A designer, a researcher and a son looked STUPID on a saturday afternoon walking the streets of Milan. Purpose - Finding a gift to the mother of the son. As the son had already narrowed down gift list to a designer bag the task should have been simpler. It looked that way when the journey commenced, with the gift decided, shopping zone picked this one was supposed to be a walk in the park. Alright with the designer who was shopping zone guide too we embarked this adventure. Adventure it was -- 3 guys trying to pick out a designer bag from the fashion capital.
H&M outlet was an outright reject for all 3 at the first glance. Pathetic it was for us until we found UCB which was ridiculous. At UCB neither did we have options nor did we think that we will get value for money. A walk into Zara outlet to me was a little dull except for one master piece bag which was priced at 50 Euros. Value for money may be or may be not but it had Zara's brand value which convinced me it was worth it. I expected more from Zara especially after the dozens of case studies i had done in my course on their new product development and supply chain spread. I thought i will be spoilt for choices but they surprised me with lack of them to say the least. With almost an eye fixed on the 50 Euro one we dragged ourselves to another outlet a local one just to feel the difference between branded and non-branded. Not that we understood the difference but during that walk probably all of us were convinced that Zara one will be the fall back option to say the least if our adventure doesn't yield any more fruits.
Jasmine was our next stop. It was an exclusive bag outlet and a powerful local brand in this field but way way out of the budget and too stylish and trendy for the purpose. At UPM we fell in love with couple of bags worth 35E. Almost the credit card was peeping out of the pocket when our eyes landed on the Carpisa outlet whose visit was a must before we buy. With the designer and son convinced that the bags in UPM would make it all their way to India as a gift we crossed the zebra. At Carpisa we did find bags which fitted into all the requirements that we were looking for, may be the one that we did finally select at 26E was a little less stylish than those 35E ones. But then the Carpisa sales girl was what that clinched the deal for the Carpisa and not UPM where we were gay abonded. The gal was smart enough to give us options on colors and this human touch finally made the deal. Fortunately the dark brown one had little treads coming out and was the last piece. Once she found out that we were Indians and we found out that she had a Paksitani boy friend both seller-buyer wanted to work this deal. She offered us a 10% discount on the threaded piece and we asked for the undamaged piece at 10% discount. After a talk with the cashier she with a beaming smile agreed to give us at 10% discount on the piece we picked. Both buyer and seller happy that they got the deal; a win win trade. The son was happy that he isn't returning empty handed, designer was happy as it was from Carpisa (though he would have preferred 35E one for his mom) and researcher was elated because he helped the lazy son pick his ass up finally to buy the gift. STUPIDS - 'Super Talented Useful Person In Demand' S they were as it took them nearly 3 hours to get this done !! Thanks designer Thanks researcher ;)
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Greece
Greece sounds like Grease. Now to European Union it even stands the meaning "Anything regarded as making something unclean". It has infact been 'THE' news in Europe but for a day or two when the ejaculation of 'Ejya' - the icelandic mountain took the limelight. Thanks to Greece being very clear on making others unclear of what it intends to do on the crisis it will continue to Top the charts. Greece is literally Grease !!!
But hold on, was it supposed to be one of those countries outside European Union which was happily making progress. Wasn't it happy and slowing but surely mapping its way into prosperity with certanity. But then they where lured into the Euro world and they happily took the helping hand. Now who on this earth would deny Million Euros for 'free'- you just say 'Hail Euro'. Greece took the easy option and with tail in between the legs Hailed Euro for the prosperity and freedom it brought to them. The slow and certain progress was giving way to fast and uncertain progress, but who cared. They were getting millions of Euro's at such low interest rates that they kept on taking debts. Now that's all Greece did - as my dear friend once said "she was like a kid who was given loads of chocloate when she met her love" she just could resist the temptation.
Blame this on the European Gurus who appaling had made Greece and even some other growing economies a part of European Union. They just threw the freebies and kids happily kept asking for more. It seems a cruel Irony that lower interests rates - which helped greater borrowing, thus spreading debt crisis which was what Euro was designed for has been the root cause of this misery. Euro was intended to be a superior debt financing machine against dollar which would allow member states to compete with US for a share of the global reserve currency business. Euro was born to breach the monopoly of US to these global reserves and creating the very credit explosion that strangles it today. Euro creation thumbs up, but briniging in too many economies too fast has misfired. Greece has hit rock today, Portugal is in touching distance and Spain is not far either which on the hindsight shows a greater probation period from European Union masters would have worked better.
