CARBON FOOTPRINT

Climate change has become one of the major challenges for mankind and the natural environment. Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions released into the atmosphere in ever rapidly growing volumes are recognised to be responsible for this change. Carbon footprint quantification, analysis and reduction are key to preventing this, for example, by enhancing energy efficiency, mitigating carbon emissions by means of green energy and then compensating for remaining GHG emissions by investing in carbon offsets, with a final goal to becoming carbon neutral.

PE’s first-class consulting, IT solutions and databases serve to determine, analyse and reduce both product carbon footprints and corporate carbon footprints.

For 18 years, PE INTERNATIONAL has been the premier provider of sustainability management consulting, CSR, life cycle assessments and carbon footprints. Hundreds of projects have been successfully delivered, thousands of software licenses have been sold.

Customer ISO to achieve full qualification

Recently Eastern Concrete,Kingdom of Bahrain, send their quality control manager to inspect the ISO 9001-2000 procedures and records of the DIRK Pozzocrete plant at Nashik. Eastern Concrete is one of the most reputable Ready-Mix Concrete plants in Bahrain. EASTERN is producing a reliable concrete for it's customers.

CECO Abatment

CECO Abatement has quickly become one of the industry's leading equipment manufacturers, specializing in clean air solutions for the oxidation and abatement marketplace. CECO offers a complete range of engineered products to meet the most demanding clean air needs:

• Regenerative Thermal Oxidation
• Regenerative Catalytic Oxidation
• Selective Catalytic Reduction
• Thermal Oxidation
• Catalytic Oxidation

As part of the CECO Environmental family of companies, we can offer complete solutions from initial design to installation to follow-up service and equipment maintenance. With CECO's strategically located regional fabrication facilities, we can offer timely delivery and fast, responsive maintenance support.

Analysis of Dioxins and PCBs

It is to be taken from current press reports that Japan and Korea imposed an import stop for Buffalo Mozzarella from Campania (Italy).

Italian investigators had proven the high-poisonous dioxin in the milk of buffalos, which is used for the production of the cheese.

A multiplicity of producers and breed enterprises is concerned.
Over the entry path there are so far only assumptions.

Present the European Union examines the further proceeding.

Eurofins | GfA has more than 20 years experience in the analysis of Dioxins and PCBs including highly toxic co-PCBs in food and feed matrices (e.g. milk, cheese).

Eurofins | GfA is DIN EN ISO/IEC 17025:2005 accredited for the analysis of PCDD/Fs and PCBs in food, feed, environmental samples and many other matrices.

Our analytical procedures and QA are in compliance with the requirements for the HRGC/HRMS analysis of food and feed for PCDD/Fs and PCBs as laid down in the Commission Regulation (EC) No. 1883/2006 and EC-Directive 2002/70/EC.

Running 10 High resolution mass-spectrometers exclusively for PCDD/F and PCB analyses guarantees high capacities and short turn-around times.

Marshall Miller & Associates

Marshall Miller & Associates (MM&A) has recently been approved by the Chicago Climate Exchange (CCX) a qualified, independent verifier for carbon credits related to coal mine methane (CMM) and Abandoned Mine Methane (AMM) projects. CCX is the world's first legally binding rules-based greenhouse gas emissions trading system. Basically, carbon credits can be earned (and traded on the exchange) for documented reductions in methane emissions occurring during the mining process if the gas that would have otherwise been emitted to the atmosphere is rather (1) sold as high quality gas on natural gas pipeline system or (2) is used as mid-quality gas in electricity generation.

In order to qualify for the carbon credits, the methane extraction technique must first be approved for use by the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) and meet the following eligibility requirements:

Pre-Mining Activities
* CMM collected from wells drilled after January 1, 1999, and mined around or through after January 1, 2003, can be registered and traded on the CCX up to the sales limits sets for years 2003-2006 (Phase I reporting).
* CMM collected from wells drilled after January 1, 1999, and mined around or through after January 1, 2007 (Phase II reporting) and traded on the CCX.

Post-Mining Activities
* CMM from any well drilled at any time, collected after January 1, 2003, which is processed/refined through a low quality gas facility, constructed after January 1, 1999, or utilized in a low quality combustion process, constructed after January 1, 1999, can be registered and traded on the CCX up to the sales limits set for years 2003-2006 (Phase I reporting).
* CMM from any well drilled at any time, collected after January 1, 2007 (Phase II reporting), which is processed/refined through a low quality gas facility, constructed after January 1, 1999, or utilized in a low quality combustion process, constructed after January 1, 1999, can be registered and traded on the CCX.

High-Accuracy CO2

Insensitive to all other atmospheric gases, the High-Accuracy CO₂ Analyzer measures carbon dioxide in dry ambient air with unprecedented accuracy and precision (total measurement uncertainty of less than 1 part in 3000). The instrument can store data practically indefinitely on its internal hard disk drive and can send real-time data to a data logger through its analog, digital (RS232), and Ethernet outputs allowing unattended long-term standalone operation.

Based on high-resolution direct-absorption spectroscopy (see Theory of Operation), the instrument offers negligible zero and span drift and a significantly reduced need for regular calibration with expensive reference gases (compared with conventional instruments). The High-Accuracy CO₂ Analyzer is designed for applications that require the performance of a reference laboratory without the need for regular calibration with expensive gas standards.

