The latest news is that Pepsi is now launching Pepsi Max in India. The new drink's USP is that it is a "full-flavour sugar-free cola".
Pepsi's UK website states that Pepsi Max was first launched in UK way back in 1993, which is full 17 years back. If so, and assuming that the sugar substitute used in Pepsi Max is really harmless when consumed in large quantities by teenagers, etc., a question arises as to why the company had not launched this sugar-free drink in India earlier? Has the company woken up only now to the health concerns of its Indian customers?
The Indian company's website is curiously silent about the ingredients used in Pepsi's Cola drinks. It must come clean about the ingredients being used not only in its existing colas, but also in Pepsi Max. It should also name the sugar substitute used therein, since its prolonged use may be harmful. Merely stating (as its UK website does) that it is "made with ingredients from natural sources" makes no sense, since sugar, alcohol, and several intoxicants also fit this description.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Sunday, August 1, 2010
The Brain Rules by John Medina
I recently finished reading the wonderful book, The Brain Rules, authored by John Medina, a researcher dedicated to truth and having an excellent flair for making difficult concepts simple to understand.
The book gives an insightful perspective on how the human brain has evolved over the millions of years, and why we should not ignore its operating principles if we want to live well.
It summarizes the enormous wealth of research findings on the complex subject in the form of twelve simple principles (or 'rules') that Medina considers crucial for 'surviving and thriving at work, home and school'. These include the relevance of aerobic exercise to brain health, the unique symbolic reasoning employed by human beings, the uniqueness of every single brain, dynamics of attention, formation and nature of short-term and long-term memories, importance of sleep for brain health, impact of stress on functioning of brain, the sensory integration performed by brain, dominant role of vision, gender differences, and our intrinsic exploratory urge.
A must-read for those interested in knowing how the brain works and how to use its marvelous capacities for survival and growth.
The book gives an insightful perspective on how the human brain has evolved over the millions of years, and why we should not ignore its operating principles if we want to live well.
It summarizes the enormous wealth of research findings on the complex subject in the form of twelve simple principles (or 'rules') that Medina considers crucial for 'surviving and thriving at work, home and school'. These include the relevance of aerobic exercise to brain health, the unique symbolic reasoning employed by human beings, the uniqueness of every single brain, dynamics of attention, formation and nature of short-term and long-term memories, importance of sleep for brain health, impact of stress on functioning of brain, the sensory integration performed by brain, dominant role of vision, gender differences, and our intrinsic exploratory urge.
A must-read for those interested in knowing how the brain works and how to use its marvelous capacities for survival and growth.
Complaint regarding misleading ad of Kent Mineral RO
As usual, today again I saw the advertisement of Kent Mineral RO in the Times of India to the effect that it yields the "purest water in the world".
I had earlier also written to the company to clarify how its technology could specifically distinguish between 'harmful' and 'beneficial' minerals in water, but never received any reply.
As I was feeling a bit less lazy today, I opened the internet and posted an online complaint with the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) against the misleading claims made by Kent RO Systems Ltd. in their website and various print advt.'s that their proprietary Mineral RO technology removes dissolved impurities but "maintains essential minerals".
Let's see whether ASCI moves in the matter.
I had earlier also written to the company to clarify how its technology could specifically distinguish between 'harmful' and 'beneficial' minerals in water, but never received any reply.
As I was feeling a bit less lazy today, I opened the internet and posted an online complaint with the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) against the misleading claims made by Kent RO Systems Ltd. in their website and various print advt.'s that their proprietary Mineral RO technology removes dissolved impurities but "maintains essential minerals".
Let's see whether ASCI moves in the matter.
Business India's Educational Venture
This evening I visited the offices of the newly set up 'Business India Institute of Finance' with my wife and daughter to explore their maiden one-year full-time PG Diploma course in Finance. The office is located in leased premises in Indra Palace behind the PVR Plaza in Connaught Place.
It is a venture set up by the Business India Group together with Greycells Education Ltd. As expected, the PG Diploma is not recognized by AICTE, etc. but is supposed to meet the "industry's needs" and hence placement is 'assured'. The course fee? Rs. 2.4 lakhs down-payment that may rise to Rs.2.5 lakhs if one chooses to pay in installments.
The Institute is headed by Ruchi Mahajan, an articulate and knowledgeable lady with about 15 years experience. It however has no faculty of its own and will depend fully on visiting faculty members from Mumbai and Delhi. The detailed syllabus and timetables, etc. are in the process of being finalized, though today was the last date for admissions.
The main question is: is the course really worth a student's one full year plus Rs. 0.24 million? I don't know.
It is a venture set up by the Business India Group together with Greycells Education Ltd. As expected, the PG Diploma is not recognized by AICTE, etc. but is supposed to meet the "industry's needs" and hence placement is 'assured'. The course fee? Rs. 2.4 lakhs down-payment that may rise to Rs.2.5 lakhs if one chooses to pay in installments.
The Institute is headed by Ruchi Mahajan, an articulate and knowledgeable lady with about 15 years experience. It however has no faculty of its own and will depend fully on visiting faculty members from Mumbai and Delhi. The detailed syllabus and timetables, etc. are in the process of being finalized, though today was the last date for admissions.