PS: Euro dropping from 66 to 58 against INR is something i am enjoying as a student ;) 'Hail Euro' :D
But hold on, was it supposed to be one of those countries outside European Union which was happily making progress. Wasn't it happy and slowing but surely mapping its way into prosperity with certanity. But then they where lured into the Euro world and they happily took the helping hand. Now who on this earth would deny Million Euros for 'free'- you just say 'Hail Euro'. Greece took the easy option and with tail in between the legs Hailed Euro for the prosperity and freedom it brought to them. The slow and certain progress was giving way to fast and uncertain progress, but who cared. They were getting millions of Euro's at such low interest rates that they kept on taking debts. Now that's all Greece did - as my dear friend once said "she was like a kid who was given loads of chocloate when she met her love" she just could resist the temptation.
Blame this on the European Gurus who appaling had made Greece and even some other growing economies a part of European Union. They just threw the freebies and kids happily kept asking for more. It seems a cruel Irony that lower interests rates - which helped greater borrowing, thus spreading debt crisis which was what Euro was designed for has been the root cause of this misery. Euro was intended to be a superior debt financing machine against dollar which would allow member states to compete with US for a share of the global reserve currency business. Euro was born to breach the monopoly of US to these global reserves and creating the very credit explosion that strangles it today. Euro creation thumbs up, but briniging in too many economies too fast has misfired. Greece has hit rock today, Portugal is in touching distance and Spain is not far either which on the hindsight shows a greater probation period from European Union masters would have worked better.
PS: Euro dropping from 66 to 58 against INR is something i am enjoying as a student ;) 'Hail Euro' :D
Monday, May 3, 2010
Creative Destruction
Recession probably the most talked word in 2009 and 2010. Blame in on this 9 letter word and you will find support from all and as bonus sympathy. This cloud - a dark devil is taking life away. The whole world has been hit with unemployment and sovereign debt crisis are mounting but to me i see a silver lining. A necessary part of a 'reset' that we all needed. This reset has taken many of us closer to our families, brought in those smiles back with the loved ones, has given has time to retrospect. This has resulted in greater flexibility living and work wise. It has lowered the debt levels, given better personal development opportunity and access to more and better experiences.
Every turmoil has given us a new lease to life. From 1870'e economic crash where we learned to broaden our horizon and expanded our selves to customization. Patents were on rapid rise and so too multiple industries came into exsistence. Come 1929 "wall street crash" we experienced 2.3 percent of total factor productivity the most we have even seen in that era. This 'reset'was based on mass consumption, sub urbanisation and credit. Credit the virus was created then. Now in 2009-10 crash it is nothing different. We needed to reset ourselves as we were loosing it professionally and personally. This 'reset' will make us more flexible, sub urban theory will go to garbage and the need to have better infrastructure has been highlighted enough and also the real estate boom created more my speculation rather than demand needed the reversal. I see that this 'reset' will make the generations to come wary of the mortage lendings which will die sooner rather than later and also real estate will be ripped. Infrastructure that connects the villages to urban towns will soon become a reality or to say the least an indispensable measure of economic growth. The people who recover and see this will have the power to rule and for the first time i see the ignorance of western world turning out to be their bain rather than boon.
Every turmoil has given us a new lease to life. From 1870'e economic crash where we learned to broaden our horizon and expanded our selves to customization. Patents were on rapid rise and so too multiple industries came into exsistence. Come 1929 "wall street crash" we experienced 2.3 percent of total factor productivity the most we have even seen in that era. This 'reset'was based on mass consumption, sub urbanisation and credit. Credit the virus was created then. Now in 2009-10 crash it is nothing different. We needed to reset ourselves as we were loosing it professionally and personally. This 'reset' will make us more flexible, sub urban theory will go to garbage and the need to have better infrastructure has been highlighted enough and also the real estate boom created more my speculation rather than demand needed the reversal. I see that this 'reset' will make the generations to come wary of the mortage lendings which will die sooner rather than later and also real estate will be ripped. Infrastructure that connects the villages to urban towns will soon become a reality or to say the least an indispensable measure of economic growth. The people who recover and see this will have the power to rule and for the first time i see the ignorance of western world turning out to be their bain rather than boon.
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Made in China
Made in China is one of the most recognizable labels in the world today due to the large manufacturing industry poweress of China. I would call this as a false market to invest but then that is the reason why I ant a big money consultant. This country is the largest exporter in the world and the made in china label can be seen on a huge range of products from a pin to plane. False false and morphed market for me. But who am I to call the Great walled country a morphed economy.