BIOGAS TECHNOLOGY

Established in 1988 Biogas Technology Ltd brings together the resources and expertise to lift the burden of risk, liability and finance faced by landfill site operators, and to help you capitalise on commercial opportunities. Biogas Technology Ltd has been able to provide the infrastructure and engineering support to projects producing in excess of 90MW of renewable energy from landfill gas within the UK and throughout Europe. The company continues to provide a wide range of services and products to help landfill owners and operators meet there site licence and environmental objectives.

While still providing a high level of service to the UK and European Landfill sector Biogas Technology Ltd has continued to increase its global activity through strategic partnerships and ventures in many emerging markets countries as diverse as Brazil, Mexico, Chile, Peru, Argentina, China, Ghana and many more. With the recognition of landfill gas methane as a potent contributor to the global green house gas effect and global warming, Biogas Technology Ltd has been able to provide high quality engineering and technical skills required to successfully capture, recover and process landfill gas and create carbon credits which contributes to the world wide efforts to reduce global warming.

Cement Group

Kenya’s Bamburi Cement Group plans to cut its annual carbon dioxide emissions from plants in Kenya and Uganda by 132,000t by reducing the use of fossil fuels in cement-making. Bamburi did not give an exact figure for its annual emissions but managing director Michel Puchercos put it at about 1.5Mt, based on the production of 1.5Mt of cement. The company, which is 60%-owned by Lafarge, plans to reduce its use of fossils fuels such as coal, and substitute it with wood from its own plantations as well as coffee, rice and cashewnut husks. The fuels are used to fire kilns that roast limestone, a key ingredient in cement.

Bernard Osawa, business manager in charge of alternative fuels, said: “In Kenya and Uganda Between now and 2010 we are targeting a redution of 132,000t of CO2. We are looking at three projects. They are in various stages of development.” Osawa said that cumulatively the company had cut its emissions by a total of over 111,000t of CO2 since 2002 at a cost of Euro3.8m and plans to invest another Euro14m euros in the next two to three years. The firm plans to substitute 20% of fossil fuel at its plant in the coastal city of Mombasa, which uses about 300t of coal a day. It also plans to substitute fossil fuel use by 50% in Uganda where it has its Hima Cement subsidiary.

The cement sector is one of the world’s largest producers of greenhouse gases, producing about 5% of global emissions. Cement production creates carbon emissions twice – first from burning coal to heat the limestone raw material, and again as the limestone separates into carbon dioxide and lime.

POLLUTION PREVENTION

It doesn’t take a leap of faith to understand that the best way to reduce toxic emissions is to not make them in the first place. That’s the simple idea behind pollution prevention: the "best" pollution is the one you never create. Putting that into practice has led companies to re-examine their products and processes with an eye to reducing or eliminating toxic ingredients, recycling or reusing chemicals to keep them out of the waste stream, and using a wide range of alternative materials to replace polluting ones.

In most cases, the benefits of preventing pollution are economic as well as environmental. After all, waste and pollution are inefficiencies -- something that a company bought, didn’t sell, and often had to pay to get rid of -- so reducing or eliminating these inefficiencies can have positive paybacks.

Gas-sensor

e2v has been leading the way in the design, development and manufacture of a wide range of reliable gas sensors for OEMs since developing the catalytic bead gas sensor (which became known as the Pellistor) in 1967.
As an independent OEM supplier of gas sensors, e2v pride themselves on providing customers with unrivalled product reliability and personal product support via specialist engineers. e2v gas sensors are built to the highest standards with all pellistor and infrared gas sensors achieving ATEX and IECEx certification, e2v gas sensors are also UL and CSA approved

Todays concern

Eco finance provides an integrated solution for atmospheric pollutants and green house gas (GHG) emissions risk management.

Eco finance specializes in financial advisory topics related to atmospheric pollutants and CO2 regulatory frameworks management.

Eco finance works with buyers and sellers in environmental commodity markets, in particular carbon markets. We specialize in carbon credits origination processes and risk management through environmental markets.

We help our clients understand the stakes at play in the market place today and advise on what they should do toward environmental and climate change matters.

Our solution relies on a global expertise network. We modulate this expertise according to our clients stated needs.

Businesses with high and intensive energy consumption, particularly in the fossil fuel area, find great added value in our services. Emission reductions projects promoters are also our focus.

Eco finance knows that every business as an interest to discover or to preserve in today’s new carbon-constrained global economy.

Environment-Friendly Companies

CECO Abatement has quickly become one of the industry's leading equipment manufacturers, specializing in clean air solutions for the oxidation and abatement marketplace. CECO offers a complete range of engineered products to meet the most demanding clean air needs:
Regenerative Thermal Oxidation
Regenerative Catalytic Oxidation
Selective Catalytic Reduction
Thermal Oxidation
Catalytic Oxidation
As part of the CECO Environmental family of companies, we can offer complete solutions from initial design to installation to follow-up service and equipment maintenance. With CECO's strategically located regional fabrication facilities, we can offer timely delivery and fast, responsive maintenance support.

Air Treatment plants

Project planning, design, development, and engineering is based on internal company process know-how and is executed on CAD systems. Rotamill plants, fans, and equipment are used worldwide and have an excellent reputation among experts. Several hundred plants as well as thousands of fans have been constructed for the most complicated tasks and
requirements, and have been delivered to world-renowned customers.

Activated charcoal equipment for exhaust air purification with simultaneous recovery of the solvent vapors. Concentrator equipment for converting large volumes of air with a low solvent concentration to low volumes of air with a high concentration of solvents, enabling a 10 to 1 size reducing of the main exhaust purification equipment running on adsorption or oxidation technology.The high technological standards of Rotamill's exhaust air purification systems offer excellent problem solutions. Our activated charcoal equipment represents an elegant and economically efficient concept for the solution of purification challenges.