The main question is: is the course really worth a student's one full year plus Rs. 0.24 million? I don't know.
Friday, July 23, 2010
The forenoon sojourn
Got up at 8 am, readied myself and was just about to leave home at 10 when the ICICI-Direct representative dropped in as scheduled earlier (I'd forgotten the appointment)! So I requested him to wait, went to the nearby dispensary, collected my medicines (probiotics, enzymes and B-complex capsules) and managed to return within 20 minutes.The next forty five minutes were spent learning the finer nuances of the icicidirect.com website. It is certainly a goldmine of powerful tools and useful investment information. I hope to be able to exploit its potential at least in part in near future.
After the representative had left, my wife and I took the car to meet a property dealer at the nearby Lal Dora area (the 'village' within the city) to see something for an 'office' for Rs. 13 lakhs. Its size was 8'x11' with an 18" high cemented side 'bench' that reduced the floor width by one foot. On a query he explained that it couldn't be removed as it covered water pipes! The floor was one foot below the ground level and the ceiling was only 8 feet high. We reckoned that as and when the road would get relaid it shall become level with the entrance and allow water and filth to easily enter the premises.So we said no to the proposal and came out.
Our next stop was the nearby Reliance Fresh outlet. After she had selected some items, my wife learned that even though the company had issued leaflets offering a 20% discount up to 25th July, the discount was no longer available, though it was only the 22nd July today. So much for the customer-orientation of the mega retail company.
After the representative had left, my wife and I took the car to meet a property dealer at the nearby Lal Dora area (the 'village' within the city) to see something for an 'office' for Rs. 13 lakhs. Its size was 8'x11' with an 18" high cemented side 'bench' that reduced the floor width by one foot. On a query he explained that it couldn't be removed as it covered water pipes! The floor was one foot below the ground level and the ceiling was only 8 feet high. We reckoned that as and when the road would get relaid it shall become level with the entrance and allow water and filth to easily enter the premises.So we said no to the proposal and came out.
Our next stop was the nearby Reliance Fresh outlet. After she had selected some items, my wife learned that even though the company had issued leaflets offering a 20% discount up to 25th July, the discount was no longer available, though it was only the 22nd July today. So much for the customer-orientation of the mega retail company.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Times and Tastes are Changing
This is a chronicle of yesterday's key events in connection with my family's Search-a-Groom-for-the Daughter mission.
After having lunch in bed (thanks to a lower back injury) I dialed the mobile number given to me earlier by the prospective groom's elder brother, with whom the 'boy' lives in Paryavaran Complex, Saket.
The boy answered.
I said, "Shall we meet at the Baristas at the Select City Mall complex?"
The boy suggested the PVR Saket instead.
"That would be fine," I agreed, and asked next, "What time?"
"For that I'll talk to Bhaiyya and let you know," replied the boy. I once again agreed.
Later it was my wife who picked up the phone when the boy dialed in and gave the time as between 7:30 and 8 pm, which was also okay by us.
So off we went to meet a prospective son-in-law and his elder brother at PVR Saket. And guess what? We waited and waited for up to 8:15 pm but there was neither any phone call nor any sign of the gentlemen.
Finally, I thought we'd had enough, and sent an sms to the boy's mobile stating that we were leaving as maybe he couldn't keep his appointment for some pressing reasons, and went to the car park to go back home. There was no response even as we started the car and moved out of the car parking lot. But when we'd moved out to the main road, there was a call and the boy said he'd reach in a few minutes, could we wait?
My wife felt we could wait some more, and we did. Finally, however, the meeting turned out to be unproductive as we felt the children were not likely to make a happy pair.
How I wish we also followed the western system is, where such decisions are taken by the concerned children and the parents may remain out of the loop except at the wedding.
After having lunch in bed (thanks to a lower back injury) I dialed the mobile number given to me earlier by the prospective groom's elder brother, with whom the 'boy' lives in Paryavaran Complex, Saket.
The boy answered.
I said, "Shall we meet at the Baristas at the Select City Mall complex?"
The boy suggested the PVR Saket instead.
"That would be fine," I agreed, and asked next, "What time?"
"For that I'll talk to Bhaiyya and let you know," replied the boy. I once again agreed.
Later it was my wife who picked up the phone when the boy dialed in and gave the time as between 7:30 and 8 pm, which was also okay by us.
So off we went to meet a prospective son-in-law and his elder brother at PVR Saket. And guess what? We waited and waited for up to 8:15 pm but there was neither any phone call nor any sign of the gentlemen.
Finally, I thought we'd had enough, and sent an sms to the boy's mobile stating that we were leaving as maybe he couldn't keep his appointment for some pressing reasons, and went to the car park to go back home. There was no response even as we started the car and moved out of the car parking lot. But when we'd moved out to the main road, there was a call and the boy said he'd reach in a few minutes, could we wait?
My wife felt we could wait some more, and we did. Finally, however, the meeting turned out to be unproductive as we felt the children were not likely to make a happy pair.
How I wish we also followed the western system is, where such decisions are taken by the concerned children and the parents may remain out of the loop except at the wedding.
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