the earth engulfed her. Lord Ram in grief hurried to the spot in vain. All he could muster to get hold was some of her hair. The Lord in deep anguish threw them on the side earth and was in despair. The hair fell on the earth and became Dhuba grass and spread its roots to a larger place. The grass thus stands as a memoir of the many talked about characteristic aspects of Sita i.e. humility, virtue, dedication, patience and love.
In another story we have the great king Ambarish waiting to complete his fast by taking a meal. At that instant, Durvasa saint came in mentioning that he would have food with the king after performing his bath. To this the king obliged and waited. However since the auspicious time of breaking the fast was passing over, he symbolically broke it by taking few drops of water. The sage got angry with him for the same. He was about to give a curse when the king, a devout Vaishnavite prayed to Vishnu to save him from the curse that was going to come. The lord sent his Sudarshan Chakra to slit the sage. The sage pleaded with Lord Vishnu but the lord said that it was not under his control as once the chakra was left free, it would complete its job of slitting the destined person. Durvasa pleaded mercy owing to the grounds not being that serious. Upon this, the Lord said that considering the meagerness of the crime, the slit body of the saint would become grass; however it would find place in the hair / head of the lord.
At some places it is mentioned that this grass represents the entire Universe. The universe as per Hindus is governed by the trio of Brahma, Vishnu & Shiva. Brahma is told to reside in the root, Vishnu in the middle and Shiva at the top. Thus worshipping the grass symbolizes worshipping the eternity. Besides worship on festive occasion, this grass also finds it unique position in the funeral rites of Hindus too.
Today this grass has found its way into the medicinal world as a cure to dispigmented skin, burning (being haemostatic), and wounds externally and as a cure for bleeding control in cases of piles, menorrhagia etc. and being an anti-toxin internally. Not surprisingly this grass finds mention in the writings of Sushruta and Charaka.
Next time we come across this grass, let’s pause and dwell about its importance.
Bouquets and brickbats welcome!
-Sukhi
Sita, Dhuba grass and Vishnu
Durbha or Dhuba grass has an important place in Hindu worship. The grass finds the highest position on a deity’s body i.e. the head. This grass belongs to the Poaceae family and botanically known as cynodon dactylon. It is the most sacred plant after Tulsi in India.
Since it has most of the body part like a creeper grass on the ground, it symbolizes humility; all living beings tend to walk on the same. This is one of the first reasons why it is placed on a deity’s head during worship. Humility as a virtue is an integral part of Hinduism.
A story also does the round that while Sita was asked to go through agni-pareeksha for the second time, she asked Mother Earth to engulf her. She being her daughter, an earthquake took place where she was standing. She stood with hands folded till the earth engulfed her. Lord Ram in grief hurried to the spot in vain. All he could muster to get hold was some of her hair. The Lord in deep anguish threw them on the side earth and was in despair. The hair fell on the earth and became Dhuba grass and spread its roots to a larger place. The grass thus stands as a memoir of the many talked about characteristic aspects of Sita i.e. humility, virtue, dedication, patience and love.
In another story we have the great king Ambarish waiting to complete his fast by taking a meal. At that instant, Durvasa saint came in mentioning that he would have food with the king after performing his bath. To this the king obliged and waited. However since the auspicious time of breaking the fast was passing over, he symbolically broke it by taking few drops of water. The sage got angry with him for the same. He was about to give a curse when the king, a devout Vaishnavite prayed to Vishnu to save him from the curse that was going to come. The lord sent his Sudarshan Chakra to slit the sage. The sage pleaded with Lord Vishnu but the lord said that it was not under his control as once the chakra was left free, it would complete its job of slitting the destined person. Durvasa pleaded mercy owing to the grounds not being that serious. Upon this, the Lord said that considering the meagerness of the crime, the slit body of the saint would become grass; however it would find place in the hair / head of the lord.
At some places it is mentioned that this grass represents the entire Universe. The universe as per Hindus is governed by the trio of Brahma, Vishnu & Shiva. Brahma is told to reside in the root, Vishnu in the middle and Shiva at the top. Thus worshipping the grass symbolizes worshipping the eternity. Besides worship on festive occasion, this grass also finds it unique position in the funeral rites of Hindus too.
Today this grass has found its way into the medicinal world as a cure to dispigmented skin, burning (being haemostatic), and wounds externally and as a cure for bleeding control in cases of piles, menorrhagia etc. and being an anti-toxin internally. Not surprisingly this grass finds mention in the writings of Sushruta and Charaka.
Next time we come across this grass, let’s pause and dwell about its importance.
Bouquets and brickbats welcome!
-Sukhi
5th weekend of Apr.'2011
Yesterday we had the results announced for AXIS Annual Conference. Whether it is for the Gold or Platinum trip, its going to be a whale of a time in the unique country. This weekend, what better topic than that on South Africa. Please find attached some fascinating facts about the country.
For those who made it - explore these and you know what to get for your acquantainces
For those who did not make it - You know what to order from the people who made it.
I hope you find these facts interesting
1. Table Mountain in Cape Town is believed to be one of the oldest mountains in the world.
2. The world is divided into six floral kingdoms. All these kingdoms encompass several countries, and in some cases, several continents. South Africa, which has a floral kingdom wholly contained within the country, is the one exception. The Cape Floral Kingdom has 9,600 plant species, 70% of which are not found anywhere else in the world.
3. Table Mountain alone has over 1,500 species of plants, more than the entire United Kingdom.
4. South Africa is the second largest exporter of fruit in the world.
5. South Africa has the longest wine route in the world.
6. Kruger National Park supports the greatest variety of wildlife species on the African continent.
7. South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique are tearing down fences between the countries' game parks to create a 13,500 square mile game park, which will become the largest conservation area in the world. It will be bigger than Switzerland, Belgium or Taiwan.
8. South Africa has a penguin colony, which thrives thanks to the cold Antarctic currents on the west coast near the Cape.
9. South Africa is rated 3rd in the world in supplying safe, drinkable tap water.
10. The Palace of the Lost City resort hotel is the largest theme resort hotel in the world as well as the largest building project undertaken in the southern hemisphere.
11. Walt Disney serves South African wine exclusively at its 73-acre Animal Kingdom Lodge in the United States.
12. South Africa has the cheapest electricity in the world.
13. The deepest mine is a gold mine in South Africa. in 1977 the Western Deep Levels Mine reached a depth of 11,749 feet. Most mines descend to about 3,300 feet.
14. South Africa is the only country in the world to voluntarily abandon its nuclear weapons program.
15. South Africa has 19,004 miles of railway track - 80% of Africa's rail infrastructure.
16. South Africa generates two-thirds of Africa's electricity.
17. The Tugela Falls is the second highest waterfall in the world, where the water tumbles down 2,789 feet. First place goes to the Angel Falls in Venezuela at 3,212 feet.
18. Blyde River Canyon is the third largest canyon in the world - and the largest green one. The Grand Canyon in the U.S. is the biggest, and the Fish River Canyon in Namibia the second, but both are very dry.
19. South Africa is home to the world's smallest succulent plants (less than 0.39 inches) and the largest (the baobab tree).
20. Kimberley may have the biggest man-made hole in the world, but did you know that the southern Free State town of Jagersfontein has the deepest vertical man-made hole?
21. The only street in the world to house two Nobel Peace prizewinners is in Soweto. Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu both have houses on Vilakazi Street in Soweto.
22. South Africa is the world's largest producer of macadamia nuts.
23. South Africa has the third highest level of biodiversity in the world.
24. South Africa is the world's leader in mining and minerals. It has nearly 90% of the platinum metals on earth, 80% of the manganese, 73% of the chrome, 45% of the vanadium and 41% of the gold.
25. South Africa is the first country in Africa to host the prestigious FIFA World Cup (will take place in 2010).
26. South Africa has the oldest meteor scar in the world, just across the Vaal River near Parys, called the Vredefort Dome. This is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
27. South African grasslands have approximately 30 species per square kilometer, greater than the biodiversity of rainforests.
28. South Africa is the sole producer of the Mercedes Benz C Class, right-hand drive vehicles .
29. General Motors South Africa will be the only manufacturing site outside of the United States to build the Hummer H3 vehicle.
30. South Africa is one of the most generously endowed geographic solar hotspots in the world, soaking up just over half of the world's highest category of solar wattage per square yard of land.
31. South Africa has deserts, mountains, escarpments, plateaus, grasslands, bush, wetlands and subtropical forests.
32. Most of the world's proto-mammalian fossils are found in the Karoo region.
33. Dr. Christiaan Barnard, at Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town, performed the first human heart transplant in the world in 1967. He was also the first to do a "piggyback" transplant in 1971, and he was the first to do a heart-lung transplant.