I hail from India which too many is an automatic reason why i should hate china. But why should i hate china, i too prefer goods that are sold to me at prices that are lucrative. Hence i decline to see that argument and fail it. I question china's credentials because they don't seem to put in their brain when replicating products what other’s having spend billions and years to get too. My understanding was given an affirmation when i read a recent article which says that Indian students when they copy in an examination can't Xerox an answer and always the student who copies get more marks than the student whose paper was copied, where as Chinese students replicated it to perfection. Isn't it funny... Chinese have taken the world by storm by copying the things and producing them at Nano's price.
The whole world on one hand enjoys the prices of Made in China but at the same time looks at it with suspicion. Look at Apple -- they label their products with "Designed by Apple in California Assembled in China" to indicate that even though the products are made in China, the original design was from the US. Now this act have meant that Chinese use 'Made in India' instead of 'Made in China' to sell products to western world. The answer to this shift is simple -- India sells on it name beyond any country would. India is considered as a market that can produce superior goods at affordable prices thanks to the volume of people it has. In manufacturing terminologies India is called the BCCS (Best cost country for sourcing) & China is called LCCS (Low cost country for sourcing).
To be frank even we Indian's didn’t realize this act of China until the recent 2009 June scandal (large consignment of fake anti-malarial generic pharmaceuticals sold to Nigeria) produced in china but labeled as 'Made in India'. Mind you exports from China are directly under the surveillance of Chinese government. No second guesses why India is targeted by China. To play and calm India would further strengthen Chinese position in the world. Morphed position which i am sure in 5-8 years time will be stripped. In times to come i would urge China to be proud of 'Made in China'themselves first. These cheap acts are a further testimony to my reasoning that china doesn't believe in itself and sees the bubble will burst sooner rather than later. With brasil, mexico also claming stakes rapidly for LCCS and subsequently for being BCCS - China needs to dweal upon 'Made in China'.. I would say innovation will make the difference, but a legal one. Students need to learn the art from schools - art of Innovation ;)
I hail from India which too many is an automatic reason why i should hate china. But why should i hate china, i too prefer goods that are sold to me at prices that are lucrative. Hence i decline to see that argument and fail it. I question china's credentials because they don't seem to put in their brain when replicating products what other’s having spend billions and years to get too. My understanding was given an affirmation when i read a recent article which says that Indian students when they copy in an examination can't Xerox an answer and always the student who copies get more marks than the student whose paper was copied, where as Chinese students replicated it to perfection. Isn't it funny... Chinese have taken the world by storm by copying the things and producing them at Nano's price.
The whole world on one hand enjoys the prices of Made in China but at the same time looks at it with suspicion. Look at Apple -- they label their products with "Designed by Apple in California Assembled in China" to indicate that even though the products are made in China, the original design was from the US. Now this act have meant that Chinese use 'Made in India' instead of 'Made in China' to sell products to western world. The answer to this shift is simple -- India sells on it name beyond any country would. India is considered as a market that can produce superior goods at affordable prices thanks to the volume of people it has. In manufacturing terminologies India is called the BCCS (Best cost country for sourcing) & China is called LCCS (Low cost country for sourcing).
To be frank even we Indian's didn’t realize this act of China until the recent 2009 June scandal (large consignment of fake anti-malarial generic pharmaceuticals sold to Nigeria) produced in china but labeled as 'Made in India'. Mind you exports from China are directly under the surveillance of Chinese government. No second guesses why India is targeted by China. To play and calm India would further strengthen Chinese position in the world. Morphed position which i am sure in 5-8 years time will be stripped. In times to come i would urge China to be proud of 'Made in China'themselves first. These cheap acts are a further testimony to my reasoning that china doesn't believe in itself and sees the bubble will burst sooner rather than later. With brasil, mexico also claming stakes rapidly for LCCS and subsequently for being BCCS - China needs to dweal upon 'Made in China'.. I would say innovation will make the difference, but a legal one. Students need to learn the art from schools - art of Innovation ;)
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Perfect Sunday
Simple things that made my sunday ;)
a) Early morning mail that wakes you up stating that your candidature has been accepted and you are welcomed as an intern
b) Cleaning room after ages, admist of the dust you find the lovely letter of your friend, memories flash by
c) Hungry after cleaning and you find that you are invited for lunch and the excess goes into your ref for dinner...gosh delicious international dishes..food taken care
d) Seeing your IPL team charge itself towards semifinals - Go Deccan GO !!
