http://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/en-UKMokoFeed10http://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/http://data5.blog.de/design/preview/21/d093d2aa880338ebcd3cf71824b10e_160x200.jpghttp://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2009/07/05/roger-is-the-king-6455246/tag:arrowpoint.blog.co.uk,2009-07-05:/2009/07/05/roger-is-the-king-6455246/Sun, 05 Jul 2009 20:54:07 +0200 <p>wow,<br> he has done it!! won just one game today and how much did he achieve..? reclaimed his no.1 spot, won the wimbledon championship for the 6th time in his career, set a world record of maximum no. of grand slams to his credit-a total of 14, leaving behind the great champion of the game samprass!! </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2009/07/05/roger-is-the-king-6455246/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tennissportswimbledonroger-federerhttp://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2009/07/05/roger-is-the-king-6455246/#commentshttp://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2009/07/04/what-if-6448958/tag:arrowpoint.blog.co.uk,2009-07-04:/2009/07/04/what-if-6448958/Sat, 04 Jul 2009 21:02:26 +0200 <p>What if the Indian Railways is privatised..?<img src="/img/smilies/icon_rolleyes.gif" alt=":roll:" class="middle" border="0"><br> would it be a success, or a disaster for the general public..?<br> Privatisation/disinvestment of big PSUs in India has not been a good experience.<br> I'll discuss the privatisation of Electricity distribution in Delhi and compare it with that of the Indian Railways and its possible fall-outs. (to be continued) </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2009/07/04/what-if-6448958/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>privatisationrailwaysdisinvestmenthttp://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2009/07/04/what-if-6448958/#commentshttp://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2009/01/31/investment-awakening-5482672/tag:arrowpoint.blog.co.uk,2009-01-31:/2009/01/31/investment-awakening-5482672/Sat, 31 Jan 2009 20:23:12 +0100 <p>Today i saw the ad of a leading financial co. making their (false/cheating)commitments. The ad reiterated the importance of security<img src="/img/smilies/icon_cool.gif" alt="B)" class="middle" border="0"> of your money. For the last 4-5 years, there had been a bandwagon trend of investments in India in which the money of general-public was being blindly invested/risked in so called 'growth'<img src="/img/smilies/icon_wink.gif" alt=";)" class="middle" border="0"> or 'acclerator'<img src="/img/smilies/icon_wink.gif" alt=";)" class="middle" border="0"> funds, and those funds which talked about being conservative & cautious were thought to be a fool's choice. But today while the whole world is reeling under 'acute' recession, funds cos. are trying hard to convince the investors with some 'back to basics'<img src="/img/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif" alt=":D" class="middle" border="0"> choices by making a conservative and cautious investments. Today banks are very cautious in lending various types of loans or issuing credit cards.<br> But just an year ago these very cos. were making fun of public-money by playing very risky<img src="/img/smilies/icon_cool.gif" alt="B)" class="middle" border="0"> games with the investor's hard-earned money. Many financial/marketing cos. were upselling 'ULIP' schemes or Mutual Funds by explaining such risky & sophisticated investment-schemes merely over the telephone to ordinary laymen<img src="/img/smilies/icon_rolleyes.gif" alt=":roll:" class="middle" border="0"> who had little idea of NAVs or even the Objective of the Funds in which their money was being invested/risked. They rushed their marketing execs. across to the customer's place; defying all the ethics these execs themselves not only just filled-up the forms but also selected the critical/material details like the Percentage of his investment going into Equity & Debt without even asking to that person whom it mattered the most! These malpractises kept on going and the companies kept on doing monopolies in the name of providing 'personalised'<img src="/img/smilies/icon_cool.gif" alt="B)" class="middle" border="0"> services (of robbing money) and our govt. kept on sleeping over it. And it's not a hidden fact that most of the so-called 'Baap of Funds'<img src="/img/smilies/icon_cool.gif" alt="B)" class="middle" border="0"> today are giving negative returns to the tunes of anywhere between -20 to -55%. So where in this world has gone such huge amount of money which the public had invested by relying on the promises made by these Cos. the BSE, the SEBI, the RBI and last but not the least the Federal Govt itself? This money flowed into the 'black holes' of bad debts, into the losses incurred by numerous failed enterprises, into the huge salaries of the loss-making organisations, into the risky 'sub-prime' type loans which were never paid back or the most recent scandal which has been dubbed as the 'Enron of India' the Satyam Debacle. It's evident that during the economic-boom (at least on BSE) in india, the financial Cos. as well as the Federal Govt. became a little bit overambitious (or greedy) and in order to push the limits, they perhaps crossed it. The fall-out is infront of us which the general-public is suffering. Its an ironical fact to digest that these Cos. steer clear of any regulatory/punitive actions just by mentioning- 'investments are subject to market risks'<img src="/img/smilies/icon_twisted.gif" alt=":>" class="middle" border="0">!! Today the ordinary investor feels cheated and has lost confidence in the economic system itself, it will certainly take much longer time to regain that. </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2009/01/31/investment-awakening-5482672/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>economiccrisisinvestmentrecessionhttp://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2009/01/31/investment-awakening-5482672/#commentshttp://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2009/01/19/zimbabwe-economy-5408068/tag:arrowpoint.blog.co.uk,2009-01-19:/2009/01/19/zimbabwe-economy-5408068/Mon, 19 Jan 2009 20:56:53 +0100 <p>Zimbabwe will introduce a 100 trillion dollar note, in its latest attempt to keep pace with hyperinflation that has left its once-vibrant economy in tatters, state media said today. </p> <p>The new 100,000,000,000,000 Zim-dollar bill would have been worth about USD 300 (225 euros) at Thursday's exchange rate on the informal market, where most currency trading now takes place, but the value of the local currency erodes dramatically every day. </p> <p>The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe is introducing three other notes in trillion-dollar denominations of 10, 20 and 50, the government mouthpiece Herald newspaper said. </p> <p>"In a move meant to ensure that the public has access to their money from banks, the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe has introduced a new family of banknotes which will gradually come into circulation, starting with the 10 trillion Zimbabwe-dollar," the bank said in a statement quoted by the Herald. </p> <p>Just last week, the bank had introduced billion-dollar bills in denominations of 10, 20 and 50 with the same goal, but those notes are no longer large enough to keep up with hyperinflation. </p> <p>The last official estimate put inflation at 231 million per cent in July, but outside experts now believe it is many times higher. </p> <p>When Zimbabwe's leader Robert Mugabe first took power in 1980, following independence from Britain, the local unit was worth about the same as the British pound.<br> (Disclaimer: Article taken from The Times of India, NewDelhi edition, dated 16th Jan. 2009,copyright of the publisher acknowledged.)</p> <p> <small> <a href="http://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2009/01/19/zimbabwe-economy-5408068/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>zimbabweeconomyhyperinflationhttp://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2009/01/19/zimbabwe-economy-5408068/#commentshttp://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2009/01/07/failed-advertising-5339423/tag:arrowpoint.blog.co.uk,2009-01-07:/2009/01/07/failed-advertising-5339423/Wed, 07 Jan 2009 20:55:49 +0100 <p>Recently, a very interesting incidence took place in the avenue of marketing & advertising in India. A leading coffee manufacturing co. (name not tobe disclosed) actually toyed with the idea of making the consumers fool by masking the deterioration in the quality of their product to call it an innovation.<img src="/img/smilies/icon_lol.gif" alt=":DD" class="middle" border="0"><br> The leading coffee brand was being sold throughout the country by the varient name- 'Classic' since many decades. But as we know, the coffee industry is not in a very good condition these days, or whatever might the reason be, the quality has also suffered drastically. so the 'coffee barons' toyed with the idea of masking their shortcomings by making the Indian consumers a fool. They advertised and marketed this low-quality product as the 'Mild' varient.