As polluted air passes through the activated charcoal, solvents are adsorbed and the purified air is released into the atmosphere. Once the activated charcoal is saturated, the desorption phase is automatically started, blowing steam through the charcoal in the reverse direction. The solvents are evaporated by the heat and mix with the steam. The solvent is then separated from the steam and both components are returned to their respective circulatory systems.

Double and in-line plants consist of two or more interconnected adsorption vessels which adsorb and desorb alternately in a continuous system. The functional principle of the concentrators is basically the same as described above, with the addition that the activated charcoal surface rotates continuously so that all processes operate simultaneously. The desorption is achieved by heated air in counterflow, which continues in concentrated form to a subsequent exhaust air purification plant for cleaning.

CARBON FINANCE

The selling of landfill gas, for example, has been taking place for some time and Durban is an example which presents the first such project to be registered and where carbon finance assisted with the construction existing flare only burns a small percentage of toatl emissions.of South Africa’s first Landfill Gas EfW system.
Such carbon finance is defined as resources provided to projects generating (or expected to generate) emission reductions, in the form of the purchase of such emission reductions (PCF, 2002). Carbon finance is thus determined from a measure of the environmental additionality whereby the emission reductions (ER) that are achieved by the implementation of a given project must be additional to the business as usual (BAU) scenario.
The calculation of the “Baseline Scenario” is, therefore, a calculation of the ER that would not have resulted if the projected was not implemented and/or if carbon finance funds were not made available.
It could be said that a landfill breeze was never so sweet smelling until it became a financial one. Indeed, this is an unfortunate statement that must be made with consideration to the true cost of the globe’s environment. It is the greatest challenge to the environment to realise clean technologies, often termed as Green Technology or in the case of a power generation project, Green Energy, that is economically viable.
In the case of South Africa, most of the electrical power is generated by the parastatal company Eskom through coal-fired power plants. Durban citizens in 2003 purchased electrical power for an overall low unit purchase price of R0.12 per KWh (SA Rand – approximately $0.015 US), when the Durban scheme was proposed.
Following several previous investigations into the utilisation of landfill gas by DSW, no project has been deemed to be financially viable. With particular regard to electrical generation from landfill gas, a unit selling price of no less than R0.25 per KWh could be offered to the electricity department. Indeed this would required a financial “top-up” of no less than 100% before any proposed LFG-to-electricity-generation project became viable, but carbon credits were about to provide this.

ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS OF TREE PLANTATION

In spite of many people being aware of the impending global warming and the existence of the international agreement, the Kyoto Accord, that seeks to lower the carbon dioxide emissions of all nations, few are aware of the importance of Industrial Tree Plantations in helping achieve this goal.
The facts are that trees absorb and store carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. For every 1,000 hectares of industrial tree plantation, nearly 28,000 tons of carbon dioxide is absorbed and stored by the trees. Unfortunately, our natural forests are nowhere near as useful in this respect. The continual decay of vegetation that occurs release the previously stored gas and this is reabsorbed by new growth. Thus, the release and absorption tend to cancel each other out, whereas in managed industrial tree plantations, decaying vegetation is kept at a minimum and carbon dioxide retained.

So important is this factor that countries that carry out extensive reforestation can claim carbon dioxide credits for their plantations and even sell these credits to less fortunate countries. Industrial tree plantations are therefore an essential ingredient in keeping the earth cooler, preventing the melting of ice caps and rising oceans

CARBON EMISSIONS

Climate change has become one of the major challenges for mankind and the natural environment. Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions released into the atmosphere in ever rapidly growing volumes are recognised to be responsible for this change. Carbon footprint quantification, analysis and reduction are key to preventing this, for example, by enhancing energy efficiency, mitigating carbon emissions by means of green energy and then compensating for remaining GHG emissions by investing in carbon offsets, with a final goal to becoming carbon neutral.

INVESTMENT PRODUCT

The ‘Carbon Leaders’ investment product, launched this week, enables investors to choose between otherwise successful companies on the basis of how environmental factors will affect their future business earnings. Starting with Merrill Lynch’s rigorous business analysis, Trucost's proprietary modeling and its unique database of past corporate environmental performance is applied to pinpoint those successful global companies with a low exposure to future carbon pricing.

Proliferation of new financial.

The proliferation of new financial incentive-based environmental regulatory programs has resulted in the creation of new alloance and credit assets (ecoAssets) to be managed. New business prosices are being established across departments including finance, accounting, EHS, compliance and management, operations, audit and planning. As organizations develop these new processes there is an opportunity to streamline information flows, improve performance, and provide a necessary level ofsecurity and audit capability using information technologies. ecoAsset Manager™ is a web-based information solution that supports the management of ecoAsset porftolios in an auditable and verifiable manager. The software enables users to effectively plan for, execute, and monitor emissions levels, market transactions, compliance activities, and the buesiness processes that underlie emissions trading programs

YouTube'S BEST VIDEO WINNERS

Puppets, Racism & Safari videos top best list

YouTube has announced the videos its users voted the best of 2007, with Harry Potter puppets, a mesmerizing baritone and hungry lions playing starring roles in winning works. In 2007, the YouTube community showed the world that there’s something for everyone on the site.

Awards were given in a dozen categories, ranging from music, sports and comedy to instructional, political, and “adorable.”