d)Finding out on sunday night while fighting against heap of assigments that your monday morning blues (classes) are cancelled
Normal sunday turns into a memorable sunday !!
a) Early morning mail that wakes you up stating that your candidature has been accepted and you are welcomed as an intern
b) Cleaning room after ages, admist of the dust you find the lovely letter of your friend, memories flash by
c) Hungry after cleaning and you find that you are invited for lunch and the excess goes into your ref for dinner...gosh delicious international dishes..food taken care
d) Seeing your IPL team charge itself towards semifinals - Go Deccan GO !!
d)Finding out on sunday night while fighting against heap of assigments that your monday morning blues (classes) are cancelled
Normal sunday turns into a memorable sunday !!
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Eyjafjallajokull
Eyjafjallajokull - Scrabblers out there take this one into your memory list, the 16 letter mammoth. The hottest word that had choked every body from President Obama to the layman. Exactly, All isn't well !!
With a monstrous cloud of volcanic ash closing down airports from across Europe, much of Europe is pondereing on: What do you do in a world without air travel? What really would you when the artifical birds can't take off ? Travellers - taking it as an excuse to spend another day or may be days at their respective destinations, bussines vultures turning to sea (not really), cars(London - paris 1500 Euros...lol), trains(cars preffered to show the urgency), e-world chit chats. The ash hovering at altitudes from 20,000 to 30,000 feet has grounded around 18000 flights since causing chaos to our day to day activites. Wonder how dependent are we on these Birds ??
Now if these troubles weren't enough this volcano has been named Eyjafjallajokull. Tongue twister. I have been reading enough about this cloud that has gulped the flying zone of 12 European countries wondering why is it named so?. I do know the bizzarre naming principle adopted in eastern world for the cyclones that keep battering the coasts (Each country that is a part of this group will get in its turn to name it as they like it -- rotational policy). 16 letter world - each european country contributing one letter from it - sharing policy, makes sense. The theory did hold good until a read in face book told me that it is simple. You need to learn how to break this icelandic word (i can't even break a hindi word properly at times). Anyways this is how it goes “Eyja” for island - “Fjalla” means mountain - “Jokull” for glacier. Fjalla and Jokull to an extent make sense but Eyja what is that doing in here ? I guess not all are named to make sense. I would rather pray to this Eyja-Fjalla-Jokull that its anger subsides down and when the ash settles down owing to Mr Gravity it doesn't cause major health problems. Praying and wishing is all that we can do as the experts have resorted to saying "We are not sure when it will stop, may be in hours, days or weeks". Hail science and technology. It again reconfirms my thought that we just can't predict the mother nature.
With a monstrous cloud of volcanic ash closing down airports from across Europe, much of Europe is pondereing on: What do you do in a world without air travel? What really would you when the artifical birds can't take off ? Travellers - taking it as an excuse to spend another day or may be days at their respective destinations, bussines vultures turning to sea (not really), cars(London - paris 1500 Euros...lol), trains(cars preffered to show the urgency), e-world chit chats. The ash hovering at altitudes from 20,000 to 30,000 feet has grounded around 18000 flights since causing chaos to our day to day activites. Wonder how dependent are we on these Birds ??
Now if these troubles weren't enough this volcano has been named Eyjafjallajokull. Tongue twister. I have been reading enough about this cloud that has gulped the flying zone of 12 European countries wondering why is it named so?. I do know the bizzarre naming principle adopted in eastern world for the cyclones that keep battering the coasts (Each country that is a part of this group will get in its turn to name it as they like it -- rotational policy). 16 letter world - each european country contributing one letter from it - sharing policy, makes sense. The theory did hold good until a read in face book told me that it is simple. You need to learn how to break this icelandic word (i can't even break a hindi word properly at times). Anyways this is how it goes “Eyja” for island - “Fjalla” means mountain - “Jokull” for glacier. Fjalla and Jokull to an extent make sense but Eyja what is that doing in here ? I guess not all are named to make sense. I would rather pray to this Eyja-Fjalla-Jokull that its anger subsides down and when the ash settles down owing to Mr Gravity it doesn't cause major health problems. Praying and wishing is all that we can do as the experts have resorted to saying "We are not sure when it will stop, may be in hours, days or weeks". Hail science and technology. It again reconfirms my thought that we just can't predict the mother nature.
Monday, April 12, 2010
The Forgotten Glory !