34. The vast majority of South African coal exports are shipped through the Richards Bay Coal Terminal (RBCT). With the capacity to export 79.4 mmst annually, RBCT is the world's largest coal export facility.
35. The world's largest diamond was the Cullinan Diamond, found in South Africa in 1905. It weighed 3,106.75 carats uncut. It was cut into the Great Star of Africa, weighing 530.2 carats, the Lesser Star of Africa, which weighs 317.40 carats, and 104 other diamonds of nearly flawless color and clarity. They now form part of the British crown jewels.
36. There are about 280,000 windmills on farms across South Africa, second in number only to Australia.
37. Three of the five fastest land animals live in South Africa - the cheetah (63 miles per hour), the wildebeest, and the lion.
38. The oldest remains of modern humans were found in Klasies River Cave in the Eastern Cape. They are well over 100,000 years old.
39. In eastern South Africa, scientists have found traces of blue-green algae dating back 3,500 million years. This is some of the earliest evidence of life on Earth.
40. There are more than 2,000 shipwrecks, dating back at least 500 years, off the South African coast. More than one of these, including the Waratah, simply vanished without a trace.
41. The Karoo region is home to some of the best fossils of early dinosaurs.
42. Although Pretoria is considered to be the capital of South Africa, the country actually has three capitals: Pretoria (executive), Cape Town (legislative), and Bloemfontein (judicial).
43. In its eastern part, South Africa entirely surrounds another country - Lesotho, an independent constitutional monarchy.
44. Approximately 900 bird species are found in South Africa alone, which represents 10% of the worlds total bird species.
45. South Africa has the most luxurious train in the world, The Rovos Rail.
46. South Africa has the highest commercial bungi jump in the world (710 feet).
47. Mossel Bay is in the Guinness Book of records as having the second most moderate climate in the world.
48. Pietermaritzburg's city hall is the largest red brick building in the Southern Hemisphere.
49. Hippos are susceptible to sunburn, and spend most of their days with just their noses out of water. Their noses have special flaps that close when submerged, and they can stay under water for 25 minutes.
50. South Africa has the oldest wine industry outside of Europe and the Mediterranean, featuring Chardonnays, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Cinsault, Riesling, Shiraz, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinotage varietals.
As I always say, brickbats and bouquets welcome!
-Sukhi
For those who made it - explore these and you know what to get for your acquantainces
For those who did not make it - You know what to order from the people who made it.
I hope you find these facts interesting
1. Table Mountain in Cape Town is believed to be one of the oldest mountains in the world.
2. The world is divided into six floral kingdoms. All these kingdoms encompass several countries, and in some cases, several continents. South Africa, which has a floral kingdom wholly contained within the country, is the one exception. The Cape Floral Kingdom has 9,600 plant species, 70% of which are not found anywhere else in the world.
3. Table Mountain alone has over 1,500 species of plants, more than the entire United Kingdom.
4. South Africa is the second largest exporter of fruit in the world.
5. South Africa has the longest wine route in the world.
6. Kruger National Park supports the greatest variety of wildlife species on the African continent.
7. South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique are tearing down fences between the countries' game parks to create a 13,500 square mile game park, which will become the largest conservation area in the world. It will be bigger than Switzerland, Belgium or Taiwan.
8. South Africa has a penguin colony, which thrives thanks to the cold Antarctic currents on the west coast near the Cape.
9. South Africa is rated 3rd in the world in supplying safe, drinkable tap water.
10. The Palace of the Lost City resort hotel is the largest theme resort hotel in the world as well as the largest building project undertaken in the southern hemisphere.
11. Walt Disney serves South African wine exclusively at its 73-acre Animal Kingdom Lodge in the United States.
12. South Africa has the cheapest electricity in the world.
13. The deepest mine is a gold mine in South Africa. in 1977 the Western Deep Levels Mine reached a depth of 11,749 feet. Most mines descend to about 3,300 feet.
14. South Africa is the only country in the world to voluntarily abandon its nuclear weapons program.
15. South Africa has 19,004 miles of railway track - 80% of Africa's rail infrastructure.
16. South Africa generates two-thirds of Africa's electricity.
17. The Tugela Falls is the second highest waterfall in the world, where the water tumbles down 2,789 feet. First place goes to the Angel Falls in Venezuela at 3,212 feet.
18. Blyde River Canyon is the third largest canyon in the world - and the largest green one. The Grand Canyon in the U.S. is the biggest, and the Fish River Canyon in Namibia the second, but both are very dry.
19. South Africa is home to the world's smallest succulent plants (less than 0.39 inches) and the largest (the baobab tree).
20. Kimberley may have the biggest man-made hole in the world, but did you know that the southern Free State town of Jagersfontein has the deepest vertical man-made hole?
21. The only street in the world to house two Nobel Peace prizewinners is in Soweto. Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu both have houses on Vilakazi Street in Soweto.
22. South Africa is the world's largest producer of macadamia nuts.
23. South Africa has the third highest level of biodiversity in the world.
24. South Africa is the world's leader in mining and minerals. It has nearly 90% of the platinum metals on earth, 80% of the manganese, 73% of the chrome, 45% of the vanadium and 41% of the gold.
25. South Africa is the first country in Africa to host the prestigious FIFA World Cup (will take place in 2010).
26. South Africa has the oldest meteor scar in the world, just across the Vaal River near Parys, called the Vredefort Dome. This is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
27. South African grasslands have approximately 30 species per square kilometer, greater than the biodiversity of rainforests.
28. South Africa is the sole producer of the Mercedes Benz C Class, right-hand drive vehicles .
29. General Motors South Africa will be the only manufacturing site outside of the United States to build the Hummer H3 vehicle.
30. South Africa is one of the most generously endowed geographic solar hotspots in the world, soaking up just over half of the world's highest category of solar wattage per square yard of land.
31. South Africa has deserts, mountains, escarpments, plateaus, grasslands, bush, wetlands and subtropical forests.
32. Most of the world's proto-mammalian fossils are found in the Karoo region.
33. Dr. Christiaan Barnard, at Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town, performed the first human heart transplant in the world in 1967. He was also the first to do a "piggyback" transplant in 1971, and he was the first to do a heart-lung transplant.
34. The vast majority of South African coal exports are shipped through the Richards Bay Coal Terminal (RBCT). With the capacity to export 79.4 mmst annually, RBCT is the world's largest coal export facility.
35. The world's largest diamond was the Cullinan Diamond, found in South Africa in 1905. It weighed 3,106.75 carats uncut. It was cut into the Great Star of Africa, weighing 530.2 carats, the Lesser Star of Africa, which weighs 317.40 carats, and 104 other diamonds of nearly flawless color and clarity. They now form part of the British crown jewels.
36. There are about 280,000 windmills on farms across South Africa, second in number only to Australia.
37. Three of the five fastest land animals live in South Africa - the cheetah (63 miles per hour), the wildebeest, and the lion.
38. The oldest remains of modern humans were found in Klasies River Cave in the Eastern Cape. They are well over 100,000 years old.
39. In eastern South Africa, scientists have found traces of blue-green algae dating back 3,500 million years. This is some of the earliest evidence of life on Earth.
40. There are more than 2,000 shipwrecks, dating back at least 500 years, off the South African coast. More than one of these, including the Waratah, simply vanished without a trace.
41. The Karoo region is home to some of the best fossils of early dinosaurs.
42. Although Pretoria is considered to be the capital of South Africa, the country actually has three capitals: Pretoria (executive), Cape Town (legislative), and Bloemfontein (judicial).
43. In its eastern part, South Africa entirely surrounds another country - Lesotho, an independent constitutional monarchy.
44. Approximately 900 bird species are found in South Africa alone, which represents 10% of the worlds total bird species.
45. South Africa has the most luxurious train in the world, The Rovos Rail.
46. South Africa has the highest commercial bungi jump in the world (710 feet).
47. Mossel Bay is in the Guinness Book of records as having the second most moderate climate in the world.
48. Pietermaritzburg's city hall is the largest red brick building in the Southern Hemisphere.
49. Hippos are susceptible to sunburn, and spend most of their days with just their noses out of water. Their noses have special flaps that close when submerged, and they can stay under water for 25 minutes.
50. South Africa has the oldest wine industry outside of Europe and the Mediterranean, featuring Chardonnays, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Cinsault, Riesling, Shiraz, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinotage varietals.
As I always say, brickbats and bouquets welcome!