<img src="/img/smilies/icon_wink.gif" alt=";)" class="middle" border="0"> They tried very hard to 'shove' the product into the consumers preference by bolstering it with many intellectual ads on TV (based on 'mild' relationships of mankind), but it proved tobe futile. Coz, the consumers were not ready to accept the coffee in 'mild' form.<img src="/img/smilies/icon_evil.gif" alt=">:-[" class="middle" border="0"> They always preferred a strong and refreshing cup of coffee. So the ad proved tobe counter-productive and finally after a 5-6 months trial-period, the ad barons returned back to the same age-old 'classic' varient.<img src="/img/smilies/icon_cool.gif" alt="B)" class="middle" border="0"> Though, the quality has not improved, still the consumers have welcomed the reversal because at least they don't feel to be cheated for what they have paid..<img src="/img/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif" alt=":D" class="middle" border="0"> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2009/01/07/failed-advertising-5339423/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>marketingbrandadvertisinghttp://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2009/01/07/failed-advertising-5339423/#commentshttp://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2009/01/07/airline-co-cheaters-5339127/tag:arrowpoint.blog.co.uk,2009-01-07:/2009/01/07/airline-co-cheaters-5339127/Wed, 07 Jan 2009 20:02:49 +0100 <p>Airline cos. in India are cheaters, they ask the govt. to reduce fuel surcharge but themselves incease the fare. When the civil aviation ministry appeals them to reduce the fare, they ask the govt. to decrease the price of Aviation Turbine Fuel. When due to abrupt increase in fare, passangers are turning away, they decrease the salaries of their crew members and ground staff to make-up the loss. Though it looks attractive to see the increase in numbers of airline services operating in the country, but actually they have joined the bandwagon to 'suck' the domestic air-travellers in the country. One can't imagine, howmuch they can fall when it comes to providing the quality of their services and commitments. They make a trade-off with just every one- the passangers, their own staff members, the government, every one. Actually, why they raise somuch hell if they can not provide good services..? </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2009/01/07/airline-co-cheaters-5339127/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>airtravelairlineshttp://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2009/01/07/airline-co-cheaters-5339127/#commentshttp://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2009/01/04/is-india-a-soft-target-5321987/tag:arrowpoint.blog.co.uk,2009-01-04:/2009/01/04/is-india-a-soft-target-5321987/Sun, 04 Jan 2009 20:00:05 +0100 <p>Recently, the whole world is watching what's going on in Gaza.. I don't want to discuss who is right, who is wrong.. what's justified.. what's the solution.. etc.<img src="/img/smilies/icon_yawn.gif" alt=":yawn:" class="middle" border="0"> Presently, what's going on in Sri-Lanka between the armed forces and the LTTE..? A few months back, the world also saw what did the Russian forces do in South Ossetia and Georgia. Before that we all knew what happened in Iraq, Afghanistan..and how the US dealt with the Taliban, so on and so forth. But one significant event/disaster which is missing here is similar in nature but far different in handling approaches- the Mumbai terror attacks. So let's discuss how the Govt. of India has dealt with it so far. While the response of the whole world has been 'zero-tolerance' against terrorism, the approach of the Indian Govt. is 'compromise'.<img src="/img/smilies/icon_rolleyes.gif" alt=":roll:" class="middle" border="0"> Should not the Indian Govt. identify the groups/organisations behind it and order the Armed Forces to selectively/precisely destroy the terrorist camps operating in various parts of Pakistan and POK..?<br> While every other sovereign country has the right to take remedial actions against terrorism, why India always chooses the path of compromising its people's safety..? My messege to the Govt will be that its true that we are the second most populous Nation in the World but still, human resources is not that a cheap thing tobe wasted and fed to these barbarians!!<img src="/img/smilies/icon_mad.gif" alt=">:(" class="middle" border="0"></p> <p>(Disclaimer: 1). all the opinions described above is purely personal, it has nothing to do with actual facts or relevance. 2). The above content is just for public viewing and is purely non-commercial. 3). Before using the above contents any person or organisation is advised to cross-check its authenticity from relevant sources, the writer does not vouch for its correctness)</p> <p>(copyright: arrowpoint, blog.co.uk) </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2009/01/04/is-india-a-soft-target-5321987/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>mumbaiattacksterrorismnewspoliticshttp://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2009/01/04/is-india-a-soft-target-5321987/#commentshttp://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2008/12/19/ie-5246928/tag:arrowpoint.blog.co.uk,2008-12-19:/2008/12/19/ie-5246928/Fri, 19 Dec 2008 18:49:31 +0100 <p>Thank-God!<br> Finally, the loophole in the Internet Explorer (version- 7) got fixed. Earlier, millions of the users of this browser around the world were skeptic about its vulnerability to phishing/identity theft.<img src="/img/smilies/icon_rolleyes.gif" alt=":roll:" class="middle" border="0"><br> But luckily enough, the net-users around the world today, have more choices. Thanx to the competition, the advent of "Google Chrome" and the new version of "Firefox" would certainly help improve the product, make softwares affordable thus encouraging use of genuine softwares and ending the piracy. So, kudos to the end of monopoly..<img src="/img/smilies/icon_wave.gif" alt=":wave:" class="middle" border="0"> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2008/12/19/ie-5246928/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>ieinternet-explorerbrowsertechhttp://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2008/12/19/ie-5246928/#commentshttp://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2008/11/20/beach-volleyball-5071165/tag:arrowpoint.blog.co.uk,2008-11-20:/2008/11/20/beach-volleyball-5071165/Thu, 20 Nov 2008 20:37:23 +0100 <p>Beach Volley ball is such a funny game.. but so hard to arrange..especially in places like Delhi which has no natural beaches!! Could anybody tell me plz where i can get genuine equipments/gears for this game in Delhi/Gurgaon?<img src="/img/smilies/icon_lol.gif" alt=":DD" class="middle" border="0"> Also plz suggest us how we could play this game in floodlights.. i mean, which sports service provider/club makes arrangements for this in Delhi or Gurgaon on rent-basis or membership..?<img src="/img/smilies/icon_rolleyes.gif" alt=":roll:" class="middle" border="0"> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2008/11/20/beach-volleyball-5071165/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>beach-volleyballsportshttp://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2008/11/20/beach-volleyball-5071165/#commentshttp://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2008/11/20/title-5070622/tag:arrowpoint.blog.co.uk,2008-11-20:/2008/11/20/title-5070622/Thu, 20 Nov 2008 18:51:20 +0100 <p><a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/city_square_mall/3002756" title="City Square Mall"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/756/3002756_c8f4eff8e1_s.jpg" alt="City Square Mall" vspace="5" hspace="5"></a></p> <p>Come, try this too.. it's a good weekend off..<img src="/img/smilies/icon_wink.gif" alt=";)" class="middle" border="0"> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2008/11/20/title-5070622/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>kfccity-square-mall-delhihttp://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2008/11/20/title-5070622/#commentshttp://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2008/11/19/how-was-brasilia-built-5064559/tag:arrowpoint.blog.co.uk,2008-11-19:/2008/11/19/how-was-brasilia-built-5064559/Wed, 19 Nov 2008 20:24:43 +0100 <p>Brasilia is one of the most beautiful capital-cities in the world. It’s well planned, maintained and administered with an awsome climate and location. Very few cities in the world boast of such remoteness still being so progressive. But the city does not have a very ancient history; it came into existence just a few decades ago. Before that, there were unreachable Amazon rainforests only in that area. This city was actually planned and built in this vast and far flung country keeping in mind that the capital should be centrally located. So it's comparatively a newly settled city. For making the capital, great contenders like, Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paolo or Porto Alegre were already jostling shoulder to shoulder, but the politicians had other ideas, they wanted it to be "brand new". So the beautiful city of Brasilia came into existence. But the price paid for building this was huge.. thousands of hectares of the already dwindling great Amazon rainforests had to be cleared to settle the city,to make airports,highways,railway tracks,electricity transmission grids etc which feed this city surrounded with unreachable rainforests to other metros like Rio and Sao Paolo. Just in the same way as if a baby has to be connected to his mother for feeding milk. Brasilia can't imagine its existence, in such a hostile terrain, without getting connected to mother cities like Rio or Sao Paolo which are not only mega-cities rather are witness to the humanity and its rise and fall. Brasilia is just a nascent baby in front of them and so very much vulnerable, dependent and fragile yet glamorous! Still it's the symbol of the insuppressible will power of the millions of Brazilians and a really great city of a legendary Samba Nation! Salute to this harmonious city!!