April 12th, will go down in memory of most of us as a day when one of India's most hyped sports women had become the second wife of 'Doorsa' boy of Pakistan. This galmourous marraige with 'Haq Mehr' (dower money)of 61 lakhs has made it to the front, back and centre pages of newspapers, televisions channels would have crackled this as the breaking news of the day. In admist of this hype somewhere in the heart of Punjab Indian's most reliable sport was scripting history silently. Generations or to be specific sports enthusiats like me will remember this day for precisely this reason. The man's game as we call it in our villages - 'Kabbadi', yet again was at the centre in pinning the smiles back. World Champions we are !!
Since time immemorial we have been good at this one beast of a game where your acumen, judgement, speed & team work are put to test. This time it in the form of World Cup we were challenged. Were we ? Thrasing the finalists Pakistan mercilessly, 58-24, India had won the first edition of the Kabaddi World Cup. The final of this 10-day tournament was played at jam-packed floodlit Guru Nanak Stadium in Punjab where still the spirit and respect for this game remains untampered. Bring them on, I say !! It is one sport in which the whole world will take ages to catch up and i have every reason to belive seeing the scorelines throughout the championship.
A poke -- These gentle warriors don't even get a mentioning in the national newspapers leave making it as breaking news in television channels. Media needs glamour and not substance - Examplified. I as a sports lover am saddened to see that Indian's most respected news (sports) publishers NDTV and ESPN STAR didn't take it upon themselves to bring this mega event to the masses. The traditional game had long lost its battle against India's heart trob-Cricket, and a chance to revive it was eaten away by IPL coverage and marraiges. May be some of my Indian brothers and sisters who are after hype will soon realise it to be China - The Manipulated destination.
This event had participation from Britain, USA, Pakistan, Iran, Italy, Canada and Australia. In the semi-finals, India defeated Canada by 57-36 while Pakistan defeated Italy by 57-33 and made their grand entry into the finals. India - Pakistan finals are special, even more because it is Kabbadi - richest and oldest sport played in the now divided Punjab. Indians holding the cup and eating into all the accolades and trophies on the final day at cermony shows the mere domination. Bravo Bravo !!!
Take a bow Punjab govertment for the efforts you have churned out in reviving this special sport. I sincerely hope that this will give enough fillip to the sport and to players. 1 Crore price money on a sport that lacks 'glamour' and 'hype' is a worthy investment and history will applaud your efforts. Thanks Kabbadi - for reminding me that we are world beaters ! Being world champion is a matter of pride and i salute you warriors in making me proud !! Challenging the world -- Kabbadi, Kabbadi, Kabbadi.... ;)
Since time immemorial we have been good at this one beast of a game where your acumen, judgement, speed & team work are put to test. This time it in the form of World Cup we were challenged. Were we ? Thrasing the finalists Pakistan mercilessly, 58-24, India had won the first edition of the Kabaddi World Cup. The final of this 10-day tournament was played at jam-packed floodlit Guru Nanak Stadium in Punjab where still the spirit and respect for this game remains untampered. Bring them on, I say !! It is one sport in which the whole world will take ages to catch up and i have every reason to belive seeing the scorelines throughout the championship.
A poke -- These gentle warriors don't even get a mentioning in the national newspapers leave making it as breaking news in television channels. Media needs glamour and not substance - Examplified. I as a sports lover am saddened to see that Indian's most respected news (sports) publishers NDTV and ESPN STAR didn't take it upon themselves to bring this mega event to the masses. The traditional game had long lost its battle against India's heart trob-Cricket, and a chance to revive it was eaten away by IPL coverage and marraiges. May be some of my Indian brothers and sisters who are after hype will soon realise it to be China - The Manipulated destination.
This event had participation from Britain, USA, Pakistan, Iran, Italy, Canada and Australia. In the semi-finals, India defeated Canada by 57-36 while Pakistan defeated Italy by 57-33 and made their grand entry into the finals. India - Pakistan finals are special, even more because it is Kabbadi - richest and oldest sport played in the now divided Punjab. Indians holding the cup and eating into all the accolades and trophies on the final day at cermony shows the mere domination. Bravo Bravo !!!
Take a bow Punjab govertment for the efforts you have churned out in reviving this special sport. I sincerely hope that this will give enough fillip to the sport and to players. 1 Crore price money on a sport that lacks 'glamour' and 'hype' is a worthy investment and history will applaud your efforts. Thanks Kabbadi - for reminding me that we are world beaters ! Being world champion is a matter of pride and i salute you warriors in making me proud !! Challenging the world -- Kabbadi, Kabbadi, Kabbadi.... ;)
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