US Graduate Student Tay Zonday won in the music category for”Chocolate Rain,” a song with racially tinged lyrics including “the bell curve blames the DNA” and “flipping cars in France the other night.”

The award for best comedy video went to “The Mysterious Ticking Noise” in which puppets based on Harry Potter book characters dance and sing merrily before blown up with a bomb by a gleeful Lord Voldemort.

A video of a baby prone to tumbling over in hysterics was voted most comic, and the creativity crown went to Swiss artist Guillaume Reymond, who used people to reenact the videogame Tetris.

Top honours for instructional instructional video went to a US high school student that demonstrates how to solve a Rubik’s Cube puzzle.

The winner in an Eyewitness category is “Battle at Kruger” a video graphically documenting a battle between lions, a crocodile and water buffalo they want to turn into a meal in Kruger National Park in South Africa.

CDM Process

AN OVERVIEW:
CDMs are of particular interest to developing countries, as it provides for investment in projects in developing countries for their sustainable development, while generating GHG abatements that may be Steps in CDM Process:CDMs are of particular interest to developing countries, as it provides for investment in projects in developing countries for their sustainable development, while generating GHG abatements that may be transferred to the annex 1 countries towards meeting their targets under Kyoto Protocol. CDMs address, transferred to the annex 1 countries towards meeting their targets under Kyoto Protocol.

CARBON CREDIT:
Growing concern about the biosphere and increasing awareness of the need for pollution control have given rise to the concept of `carbon credit'. The system is simple. Companies that are involved in any activity which helps reduce the carbon content of air, such as industries manufacturing energy-saving devices or setting up waste-processing systems, are given `credits'.

These can be used by other companies which emit carbon beyond a certain extent to avoid being penalised for the damage they cause to the atmosphere. Though the concept was suggested by the US in 1997, at the Kyoto Conference, it has only just started gaining momentum in India, especially in the light of large number of windmills functioning in the country.

However, the UK and Denmark are far ahead in implementing the trade and are closely followed by Australia, Netherlands and New Zealand. The `Kyoto Protocol' was drafted in November 1997 to give a full and final shape to the scheme and to draft a policy framework based on it. The ICC (International Carbon Credit Committee) is now working on this with various governments, businesses, investors and members of the public in Australia, Japan and other countries to investigate the proposed schemes, quantify them and assess their `credibility'.

GLOBAL WARMING

AN OVERVIEW:

Ten Years have elapsed between the Kyoto Protocol (December 1997) and the Bali Declaration of December 2007.This period has been certainly momentous for those who
are truly concerned about disastrous effects of ‘global warning’ or ‘climate change’. The world cannot shut its eyes and ears to the latest fourth report of Inter-governmental Panel on Cimate Change (IPCC) highlighting sure to happen phenomena.

IPCC WARNING

According to the report, the world will witness air and ocean temperatures increasing between 1.1 C to 6.4 C, widespread melting of snow and rising sea levels between 18cm
to 59cm by 2100.This would create extreme climate conditions of droughts, floods, hurricanes, unduly hot summers and wet, stormy winters. What an irony; the poor countries of Asia, Africa and Latin America – the least emitters of green-house gases (GHGs)-would be the worst affected.

KYOTO PROTOCOL

The above findings are based on the researches of internationally renowned scientists.
The former US Vice-President, Mr.AlGore has issued a stern warning to the political leaders and administrators of the world’s rich nations on these issues. Conferring 2007 Nobel Peace prize on Mr.AlGore and IPCC is testimony to the fact that global warming unequivocal.

To what extent the above legally binding targets will be met by rich countries is not clearly known. The progress in this direction is far from satisfactory, though EU countries appear to have taken this challenge with somewhat greater sensitivity.

CARBON TRADING:
As a measure to reduce global warming, it is provided in the Kyoto Protocol that if rich nations are unable to meet their targets, they will have to buy what is called Certified Emission Reduction (CER) Certificates from the developing nations.The Certificate can be bought at a price by rich nations for not meeting their targets. This is called “carbon
trading”.

Carbon trading earnings of a country should be used only for the seller technologies for the seller of carbon credits. The buyer of these credits should also show a clear plan to reduce emission rather than depend on carbon credits.


Conclusion:
The crux of the global warming problem is to strike a balance between the need of poor
nations (to eradicate poverty) and the greed of rich nations (to get materialistic). Which is why developing countries like India have raised the issue of per capita emission as the criterion for fixing for fixing limits on emissions.

Microsoft Product News

Microsoft is changing the way it builds software and how it makes its technology available to others. Through a set of broad-reaching changes to Microsoft technology and business practices, Microsoft will drive greater openness and interoperability with the broader IT community of developers, partners, and customers.
These changes are encompassed in three interoperability principles: open connections to Microsoft products, customer data portability, and enhanced support for industry standards. These principles apply to the following Microsoft products: Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008, SQL Server 2007, the 2007 Office release, Exchange Server 2007, and Office SharePoint Server 2007 (and successors).

Crore Coir Project under implementation

Rs. 243-Cr coir project gets nod under 11th plan

The cabinet committee on Economic Affairs, which met under the
chairmanship of the Prime Minister last week, has approved the Rs. 243-crore coir project for implementation in the 11th plan.

2 Sectors of the coir:

This is the biggest ever Central scheme sanctioned by the government for the
coir sector, Mr. A.C. Jose, Chairman of the Board. The Rs. 243-crore schemes comprise
two vital sectors which are at the lower-most end of the coir manufacturing pyramid-
the spinning and the tiny, household segments. Around 4,000 units of the 3200 units
of the tiny and household segment will be covered under the scheme. The expected employment generation is 60,800 workers, of which 36,800 will be new employment and 24,000 will be existing employment.