<br> (Views are purely personal, and have nothing to do with any event/organization)</p> <p> <small> <a href="http://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2008/11/19/how-was-brasilia-built-5064559/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>travelbrazilhttp://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2008/11/19/how-was-brasilia-built-5064559/#commentshttp://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2008/11/07/cuisine-of-bihar-5000706/tag:arrowpoint.blog.co.uk,2008-11-07:/2008/11/07/cuisine-of-bihar-5000706/Fri, 07 Nov 2008 20:18:07 +0100 <p>Bihari cuisine has a history that can be traced to the cultures that flourished and waned in this part of the globe.</p> <p>¤ Rice- Main Course of Food</p> <p>References to rice abound in a variety of sources. During the days of the Buddha, rice was the staple food. The elite consumed the superior quality of rice while the inferior quality fell to the lot of the poor. At Nalanda, Hiuen Tsang was given mahasali rice to eat. Each grain was as large as a bean, and when cooked, was aromatic, and shining like no other rice. </p> <p>Centuries later, presenting an account of the different varieties of rice around the Gangetic basin, Abul Fazal said that if a single grain of each kind of rice was collected, they would fill a large vase. The Mughal chronicler described the rice cultivated in Patna as being ‘rare and unequalled in quality’. The shali rice was popular and much in demand in Europe, while Indians preferred the shahpasand and basmati variety of Patna rice. The Gangetic plain proved to be a fertile ground for litchis – a relatively new plant that arrived in India only during the end of the 17th century. Originally from China, Buddhist pilgrims brought the first saplings of this plant from China as a hommage to the land of the Buddha. </p> <p>¤ Bihari cuisine is a melange</p> <p>Bhat, dal, tarkari and achar (rice, lentil, vegetable and pickle) have been part of Bihari cuisine since the days of yore. With the advent of Jainism and Buddhism, its followers took to a vegetarian diet, while others preferred goat, pig, deer, peacock, etc. In fact offering meat to a guest was as meritorious as performing the dvadasah (twelfth day) sacrifice. Thus slaughterhouses thrived alongside the Jain and Buddhist philosophies of ahimsa (non-violence). A variety of meat was openly sold in the market, and lavishly consumed during festivals. After inviting the Buddha for breakfast (this was also the Buddha’s last breakfast), Chunda, a blacksmith, served him a dish called sukaramaddava, that translates to tender pork. Unlike Mahavira, the Buddha sanctioned fish and flesh as lawful though with some restrictions. Mahayana Buddhism rejected this altogether. The followers of this denomination believed that the sukaramaddava was some aromatic mushroom. Speculations abound about the unusual breakfast that none of the Buddha’s disciples were allowed to consume, and the remains of which were buried. </p> <p>Bihari cuisine has innumerable rice-based dishes. The Buddha was usually offered rice cooked with milk, and mixed with honey. The Jatakas (legends on the Buddha’s previous lives) mention pua (prepared from the mixture of powdered rice, milk, sugar, ghee, or clarified butter, and honey), pitta (rice cake), khajjaka (also known as khaja, the finest variety of this sweet prepared from wheat flour and sugar, is sold at Silao near Rajgir), palala (modern day tilkuta made from pounded tila, or sesame seeds). Sariputta, one of the disciples of the Buddha was very fond of palala. Gaya is famous for tilkuta, that can be found only in winter, and the finest shops selling tilkuta are located at Ramna. Another delicacy from Gaya is lai, prepared with sugar and beaten rice. Along with the peras (sweetmeat made of sugar and milk) of Mathura, the ones prepared in Gaya continue to be popular. </p> <p>The Mithila Brahmins who take great pride in their Vedic culture considered themselves to be ‘Aryanised’ much before other parts of Bihar. Most of their festivals and religious rites are in strict accordance with the shastras (ancient scriptures). A fine variety of beaten rice or chiwra, with a heavy coat of curd and cream continues to be a favorite dish in Mithila. Makhana, a water fruit, (gorgon or fox nut) prepared from lotus seeds, is considered pure enough to be offered even to the gods. According to a popular adage in Mithila, betel leaves and makhana are not found in heaven. So one should relish them on earth so as not to regret later. Makhana is eaten in various forms, the commonest being salted puffs. Kheer (a dessert usually prepared with milk and rice) prepared with makhana is a mouth-watering delicacy. </p> <p>¤ Favourite Morning Meal</p> <p>The people of northern Bihar rely heavily on the energy-giving sattu (powdered gram), and a number of preparations like litti, parantha (a sort of Indian bread) etc. are stuffed with sattu and spice. For breakfast in Bhagalpur and Patna, people often prepare drinks with sattu, salt, chopped onions and chilly. Litties come in a large variety and are often roasted on hot coals. Muslim's Delicacy--The Biryani </p> <p>some seventy years before the Muslim conquest of North India, the Turks had consolidated their hold in Maner (22 miles from Patna). Around this time, the region came under the sway of the Sufis (Muslim saints and mystics who came to India once the Turks had established themselves here. of the three chief orders of Sufism in India, Firdausi’s Sufism particularly influenced Bihar). The influx of the Afghans, Mughals, Persians, and much later, the Bengal Nawabs, and the Europeans followed this. Certainly there was a synthesis of the local culinary genius and the art of the newcomers. Possibly this is called Mughlai. Otherwise the term in its true sense sounds hollow, for the Mongol nomads, associated more with warfare, hardly ever cooked good food. </p> <p>Biryani, for instance, is a Persian world that means ‘a dish of meat and rice in which the meat is roasted or fried.’ Usually referred to as a Mughlai dish, biryani has regional variations, and tastes different in Bombay, Lucknow, Calcutta, Hyderabad and Bihar. Today one can spot even vegetarian biryani on a menu! Likewise, Bombay sells boti kebab (meat pieces), Calcutta offers kathi kebab (meat roasted on wooden skewers), Hyderabad is famous for choti ki kebab (plaited kebab), while Bihar is reputed for its voluminous seekh kebab. Other Non-Veg Delicacies </p> <p>Some of the dishes of Arabic origin like keema (minced meat), murgh masallam (a chicken delicacy), naahari (broth with chunks of meat, cooked overnight). Halwa, a dessert, is popular all over India, with slight regional variations. Persian delights like the kebab, zardah, biryani, sheer maal are available in all those cities of India that had a brush with Persian nobles. Baqarkhani is even named after one of the Persian governors in India, Baqar Khan. Some of the Bihari dishes like the curries, shahi tukra (a sort of French toast) and khichdi are supposed to be of European descent! While opinions are divided on whether the Mughal emperor, Jehangir, or Wajid Ali Shah is to be credited with the original recipe of the kichdi, the broth of rice, lentil and other leftovers seems to be a creation of Indian chefs at the behest of their white masters. The Pre-requisites of Mughal Preparations</p> <p>Mughal recipes at their best would require a variety and quantity of ingredients that would simply cripple a modern housewife’s budget. When Nur Jahan, the wife of the Mughal emperor, Jehangir, was in the Rohtasgarh Fort during the birth of her third son, she requisitioned 60 pounds of ambergris of the sea, 160 pounds of khus, 2000 pods of musk, 2000 bottles of the essence of Egyptian willow, essence of flowers, 10,000 bottles of rose water from Yazd and 4000 pounds of saffron! </p> <p>Saffron rice went well with Mughlai fare. One still finds pulaos (a rice, vegetable and spice dish, often served with meat or fish) painted in rich saffron colour without its slightest