Old Bottle recycled to pour old wine - tastes good -- The Crest Edition, The Times of India

I had to make at least three rounds to newspaper vendors before I could lay my hands on Times of India’s (TOI) latest recycled research The Crest Edition. `Now on your stand,' remained unavailable until well past 9 am here in Pune .’ Unlike some of TOI’s earlier re-renovations (sic) no complimentary copy was on offer. I should have taken seriously the advertisement that preceded its publication, `book your copy now.’ But as it turned out the vendors too hadn’t taken it seriously Result they spend most of the morning telling readers why they didn’t have one on their counters. I got three different reasons from three different vendors. One of them let the truth out, the TOI circulation department never told them they would have to buy it the very first day and they let it go.

Now to the edition itself. The moment the vendor declared the cover price, my 11-year-old son let out a `Arey baap re.’ Rupees six for a newspaper!! He had already warned me not to reach out for the Economic Times. ``Its Saturday Baba,’ he screamed reminding me of an earlier blunder when I got fleeced for rupees nine without being given much to read about return.

I liked the edition. It has a distinct new look, though I couldn’t help comparing it to a similar product that TOI brought out 20 years ago called `The Independent.’ It was meant to counter the `The Post,’ which was fast luring away the young brigade, giving the TOI a good run for its money. Vinod Mehta, like always had done a superb job, and got all heads turning right on day one. Incidentally I was already following it in its dummy form since prelaunch, -- the copies being available even at the small town I lived in those days. Unfortunately it closed down too soon. Not because it ran a story saying Morarjee Desai and Yaswantrao Chavan were American spies, but because it had served its purpose in closing down The Post. TOI has elaborate ways to crush out competition.

So the only big difference between the Independent and the Crest is the Independent was black and white. I have a feeling that some of the (re)design people in Crest are the same ones who designed the Independent. I found reading it to be a very comfortable exercise. And there were no childish-youngish articles that made me feel that having crossed forty I no more belonged to this world. It respects the middle age. Good political stories, assuring us they are not yet old fashioned.

There were two articles on English language trends, one Mahafreed Irani and the other by Chiddanand Rajghatta. I am sure Chiddu wrote it in a haste, meaning running against time, not short on information, he was away ahead of the other article. When it comes to the English language, I guess it would be far more interesting getting a linguist to analyze Chhidu than him performing surgery on someone else.

As often in oratory, more than the speaker himself or his content, what’s important is how he has said it, so also in journalism, more than the content it is the packing that matters.

See Also : http://www.exchange4media.com/e4m/news/fullstory.asp?section_id=5&news_id=36120&tag=32047

American Entrepreneurship Literature

Through books, I keep following the entrepreneur developments in the United States. The first book I ever read was an abridged and simplified version on Chrysler’s autobiography --- Man and Machines http://http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrysler . I loved it. I read and reread it through my high school ( 1982-84). Stacked in the shelf of books that my father had built up, I happened to lay my hands on it at a time when books had just begun to fascinate me. I really don’t believe my father ever read that book. He would have recommended it to me, otherwise.

The book was about Chrysler’s dream, resolve, determination and desire to be his own man. He had a mechanic bend of mind. He would bring in a car, and instead of driving his family in it, lay it bare in front of his house, disassemble it to the smallest part and then assemble it back, imbibing all the technology that went into it.

The book, as I said, was an abridged version, and every page revolved round the most interesting episode from the original one. Some of the incidents were quiet interesting, like the time when Chrysler, having been promoted as foreman, realized he no more had to work with his hands, but just his brain. That talked of the confidence he had in his own self as someone who could direct people, rather than just sit in a corner and fit machines.

It wasn’t about the consumer, though I got to read a lot about discipline and punctuality and devotion to one’s work in it. It had a lot to do about his pride and ego. But I liked those few fifty odd pages.

The book had plenty of things to tell about what was happening to the Chrysler family, as he moved up the ladder on the American Corporate world. He talked at great length about his mother. How she held the family together in times of crisis.. And like all American idols, (mine) I loved the way they took to work at an early age, either as a salesman or a utility man. I find that the best lessons American entrepreneurs took was during these time of their life. It had humour, It talked about the mentor who molded him, about the lessons he learnt o his own, about the innovative solutions he tried, like drawing water from the ground. Tube wells were unheard of at that time.


I did not plan it, but it so happened that the next book I read on American corporate world, was Lee Iacocca's http://http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_Iacocca, An autobiography, in 1987, while I was at college. This man talked about how he pulled it out of bankruptcy the car manufacturing company named – Chrysler.

Shades of Tears

Pune. Khadki Cantonment. Khirkee Road. Or should I call it The Canopy Road. You loose count of the number of trees along this beautiful road. No length of walking can tire you on this road. Walk it alone, with your girlfriend, wife, children, parents. It's no more going to be the same. All the trees are being cut down to build a approach road to the new Holkar bridge. Hurry. The trees are falling down, the bridge is coming up !

Baner Bio Diversity Park, Pune

Baner Bio diversity park, Pune

NOTHING

(Jeremy Harmer is through a sumptuous south Indian meal at the Satyabhama University, Chennai, where he addressed the keynote address at the Thrid International English Language Teachers Association of India Conference on Feb 8, 2008)

In the end Jeremy Harmer's impact lasted just as long as his presentation did. About 30 minutes. Jeremy Harmer, the English Guru. Jeremy Harmer, the author of one of the most read ELT books world wide--- How to Teach English and The Practice of Teaching English fell flat at the English Language Teachers Association Third international Conference, Chennai.

Jeremy, in fact, on his first ever visit to India, was working at a huge disadvantage. He was denied the pre publicity that would alert the audience about his work. Few newspapers interviewed him and his website obviously hasn’t had many visitors from India. His reputation as an English Guru failed to precede his arrival here. His publishers, Pearson Longman, did little to help him. None of the books he authored were on display at the alongside book exhibition at the venue.

This, however, worked to the huge advantage of the audience. They were under no pressure to nod their heads at whatever he said. How could one otherwise explain the audience reaction of the eight minute `English Teacher at work,’ clipping Jeremy so enthusiastically showed them? ``Culturally STUPID,’’ shouted one teacher as Jeremy stood all ears next to him but completely unpreapred for the comments. Jeremy, had no answer. ``The teacher you showed is a lucky one. She doesn’t relate to us,’’ reflected a lady, forcing Jeremy to review his lesson plan.

Now, Jeremy got even more animated than the lady teacher in the clipping. It didn’t help. He wanted the audience to come out with three adjectives, one each for the Teacher, the student and the lesson. He mustn’t have prepared for `stupid,' and `lucky,' in his wildest dreams.

Jeremy was equally disappointing for those who knew what he was. He was simply repeating and rehashing all he had, otherwise, already explained so well in his books.

I must say had it not been for the critical remarks Dr Anthony Bruton, of Spain, made on the second day, on Jeremy’s presentation, during his own workshop, most would have forgotten of their encounter with him. ``In the end what language did Jeremy’s teacher give her students ? Bruton asked. Nothing. Nothing agreed the audience.