The coir Board Chairman pointed out that more than 50 per cent of the scheme would
Encompass kerala- where 85 per cent of the total coir export production and 70 per cent of the coir manufacturing facility in the country is situated.

Modern Technology:

Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra, Orissa, North Eastern Region, the Andaman’s,
and Lakshadeep are some of the other areas that will be covered under the scheme.
The schemes envisages augmenting the machine capacity by replacing existing dilapidated machines with modern ones, or putting up modern technology with scaled
up technology for new units. These modern machines have higher capacity, is power intensive, contributing to higher volume growth and enhancing the rate of productivity.
It also provides employment opportunities.

Conclusion:

The units that will be covered under the scheme include weaving units, curled coir manufacturing unit, coir mat finishing and processing unit, coir rope manufacturing unit coir pith block making unit, coir pith composing unit of the size of Rs 5 lakh.Coir board would help these units to go in for effective market tie-ups, so that both raw material producers and intermediary manufacturers in the scheme get a fair market for their products.

'Healthy' Cups of Tea

AN OVERVIEW:A TEA THAT PREVENTS A HEART ATTACK
Scientists have come up with an evidence why tea is good for your health –drinking 3 cups a day can prevent a heart attack or stroke…unless u’r a man. A team of researches in France has carried out a study and found that women who take three cups of tea daily are less likely to have plaque-dangerous build-ups of fat and cholesterol –in their arteries.

A PRODUCTIVE RESEARCH:
The researches came to the conclusion after examining a group of 2,613 men and 3,984 women with an average of 73.They measured the level of plaque. Carotid plaque was found in 45 per cent of women who were not tea-drinkers, in 42.5 per cent of women who drank one or two cups daily and in only 33.7 per cent of those reporting drinking 3or more cups a day.

PLAQUE LESSENED:
Even women with high blood pressure appeared to gain protection from tea to but male who are regular tea-drinkers did not reap the same health benefits, the researches found. According to the team, it’s unclear why men did not benefit from tea-drinking in terms of lessening plaque build-up-one theory being that tea-complements oestrogen, the female hormone that protects women against heart problems.

MELTING GLACIERS

GLACIERS MELTING AT ALARMING RATE

An Overview

Glaciers are shrinking at record rates and many would disappear within decades, the UN Environment Programme said on Sunday. Scientists measuring the health of 30 glaciers around the world found that ice loss reached record levels in 2006.The agency said millions of people depend on glaciers for drinking water, irrigation and power generation.

Facts and Figures:

The most severe loss in 2006 was recorded at Norway’s Breidalblikkbrea glacier,
which shrank 3.1 meters (10.2 feet), while Chile’s Echaurren Norte glacier was the only one to grow slightly thicker.On average, the glaciers shrank by 1.5 meters (4.9 feet) in
2006, the most recent year for which data are available.

The Zurich-based body conducted the study on which the findings are based. Haeberli said glaciers lost an average of 0.3 meters of ice a year between 1980 and 1999. But, since the turn of the millennium the average loss has increased to about 0.5 meters.

India & N.America:

The UN Environment Program warned that further ice loss could have dramatic consequences particularly in India, whose rivers are fed by Himalayan glaciers. The
West coast of North America, which gets much of its water from glaciers in mountain ranges such as the Rockies and Sierra Nevada, would be affected.

20 Most Admirable Companies of the World

Fortune20: An Overview

US Business Magazine Fortune prepared a list of 20 most-admired global companies recently.The list was topped by Apple Computer, the maker of digital music player iPod and Mac personal Computers. In the list beverages hit Pepsi, run by Ms.Indra Nooyi has been placed higher than its arch rival Coca Cola.
The list rated PepsiCo at 13th position as against Coca-Cola at 19th spot. PepsiCo shares the 13th position with IT services major IBM. PepsiCo is the only company run by a person of Indian origin to be featured in the list.

Facts and Figures

This list of Most Admired Companies of top 20 was conducted by the Hay Group. The survey was conducted among 3721 executives, directors, and securities analysts. They chose the companies that ranked in the top 25 per cent in last year’s survey plus those that finished in the top 20 per cent of their industry.
These companies were ranked on the basis of eight key attributes- innovation, people management, use of corporate assets, social responsibility, quality of management, financial soundness long-term investment and quality of products/services.

The following table tells the top 20 companies present in the list:

Ranking; Name of the company ;Type/Nature of Industry
1 Apple Computer Computer Maker
2 General Electric Electrical company
3 Toyota Auto Motor
4 Berkshire Hathaway Investing company
5 Procter & Gamble Consumer Goods
6 FedEx Courier and logistics
7 Johnson & Johnson Consumer goods maker
8 Target Retail industry
9 BMW Car Manufacturers
10 Microsoft Software Industry
11 Costco Wholesale Retail company
12 UPS Logistics firm
13 PepsiCo Beverage company
14 IBM IT Industry
15 Cisco Systems Networking Solutions
16 Boeing Aircraft maker
17 Wal-Mart Stores Retailer stores
18 Honda Motor Auto maker
19 Coca-Cola Beverage company
20 Caterpillar Industrial and farm maker

WINDOWS NT SERVER AND LAN MANAGER COMPATIBILITY

AN OVERVIEW
Windows NT server maintains compatibility with servers running LAN manager while expanding and enhancing the LAN manager feature set. For example, Windows
NT server builds on the LAN Manager domain model but simplifies domain administration. Now there are only three types of servers instead of four servers. Instead of requiring an account for each domain, users can have a single network wide logon. Windows NT sever security features will be very familiar to LAN Manager users
because they build on those of LAN Manager.