flavour. Wedding menus continue to display dishes like halwa-i-maquti, muzaffar, etc. A man of fine tastes, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, the founder of the Nationalist Muslim Party, judged Bihari dishes to be the finest. </p> <p>¤ The Tribal Cuisine of jharkhand</p> <p>Situated in the southern half of Undivided Bihar (now Jharkhand), Chotanagpur is home to numerous aboriginal tribes that differ from each other in their food habits and cuisine. Their general daily diet consists of boiled cereals, millet and a curry of boiled vegetables or meat, or edible roots and tubers seasoned with salt and chillies. Some of the tribal specialities of Chotanagpur are asur pittha (cake) prepared from the flour of mahua (a tree that yields the hallucinogenic mahua flower), rice, or maize. Similary, asur khichdi is cooked by adding mahua flour when the rice is half cooked. When maize is crushed and cooked like rice, it is called sauria ghata. It takes two days to prepare the korwa lata, which is cooked by mixing the seeds of mahua to sarai (sakhua fruit). Korwa jatangi is another dish for which jatangi is fried, pounded and its oil extracted. The residual cake is fried in earthen pots and eaten as a mixture with mahua. No other tree is as valued for its flowers as the mahua. March-April is the season for collecting mahua since at that time the leafless branches are laden with flowers. </p> <p>Handia - The Tribal Beverage: </p> <p>The handia is an important tribal beverage that still sells on the roadsides of Chotanagpur. Most of the tribes cannot think of any occasion or function without a fairly good stock of Handia. It is made by fermenting rice with the help of biro – a medicinal cake that incorporates a dozen herbs (the manufacturers keep the ingredients a secret). The rice or millet to be fermented is first partially cooked over fire in a handa (earthen cooking pot). Only the amount of water that the rice can absorb is added. Next, it is cooked and mixed thoroughly with powdered biro. The new pot is then placed in a cool place for about a week following which the beverage is ready.</p> <p>(Source: "www.indiasite.com" copyrights of the original publisher acknowledged)</p> <p> <small> <a href="http://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2008/11/07/cuisine-of-bihar-5000706/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>cuisineshttp://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2008/11/07/cuisine-of-bihar-5000706/#commentshttp://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2008/11/04/survey-guy-4980917/tag:arrowpoint.blog.co.uk,2008-11-04:/2008/11/04/survey-guy-4980917/Tue, 04 Nov 2008 09:39:57 +0100 <p>today someone rang the bell in the morning<img src="/img/smilies/icon_eek.gif" alt="8|" class="middle" border="0">. when i asked him the purpose to come, he told me that he was from a reputed survey agency and needs my 'co-operation' to complete a survey<img src="/img/smilies/icon_rolleyes.gif" alt=":roll:" class="middle" border="0">, regarding the services of the cellular providers.<br> i asked him how much time it would take.. he replied just five minutes. reluctantly, i agreed. he had a lengthy (respondent) information booklet which he wanted to get filled-up. first he asked my full name, then..my address...afterthat my mobile no..<img src="/img/smilies/grayupset.gif" alt=":##" class="middle" border="0"> i was aghast by the time and refused to disclose my personal informations like mobile no. i told him my reservations that despite i have registered for the 'national do not call registry' i keep on receiving unsolicited commercial calls and you people are only going to worsen my agony. just due to this nuisance i had to change my mobile no 4-5 months back. by the time i had this arguments with him some of my neighbours gathered at the scene<img src="/img/smilies/icon_lalala.gif" alt=":lalala:" class="middle" border="0"> and all of them justified my concerns. so, sensing the situation, the 'surveyer' disappered from there swiftly<img src="/img/smilies/icon_cool.gif" alt="B)" class="middle" border="0">. so the messege through my blog is simple- never yield to other's influence and justify yourself, and please never compromise your interests and privacy<img src="/img/smilies/icon_mad.gif" alt=">:(" class="middle" border="0">. </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2008/11/04/survey-guy-4980917/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>lifehttp://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2008/11/04/survey-guy-4980917/#commentshttp://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2008/11/02/bid-adeu-to-kumble-4970774/tag:arrowpoint.blog.co.uk,2008-11-02:/2008/11/02/bid-adeu-to-kumble-4970774/Sun, 02 Nov 2008 16:40:32 +0100 <p>Today Indian Cricket Team witnessed the farewell to one of it's greatest bowlers- Anil Kumble.<br> Anil Kumble will always be remembered as the cricketer who fought hard and elevated the standards of the game <img src="/img/smilies/icon_twisted.gif" alt=":>" class="middle" border="0">. He served the Team for more than a decade and half. In his career he saw many ups and downs but his commitment to perform best with each outing remained undeterred. When he made this heart-breaking announcement today, his fans could have really felt so sorry for him. His decision came at such a time when he was at the peak of his career- he was the captain of the Test Team. Only a man of great courage and self-respect can take such a decision at this poit of his career. There has never been any controversies in his long career, which is so tough to maintain in modern competitive cricket. The vacuum thus created would be hard to fill<img src="/img/smilies/icon_wth.gif" alt="|-|" class="middle" border="0">.<br> Let's hope together that the wait to find a suitable repacement for him in the team is not too long<img src="/img/smilies/icon_yawn.gif" alt=":yawn:" class="middle" border="0">, otherwise it will be sarcastic to the team interests<img src="/img/smilies/icon_mad.gif" alt=">:(" class="middle" border="0">. Bid adeu to this great gem of the crown <img src="/img/smilies/icon_wave.gif" alt=":wave:" class="middle" border="0">.</p> <p> <small> <a href="http://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2008/11/02/bid-adeu-to-kumble-4970774/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>sportshttp://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2008/11/02/bid-adeu-to-kumble-4970774/#commentshttp://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2008/11/02/toying-with-my-new-camcorder-4970644/tag:arrowpoint.blog.co.uk,2008-11-02:/2008/11/02/toying-with-my-new-camcorder-4970644/Sun, 02 Nov 2008 16:10:12 +0100 <p><a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/it_s_me/2954243" title="It"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/243/2954243_c17683ba0b_s.jpg" alt="It" vspace="5" hspace="5"></a></p> <p>That's how it works.. but it clearly shows that-<br> I'm a novice in photography! </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2008/11/02/toying-with-my-new-camcorder-4970644/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>leisurehttp://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2008/11/02/toying-with-my-new-camcorder-4970644/#commentshttp://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2008/09/25/entrepreneurs-think-differently-4776806/tag:arrowpoint.blog.co.uk,2008-09-25:/2008/09/25/entrepreneurs-think-differently-4776806/Thu, 25 Sep 2008 08:45:08 +0200 <p>Entrepreneurs Think Differently</p> <p>The idea of entrepreneurship is still nascent in our country, but gradually it’s picking up as we get the crucial exposures as various points of career. When a candidate gets into a premier institute he finds himself into a place of new avenues. He gets to know many possibilities which were thus far unknown to him/her.</p> <p>Similarly, when a person reaches California or New Jersey to pursue his career or high technology job, initially he just thinks about earning big bucks by working hard in his/her job, staying there for some years and then return back to India growing rich, but very soon he realizes the potentiality of entrepreneurship. He finds that his own country offers him these possibilities and rights of which he was so far unaware!! And then he starts thinking differently. Some of them even wish to pursue Management and then finally venturing into entrepreneurship.</p> <p>They start believing that if entrepreneurship can flourish abroad then why not in India..? But later only to find that business environment is very different here as compared to abroad. And then finally there arises the need to workout the necessary modifications for making it a success in your dream venture! This will surely be your own ‘desi’ laboratory of Entrepreneurship.</p> <p> <small> <a href="http://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2008/09/25/entrepreneurs-think-differently-4776806/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2008/09/25/entrepreneurs-think-differently-4776806/#commentshttp://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2008/01/15/uncle_sam_and_in_diaspora~3579051/tag:arrowpoint.blog.co.uk,2008-01-15:/2008/01/15/uncle_sam_and_in_diaspora~3579051/Tue, 15 Jan 2008 08:53:37 +0100 <p>Hi folks,</p> <p>Kudos to Bobby Jindal, who is to take oath as the Governor of Louisiana.