Crying Wolf won’t Help !

Economic Times ( 06 July ) carries following news report :

“ Despite GST , Chinese Still Strong in Power Play “

Power gear makers say Chinese cos still have an edge , lack of investment in the sector a worry

The 18 % GST that applies to Indian Manufacturers will also be applicable on imports now

But manufacturers point out that the Chinese will have access to cheaper credit and inputs and they would be fighting for a slice of the shrunk pie of orders in the domestic market since there are no signs of recovery in capex for thermal power

Capital Goods manufacturers in the power sector have been complaining that their Chinese counterparts have an undue advantage over them and are able to price products cheaper

Of the 117 GW of projects ordered for the 12^th Five year plan , almost 45 % were bagged by foreign players led by the Chinese

Two days back , a leading Tyre Manufacturer also complained about Chinese imports out-pricing locally made tyres

When will Indian Manufacturers accept that , in today’s globalized economy , there can be no such thing as a “ Level Playing Field “ ?

Here is how I look at it :

·        

LevelPlaying Field is a Double Edged Sword  ( 08 Feb 2017 )

     https://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2017/02/level-playing-field-is-double-edged.html

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·         EverythingElse being Equal  ( 30 April 2017 )

     https://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2017/04/everything-else-being-equal.html

 

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·         TheChinese are coming !  ( 19  Dec  2015  )

    https://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2015/12/the-chinese-are-coming.html

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·         

Surrogate  Cow Farms  ? ( 26  Nov  2015  )

       https://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2015/11/surrogate-cow-farms.html

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·         Competitive  Advantages are  Transient  ( 11  Aug  2015  )

       https://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2015/08/competitive-advantages-are-transient.html

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·         How  China makes  Cheap  ( 08  Nov  2014  )

       https://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2014/11/how-china-makes-cheap.html

09  July  2017

www.hemenparekh.in / blogs

Elon : Widow Opens ( Door is not closed, either )

In my blog :

India: the New Land of Rising Sun

https://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2017/04/india-new-land-of-rising-sun.html

I wrote :

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#  Solar  Power  Storage

     TESLA ( Elon Musk ) is negotiating setting up of a 100 MW “ Storage Installation “ , in Australia , within 100 days, for a price of $ 25 million

For  this , TESLA will use its POWER-WALL / POWER-PACK batteries

Can Elon Musk be persuaded to set up 1000 similar Storage Installations in India, within 4 years ?

In my following blogs , I have explained how Elon Musk can be persuaded to do this – and for FREE !

·         Not a Day too Soon  ( 09 March 2017 )

    { https://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2017/03/not-day-too-soon.html  }

·         Congrats ! and a note of Caution !  ( 07 Feb 2017 )

    { https://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2017/02/congrats-and-note-of-caution.html }

This morning news-papers report that TESLA won that Australian Contract

 Tesla will provide the entire energy storage system for the wind farm via a 100 MW/129 MWh Powerpack system.

The Powerpack will be charged using the energy generated by the wind farm, which is owned by French renewable energy provider Neoen.

It’s expected to make South Australia’s power grid more reliable by delivering energy during peak hours.

“Upon completion by December 2017, this system will be the largest lithium-ion battery storage project in the world and will provide enough power for more than 30,000 homes,” according to Tesla’s press release.

That’s roughly the same number of homes affected by a state-wide blackout in South Australia back in September, which left 1.7 million people without electricity.

SUFFICIENTLY POWERED

Tesla founder and CEO Elon Musk is, of course, excited about the deal.

In a tweet, Musk proudly announced that the Hornsdale Powerpack system would be the world’s highest power battery system.

This will be the highest power battery system in the world by a factor of 3. Australia rocks!! https://t.co/c1DD7xtC90

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 7, 2017

But Musk isn’t the only one excited about the project. 

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, South Australian Premier Jay Weatherill expects that this “extraordinary collaboration” will stabilize the state’s energy system, as well as lower the price of electricity: “Battery storage is the future of our national energy market, and the eyes of the world will be following our leadership in this space.”

And here is that INDIAN WINDOW :

In India :

·         Solar and Wind Power generation is making rapid strides

·         Coal based power plants are inefficient and their power is costlier ( than solar )

·         Plant load Factor of coal based plants is falling continuously , making them nonviable

·         Roof Top Solar are operating in Mini Local Grids ( very small transmission )

·         Construction of dozens of new coal based plants is suspended ( no takers ! )

·         May be Rs 5 lakh*crore worth of bank loans given to these “ under construction “ plants , will turn NPA

As a result ,

·         There is a growing “ imbalance “ in the installed capacities of Coal / Solar / Wind power generation

And ,

·         Whereas cheap / efficient / clean , Solar and Wind generated power cannot be stored for later use ( eg: during peak demand at night )

TESLA’s Battery Storage solves that problem

And that leaves a Window open for Elon Musk !

08  July  2017

www.hemenparekh.in / blogs

2024 ! – V 2.0 of Orwellian 1984 ?

And it is happening faster than you think !

 “ SOUND WAVES “ ( Audio ) :

These got captured / encapsulated and got broadcast / narrow-cast , all over the World to anyone of your choice , using landlines / mobile phones , in a matter of seconds

 “ LIGHT WAVES “ ( Video ) :

These too got captured and transmitted to anyone , anywhere in the World , as your Selfie Photo / Video , using a lowly smart phone – and again , in matter of seconds

And only yesterday , digital camera maker RED, announced that it’s building the Hydrogen One, and they’re calling it the world’s first “holographic” phone. It is expected to have a retina-display screen that can switch from 2D content to holographic multi-view content, 3D content, and interactive games – without needing special glasses !