DIFFERENCES IN DOMAIN ADMINISTRATION

Both LAN Manager and Windows NT Server use domains to centralize a user
account database and as an authentication mechanism. Under both systems, a domain is
a group of servers that share a common database of user and group accounts.However,
under Windows NT Server, user account database is called the security database. It
includes user accounts, group accounts, computer accounts, and security policies.

SERVERS AND CLIENTS
A Windows NT Server domain includes one Windows NT Server computer acting as
the primary domain controller.Additional Windows NT Server computers in the domain
function as backup domain controllers, and each of them can authenticate logon requests.
optionally, a windows NT server domain can also include server running LAN manager,
Windows NT workstation computers, and workstations such as those running windows for workgroups and MS-DOS.

GROUPS
Windows NT supports two types of groups: global and local. A global group can contain only users from the domain in which it was created but can appear in permission
lists in any domain that trusts that domain. A domain’s local groups can contain users and global groups from that domain, as well as users and global groups from trusted domains. However, a local group can be assigned with permissions and rights in its home domain.

TRUST RELATIONSHIPS
Windows NT Server trust relationships: links between domains that enable pass through authentication.Trust relationships permit user accounts and global groups to be used in domains other than the domain where these accounts are located. LAN manager servers can operate in windows NT Server domains and can recognize accounts from those domains. But servers running LAN Manager cannot participate in trust relationships; they are unable to recognize user accounts from trusted domains.

Result is that you can assign permissions to users from trusted domains on the Windows NT Server computers in a domain, but not on the servers running LAN Manager in that same domain.

A Highly Detective Intelligent Device

Camera that sees objects under clothes

An Overview about Product:
A British Company Thru Vision (“passive imaging technology”) has developed a camera that can detect weapons, drugs or explosives hidden under people’s clothes from up to 25m away in what could be a breakthrough for the security system .This camera is called T5000 is used to identify objects by the natural electronic rays.

Working of this technology:
The technology works on the basis that all people and objects emit low levels of
Electromagnetic radiation. Terahertz rays lies between infrared and microwaves on the electromagnetic spectrum and travel through clouds and walls. This e-ray is called as Terahertz or T-rays as they emit.

Use of T5000 camera:
The high-powered camera can detect the hidden objects from up to 80 feet away
and is effective even when people are moving. It does not reveal physical body details
and the screening is harmless.

Applications of Camera:
The technology has the use of military and civilian applications and could be used
in crowded airports, shopping malls or sporting events. This product will be unveiled at
a scientific development exhibition sponsored by Britain’s Home Office on March12-13.
On this Clive Beattie, CEO of Thru Vision said that,” Acts of terrorism have shaken the world in recent years and security precautions have been tightened globally. The ability to see both metallic and non-metallic items on people out to 25 meters is certainly a key capability that will enhance any comprehensive security system”.

Future of this technology:
This technology may enhance detection that Britain is becoming surveillance society, with hundreds of thousands of closed-circuit television cameras already monitoring people countrywide everyday. Thru Vision came up with the technology for the T5000 in collaboration with European Space Agency and from studying research by astronomers into dying stars.

TEN CYBER GAMES

10 Cyber games minors can play

Chinese authorities have come out with a recommendatory list of
10 cyber games they feel are suitable for minors to play. The online
games censorship committee of the Ministry of Culture has chosen
the games, all of which are domestic products that are deemed “healthy”
and can “enhance intelligence”.

The games suggested include five role playing games (RPG),
four recreation and chess games and a educational game like “warning
states 2 online”, “Rainbow Island Online” and “Wonderlands of learning
and games”.

Guidance for Parents:
The list is published by the ministry for the third time, and could
serve a guidance for parents to better direct their children in the winter
vacation, which lasts nearly two months from January to February
each year. The previous two lists contains a total of 25 games and were
public in January 2006 and August 2005.

Favorite Pastime:
Online games have become a favorite pastime for youngsters in the
past few years. Inadequately regulated internet is often blamed for game
addiction, juvenile delinquency an the advocacy of brutality and pervesion
among minors by online violence and pornography.

A low cost laptop entering into the market

15K DIARY SIZED LAPTOP TO ENTER MARKET
Allied Computers International-Asia is ready to launch its “low-cost” diary
sized laptop in the market soon. A prototype of Rs.14,999-laptop has already been
unveiled at Bangalore in the month of January 2008. The laptop will be introduced
in the market by the first quarter of 2008 through tie-ups with retailer showrooms,
supermarkets and malls across the country.

Features of Laptop:

The laptop has features such as 7” screen, 512 GB memory, 40 GB hard disk
space, along with Wifi and Bluetooth capabilities. It also comes with an inbuilt web camera and weighs 950 grams. This model is targeted at those looking for basic
office suite and Internet features.

Basic Plan:

The plan of the company i.e. Allied Computers International-Asia was to
bring out a higher end version priced at Rs. 22,000.The plan was to upgrade the
laptop into a tablet that can be plugged into a TV screen and then convert the TV
screen into a PC screen. Mr. Hirji K.Patel, Chairman and Managing director of the
Allied computers International said that, the 7” inch 15K laptop was in line with the
company’s vision to “develop a laptop nation” in which laptops were highly
affordable.