<br> It's a great achievement for him personally as well as for the whole In-diaspora!! <img src="/img/smilies/icon_twisted.gif" alt=":>" class="middle" border="0"></p> <p>Bobby, you are a man of great commitment.. we are proud of you. Uncle Sam Khush Hua..!! <img src="/img/smilies/icon_twisted.gif" alt=":>" class="middle" border="0"> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2008/01/15/uncle_sam_and_in_diaspora~3579051/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2008/01/15/uncle_sam_and_in_diaspora~3579051/#commentshttp://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2008/01/02/new_year~3519738/tag:arrowpoint.blog.co.uk,2008-01-02:/2008/01/02/new_year~3519738/Wed, 02 Jan 2008 19:10:11 +0100 <p>A poem on new year resolution:</p> <p>when you feel, time slipping-<br> like sand from your fiests<img src="/img/smilies/icon_confused.gif" alt=":-/" class="middle" border="0"><br> when you breathe deep,<br> after a long chase...<img src="/img/smilies/icon_yawn.gif" alt=":yawn:" class="middle" border="0"><br> when you cry after loosing<br> something very precious<img src="/img/smilies/icon_sad.gif" alt=":(" class="middle" border="0">-<br> you pledge to get it back,<br> you strive to sort it out.</p> <p>the new year gives you<br> the opportunity-<br> make most of it friends<img src="/img/smilies/icon_twisted.gif" alt=":>" class="middle" border="0">.</p> <p> <small> <a href="http://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2008/01/02/new_year~3519738/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2008/01/02/new_year~3519738/#commentshttp://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2007/12/30/challenging_the_amazon~3508018/tag:arrowpoint.blog.co.uk,2007-12-30:/2007/12/30/challenging_the_amazon~3508018/Sun, 30 Dec 2007 19:32:57 +0100 <p>well friends,<br> i'm back.. did i make you wait long enough..? If yes, it's the price you paid for reading a quality blog series..<img src="/img/smilies/icon_wink.gif" alt=";)" class="middle" border="0"></p> <p>The author had fancied his chances to travel the Amazon from its source to the sea when he was a year before he finished high school.<br> His family had moved to South Africa and he was attending the Afrikaans Boys High School in Pretoria, in the transvaal, the northernmost of the country's four provinces.<br> In the north-western part of the Transvaal runs one of the largest rivers of the subcontinent, the mighty Limpopo, forming borders with Botswana and Zimbabwe before enteing the lowlands of Mozambique. Perhaps because of his frustration at being unable to go to the Amazon, the author started to focus on this new river and he came up with the idea of exploring the Limpopo from the headwaters to the sea.</p> <p>Thus it was a sort of warm-up project for Odendaal!! And in the next series I will tell you that how with one of his daring friends he set out on an adventure to conquer the hostile Limpopo and what price they had to pay..<img src="/img/smilies/icon_twisted.gif" alt=":>" class="middle" border="0"></p> <p> <small> <a href="http://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2007/12/30/challenging_the_amazon~3508018/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2007/12/30/challenging_the_amazon~3508018/#commentshttp://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2007/12/10/the_ultimate_adventure~3423089/tag:arrowpoint.blog.co.uk,2007-12-10:/2007/12/10/the_ultimate_adventure~3423089/Mon, 10 Dec 2007 16:49:00 +0100 <p>Hi friends,<br> As I had pledged to bring you the adventure series "Challenging The Amazon" I'm back with the next entry..<img src="/img/smilies/icon_cool.gif" alt="B)" class="middle" border="0"></p> <p>In this episode I'd tell you the inspiring sequence that how the author and expeditionist Odendaal got inspired to undertake the terrible and the most dreaded expedition to find the true source of the Amazon!!</p> <p> <small> <a href="http://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2007/12/10/the_ultimate_adventure~3423089/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2007/12/10/the_ultimate_adventure~3423089/#commentshttp://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2007/12/01/but_for_federer_i_ll_be_the~3379934/tag:arrowpoint.blog.co.uk,2007-12-01:/2007/12/01/but_for_federer_i_ll_be_the~3379934/Sat, 01 Dec 2007 18:04:56 +0100 <p>A thrilling interview of Rafael Nadal- the champion tennis sensation.</p> <p><strong>‘But for Federer, I’d be No 1’</strong> <img src="/img/smilies/icon_mrgreen.gif" alt=":>>" class="middle" border="0"> </p> <p>After losing to the Swiss Master, Rafael Nadal tells Anupama Bagri that had he been playing in any other era, he would have been on top of the world rankings by now </p> <p>"You are the first player to finish No 2 in the world for three consecutive years in the history of ATP rankings. How do you look back at the season?"</p> <p>"I am very happy. I think I played my best tennis ever and am feeling good about it. I have said before that with the points I have I could have been No 1 in other years but I am playing against Roger Federer who keeps improving as time passes by. I am happy that I have been able to deliver some good performances in the last year and maintain my rankings. My motto has always been to concentrate on improving my consistency further and gain valuable points in the coming year and I am happy that I am doing it." </p> <p>"You are one of the very few players to have a better record against Roger Federer. What are the reasons behind this success?" </p> <p>"He’s a great player on court and an excellent person outside court. He’s a very complete player and has got every shot. Federer for me is the best player. I share a good relationship with him. I have to play my best, probably 120% and try to hold on as much as I can. It is true that I have played him more on clay and that’s to my benefit, but we always have close matches. I don’t really know of any secret. I give my best all the time and maybe that helps me a lot." </p> <p>"When do you think you can dethrone Federer from his No 1 position?" </p> <p>"I can’t say anything about that. Federer is the best, one of the best in the history of the game and I am still young." </p> <p>"Will you win Wimbledon or will Federer clinch the French Open first?" </p> <p>"Well, I can’t say anything about it. Playing Wimbledon is very difficult. You’re talking about a surface that is, the most difficult for my style of play and my game. But I want to do my best, and got into Wimbledon with the best possible preparation. And if I don’t succeed, I’ll go back home happy, because I’ve done what I could. I am very happy with my performances these past two years and particularly with this year’s one, since I think the draw was more difficult for me." </p> <p>"You’ll be making your third appearance at the Chennai Open. How do you rate your chances?" </p> <p>"Chennai is the best place for me to play that week (Dec 31-Jan 6) as I like the surface (hard). I won my first ever title here though it was in doubles (2004). The Chennai tournament is a great event and the enthusiasm of the crowds is very encouraging. I love India and it is a pleasure to be coming back. I would like to start the year on a winning note and gain some valuable points in the ATP rankings. I wish to take my game to the next level." </p> <p>"Would you be playing doubles in Chennai? If so, with whom?<br> Yes, I had decided early this year that I would concentrate on doubles as well. I would definitely love to play doubles at Chennai. I am yet to decide on my partner. It will be done once I get there." </p> <p>"You clinched your third straight title at Roland Garros this year. Which of the three has been most satisfying and why?" </p> <p>"I think all three of them are important as they have come at different moments. Winning the first title is always special and the other two were against a champion like Federer and I am happy that I could play better against him in these two finals. This year we were both looking to win a special thing. It was exciting." </p> <p>"You became the first Spaniard to make the final at Wimbledon in back-toback years. This time you really ran Federer close. Federer admitted that he was lucky to win. Did you try anything extra this time?" </p> <p>"Reaching the Wimbledon final two years in a row was really great. Especially, considering the fact that I was successful on<br> clay and it was believed that I don’t have the game to succeed on grass. I’m happy that I am getting used to grass. I give myself some years to improve further. Yes, I know I had my chances this year, but Federer played hard on the key points and it was my bad luck. I just decided to play an aggressive game and attack harder. In order to play well on grass, you have to feel good on the court. I’m still young. There’s a lot that I still need to improve which I’m trying to do on a daily