-Sukhi
1st weekend of May'2011
Subhamoy Das has been an exponent on Hinduism. Yesterday, we all celebrated Akshay Tritiya. Heres a small note on the same by Subhamoy. I selected this article to the writings of Devdutt Patnaik (eg: Let Wealth Flow on May 19-2010) on the same topic because of the bullet-point wise approach of the former. I am sure many would be knowing all the aspects of the said festival; hope you enjoy it anyways.
Hindus believe in the theory of "mahurats" or auspicious timings in every step in life - be it to begin a new venture or making an important purchase. Akshaya Tritiya is one such momentous occasion, which is considered one of the most auspicious days of the Hindu calendar. It is believed, any meaningful activity started on this day would be fruitful.
Once a Year
Akshaya Tritiya falls on the third day of the bright half of Vaishakh month (April-May), when the Sun and Moon are in exaltation; they are simultaneously at their peak of brightness, which happens only once every year.
Holy Day
Akshaya Tritiya, also known as "Akha Teej", is traditionally the birthday of Lord Parasurama, the sixth incarnation of Lord Vishnu. People conduct special Pujas on this day, bathe in holy rivers, make a charity, offer barley in a sacred fire, and worship Lord Ganesha & Devi Lakshmi on this day.
The Golden Link
The word "Akshaya" means imperishable or eternal - that which never diminishes. Initiations made or valuables bought on this day are considered to bring success or good fortune. Buying gold is a popular activity on Akshaya Tritiya, as it is the ultimate symbol of wealth and prosperity. Gold and gold jewelry bought and worn on this day signify never diminishing good fortune. Indians celebrate weddings, begin new business ventures, and even plan long journeys on this day.
Myths Around Akshaya Tritiya
The day also marks the beginning of the "SatyaYug" or the Golden Age - the first of the four Yugas. In the Puranas, the holy Hindu scriptures, there is a story that says that on this day of Akshay Tritiya, Veda Vyasa along with Ganesha started writing the great epic Mahabharata. Ganga Devi or Mother Ganges also descended on earth on this day.
According to another legend, during the time of the Mahabhrata, when the Pandavas were in exile, Lord Krishna, on this day, presented them an 'Akshaya Patra,' a bowl which would never go empty and produce an unlimited supply of food on demand.
The Krishna-Sudama Legend
Perhaps, the most famous of the Akshaya Tritiya stories is the legend of Lord Krishna and Sudama, his poor Brahmin childhood friend. On this day, as the tale goes, Sudama came over to Krishna's palace to request him for some financial help. As a gift for his friend, Sudama had nothing more than a handful of beaten rice or 'poha'. So, he was utterly ashamed to give it to Krishna, but Krishna took the pouch of 'poha' from him and relished having it. Krishna followed the principle of 'Atithi Devo Bhava' or 'the guest is like God' and treated Sudama like a king. His poor friend was so overwhelmed by the warmth and hospitality shown by Krishna, that he could not ask for the financial favor and came home empty handed. Lo and behold! When he reached his place, Sudama's old hut was transformed into a palace! He found his family dressed in royal attire and everything around was new and expensive. Sudama knew that it was a boon from Krishna, who blessed him with more than the wealth he actually intended to ask for. Therefore, Akshaya Tritiya is associated with material gains and wealth acquisition.
Bright Births
It is also believed that people born during this time shine bright in life. Many luminaries were born during this period: Basaveshwara born on May 4, Ramanujacharya and Adi Shankaracharya on May 6, Swami Chinmayananda on May 8 and Lord Buddha on May 16. Akshaya Tritiya is also celebrated as the birthday of Lord Parashurama, one of the ten avatars of Lord Vishnu.
As I always say, brickbats and bouquets welcome!
-Sukhi
Hindus believe in the theory of "mahurats" or auspicious timings in every step in life - be it to begin a new venture or making an important purchase. Akshaya Tritiya is one such momentous occasion, which is considered one of the most auspicious days of the Hindu calendar. It is believed, any meaningful activity started on this day would be fruitful.
Once a Year
Akshaya Tritiya falls on the third day of the bright half of Vaishakh month (April-May), when the Sun and Moon are in exaltation; they are simultaneously at their peak of brightness, which happens only once every year.
Holy Day
Akshaya Tritiya, also known as "Akha Teej", is traditionally the birthday of Lord Parasurama, the sixth incarnation of Lord Vishnu. People conduct special Pujas on this day, bathe in holy rivers, make a charity, offer barley in a sacred fire, and worship Lord Ganesha & Devi Lakshmi on this day.
The Golden Link
The word "Akshaya" means imperishable or eternal - that which never diminishes. Initiations made or valuables bought on this day are considered to bring success or good fortune. Buying gold is a popular activity on Akshaya Tritiya, as it is the ultimate symbol of wealth and prosperity. Gold and gold jewelry bought and worn on this day signify never diminishing good fortune. Indians celebrate weddings, begin new business ventures, and even plan long journeys on this day.
Myths Around Akshaya Tritiya
The day also marks the beginning of the "SatyaYug" or the Golden Age - the first of the four Yugas. In the Puranas, the holy Hindu scriptures, there is a story that says that on this day of Akshay Tritiya, Veda Vyasa along with Ganesha started writing the great epic Mahabharata. Ganga Devi or Mother Ganges also descended on earth on this day.
According to another legend, during the time of the Mahabhrata, when the Pandavas were in exile, Lord Krishna, on this day, presented them an 'Akshaya Patra,' a bowl which would never go empty and produce an unlimited supply of food on demand.
The Krishna-Sudama Legend
Perhaps, the most famous of the Akshaya Tritiya stories is the legend of Lord Krishna and Sudama, his poor Brahmin childhood friend. On this day, as the tale goes, Sudama came over to Krishna's palace to request him for some financial help. As a gift for his friend, Sudama had nothing more than a handful of beaten rice or 'poha'. So, he was utterly ashamed to give it to Krishna, but Krishna took the pouch of 'poha' from him and relished having it. Krishna followed the principle of 'Atithi Devo Bhava' or 'the guest is like God' and treated Sudama like a king. His poor friend was so overwhelmed by the warmth and hospitality shown by Krishna, that he could not ask for the financial favor and came home empty handed. Lo and behold! When he reached his place, Sudama's old hut was transformed into a palace! He found his family dressed in royal attire and everything around was new and expensive. Sudama knew that it was a boon from Krishna, who blessed him with more than the wealth he actually intended to ask for. Therefore, Akshaya Tritiya is associated with material gains and wealth acquisition.
Bright Births
It is also believed that people born during this time shine bright in life. Many luminaries were born during this period: Basaveshwara born on May 4, Ramanujacharya and Adi Shankaracharya on May 6, Swami Chinmayananda on May 8 and Lord Buddha on May 16. Akshaya Tritiya is also celebrated as the birthday of Lord Parashurama, one of the ten avatars of Lord Vishnu.
As I always say, brickbats and bouquets welcome!
-Sukhi
4th weekend of Apr.'2011
Zen is a school of Mahayana Buddhism that asserts that enlightenment can be attained through meditation, self-contemplation, and intuition rather than through faith and devotion and that is practiced mainly in China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam. Also called Zen Buddhism. Zen teaches that the potential to achieve enlightenment is inherent in everyone but lies dormant because of ignorance. It is best awakened not by the study of scripture, the practice of good deeds, rites and ceremonies, or worship of images, but by breaking through the boundaries of mundane logical thought. There are many stories which find mention in writings of Jiddu, Osho and many more; these are typically identified by small length and heavy meaning attached. This weekend, please find attached a collation of 10 Zen stories.
Some might find these very odd, but trust me if you search for more such stories, you will enjoy!
1. A Cup of Tea
Nan-in, a Japanese master during the Meiji era (1868-1912), received a university professor who came to inquire about Zen. Nan-in served tea. He poured his visitor’s cup full, and then kept on pouring. The professor watched the overflow until he no longer could restrain himself. "It is overfull. No more will go in!". "Like this cup," Nan-in said, "you are full of your own opinions and speculations. How can I show you Zen unless you first empty your cup?"
2. The Burden
Two monks were returning to the monastery in the evening. It had rained and there were puddles of water on the road sides. At one place a beautiful young woman was standing unable to walk accross because of a puddle of water. The elder of the two monks went up to a her lifted her and left her on the other side of the road, and continued his way to the monastery.
In the evening the younger monk came to the elder monk and said, "Sir, as monks, we cannot touch a woman ?". The elder monk answered "yes, brother". Then the younger monk asks again, "but then Sir, how is that you lifted that woman on the roadside ?"
The elder monk smiled at him and told him " I left her on the other side of the road, but you are still carrying her."
3. Finding a Piece of the Truth
One day Mara, the Evil One, was travelling through the villages of India with his attendants. he saw a man doing walking meditation whose face was lit up on wonder. The man had just discovered something on the ground in front of him. Mara’s attendant asked what that was and Mara replied, "A piece of truth."