Goal of Allied Internationals:

Next goal of the company was to launch a laptop at Rs.10,000 and this 15K
laptop was the third in series according to Mr. Patel.

Forbes’ Magazine 2008: World’s Richest Personalities

Forbes' best collections

A survey was conducted in the Global Billionaire’s club in which Four
among the ten were Indians. Two of them were Americans. One was a
Mexican telecom honcho Mr. Carlos Slim Helu. The most delighted news
is that Four Indians has emerged in the top ten list of the Forbes’ 2008
World’s Billionaires list.

Richest Indian:
Mr.Lakshmi Mittal, Mr.Mukesh Ambani, Mr. Anil Ambani and Mr. K.P.
Singh are the only Asians to have muscled their way into the list. Mr. Mittal,
owner of the world’s largest steel maker ArcelorMittal has become the richest
Indian with a net worth of $45billion.Globally, he is ranking 4th in
the list prepared by Forbes magazine.

Forbes’ Rich ranking Indians:
The Reliance Industries Chairman, Mr. Mukesh Ambani, ($43 billion) is
ranked 5th and his younger brother Mr. Anil Ambani ($42 billion) stands 6th.
The DLF chairman, Mr. Singh ($30 billion) comes eight.

Forbes’ biggest gainer:
Anil Ambani is declared the biggest gainer with his wealth having increased
by $23.8 billion by Forbes since the last list. He is just $1 billion behind his
brother Mukesh. Mr.Mukesh is the second biggest gainer with a rise of $22.9
billion in his field.
2007 report tells us that elder brother’s net worth stood at $20.1 billion
making Mukesh the 14th richest man in the world. Anil was the 18th richest at
$18.2 billion. While Kushal Pal Singh is the world’s richest real estate baron
moving from 54th place to 8th place.

Interesting statistics:
There are 19 newcomers in the list adding to total of 53 billionaires. The
combined wealth of 53 billionaires reaches to $340.9 billion.
Their wealth is more than 3.5 times of the total 42 billionaires from China.
Last year, China had the highest number of newcomers at 28.

In this list, the number of billionaires from Asia jumped by a third to 211,
with a total net worth of $804 billion.
There are 63 newcomers and 16 drop outs. In this region, India and China are
followed by Hong Kong (26), Japan (24) and Australia (14) in terms of number
of billionaires. The top newcomer from Asia is an Indian.

Other Information:
Adani Enterprises’ promoter Mr. Gautam Adani has entered the list with
$9.3 billion to his name. For the first time, the number of billionaires has
crossed into four figures, at 1,125 up 179 from last year.

New ITPark opening

Establishment of IT parks

Now the establishment of IT parks in tier-2 cities like Trichy and Tirunelveli is being expedited. The Union Ministry of Industry and Commerce has notified the 49.89 hectare area at Navalpattu on the outskirts of the city as a special Economic Zone for IT and IT-enabled services in the Gazette of India.

The SEZ Project is being implemented by ELCOT.The IT Park at Gangaikondan, near Tirunelveli is taking shape fast. The IT Park has already arranged for water supply from Thamiraibarani river. An electric substation has been installed.Top companies like HCL, Sutherland, IBM, Infosys, TCS and Bosch has evinced interest in setting up units in these Parks.

Remote Control with a wink: A Sensory touch

An Idea about the product:
There has been no limit for new inventions in the past 1decade or so. An
I-Pod that runs with the flick of an eye is developed by a Japanese researcher.
This system consists of single-chip computer and a couple of infrared sensors.
It monitors the movements of the temple and it is so small that it can be built
into the side of a pair of eyeglasses.

Working of this I -pod:
This I-pod gets started when both eyes are closed for one second and it
gets stopped while blinking both the eyes. Interestingly, when we wink the
right eye it is tuned into the next station and when we wink the left eye, it is
tuned to the previous station.

Overcoming limitations:
People need not worry about this device. This system works properly since
the system picks up signals when we close our eyes firmly. We can use this
system when we are eating or chatting with someone.

Wide range of usage:
The I-pod has its various set of usages. This system is useful to run mobiles,
wheelchairs and robots as “an ultimate remote control” used in everyday life.
This system is also capable of operating television sets, air conditioners, room
lighting and other house-hold electronics.

Additional features:
This I-pod is also called as “Kome Kami Switch” or “Temple Switch”. It
can easily differentiate a deliberate one-second wink from natural blinking.
Secondly, when we blink very quickly and lightly, it saves energy and we can
operate the device by closing our eyes more firmly.

Its Service to Physical disabilities:
There are people who are incapable of winking on one eye. For them, we
can programme the system to give a command when they blink twice in a fast
sequence.
Secondly, a person does not have to move either of his hand, since the
system serves as a helping hand for rock-climbers, motorbike drivers, astronauts
and people with disabilities.

Budget08 and its Impact on IT Industry

Mixed Reaction from IT Industry towards the Budget (08-09)
This Budget (08-09) has been seen as a neutral one on the IT sector. Enhanced
excise duties on packaged and customized software as well as continuing
uncertainty on the extension of tax holidays for software technology parks beyond the deadline is now just a year away: Together ensured that the IT sector’s reaction to last week’s budget has been largely muted. The industry
is unhappy over the silence on the extension of the Software Technology
Parks exemption scheme as well as on measures to counter the rupee .

POSITIVE ASPECTS:
16% Excise Slash:The proposal to increase allocation to the IT Ministry as
well as on education has been welcomed as promoting e-governance efforts and improving skill sets of the youths. The slashing of 16% to zilch of the excise duty on data cards is surely a bonanza for the IT industry.

