Nano - Tata bid to capture Indian Car Market

Though one does not know the actual cost breakup of the Nano, it is likely that Ratan Tata won't mind selling it at a slight loss. In spite of all the hype about nation building, this is a purely business decision.

• Manufacture low end product and deliver to capture market even if at an initial loss.
• Move up the value chain using the leverage as the dominant car manufacturer.

Tata already has some penetration on the car segment through its Indica series. The Nano will strongly challenge Maruti's long hold as the numero uno car manufacturer. If it succeeds, Ratan Tata deserves full credit from a business perspective as he was willing to take that risk.

In the next post, I will look at some of the pros and cons of the Nano for India as a whole

Extending Google search with Webmynd

Makeuseof.com has suggested a few tools for extending Google search results. Webmynd seems the most interesting of the lot. Its integration with other search tools including Twitter, Flickr, Youtube, wikipedia and others makes it hard to ignore. Add the ability to tweet directly to Twitter and that just makes my day.

I am one going on two

This Sunday will be a special occasion as it is my son Ishaan's 2nd birthday. As a thumb rule, my doctor told me, it is 'walking by one' and 'talking by two' give or take a month or two.

So, finally I am, since the last month or so, having a legible conversation with my son. It is restricted to 3-4 word sentences and slowly building up a sequence of these to get across a point. It can all of a sudden revert to baby jargon at any point if something catches his interest enough to distract him.

It makes one think, language is such an amazing gift in human society and so taken for granted.

Rank checking tool

SEOBook has come up with another useful SEO tool. The new Rank checking tool for Firefox helps checking rankings for Google, Yahoo and Live search engines. It allows searching for multiple keywords. Also group keywords using the Presets feature. All in all looks like a very useful tool for a quick ranking lookup or an indepth one as desired.

You only live twice

Chemical Ali gets 3rd death sentence. Again proves the law is an ass. The judge could just have confirmed an earlier death sentence. Or are they planning to kill him 3 times?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090302/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_iraq

Slumdog does a Michael Phelps, bags eight

Slumdog Millionaire has swept the Oscars winning 8.

The movie is a major hit in the west. In India it has been average and opinions vary. For some it is the arrival of the Bollywood brand of Indian cinema onto the world's stage. For others, it is the repackaging and selling of Indian poverty to an expectant western audience.

I was underwhelmed by the movie somewhat, but then I have experienced Bollywood. Let us look at some points of debate.

Does Slumdog repackage and sell Indian poverty?
Off course it does. So, have all the masala Bollywood movies from long past. They packaged it as it suited them and sold locally. Danny Boyle packaged it more bluntly and sold it internationally.

Does Slumdog have a good story - Bollywood ishtyle?
At various levels yes. Here are some threads that run through it.

Underdog winning against The Big Dog. The David versus Goliath thing.
People have loved that kind of thing for ages. Why, they even like it outside movies as in sports and wars sometimes.

Good versus Evil / Poor versus Rich
Then there is the good versus evil thing that gets people. Slumdog has that too.

The Love Angle
There is the love thing, the overcoming of hurdles to finally culminate in the happy ending.

Bada Bhai - Chota Bhai
This movie has it and with scenes from childhood, teenage and adulthood. Almost reminds me of Amar Akbar Anthony, Deewar, etc.

The song and dance
There is only one at the end. Could have done with a few in between as well.

Rags to riches
It is all there at the core of the movie. The west loves to ogle at our rags. We like their riches. It is a beneficial exchange. What's not to love?

Bachpan ka Pyaar
Childhood sweethearts. Hmm...

Many a Bollywood star and superstar have thrived on one or the other of the above concepts. Unfortunately for them, there was no Danny Boyle to package and give it an international exposure.

Let us keep in mind, the Chinese food we eat is not exactly as made in China. But in India people are crazy about the Indian version. This must definitely surprise the Chinese.

And so the West has loved this Hollywood version of Bollywood. They are even giving it their highest awards.

And contrary to opinions, Amitabh Bachchan has magnamously praised Rahman and others on their Oscar wins at the end of this post

Is Swat the new Rhineland

The Taliban takeover of Swat, a slice of Pakistani territory, is a historic first. A sovereign nation has succumbed to a hardline Islamic outfit and handed over its territory. Through effective use of bluff, bluster and deception against a weak democratic government, the Taliban has officially entered Pakistan.

Before WWII Nazi troops took over Rhineland, through bluff, bluster and deception against a weak democratic French government. Will Kashmir by the new Austria with Punjab-Sindh playing Czecho-Slovakia to the Taliban's war dance?

Nazi Germany never became a nuclear power. Pakistan is one with the least deterrence or control. The probablity of a first nuclear terror attack just went up. Will India will be the first target for such an attack? Israel and the US are more distant and harder to target.

India has historically been the primary target for the Jihadist version of Islam. Fighters were easier to get in poverty deserts of Persia, Arabia and Turkey with dreams of a rich region, fragmented and easy to raid and loot. Converting or destroying a rich, prosperous, predominantly non Islamic region was always on the agenda.

India, in the middle ages, was never united in fighting Islam. Has that changed now? A higher percentage of Muslims exist now than in the middle ages. Most are peaceful, moderate, nationalist. But even a tiny percentage would be enough. Just 1% of 1% of 134 million, still creates a significant pool of 13,400 the size of a pretty large enterprise.

Throw in Bangladesh, the Maoists - the Nepali and the Naxalite variety and it gets even better. Add their growing Hindu counterparts to the mix. A modern, liberal, democratic India looks to be under serious threat.

Is this the beginning of an inevitable regional skirmish leading to bigger things?