"Doesn’t this bother you when someone finds a piece of truth, O Evil One?" his attendant asked. "No," Mara replied. "Right after this, they usually make a belief out of it."
4. The Other Side
One day a young Buddhist on his journey home came to the banks of a wide river. Staring hopelessly at the great obstacle in front of him, he pondered for hours on just how to cross such a wide barrier. Just as he was about to give up his pursuit to continue his journey he saw a great teacher on the other side of the river. The young Buddhist yells over to the teacher, "Oh wise one, can you tell me how to get to the other side of this river"?
The teacher ponders for a moment looks up and down the river and yells back, "My son, you are on the other side".
5. Is That So?
The Zen master Hakuin was praised by his neighbors as one living a pure life. A beautiful Japanese girl whose parents owned a food store lived near him. Suddenly, without any warning, her parents discovered she was with child. This made her parents very angry. She would not confess who the man was, but after much harassment at last named Hakuin. In great anger the parents went to the master. "Is that so?" was all he would say.
When the child was born, the parents brought it to the Hakuin, who now was viewed as a pariah by the whole village. They demanded that he take care of the child since it was his responsibility. “Is that so?” Hakuin said calmly as he accepted the child. A year later the girl-mother could stand it no longer. She told her parents the truth – that the real father of the child was a young man who worked in the fishmarket. The mother and father of the girl at once went to Hakuin to ask his forgiveness, to apologize at length, and to get the child back again.
Hakuin was willing. In yielding the child, all he said was: "Is that so?"
6. Maybe
Once upon the time there was an old farmer who had worked his crops for many years. One day his horse ran away. Upon hearing the news, his neighbors came to visit. “Such bad luck,” they said sympathetically.
“Maybe,” the farmer replied. The next morning the horse returned, bringing with it three other wild horses. “How wonderful,” the neighbors exclaimed. “Maybe,” replied the old man.
The following day, his son tried to ride one of the untamed horses, was thrown, and broke his leg. The neighbors again came to offer their sympathy on his misfortune. “Maybe,” answered the farmer.
The day after, military officials came to the village to draft young men into the army. Seeing that the son’s leg was broken, they passed him by. The neighbors congratulated the farmer on how well things had turned out.
“Maybe,” said the farmer.
7. Cliffhanger
One day while walking through the wilderness a man stumbled upon a vicious tiger. He ran but soon came to the edge of a high cliff. Desperate to save himself, he climbed down a vine and dangled over the fatal precipice. As he hung there, two mice appeared from a hole in the cliff and began gnawing on the vine.
Suddenly, he noticed on the vine a plump wild strawberry. He plucked it and popped it in his mouth. It was incredibly delicious!
8. The Blind Men and the Elephant
Several citizens ran into a hot argument about God and different religions, and each one could not agree to a common answer. So they came to the Lord Buddha to find out what exactly God looks like.
The Buddha asked his disciples to get a large magnificent elephant and four blind men. He then brought the four blind to the elephant and told them to find out what the elephant would "look" like.
The first blind men touched the elephant leg and reported that it "looked" like a pillar. The second blind man touched the elephant tummy and said that an elephant was a wall. The third blind man touched the elephant ear and said that it was a piece of cloth. The fourth blind man hold on to the tail and described the elephant as a piece of rope. And all of them ran into a hot argument about the "appearance" of an elephant.
The Buddha asked the citizens: "Each blind man had touched the elephant but each of them gives a different description of the animal. Which answer is right?"
9. Right and Wrong
When Bankei held his seclusion-weeks of meditation, pupils from many parts of Japan came to attend. During one of these gatherings a pupil was caught stealing. The matter was reported to Bankei with the request that the culprit be expelled. Bankei ignored the case.
Later the pupil was caught in a similar act, and again Bankei disregarded the matter. This angered the other pupils, who drew up a petition asking for the dismissal of the thief, stating that otherwise they would leave in a body.
When Bankei had read the petition he called everyone before him. "You are wise brothers," he told them. "You know what is right and what is not right. You may go somewhere else to study if you wish, but this poor brother does not even know right from wrong. Who will teach him if I do not? I am going to keep him here even if all the rest of you leave."
A torrent of tears cleansed the face of the brother who had stolen. All desire to steal had vanished.
10. Nothing Exists
Yamaoka Tesshu, as a young student of Zen, visited one master after another. He called upon Dokuon of Shokoku. Desiring to show his attainment, he said: "The mind, Buddha, and sentient beings, after all, do not exist. The true nature of phenomena is emptiness. There is no realization, no delusion, no sage, no mediocrity. There is no giving and nothing to be received.". Dokuon, who was smoking quietly, said nothing. Suddenly he whacked Yamaoka with his bamboo pipe. This made the youth quite angry.
"If nothing exists," inquired Dokuon, "where did this anger come from?"
Bonus 11. Teaching the Ultimate
In early times in Japan, bamboo-and-paper lanterns were used with candles inside. A blind man, visiting a friend one night, was offered a lantern to carry home with him. "I do not need a lantern," he said. "Darkness or light is all the same to me." "I know you do not need a lantern to find your way," his friend replied, "but if you don’t have one, someone else may run into you. So you must take it." The blind man started off with the lantern and before he had walked very far someone ran squarely into him. "Look out where you are going!" he exclaimed to the stranger. "Can’t you see this lantern?"
"Your candle has burned out, brother," replied the stranger.
As I always say, brickbats and bouquets welcome!
-Sukhi
Some might find these very odd, but trust me if you search for more such stories, you will enjoy!
1. A Cup of Tea
Nan-in, a Japanese master during the Meiji era (1868-1912), received a university professor who came to inquire about Zen. Nan-in served tea. He poured his visitor’s cup full, and then kept on pouring. The professor watched the overflow until he no longer could restrain himself. "It is overfull. No more will go in!". "Like this cup," Nan-in said, "you are full of your own opinions and speculations. How can I show you Zen unless you first empty your cup?"
2. The Burden
Two monks were returning to the monastery in the evening. It had rained and there were puddles of water on the road sides. At one place a beautiful young woman was standing unable to walk accross because of a puddle of water. The elder of the two monks went up to a her lifted her and left her on the other side of the road, and continued his way to the monastery.
In the evening the younger monk came to the elder monk and said, "Sir, as monks, we cannot touch a woman ?". The elder monk answered "yes, brother". Then the younger monk asks again, "but then Sir, how is that you lifted that woman on the roadside ?"
The elder monk smiled at him and told him " I left her on the other side of the road, but you are still carrying her."
3. Finding a Piece of the Truth
One day Mara, the Evil One, was travelling through the villages of India with his attendants. he saw a man doing walking meditation whose face was lit up on wonder. The man had just discovered something on the ground in front of him. Mara’s attendant asked what that was and Mara replied, "A piece of truth."
"Doesn’t this bother you when someone finds a piece of truth, O Evil One?" his attendant asked. "No," Mara replied. "Right after this, they usually make a belief out of it."
4. The Other Side
One day a young Buddhist on his journey home came to the banks of a wide river. Staring hopelessly at the great obstacle in front of him, he pondered for hours on just how to cross such a wide barrier. Just as he was about to give up his pursuit to continue his journey he saw a great teacher on the other side of the river. The young Buddhist yells over to the teacher, "Oh wise one, can you tell me how to get to the other side of this river"?
The teacher ponders for a moment looks up and down the river and yells back, "My son, you are on the other side".
5. Is That So?
The Zen master Hakuin was praised by his neighbors as one living a pure life. A beautiful Japanese girl whose parents owned a food store lived near him. Suddenly, without any warning, her parents discovered she was with child. This made her parents very angry. She would not confess who the man was, but after much harassment at last named Hakuin. In great anger the parents went to the master. "Is that so?" was all he would say.
When the child was born, the parents brought it to the Hakuin, who now was viewed as a pariah by the whole village. They demanded that he take care of the child since it was his responsibility. “Is that so?” Hakuin said calmly as he accepted the child. A year later the girl-mother could stand it no longer. She told her parents the truth – that the real father of the child was a young man who worked in the fishmarket. The mother and father of the girl at once went to Hakuin to ask his forgiveness, to apologize at length, and to get the child back again.
Hakuin was willing. In yielding the child, all he said was: "Is that so?"
6. Maybe
Once upon the time there was an old farmer who had worked his crops for many years. One day his horse ran away. Upon hearing the news, his neighbors came to visit. “Such bad luck,” they said sympathetically.
“Maybe,” the farmer replied. The next morning the horse returned, bringing with it three other wild horses. “How wonderful,” the neighbors exclaimed. “Maybe,” replied the old man.