Corporate Customers Benefited: Corporate customers who want their mobile
executives to be available via internet can use these data cards in large extend.
These data cards are supplied by mobile service providers which includes Airtel,
TataIndicom, Reliance and Vodafone. These data-cards use the cellular telephone
network to access the Internet, when connected to the PCMCIA slot of the laptop.

Instant web access : Meanwhile the users can find much easier to get
instant web access, when the data card with USB (Universal Serial Bus) connector
is plugged into any desktop PC. Since 2007, all Indian wireless data card providers
have offered the option of a card with USB type connector.

Allocation of resources: The continued allocation of resources is a very positive
sign. The challenge that we face today is not of unemployment, but rather of unemployability. So continued allocation of resources would eradicate the problem
of getting a skilled employee .

FEW SETBACKS FOR IT:
STP Benefits: The BPO sector is unhappy, since STP benefits have not been
extended to it beyond March 2009.This will impact BPO that have been set up in
last 2 to 3 years who are planning to set up BPO and have to wait for SEZ to come up.

STPI Scheme: The budget has not commented on the extension of the STPI Scheme.
This will make small and medium enterprises to look for alternatives to manage the onslaught of taxes if the scheme is not reconsidered from next year.

Overall Scenario of IT:
This budget has been a mixed bag for the IT industry.The thrust on education and increased allocation for additional higher centers of learning is encouraging since it benefits all knowledge intensive industries. But it will be disappointment for BPO and small enterprises for not extending the STP benefits and STPI schemes respectively. So,
there is a neutral picture coming into mind for IT as for as this budget is concerned.

INDIAN RAILWAYS PROGRESSING TOWARDS GROWTH

INDIAN RAILWAY BUDGET ((IRB) 08-09): An Overview

The most awaiting Railway Budget was finally presented by railway minister Mr. LaluPrassad on February26.This IRB (Indian Railway Budget) concentrated mainly on passenger’s welfare. The investment amount came to 13, 534Cr.Rs, since the surplus amount after payment of all dues came to around 13,550Cr.Rs.from 25,000Cr.Rs.

BUDGET ESTIMATES (08-09)
The freight loading target of 850milion tones is marginally less than 8% growth rate target of 858 million tones projected for the Ninth plan by the Railways. It needs to be seen whether there has bee a deliberate scaling down because of the impact of anticipated slowdown in global economy. An ad hoc provision of 5000Cr.Rs. for expenditure arising from anticipated recommendations of the sixth pay commission would appear to be less than 30% increase experienced at the time of implementation of the Fifth Pay Commission recommendations.

ANNUAL PLAN (08-09)
The allotment of only 600Cr.Rs. for bridges, as compared to 700Cr.Rs. for ROBs/RUBs seems inadequate considering that a large number of bridges even now require attention being more than 100 years old and particularly considering the increased axle loads being permitted /proposed to be introduced.
The target of gauge conversion (2150 km) being almost double that of doubling (1000 km)
seems anomalous considering that major focus of Railways should now be on capacity expansion.The budget is silent about any plans to isolate parcel traffic from passenger platforms, which today poses a serious impediment to passengers.

POSITIVE ASPECTS
PASSENGER- FRIENDLY: On the passenger front, there has been handsome growth in earnings(14.2%upto Jan2008)while the no of passengers has increased by 5.6%.A number of IT-related initiatives has been announced or carried forward to make the ticketing process user-friendly. The budget has usual quota of new trains, extending services, increasing the frequencies, etc.
MANPOWER PLANNING: Filling up vacancies in the security department, supported by up-gradation of facilities, such as introduction of metal detectors and screening, may make rail travel more secure. This plan gives enough job opportunities to sick public sector wagon manufacturing units at Mokhama and Muzafarpur.
SAFETY AND SECURITY: The reduction in the accident rate is commendable. But the Railways need to undertake a cost-benefit analysis to know the improvement that has been achieved. By this investments can be better directed to all sections of the railway department.

FUTURE VISION
With each change of government, a new vision document is prepared. This leads nowhere. As an institution, Railways should have a long-term vision and plan. This seems highly unlikely. There is no mention of high-speed/’bullet’ trains. Development of old railway maintenance workshops shouldn’t mean their expansion. Improved reliability and not more maintenance should be the aim for a 21st Century Railway. So we can believe this budget(08-09) is progressing towards growth in railways department.

Sachin Steals:Victoy to India

Indians recorded their first victory in a final match in the Australian soil in all ODI played so far.The Star batsman S.R.Tendulkar scored his first ODI hundred in Australia.After a wonderful bowling performance from the bowlers,Indians restricted Aus. to 239.Record opening partnership of 50 between Sachin and Robin against Aus. in this series,gave the platform for a chance to win this final.Thanks to Rohit Sharma for his elegant half century(66 from87) and S.R.Tendulkar who scored (117 from120) with ten glorious boundries.

Earlier Indian pacemen reduced the Aussies to 24/3 after picking PiyushChawla and PraveenKumar in this important match.Kumar struck twice earlier and Ishant applied breaks to the Australian runs.Harbajan took 2 for 38 and kumar took 2 for 49 after a blistering half -century from Mathew Hayden(82 from 88).

Finally Tendulkar stoled the game and it became a one man show.Lee had no answer,Bracken could not do any much and Johnson went for runs.India won the match easily, with 25 balls to spare with Sachin unbeaten on 117.