basis. My intention is to play in Wimbledon so that I can keep on learning and I am sure results will come soon." </p> <p>"How do you rate Novak Djokovic of Serbia as a player? What do you have to say about Djokovic imitating you?" </p> <p>"He is a good attacking player and has a good court sense. He is doing good for himself and has surprised everyone this year. It was quite impressive. Next year will be a very important one since he has to defend all those points. He is good, very good. Regarding the imitations I don’t really care much. I know he has gained some popularity with it. I would not do things like this but everyone is different." </p> <p>"You lost 0-6 to Nalbandian in the Paris Masters final this year (only his second 0-6 set loss in 2007, the other coming against Federer in Hamburg). Were you shocked by the result of the match?" </p> <p>"David played a very good match and he was hitting all the right shots. Somehow I was not feeling very good on the court and I was not getting the rhythm. He already beat me in Madrid a couple of weeks earlier. I think no one could stop him those weeks. Really impressive tennis." </p> <p>"You were plagued by knee injuries after the US Open. How is it feeling now?" </p> <p>"Now I’m feeling fine. I think it was not a major injury. I arrived in Shanghai after 21 hours of travel. I went straight to practice, and practiced really hard. I felt some pain in my muscle and got it checked. I have had to make some changes on my serve. The rest of my game, I need to play the same because I am playing good. I am just trying to improve a little bit on my forehand winner, volley, slice and aggressive return. It’s not to save the body, no, because I am just 20 years old. You need to improve to try and be among the top players in the world." </p> <p>"What are your goals for next season?" </p> <p>"Looking ahead, my main objective is to become a better player and to be happy. I still think this has to be my goal and if I do so the results will come on their own." </p> <p>"As a person, what’s the real Nadal like?" </p> <p>"I think aggression is all part of the game. I always go with the intention of giving it a 100%. I just keep trying to get charged up for the game ahead and stay mentally focussed. Concentration is also very important and I think I am getting there. Outside the courts I am a very normal guy who likes to do normal things like going out with friends, play golf, go out fishing and just be with my family. This is also the real me." </p> <p>"What do you do in your off-season?" </p> <p>"I’ve always loved sports, soccer, tennis, golf... that’s what made it easier. I feel a bit privileged for doing what I love to do. In my off season, I go out fishing, I have a small boat and...not much more. I don’t have the best car, or the best computer, nothing of that kind. I don’t need those things. I am happy the way I am." </p> <p>"Federer offered you a ride on his aircraft. You guys have tremendous respect for each other, which is very rare in the competitive world of modern sport. Your thoughts." </p> <p>"Yes he did. I had to get to Cincinnati and was stuck. I asked him if I could get a ride with him. I wouldn’t say we are friends since my English is not good enough to talk to him a lot and say all I think, but we get along very well. He is a nice guy." </p> <p><strong>NADAL: VITAL STATS</strong> <img src="/img/smilies/icon_twisted.gif" alt=":>" class="middle" border="0"></p> <p>Birthdate: Jun 3, 86 Birthplace: Manacor, Mallorca Residence: Manacor, Mallorca Height: 6'1'' (185 cm) Weight: 188 lbs (85 kg) Plays: Left-handed Turned Pro: 2001 Coach: Toni Nadal Current ATP Ranking: 2 Career-High: 2 Singles Record 2007: 68-13 Prize Money 2007: $4,596,935 Titles in 2007: Stuttgart, ATP Masters Series Indian Wells, ATP Masters Series Monte Carlo, ATP Masters Series Rome, Barcelona, Roland Garros </p> <p>(Brought to you by arrowpoint on blog.co.uk) <img src="/img/smilies/icon_cool.gif" alt="B)" class="middle" border="0"></p> <p>(This article was published in The Times Of India, New Delhi Edition on the 19 Nov. 2007)<br> (Copyrights of the original publishers acknowledged)</p> <p> <small> <a href="http://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2007/12/01/but_for_federer_i_ll_be_the~3379934/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2007/12/01/but_for_federer_i_ll_be_the~3379934/#commentshttp://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2007/12/01/fruit_juice_industry_in_india~3379228/tag:arrowpoint.blog.co.uk,2007-12-01:/2007/12/01/fruit_juice_industry_in_india~3379228/Sat, 01 Dec 2007 14:59:47 +0100 <p>COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE MARKETING MIX OF DABUR REAL AND PEPSI TROPICANA<img src="/img/smilies/icon_wink.gif" alt=";)" class="middle" border="0"></p> <p>Can Dabur Real Foods put more juice in the juice market? The company which has turned fruit juices into a Rs 60-crore business has been turning on the taps in recent months — and it hasn’t been afraid to innovate. It’s heading off in untested directions by launching a new range called Coolers which includes traditional recipes like Aam Ka Panna (a green mango drink). It has also launched a pomegranate juice and a water melon drink. A jamun variant will soon follow.<br> Or, look at Pepsi Foods that has recently launched Tropics, a new range of what are called nectars in the fruit juice business. Pepsi has started out with a relatively unadventurous mango flavour but it will soon be putting guava and litchi on the shelves.</p> <p>If that’s not enough, Pepsi Foods is also aiming at customers with more exotic tastes with an orange-apple combination and a tropical fruit fusion drink (a mix of mango, guava, pineapple, orange and apple juices).</p> <p>Dabur and Pepsi Foods aren’t the only companies that are moving into overdrive in the juice business. As Indians take bigger swigs than ever before of packaged juices a slew of companies are hoping to grab a share of the action.</p> <p>The result is that players like Dabur Foods, Pepsi Foods, Godrej Industries’ Foods Division, Mother Dairy and even the small Ladakh Foods are betting big money on this market by flooding it with new fruit beverages. “It’s a huge market with its potential still to be tapped,” says Sanjay Sharma, head of marketing at Dabur Foods.</p> <p>The results are on show to anyone who steps into a neighbourhood supermarket. There are now racks filled with fruit juices, nectars and drinks (the difference lies in the pulp content — juices are 100 per cent while drinks are below 20 per cent and nectars fall in between).</p> <p>The swift growth in the market is attracting newcomers like Mother Dairy which recently launched the Safal brand of juices. Safal is currently available in orange, mixed fruit, grape and an orange-apple combination. Ladakh Foods, makers of the Leh Berry seabuckthorn berry drink, has now also launched an apple-peach combination juice and a mixed fruit variant.</p> <p>Even Godrej Industries Foods Division has introduced fruit juices under the Xs brand (which earlier only consisted of nectars) and a soya milk fruit juice based drink called Sofit this year. Parle Agro — of Frooti and N-joi fame — too is rumoured to be on the verge of new launches.</p> <p>To add to the buzz, players are now looking at different pack sizes and price points. New entrants are also expected to join the fray in the Rs 500-crore organised fruit beverage market (nectars, drinks and juices combined).<br> One newcomer is likely to be Ahmedabad-based Pioma Industries — makers of the Rasna brand of soft drink concentrates, which test marketed a diluted mango juice in Andhra Pradesh, but dropped the launch plan after a lacklustre response. Industry experts predict that the company may try again either this year or the next.</p> <p>What’s making all these players gung-ho about fruit beverages? For one, the fruit drink market (juice accounts for 30 per cent, nectar is 10 per cent and fruit drinks are 60 per cent of the market today) has grown at a 20 per cent to 25 per cent rate. Obviously, some segments are doing better than others. Fruit-based milk drinks (market size Rs 20 crore to Rs 25 crore) like N-joi are currently stagnating. But fruit-based soya milk, another emerging segment reckoned to be worth about Rs 15 crore to Rs 20 crore is expected to grow rapidly. Godrej, which recently launched the Sofit brand, is experimenting with this market for the second time. Ten years back, its soya milk brand Great Shakes failed miserably because of its taste.</p> <p>But it’s not just the health fad that has led to the growth spurt. Cola sales fell dramatically after the pesticide controversy and this seems to have benefited the fruit beverage industry.</p> <p>POSITIONING OF THE FRUIT JUICE AS A HEALTH PRODUCT<img src="/img/smilies/icon_twisted.gif" alt=":>" class="middle" border="0"></p> <p>Soft carbonated drinks (colas) grew 17 per cent in 2002 but fell 15 per cent in 2003. Says Alaka Bhosle, marketing consultant with ad agency Percept H, “It’s one of the key factors that has led to the kind of growth that we have seen in the last year. But this growth will continue since consumers are now hooked on.”