The following day, his son tried to ride one of the untamed horses, was thrown, and broke his leg. The neighbors again came to offer their sympathy on his misfortune. “Maybe,” answered the farmer.
The day after, military officials came to the village to draft young men into the army. Seeing that the son’s leg was broken, they passed him by. The neighbors congratulated the farmer on how well things had turned out.
“Maybe,” said the farmer.
7. Cliffhanger
One day while walking through the wilderness a man stumbled upon a vicious tiger. He ran but soon came to the edge of a high cliff. Desperate to save himself, he climbed down a vine and dangled over the fatal precipice. As he hung there, two mice appeared from a hole in the cliff and began gnawing on the vine.
Suddenly, he noticed on the vine a plump wild strawberry. He plucked it and popped it in his mouth. It was incredibly delicious!
8. The Blind Men and the Elephant
Several citizens ran into a hot argument about God and different religions, and each one could not agree to a common answer. So they came to the Lord Buddha to find out what exactly God looks like.
The Buddha asked his disciples to get a large magnificent elephant and four blind men. He then brought the four blind to the elephant and told them to find out what the elephant would "look" like.
The first blind men touched the elephant leg and reported that it "looked" like a pillar. The second blind man touched the elephant tummy and said that an elephant was a wall. The third blind man touched the elephant ear and said that it was a piece of cloth. The fourth blind man hold on to the tail and described the elephant as a piece of rope. And all of them ran into a hot argument about the "appearance" of an elephant.
The Buddha asked the citizens: "Each blind man had touched the elephant but each of them gives a different description of the animal. Which answer is right?"
9. Right and Wrong
When Bankei held his seclusion-weeks of meditation, pupils from many parts of Japan came to attend. During one of these gatherings a pupil was caught stealing. The matter was reported to Bankei with the request that the culprit be expelled. Bankei ignored the case.
Later the pupil was caught in a similar act, and again Bankei disregarded the matter. This angered the other pupils, who drew up a petition asking for the dismissal of the thief, stating that otherwise they would leave in a body.
When Bankei had read the petition he called everyone before him. "You are wise brothers," he told them. "You know what is right and what is not right. You may go somewhere else to study if you wish, but this poor brother does not even know right from wrong. Who will teach him if I do not? I am going to keep him here even if all the rest of you leave."
A torrent of tears cleansed the face of the brother who had stolen. All desire to steal had vanished.
10. Nothing Exists
Yamaoka Tesshu, as a young student of Zen, visited one master after another. He called upon Dokuon of Shokoku. Desiring to show his attainment, he said: "The mind, Buddha, and sentient beings, after all, do not exist. The true nature of phenomena is emptiness. There is no realization, no delusion, no sage, no mediocrity. There is no giving and nothing to be received.". Dokuon, who was smoking quietly, said nothing. Suddenly he whacked Yamaoka with his bamboo pipe. This made the youth quite angry.
"If nothing exists," inquired Dokuon, "where did this anger come from?"
Bonus 11. Teaching the Ultimate
In early times in Japan, bamboo-and-paper lanterns were used with candles inside. A blind man, visiting a friend one night, was offered a lantern to carry home with him. "I do not need a lantern," he said. "Darkness or light is all the same to me." "I know you do not need a lantern to find your way," his friend replied, "but if you don’t have one, someone else may run into you. So you must take it." The blind man started off with the lantern and before he had walked very far someone ran squarely into him. "Look out where you are going!" he exclaimed to the stranger. "Can’t you see this lantern?"
"Your candle has burned out, brother," replied the stranger.
As I always say, brickbats and bouquets welcome!
-Sukhi
3rd weekend of Apr.'2011
Communication used to be through written, typed or printed modes particularly in the business domain. Now mails and smses modes are also being used. Leaving aside the modes, even the content and type also is undergoing changes. Jargons, abbreviations and acronyms are being used in normal parlance. In this aspect, please find attached a small compilation of terms normally used. If you not started using them, you may from now.
1. AFAIC - As Far As I'm Concerned
2. ASAP - As Soon As Possible
3. BHAG - Big Hairy Audacious Goal
4. BOHICA - Bend Over Here It Comes Again
5. CLM - Career Limiting Move
6. CYA - See Ya
7. DD - Due Diligence
8. DQYDJ - Don't Quit Your Day Job
9. DRIB - Don't Read If Busy
10. EOD - End Of Day -or- End Of Discussion
11. EOM - End Of Message
12. EOT - End Of Thread (meaning: end of discussion)
13. ESO - Equipment Smarter than Operator
14. FYI - For Your Information
15. GMTA - Great Minds Think Alike
16. HIOOC - Help, I'm Out Of Coffee
17. IAITS - It's All In The Subject
18. IANAL - I Am Not A Lawyer
19. KISS - Keep It Simple Stupid
20. LOPSOD - Long On Promises, Short On Delivery
21. MOTD - Message Of The Day
22. MTFBWY - May The Force Be With You
23. MYOB - Mind Your Own Business
24. NRN - No Reply Necessary
25. NSFW - Not Safe For Work
26. NWR - Not Work Related
27. OMG - Oh My God
28. OTP - On The Phone
29. P&C - Private & Confidential
30. PDOMA - Pulled Directly Out Of My Ass
31. PEBCAK - Problem Exists Between Chair And Keyboard
32. QQ - Quick Question -or- Cry More
33. RFD - Request For Discussion
34. RFP - Request For Proposal
35. SBUG - Small Bald Unaudacious Goal
36. SME - Subject Matter Expert
37. STD - Seal The Deal -or- Save The Date
38. SWAG - SoftWare And Giveaways
39. TBA - To Be Advised
40. TBD - To Be Determined
41. TWIMC - To Whom It May Concern
42. TIA - Thanks In Advance
43. WIIFM - What's In It For Me
44. WOMBAT - Waste Of Money, Brains And Time
45. WTG - Way To Go
46. YW - You're Welcome
As I always say, bouquets and brickbats welcome!
-Sukhi
1. AFAIC - As Far As I'm Concerned
2. ASAP - As Soon As Possible
3. BHAG - Big Hairy Audacious Goal
4. BOHICA - Bend Over Here It Comes Again
5. CLM - Career Limiting Move
6. CYA - See Ya
7. DD - Due Diligence
8. DQYDJ - Don't Quit Your Day Job
9. DRIB - Don't Read If Busy
10. EOD - End Of Day -or- End Of Discussion
11. EOM - End Of Message
12. EOT - End Of Thread (meaning: end of discussion)
13. ESO - Equipment Smarter than Operator
14. FYI - For Your Information
15. GMTA - Great Minds Think Alike
16. HIOOC - Help, I'm Out Of Coffee
17. IAITS - It's All In The Subject
18. IANAL - I Am Not A Lawyer
19. KISS - Keep It Simple Stupid
20. LOPSOD - Long On Promises, Short On Delivery
21. MOTD - Message Of The Day
22. MTFBWY - May The Force Be With You
23. MYOB - Mind Your Own Business
24. NRN - No Reply Necessary
25. NSFW - Not Safe For Work
26. NWR - Not Work Related
27. OMG - Oh My God
28. OTP - On The Phone
29. P&C - Private & Confidential
30. PDOMA - Pulled Directly Out Of My Ass
31. PEBCAK - Problem Exists Between Chair And Keyboard
32. QQ - Quick Question -or- Cry More
33. RFD - Request For Discussion
34. RFP - Request For Proposal
35. SBUG - Small Bald Unaudacious Goal
36. SME - Subject Matter Expert
37. STD - Seal The Deal -or- Save The Date
38. SWAG - SoftWare And Giveaways
39. TBA - To Be Advised
40. TBD - To Be Determined
41. TWIMC - To Whom It May Concern
42. TIA - Thanks In Advance
43. WIIFM - What's In It For Me
44. WOMBAT - Waste Of Money, Brains And Time
45. WTG - Way To Go
46. YW - You're Welcome
As I always say, bouquets and brickbats welcome!
-Sukhi
2nd weekend of Apr.'2011
English is a wonderful language; with just 26 letters there is so many intricacies involved. This week the topic is "PANGRAM". I am sure many know it nevertheless I have tried to make it interesting by examples. A pangram is a sentence constructed using all the letters of the alphabet. The most widely known example is: "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog." Ideally pangrams are short and do not contain proper nouns (it becomes easy that way). I enclose some of the famous ones; there are infact many but the ones mentioned are simple ones. Hope you enjoy it!