I suppose , that would enable you to conduct “ Holographic Conferences “ from your living room or office !

Let us not forget that , ISPs / MSPs and other SERVICE PROVIDERS , are already storing all of your CONVERSATIONS and your LIFE EVENTS , when you use a Mobile Phone !

“ TOUCH WAVES “ ( Feel the SKIN ) :

Hepatic devices are already enabling you to feel the skins of friends ( or patients ) , from thousands of miles away

“ SMELL – TASTE “  WAVES  :

With arrival of Virtual Reality / Augmented Reality , day is not far when , sitting in your sofa , you can smell / taste that pizza , from across the World

But Japanese firm FutureLeap says : this is nothing !

It claims it has just the thing for the in-the-mood couch potatoes with a Virtual Reality System so realistic you’d swear that cyber date just whispered sweet nothings in your ear !

 “ BRAIN WAVES “ ( EEG ) :

Scientists are attaching a few sensors to your head, capturing your Brain Waves , and accurately interpreting these as “ Specific Thoughts / Sentiments “ !

It is only a matter of time before the bulky wired headset gets replaced by a mobile or a wrist band , capable of capturing your “ BRAIN WAVES “ and ( without your explicit permission ) , transmitting any of your thoughts which it considers “ EVIL “  to a CENTRAL SERVER of the ESTABLISHMENT !

And it will do this SURVEILLANCE , 24*7  ! – even when you are asleep !

Those who managed to escape the “ 1984 “ of George Orwell , were lucky

Those who will be around when 2024 arrives , may not be so lucky !

Those who have any lingering hopes , should read following new report , which appeared in Times of India ( 06 July ) :

Snapchat's controversial new feature allows other people to see where you are in real time…

Snap Map uses data such as your location, speed of travel and phone usage to work out where you are and what you're doing, and shares this you're doing, and share information with you friends on an interactive map. The map, which you can launch by pinching the Snapchat camera, is precise enough to show not only what street you're on, but also whereabouts of that area.

Fortunately , Snapchat lets you opt out of sharing your location with “Ghost Mode“, which is enabled by default. However, while “Ghost Mode“ hides you from your friends' maps, it allows you to track any of your friends who haven't turned it on.

 “Some people share their Snapchat username on other platforms and this allows other users to request to follow them on Snapchat. Users can also add others using their phone number, therefore sharing a mobile number means they may be added on Snapchat.“

08  July  2017

www.hemenparekh.in / blogs

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V 3.0  ?  [  20  Jan  2018  ]


There are 7,000 million people on the earth

It is possible that , at any given time , some 7 million of these are lying in ICU , connected with :

*   Electroencephalogram ( Brain Monitor )

*   Electrocardiogram      ( Heart Monitor )

*   Pulse Rate Meter

*   Oxygen Level Meter

*   Glucose Level Meter........etc

As soon as these instruments get embedded with Internet of Things ( IoT ), a central server could collect all of these " measurements / readings " on 24*7 basis , for all 7 million persons 

Then it will combine these readings with following data about each of those 7 million persons :

*   Country / Region / City  /  Language 

*   Race /  Religion  /  Gender /  Age

*   Height /  Weight  /  Colour  /  Biometrics 

*   Blood Group / DNA  / Past Medical History.....etc


It will also record , who died / when  !

Using such massive data base, can BIG DATA / Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning , figure out what " Customized healthcare / Medical treatment / Supplementary diet " should be " prescribed " for each human on this earth ?

Shall we support such " Invasion of Individual Privacy " , in the larger interest / benefit of entire mankind ?

I think , we should 

In the Eyes of Insiders

How do employees see their company ?

Way back in 1987 ( when I was with L&T – Powai Works ) , that question bothered me

So I devised following SURVEY FORM and asked the Supervisors / Officers and Managers to “ rate “ the company on each parameter

The survey was anonymous but the respondent had to mention ( tick ) whether he / she was a Supervisor , an Officer or a Manager ( since perceptions vary with the hierarchy )

Unfortunately , I do not have the SURVEY FINDINGS , but I think the FORM may prove useful to readers – although it was designed keeping in mind , the internal ( to L&T ) and external ( in the country ) conditions prevailing at that time , many of which have changed over the years

RATING  SCALE :

·         Very Strong  /  Strong /  Just Adequate  / Weak  /  Very  Weak

PARAMETERS  :

1…. Technological Competence

2…. Superior Product

3…. Long Product Cycle ( low obsolescence rate )

4…. Scale of Operations

5…. Manufacturing  Capabilities

6…. Planning & Control ( in Mfg , Sales etc )

7…. After Sales Service

8…. Saleability of Finished Goods

9…. Quality Consciousness ( company wide )

10….Trained / Skilled Manpower ( for all Functions )

11…. Diversified Activities

12…. Geographically Dispersed Mfg Units

13…. All  India Marketing Set up

14…. Marketing Organization

15…. Organizational Systems & Procedures

16…. Financial Soundness

17…. Large Asset Base

18…. Company Image / Goodwill

19…. Well Defined Organizational Structure

20…. Cost of Operations

21…. Pricing of Products

22…. Timely Decision Making

23…. Delegation ( Decision Making )

24…. No of levels in Management

25…. Disciplined Work force

26…. Commitment of Unionized Staff

27…. Non Multiplicity of Unions

07  July  2017

www.hemenparekh.in / blogs