</p> <p>“What also made the market work is the fact that tetrapaks offered a solution to provide fruit juice practically fresh and preservative free,” says M P Pusalkar, executive director & president, Godrej Industries, Foods Division. The proliferation of supermarkets and malls in metros and mini-metros (key markets for this category), added to the growth story as well. And then there is the income factor.<img src="/img/smilies/icon_rolleyes.gif" alt=":roll:" class="middle" border="0"></p> <p>The other factors that have helped are the different pack sizes that players started offering in the last year. Tropicana launched a 500 ml pack at Rs 25 compared to a one litre pack for Rs 76. Says Subroto Chattopadhyay, executive director, Pepsi Foods, “These new price points and packs are aimed at getting more consumers to try the new product, and in turn increase the consumer base.”</p> <p>All of this has resulted in increased in-home consumption of juices which has gone up from 30 per cent three years back to almost 80 per cent today.<img src="/img/smilies/icon_razz.gif" alt=":p" class="middle" border="0"> Says Dabur’s Sharma, “Consumers perceive this as the next best thing to having a fresh fruit. Convenience is no longer the selling point, the naturalness is.”</p> <p>Everyone now has big plans for the future. Dabur, which currently has a 55 per cent market share, wants to launch more Indian fruits and even fruit and vegetable juice combinations in the near future. It is also trying to bring down prices. So, it has launched Coolers 15 per cent cheaper than Real because it has a lower pulp content. And by setting up a food processing plant in Siliguri, West Bengal, Sharma says Dabur will source fruits directly from farmers and cut down raw material or pulp costs which comprise almost 30 per cent of the finished product.</p> <p>Similarly, other players like Godrej are also looking at launching new variants including combinations by year end. Parle Agro, which has been experimenting with sugarcane juice for sometime now, has launched mango Frooti in 65 ml packs in Pune, Gurgaon and Mumbai for Rs 5. A year back, it extended the Frooti brand into pineapple and orange variants as well as launching it in 250 ml and one litre PET bottles.</p> <p>Pepsi’s Tropicana has tied up with equestrian sports and polo clubs to build bridges with the well-heeled young adults. Its recent sampling exercise included an interactive quiz reaching out to 200,000 students from 150 schools in Delhi. But the big issue is that they are all playing with the same fruits. It has to be seen how longconsumers can sip the same concoctions.</p> <p>RETAIL PRICING OF PEPSI TROPICANA VIS A VIS OTHER SIMILAR PRODUCTS</p> <p> The details about the product follows in the order<img src="/img/smilies/icon_arrow.gif" alt="=>" class="middle" border="0"></p> <p> Product Name, Unit, MRP, Our Price: </p> <p> JUICE TROPICANA NATURE SWEET (ORANGE & GRAPE) 250ML 16.00 15.68 </p> <p> JUICE TROPICANA PINEAPPLE 250ML 16.00 15.68 </p> <p> JUICE TROPICANA ORANGE 250ML 16.00 15.00 </p> <p> DRINK GODREJ XS LITCHI PULP 250 ML 15.00 14.70 </p> <p> DRINK GODREJ XS MANGO PULP 250ML 15.00 14.70 </p> <p> JUICE REAL MIX FRUIT 200 ML 15.00 14.50 </p> <p> JUICE TROPICANA APPLE 200 ML 15.00 14.50 </p> <p> JUICE TROPICANA NATURE SWEET (ORANGE & GRAPE) 200 ML 14.00 13.70 </p> <p> JUICE TROPICANA ORANGE 200 ML 14.00 13.70 </p> <p> JUICE REAL ORANGE 200 ML 13.00 12.75 <img src="/img/smilies/icon_idea.gif" alt=":idea:" class="middle" border="0"> </p> <p> (Source: Internet; copyrights of the respective publishers acknowledged)</p> <p> <small> <a href="http://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2007/12/01/fruit_juice_industry_in_india~3379228/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>juiceindustryjuicehttp://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2007/12/01/fruit_juice_industry_in_india~3379228/#commentshttp://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2007/11/27/countries_people_and_facts~3360538/tag:arrowpoint.blog.co.uk,2007-11-27:/2007/11/27/countries_people_and_facts~3360538/Tue, 27 Nov 2007 18:06:35 +0100 <p> <strong>15 facts, you don't know about Iran:</strong><img src="/img/smilies/icon_rolleyes.gif" alt=":roll:" class="middle" border="0"></p> <p>1. Iran spans 630,000 square miles, roughly comparable to Alaska’s 660,000 sq. mi. (1.7 million sq. km)</p> <p>2. About 69 million people call Iran home- twice the population of California or Poland- with a median age of 25 and a life expectancy of 70 years; about 60 percent are Persians, with Azerbaijanis, Kurds, Arabs and others making up the rest.</p> <p>3. Iran is 99 percent Muslim, consisting of 95 percent Shiites and about 4 percent Sunnis; in the Middle East, Iran’s population of 25,000 Jews is second only to Israel.</p> <p>4. Iran, which lies along a key drug smuggling route, has one of the highest opiate addiction rates in the world; health experts say from 2 million to 4 million Iranians are addicted to narcotics.</p> <p>5. Iran’s basic unit of currency is the rial; about 9,326 rials equals to one US dollar; bills in denominations of 1,000 rials and up display a portrait of Ayatollh Ruhollah Khomeini.</p> <p>6. An Ayatollah is a Shiite religious leaser; both of Iran’s post-revolution supreme leaders. Ruhollah Khomeini and now Ali Khamenei, have been grand ayatollahs; the supreme leader is the highest-ranking political and religious figure in Iran; an elected president oversees the executive branch of government.</p> <p>7. Iranian oilfields produce about 4 million barrels a day, about 5 percent of the world total; Iran ranks second to Saudi Arabia worldwide in crude oil reserves.</p> <p>8.Dating back 2,500 years. Persian rugs are crafted from wool, cotton or silk in 1999, a classical Persian carpet sold at auction for $2.4 million.</p> <p>9. Iran is one of the world’s top producers of luxury foods, such as caviar and pistachios; it’s also a top source of saffron.</p> <p>10. One of the only condom factories in the Middle East is in Iran, which actively promotes contraception for family planning.</p> <p>11. Skiing is a popular pastime in mountainous Iran. Which boasts numerous ski resorts; the Dizin resort, about a two-hour drive from Tehran, is one of the world’s highest, cricket, baseball, women’s rugby and soccer also are popular.</p> <p>12. Iran has thriving film industry, producing hundreds of popular and art-house films each year; one of the top-grossing films of 2006, “Iron Island” tells the story of a fictional society of squatters aboard a huge, abandoned oil tanker.</p> <p>13. Modern Iran has its roots in the Persian Empire, founded in 550 B.C.; the Persians were pioneers in mathematics and architecture- they built the first windmills; Zoroastrianism, one of the world’s oldest monotheistic religions, began in Persia.</p> <p>14. U.S Census Bureau estimated in 2005 that 378,000 Iranians Americans live in the United States, most having fled the 1979 Islamic revolution; they include actress Shohreh Aghdashioo, the first Iranian to be nominated for an Academy Award, for “House of Sand and Fog” in 2003.</p> <p>15. Elected president of Iran in 2005, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, 51, is a civil engineer who was a student leader in the 1979 revolution; he was a paramilitary engineer during the war with Iraq, then mayor of Tehran; he is married with two sons and a daughter.</p> <p>(Copyright acknowledged for the original publishers)<br> (Source: Times Global, Delhi edition on Wednesday 21st Nov. 2007) </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2007/11/27/countries_people_and_facts~3360538/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2007/11/27/countries_people_and_facts~3360538/#commentshttp://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2007/10/31/sense_of_brand_names~3226183/tag:arrowpoint.blog.co.uk,2007-10-31:/2007/10/31/sense_of_brand_names~3226183/Wed, 31 Oct 2007 20:27:18 +0100 <p> "Brand Names in Indian Apparel Industry"</p> <p>Recently I decided to purchase a T-shirt for my younger brother; the showrooms in the malls were flooded with brands- many well-known brands & many other upstart brands.<br> But one thing I noticed that the name and the logo itself is very crucial for the success of a brand. The names of many brands which I came across were big turn-offs for me!!<br> Another thing I have noticed that in India companies do not have a good branding vision which is very crucial to the success, and positioning of a brand and its products.<br> It seems that while making foray into the apparels industry the companies don’t think much about the brand name and the logo. In a rush to launch their products they just name the brand without thinking much about its image which is likely to be perceived by the customers.<br> Why some world-class brands have been so successful, and are equally popular in markets across the world..? The most obvious reason is the quality of their products and up to an extent the branding- especially the brand-name also plays a vital role.