Jack quietly moved up front and seized the big ball of wax
Pack my box with five dozen liquor jugs
Few black taxis drive up major roads on quiet hazy nights
Just poets wax boldly as kings and queens march over fuzz
Sixty zippers were quickly picked from the woven jute bag
Back in June we delivered oxygen equipment of the same size
A quick movement of the enemy will jeopardize six gunboats
All questions asked by five watched experts amaze the judge
By Jove, my quick study of lexicography won us a prize
Five jumbo oxen graze quietly with packs of dogs
Five or six jet planes zoomed quickly by the tower
I have quickly spotted the four women dozing in the jury box
We could jeopardize six of the gunboats by two quick moves
Whenever the black fox jumped, the squirrel gazed suspiciously
Woven silk pyjamas exchanged for blue quartz
A quarter jar of oil mixed with zinc oxide makes a bright paint
Amazingly few discoutheques provide jukeboxes
Five wine experts jokingly quizzed chablis sample
As I always say, bouquets and brickbats welcome!
-Sukhi
Jack quietly moved up front and seized the big ball of wax
Pack my box with five dozen liquor jugs
Few black taxis drive up major roads on quiet hazy nights
Just poets wax boldly as kings and queens march over fuzz
Sixty zippers were quickly picked from the woven jute bag
Back in June we delivered oxygen equipment of the same size
A quick movement of the enemy will jeopardize six gunboats
All questions asked by five watched experts amaze the judge
By Jove, my quick study of lexicography won us a prize
Five jumbo oxen graze quietly with packs of dogs
Five or six jet planes zoomed quickly by the tower
I have quickly spotted the four women dozing in the jury box
We could jeopardize six of the gunboats by two quick moves
Whenever the black fox jumped, the squirrel gazed suspiciously
Woven silk pyjamas exchanged for blue quartz
A quarter jar of oil mixed with zinc oxide makes a bright paint
Amazingly few discoutheques provide jukeboxes
Five wine experts jokingly quizzed chablis sample
As I always say, bouquets and brickbats welcome!
-Sukhi
1st weekend of Apr.'2011
Thesises have been written on the leadership and its traits, effective management of people in an organisation and success mantras of great success story writers. This weekend as we begin the financial year, I thought it nice to share one of the most effective write-up on the same i.e." 7 Habits of highly effective people". I would leave it to the interested to scount for the details by referring to the book.
This book was a publishing phenomenon in the early 1990s, and it deserved to be. Stephen R. Covey managed to repackage an ethical and moral tradition thousands of years in development and make it meaningful to a late twentieth century, secular audience. Most of what you find in this book you will find in Aristotle, Cicero, Benedict, Tillotson and their heirs. Covey adds a few references to psychology, a twentieth century science, and many to Viktor Frankl, a sage of the Holocaust. Covey wraps the mix in a distinctively American can-do program of easy-looking steps calling, mostly, for self-discipline. The result is a quite worthwhile, useful manual for self-improvement. getAbstract believes most readers can learn something useful from this book, though some will find the style too familiar and easy-going, and the prescriptions easier to agree with than to act upon, much less adopt as habits.
habit 1 - be proactive
This is the ability to control one's environment, rather than have it control you, as is so often the case. Self determination, choice, and the power to decide response to stimulus, conditions and circumstances
habit 2 - begin with the end in mind
Covey calls this the habit of personal leadership - leading oneself that is, towards what you consider your aims. By developing the habit of concentrating on relevant activities you will build a platform to avoid distractions and become more productive and successful.
habit 3 - put first things first
Covey calls this the habit of personal management. This is about organising and implementing activities in line with the aims established in habit 2. Covey says that habit 2 is the first, or mental creation; habit 3 is the second, or physical creation.
habit 4 - think win-win
Covey calls this the habit of interpersonal leadership, necessary because achievements are largely dependent on co-operative efforts with others. He says that win-win is based on the assumption that there is plenty for everyone, and that success follows a co-operative approach more naturally than the confrontation of win-or-lose.
habit 5 - seek first to understand and then to be understood
One of the great maxims of the modern age. This is Covey's habit of communication, and it's extremely powerful. Covey helps to explain this in his simple analogy 'diagnose before you prescribe'. Simple and effective, and essential for developing and maintaining positive relationships in all aspects of life.
habit 6 - synergize
Covey says this is the habit of creative co-operation - the principle that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, which implicitly lays down the challenge to see the good and potential in the other person's contribution.
habit 7 - sharpen the saw
This is the habit of self renewal, says Covey, and it necessarily surrounds all the other habits, enabling and encouraging them to happen and grow. Covey interprets the self into four parts: the spiritual, mental, physical and the social/emotional, which all need feeding and developing.
As I always say, bouquets and brickbats welcome!
-Sukhi
This book was a publishing phenomenon in the early 1990s, and it deserved to be. Stephen R. Covey managed to repackage an ethical and moral tradition thousands of years in development and make it meaningful to a late twentieth century, secular audience. Most of what you find in this book you will find in Aristotle, Cicero, Benedict, Tillotson and their heirs. Covey adds a few references to psychology, a twentieth century science, and many to Viktor Frankl, a sage of the Holocaust. Covey wraps the mix in a distinctively American can-do program of easy-looking steps calling, mostly, for self-discipline. The result is a quite worthwhile, useful manual for self-improvement. getAbstract believes most readers can learn something useful from this book, though some will find the style too familiar and easy-going, and the prescriptions easier to agree with than to act upon, much less adopt as habits.
habit 1 - be proactive
This is the ability to control one's environment, rather than have it control you, as is so often the case. Self determination, choice, and the power to decide response to stimulus, conditions and circumstances
habit 2 - begin with the end in mind
Covey calls this the habit of personal leadership - leading oneself that is, towards what you consider your aims. By developing the habit of concentrating on relevant activities you will build a platform to avoid distractions and become more productive and successful.
habit 3 - put first things first
Covey calls this the habit of personal management. This is about organising and implementing activities in line with the aims established in habit 2. Covey says that habit 2 is the first, or mental creation; habit 3 is the second, or physical creation.
habit 4 - think win-win
Covey calls this the habit of interpersonal leadership, necessary because achievements are largely dependent on co-operative efforts with others. He says that win-win is based on the assumption that there is plenty for everyone, and that success follows a co-operative approach more naturally than the confrontation of win-or-lose.
habit 5 - seek first to understand and then to be understood
One of the great maxims of the modern age. This is Covey's habit of communication, and it's extremely powerful. Covey helps to explain this in his simple analogy 'diagnose before you prescribe'. Simple and effective, and essential for developing and maintaining positive relationships in all aspects of life.
habit 6 - synergize
Covey says this is the habit of creative co-operation - the principle that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, which implicitly lays down the challenge to see the good and potential in the other person's contribution.
habit 7 - sharpen the saw
This is the habit of self renewal, says Covey, and it necessarily surrounds all the other habits, enabling and encouraging them to happen and grow. Covey interprets the self into four parts: the spiritual, mental, physical and the social/emotional, which all need feeding and developing.
As I always say, bouquets and brickbats welcome!
-Sukhi
4th weekend of Mar.'2011
A rating was done on the "Top Ten Inceventions that changed the world" by Bristish Science Association as part of the National Science & Engineering Week. The findings are mentioned below. We would have used many of these but seldom paused to gauge the importance of the same. Hope you like it.
1. GPS Technology
Originally developed as a navigation system by the United States military, the Global Positioning System uses a network of satellites around the Earth to pinpoint the exact position of a receiver anywhere on the planet.
Since its development in 1978, it is now used in cars, aircraft and boats. Geologists use it to track the movements of continental plate tectonics and glaciers while conservation scientists have tagged turtles with GPS receivers to follow their epic migrations.
2. The Sony Walkman
In 1979 Sony spawned the era of wearable technology with its iconic personal stereo. It enabled music fans to listen to their music while on the move without inflicting their choices on those around them. It provided the soundtrack to millions of morning commutes.
The Walkman quickly changed listening habits and became hugely popular as jogging culture took the 1980s by storm – here was something that allowed you to listen to your music while you worked out.
This wearable technology has now evolved, thanks to Apple, into the iPod and has changed music for ever.
3. The Bar code
These boring sets of black and white lines can now be found on almost every single item bought from a shop. At first glance, it seems hard to see how they possibly made any impact on the world, but they have fundamentally changed the way we shop.
Norman Woodland first developed an early form of the bar code in 1949 by combining ideas from movie soundtracks and Morse code to help him speed up store checkouts. They now stores to instantly access product details, prices and stock levels with a sweep of a laser.
4. TV Dinners
Food on the go has been around since the time of Ancient Greece, but convenience food really took off in the 1970s and transformed the way families ate meals, the high-street, the countryside and national health.
Traditional family dinners around the table disappeared and pre-packaged "ready meals" eaten on the sofa became the norm. Due to hectic lifestyles, the products, which were often frozen, were designed to make life easier for time-pressed consumers.
The popularity of processed food, however, is also blamed for driving the obesity crisis. With high fat, salt and sugar content to make the meals last longer on the shelves, the diet of the Western world has deteriorated.
5. PlayStation
Although games consoles had been around for some time, Sony's Playstation took gaming out of spotty teenager's bedrooms and into adult living rooms when it was released in 1994.
Here was a computer with more power than the average family PC. As of July 2008 more than 102 million PlayStation units have been sold, while the next generations, PlayStation 2 and PlayStation 3, have also been turned into best sellers.
The gaming industry is now worth almost as much as the film industry, taking in more than £15 billion in 2008.
6. Social Networking
Around the world, every day, more than three billion minutes are spent by computer users on Facebook. Along with other social networking sites such as MySpace and Twitter, it has completely changed the way we interact and who we interact with.
Millions of people now communicate tiny details of their professional and personal lives by poking, twittering and posting. Online social networking has allowed people to rekindle friendships with friends they lost touch with years ago.
Others chat online with complete strangers on the other side of the world.
In 1967 American psychologist Stanley Milgram conducted the small world experiment to prove the strength of old fashioned social networks. In the digital age, his six degrees of separation have almost become redundant.
7. Text messages
Text messaging has created a new vocabulary and new grammar that is almost incomprehensible to those who do not use it. LOL and FYI have now passed into everyday English.
It has also changed the way people use their thumbs – the old QWERTY keyboard layout suddenly became redundant. Among 13-17 year olds, text messaging now outweighs old fashioned phone calls by seven to one.
8. Electronic Money
In the UK there were 7.4 billion purchases made during 2008 with plastic cards. Combined with internet banking, cards have made the cheque almost redundant.
Credit cards gave us greater convenience for spending, greater security and the ability to spend money anywhere in the world. They also brought us internet fraud and record levels of debt that have contributed to the global credit crunch.
9. Microwaves
Not the ovens, but the electromagnetic waves. Microwaves – electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths ranging between 1 millimetre and one metre – are used by mobile phones, wireless broadband internet and satellite television.
Radar, which helped Britain win the Battle of Britain, also uses microwave radiation. They also gave us a new way of cooking food while the US military has developed a "less-than-lethal" weapon that can blast victims with a heatwave.
10. Trainers
Nightclub bouncers might not like them, but trainers changed fashion and the feet of generations. The Goodyear Metallic Rubber Shoe Company was the first to use a new manufacturing process that melded rubber to cloth in 1892, but it was not until the 1970s they took off.
With the help of celebrity endorsements by sporting superstars such as basketball legend Michael Jordan, trainers turned from being purely practical clothing for sport into a fashion item.
The Army now reports that young people are increasingly growing up without ever wearing leather shoes and their feet are now too soft to wear traditional miliary boots.
As I always say, bouquets and brickbats welcome!!
-Sukhi
1. GPS Technology
Originally developed as a navigation system by the United States military, the Global Positioning System uses a network of satellites around the Earth to pinpoint the exact position of a receiver anywhere on the planet.
Since its development in 1978, it is now used in cars, aircraft and boats. Geologists use it to track the movements of continental plate tectonics and glaciers while conservation scientists have tagged turtles with GPS receivers to follow their epic migrations.
2. The Sony Walkman
In 1979 Sony spawned the era of wearable technology with its iconic personal stereo. It enabled music fans to listen to their music while on the move without inflicting their choices on those around them. It provided the soundtrack to millions of morning commutes.
The Walkman quickly changed listening habits and became hugely popular as jogging culture took the 1980s by storm – here was something that allowed you to listen to your music while you worked out.
This wearable technology has now evolved, thanks to Apple, into the iPod and has changed music for ever.
3. The Bar code
These boring sets of black and white lines can now be found on almost every single item bought from a shop. At first glance, it seems hard to see how they possibly made any impact on the world, but they have fundamentally changed the way we shop.
Norman Woodland first developed an early form of the bar code in 1949 by combining ideas from movie soundtracks and Morse code to help him speed up store checkouts. They now stores to instantly access product details, prices and stock levels with a sweep of a laser.
4. TV Dinners
Food on the go has been around since the time of Ancient Greece, but convenience food really took off in the 1970s and transformed the way families ate meals, the high-street, the countryside and national health.
Traditional family dinners around the table disappeared and pre-packaged "ready meals" eaten on the sofa became the norm. Due to hectic lifestyles, the products, which were often frozen, were designed to make life easier for time-pressed consumers.
The popularity of processed food, however, is also blamed for driving the obesity crisis. With high fat, salt and sugar content to make the meals last longer on the shelves, the diet of the Western world has deteriorated.
5. PlayStation
Although games consoles had been around for some time, Sony's Playstation took gaming out of spotty teenager's bedrooms and into adult living rooms when it was released in 1994.
Here was a computer with more power than the average family PC. As of July 2008 more than 102 million PlayStation units have been sold, while the next generations, PlayStation 2 and PlayStation 3, have also been turned into best sellers.
The gaming industry is now worth almost as much as the film industry, taking in more than £15 billion in 2008.
6. Social Networking
Around the world, every day, more than three billion minutes are spent by computer users on Facebook. Along with other social networking sites such as MySpace and Twitter, it has completely changed the way we interact and who we interact with.
Millions of people now communicate tiny details of their professional and personal lives by poking, twittering and posting. Online social networking has allowed people to rekindle friendships with friends they lost touch with years ago.
Others chat online with complete strangers on the other side of the world.
In 1967 American psychologist Stanley Milgram conducted the small world experiment to prove the strength of old fashioned social networks. In the digital age, his six degrees of separation have almost become redundant.
7. Text messages
Text messaging has created a new vocabulary and new grammar that is almost incomprehensible to those who do not use it. LOL and FYI have now passed into everyday English.
It has also changed the way people use their thumbs – the old QWERTY keyboard layout suddenly became redundant. Among 13-17 year olds, text messaging now outweighs old fashioned phone calls by seven to one.
8. Electronic Money
In the UK there were 7.4 billion purchases made during 2008 with plastic cards. Combined with internet banking, cards have made the cheque almost redundant.
Credit cards gave us greater convenience for spending, greater security and the ability to spend money anywhere in the world. They also brought us internet fraud and record levels of debt that have contributed to the global credit crunch.
9. Microwaves
Not the ovens, but the electromagnetic waves. Microwaves – electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths ranging between 1 millimetre and one metre – are used by mobile phones, wireless broadband internet and satellite television.
Radar, which helped Britain win the Battle of Britain, also uses microwave radiation. They also gave us a new way of cooking food while the US military has developed a "less-than-lethal" weapon that can blast victims with a heatwave.
10. Trainers
Nightclub bouncers might not like them, but trainers changed fashion and the feet of generations. The Goodyear Metallic Rubber Shoe Company was the first to use a new manufacturing process that melded rubber to cloth in 1892, but it was not until the 1970s they took off.
With the help of celebrity endorsements by sporting superstars such as basketball legend Michael Jordan, trainers turned from being purely practical clothing for sport into a fashion item.
The Army now reports that young people are increasingly growing up without ever wearing leather shoes and their feet are now too soft to wear traditional miliary boots.
As I always say, bouquets and brickbats welcome!!
-Sukhi
3rd weekend of Mar'2011
Warfare has enlightened and influenced many a marketing gurus. Infact many principles and practices in Marketing are derived from Warfare. Many books have been written on the said lessons. Prominent ones are The Art of War by Sun Tzu, On War by von Clausewitz, The Little Red Book by Mao Zedong, Leadership Secrets of Attila the Hun by Wess Roberts, Business War Games by Barrie James and Marketing Warfare by Al Ries and Jack Trout. In fact many terms like Guerilla Marketing, Chaos & Confusion strategy, first movers advantage & marketing friction attribute their origins to many of these texts.
I enclose a collation of some marketing warfare strategies (in bullet points) which summarizes most of the learning(s) encompassed in the above-mentioned texts. Interested people may delve deeper into each one of the points; internet after all is so handy, comfortable and helpful in enlightening the interested. Hope you find them interesting.
• Offensive marketing warfare strategies - are used to secure competitive advantages ; market leaders, runner-ups or struggling competitors are usually attacked
• Defensive marketing warfare strategies - are used to defend competitive advantages; lessen risk of being attacked, decrease effects of attacks, strengthen position
• Flanking marketing warfare strategies - Operate in areas of little importance to the competitor.
• Guerrilla marketing warfare strategies - Attack, retreat, hide, then do it again, and again, until the competitor moves on to other markets.