</p> <p>The name of some brands themselves are turn offs, The name of good brands- lacoste its logo, cantabil etc have a good image among the customers. why the good brands command premium rates? what are the ingredient of a good brand? Obviously its name, it should be short, easy to pronounce. There are many instances good brands of India, one of them is spykar, which is very successful. People pay extra for branded apparels b coz of the quality and brand name.<br> one of my friends said “koutons bhi kya koi brand hai?” (koutons is of no brand worth!) why because its brand name or brand equity has fallen sharply due to chaotic sales- 50 + 40 % and the pickpocket incidences in the show rooms due to the unmanageable crowd in its showrooms.<br> In an multi- brand apparels showroom- many brands hanging side by side- some brands like pepe, dockers, wrangler etc some upstarts like code, richlook, chromozome, gas etc both types costing almost equal- so why people should go for these cheap looking brands if they can get good brands for the same price range or a few hundred more..?<br> Some good brands have communications or a good cause- they can justify their worth. For example, Lee- a world renowned apparels giant has a communication with the customers that it’s a brand owned by hard working people. It has a slogan- “The jeans that built America” and it also justifies the communication as “The survived jeans”.<br> In this context a few upstart brands are able to understand the expectations of the customers. For example- a relatively new brand- “Turtle” is doing well for its brand image because it has a noble cause- for every product of the company which is sold, a part of the fund is contributed towards the WWF India’s Marine Turtle Conservation Program and Wildlife Conservation Society of Orissa. So whenever a person buys a Turtle product he/she feels that he has contributed to a noble cause and it immensely increases the brand image by word of mouth communication!<br> But these ideas are in stage of infancy in our country because the awareness level is not so good.<br> Reebok- turned to RBK- “I’m what I am.” Which proves that every brand which wishes to do a makeover can switch successfully.</p> <p>(Acknowledgements: The views mentioned above are soley personal ones.)</p> <p> <small> <a href="http://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2007/10/31/sense_of_brand_names~3226183/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2007/10/31/sense_of_brand_names~3226183/#commentshttp://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2007/10/29/the_ultimate_adventure~3211358/tag:arrowpoint.blog.co.uk,2007-10-29:/2007/10/29/the_ultimate_adventure~3211358/Mon, 29 Oct 2007 07:07:43 +0100 <p>From today I'm starting a new series<img src="/img/smilies/icon_question.gif" alt=":?:" class="middle" border="0">- "The Ultimate Adventure" based on the novel "Challenging The Amazon".</p> <p>First,About The Author:</p> <p>The novel is about true experiences/experiments/exploits of an ordinary mortal being attempting an immortal deed.<br> Francois Odendaal proved that if the determination is strong- "Impossible is Nothing".</p> <p>(to be continued..)<img src="/img/smilies/icon_arrow.gif" alt="=>" class="middle" border="0"> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2007/10/29/the_ultimate_adventure~3211358/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2007/10/29/the_ultimate_adventure~3211358/#commentshttp://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2007/08/16/prelude_to_archaeology~2816952/tag:arrowpoint.blog.co.uk,2007-08-16:/2007/08/16/prelude_to_archaeology~2816952/Thu, 16 Aug 2007 10:17:01 +0200 <p>Hi guys, i'm back after a long break- <img src="/img/smilies/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" class="middle" border="0"><br> ..here goes the final episode of the online blog titled- "The Prelude To Archaeology" </p> <p>There was also a cold fresh-water spring which came out from the roots of a big-old fig tree, and the stream was surrounded by shed shrubs and ferns.<br> The stream was flowing very gently and it merged into the main stream of the river.<br> The scene there resembled much to what we had seen in the movie Jurassic Park!! (I'm not joking..)</p> <p>so you would think, what it has to do with fossil-science..?<br> i just can't explain that in words but i can bet that the place could have been the cradle of evolution of the flora and fauna which existed millions of years ago but have become extinct today.<br> But as human beings it's our duty to preserve the heritage sothat we might give a messege to the generations to come. </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2007/08/16/prelude_to_archaeology~2816952/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2007/08/16/prelude_to_archaeology~2816952/#commentshttp://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2007/06/22/prelude_to_archaeology~2498456/tag:arrowpoint.blog.co.uk,2007-06-22:/2007/06/22/prelude_to_archaeology~2498456/Fri, 22 Jun 2007 10:14:44 +0200 <p>The stream which passes through Lupungutu is narrow, slow-moving but shallow. and the water is very clear and incredibly cold.. i had never seen such a beautiful scene but had only read in books!<br> and on both the banks of the stream was rocks of the undulating platue and we could climb those rocks (or better say cliffs) which stood as high as 2-3 storey buildings..<br> The vertical surface of the cliff was incredibly beautiful- it seemed as if it were made of buried tree-trunks deposited with minerals and soil- thus changing into rocks under high thermal and pressure effects.<br> Some tree saplings like- pipal and bunyan (subtropical trees) had also come up in the creeks of the cliff..<br> That was really a mind blowing scene.<br> (to be continued..) </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2007/06/22/prelude_to_archaeology~2498456/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2007/06/22/prelude_to_archaeology~2498456/#commentshttp://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2007/05/21/prelude_to_arcaheology~2306736/tag:arrowpoint.blog.co.uk,2007-05-21:/2007/05/21/prelude_to_arcaheology~2306736/Mon, 21 May 2007 09:35:02 +0200 <p>Why i thought, this place could be of immense archaeological importance because of the fact that the extensive areas of Jharkhand,India is incredibly rich in mineral, metal & non-metal resources.<br> I'll explain in detail about the mineral resources found/mined there later, but let me tell you at this moment that this area has one of the hugest deposits of coal not only in India but throughout world!<br> The geological formation and origin of coal is not mutch different from the petrifaction of fossils.<br> And this is the testimony to the fact that this area is replete with arcaheological evidences.<br> (to be continued..) </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2007/05/21/prelude_to_arcaheology~2306736/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2007/05/21/prelude_to_arcaheology~2306736/#commentshttp://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2007/05/13/on_mother_s_day~2260306/tag:arrowpoint.blog.co.uk,2007-05-13:/2007/05/13/on_mother_s_day~2260306/Sun, 13 May 2007 08:24:59 +0200 <p>Today is Mother's Day..<br> so a nice poem on the special ocassion-</p> <p>Inside of me I'm quite a mess:<br> worried, lost and stressed.<br> That's why I need my outside<br> to look its very best.<br> Mom, You took me shopping<br> You bought me brand new clothes<br> You let me bring them home so I could<br> test and match and pose.<br> You never critisize me<br> for the crazy things I do...<br> I love You so because I know,<br> I'm mystery to You.</p> <p>Wishing a very happy Mother's day!! </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2007/05/13/on_mother_s_day~2260306/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2007/05/13/on_mother_s_day~2260306/#commentshttp://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2007/05/13/prelude_to_archaeology~2260276/tag:arrowpoint.blog.co.uk,2007-05-13:/2007/05/13/prelude_to_archaeology~2260276/Sun, 13 May 2007 08:12:16 +0200 <p>It's my first post on "blog.co.uk".<br> One of my blog friends had requested me to write about my archaeological activities, when came to know that I'm interested in archaeological science also. So thanx for motivation!<br> Let me tell u first that the archaeological site I'm going to describe is full of evidences and needs attention of the archaeologists, fossil scientists, environmentalists, NGOs, Government and general public as a whole..<br> The site is "Lupungutu" (name sounds a bit african,isn't it?)It is just 7-8 kms away from Chaibasa, a tribal town in Jharkhand, India. It's very easy to get there, because the nearest rail head is the Steel City of Jamshedpur, which is well connected to Kolkata (400kms) and other cities.<br> (to be continued..) </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2007/05/13/prelude_to_archaeology~2260276/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://arrowpoint.blog.co.uk/2007/05/13/prelude_to_archaeology~2260276/#comments