• Deterrence Strategies - Deterrence is a battle won in the minds of the enemy. You convince the competitor that it would be prudent to keep out of your markets.
• Pre-emptive strike - Attack before you are attacked.
• Frontal Attack - A direct head-on confrontation
• Flanking Attack - Attack the competitor’s flank.
• Sequential Strategies - A strategy that consists of a series of sub-strategies that must all be successfully carried out in the right order.
• Alliance Strategies - The use of alliances and partnerships to build strength and stabilize situations.
• Position Defense - The erection of fortifications.
• Mobile defense - Constantly changing positions.
• Encirclement strategy - Envelop the opponents position
• Cumulative strategies - A collection of seemingly random operations that, when complete, obtain your objective.
• Counter-offensive - When you are under attack, launch a counter-offensive at the attacker’s weak point.
• Strategic withdrawal - Retreat and regroup so you can live to fight another day.
• Flank positioning - Strengthen your flank.
• Leapfrog strategy - Avoid confrontation by bypassing enemy or competitive forces.
Companies typically use many strategies concurrently, some defensive, some offensive, and always some deterrents. According to the business literature of the period, offensive strategies were more important that defensive one. Defensive strategies were used when needed, but an offensive strategy was requisite. Only by offensive strategies, were market gains made. Defensive strategies could at best keep you from falling too far behind. The marketing warfare literature also examined leadership and motivation, intelligence gathering, types of marketing weapons, logistics, and communications.
As I always say, bouquets and brickbats welcome!
-Sukhi
I enclose a collation of some marketing warfare strategies (in bullet points) which summarizes most of the learning(s) encompassed in the above-mentioned texts. Interested people may delve deeper into each one of the points; internet after all is so handy, comfortable and helpful in enlightening the interested. Hope you find them interesting.
• Offensive marketing warfare strategies - are used to secure competitive advantages ; market leaders, runner-ups or struggling competitors are usually attacked
• Defensive marketing warfare strategies - are used to defend competitive advantages; lessen risk of being attacked, decrease effects of attacks, strengthen position
• Flanking marketing warfare strategies - Operate in areas of little importance to the competitor.
• Guerrilla marketing warfare strategies - Attack, retreat, hide, then do it again, and again, until the competitor moves on to other markets.
• Deterrence Strategies - Deterrence is a battle won in the minds of the enemy. You convince the competitor that it would be prudent to keep out of your markets.
• Pre-emptive strike - Attack before you are attacked.
• Frontal Attack - A direct head-on confrontation
• Flanking Attack - Attack the competitor’s flank.
• Sequential Strategies - A strategy that consists of a series of sub-strategies that must all be successfully carried out in the right order.
• Alliance Strategies - The use of alliances and partnerships to build strength and stabilize situations.
• Position Defense - The erection of fortifications.
• Mobile defense - Constantly changing positions.
• Encirclement strategy - Envelop the opponents position
• Cumulative strategies - A collection of seemingly random operations that, when complete, obtain your objective.
• Counter-offensive - When you are under attack, launch a counter-offensive at the attacker’s weak point.
• Strategic withdrawal - Retreat and regroup so you can live to fight another day.
• Flank positioning - Strengthen your flank.
• Leapfrog strategy - Avoid confrontation by bypassing enemy or competitive forces.
Companies typically use many strategies concurrently, some defensive, some offensive, and always some deterrents. According to the business literature of the period, offensive strategies were more important that defensive one. Defensive strategies were used when needed, but an offensive strategy was requisite. Only by offensive strategies, were market gains made. Defensive strategies could at best keep you from falling too far behind. The marketing warfare literature also examined leadership and motivation, intelligence gathering, types of marketing weapons, logistics, and communications.
As I always say, bouquets and brickbats welcome!
-Sukhi
2nd weekend of Mar'2011
This week as we all go through the so called march-pressure, I though of sharing an un-official collection of Murphy's Office Laws. Since all would be aware of the same, I am not detailing out he same. Hope you enjoy it
• The printer is either out of toner or there is no paper only when the client asks for 10 copies of a 120 page report by evening.
• The CD drive will not be even detected only when you want to cull out information from some CD. Just the day before that, you would have been playing music and it would have worked fine. If the Drive is working the CD would be corrupt/Scratched.
• The network would snap just when you were explaining an important point over a NetMeeting conference call.
• The telephones won't work when you need to call long distance urgently.
• Either that or somebody would be talking to his girlfriend on the only long distance line.
• All mails except the most important one, which was sent way before, will find their way into your inbox.
• The client will call only when you had left for a coffee break. And when you call back, he/she won't be available in office.
• When its a busy day for you, all your colleagues would be chatting just outside your cabin.
• When you don't have much work... all your colleagues will be busy.
• Your Security will insist on you leaving by 7:00 on the very day when you have to stay till 10:00 to meet an important deadline.
• The display settings on your computer will play havoc only when you have to finish a presentation by afternoon.
• Of all the vehicles in the parking, yours would be most difficult to take out when it is an emergency.
• Only when you want to piss urgently would all the urinals be taken.
• The office assistant would be on leave only on the day you need him most.
• The client would not have gone through the report/brief before attending your well rehearsed presentation.
• The better your presentation, least the impact.
• When the telephone operator leaves the board on night mode all the calls would land only on your desk.
• When you are attending a client call on a colleagues desk, and need to jot down urgently, none of the pens on his desk would write if not you wouldn't find a piece of paper within your reach.
• You'd find the important Phone number/e-mail ID you had been looking for, only after you had got in touch with that person by some other means.
• When you are out of office, the most important of phone calls would be attended by the least concerned of your colleagues who wouldn't even care to ask who it was.. or wouldn't remember.
• Only on the rarest of the days you come late, you'd bump into your boss smoking at the entrance.
• The floppy which worked perfectly alright few minutes ago on your machine will not open in your boss's or client's machine.
• The coffee machine will be empty, when you need coffee most.
• After a really hard day of work, when starting your car at 11:00 pm in the night to leave office, you'll realize that you've run out of fuel.
• The stapler will be out of pins when needed.
• The frequency of mailing performed by a person varies in inverse proportion to the amount of work at hand
• The authority of a person is inversely proportional to the number of functions in his pocket calculator.
• Paper is always strongest at the perforations
As I always say, bouquets and brickbats welcome!
-Sukhi
• The printer is either out of toner or there is no paper only when the client asks for 10 copies of a 120 page report by evening.
• The CD drive will not be even detected only when you want to cull out information from some CD. Just the day before that, you would have been playing music and it would have worked fine. If the Drive is working the CD would be corrupt/Scratched.
• The network would snap just when you were explaining an important point over a NetMeeting conference call.
• The telephones won't work when you need to call long distance urgently.
• Either that or somebody would be talking to his girlfriend on the only long distance line.
• All mails except the most important one, which was sent way before, will find their way into your inbox.
• The client will call only when you had left for a coffee break. And when you call back, he/she won't be available in office.
• When its a busy day for you, all your colleagues would be chatting just outside your cabin.
• When you don't have much work... all your colleagues will be busy.
• Your Security will insist on you leaving by 7:00 on the very day when you have to stay till 10:00 to meet an important deadline.
• The display settings on your computer will play havoc only when you have to finish a presentation by afternoon.
• Of all the vehicles in the parking, yours would be most difficult to take out when it is an emergency.
• Only when you want to piss urgently would all the urinals be taken.
• The office assistant would be on leave only on the day you need him most.
• The client would not have gone through the report/brief before attending your well rehearsed presentation.
• The better your presentation, least the impact.
• When the telephone operator leaves the board on night mode all the calls would land only on your desk.
• When you are attending a client call on a colleagues desk, and need to jot down urgently, none of the pens on his desk would write if not you wouldn't find a piece of paper within your reach.
• You'd find the important Phone number/e-mail ID you had been looking for, only after you had got in touch with that person by some other means.
• When you are out of office, the most important of phone calls would be attended by the least concerned of your colleagues who wouldn't even care to ask who it was.. or wouldn't remember.
• Only on the rarest of the days you come late, you'd bump into your boss smoking at the entrance.
• The floppy which worked perfectly alright few minutes ago on your machine will not open in your boss's or client's machine.
• The coffee machine will be empty, when you need coffee most.
• After a really hard day of work, when starting your car at 11:00 pm in the night to leave office, you'll realize that you've run out of fuel.
• The stapler will be out of pins when needed.
• The frequency of mailing performed by a person varies in inverse proportion to the amount of work at hand
• The authority of a person is inversely proportional to the number of functions in his pocket calculator.
• Paper is always strongest at the perforations
As I always say, bouquets and brickbats welcome!
-Sukhi
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