Book Review
Build and save
Publishers:Tata Energy Research Institute, New Delhi; and Ministry of Non-conventional Energy Sources, New Delhi
Reforms that spell progress
Economic globalisation and economic nationalism are the two fundamental forces that have been forcing the world's economic terrain over the last few centuries. However, the past few decades have witnessed heightened movement towards economic globalisatio
n with new external challenges and opportunities for development. There is a wave of economic policy reform in the developing world that is seen as a necessary consequence of a changed world economic system.
3ds max 4 In Depth
A comprehensive guide to all the features of the bestselling modeling and animation package, 3ds max is one of the most popular packages to create 3d models and virtual worlds and 3d animation and is a de facto standard in its area. The book, which comes
with a CD, can be used both as a textbook and as a self-study manual. The authors are two veteran educators of 3ds max and help you understand and use the extensive max 4 tool-set to create attractive and compelling images and animation.
Oracle9iAS Portal Bible
THIS book with a bonus CD-ROM, acts as a reference manual as well as a quick and step-by-step guide. Oracle, one of the most popular database software has been revamped in the 9iAS version to deliver a complete information portal, and, in keeping with th
e times, is now browser-based. One can use this book to create information portals for the Web or for implementation in the intranet. The authors are two veteran database developers and guide you to create a powerful, easy to use information retrieval an
d reporting system for companies and their customers.
Consumer Notes
Of tax and travesty
Recently, the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu announced in the Assembly that 94 per cent of the total revenue collected by the State by way of taxes, levies and charges was spent on the salaries of the State Government. This rather astronomical figure has h
appened thanks to short-term, politically-myopic, decisions that have left the average citizen in the lurch.
Corporate
This knowledge is power
There is an increasing trend among organisations to have a full-fledged Knowledge Executive or Knowledge Manager responsible for creating a knowledge database or a pool within the organisation that can be tapped by anybody at anytime. This knowledge data
base is made up of general information, but more importantly, it also includes information obtained by tapping into the knowledge present within the company.
Environment
It rains ideas
As Chennai reels under the worst ever drought, a citizens' initiative on its outskirts quite literally saved a rainy day. 'Trees, Rain and You' (TRY), a trust formed by the residents of Temple View Apartments of suburban Tiruvanmiyur, has proved that dis
advantages could well be transformed into actual advantages if people had the will and the inclination.
Lifestyle
Design is his calling
His attempts to find solutions through design. He aspires to provide `design for the common man.' He believes even a one-year-old child possesses enough `design ability' to express itself.
Is ready-to-wear winning?
How much would you pay for an off-the-rack garment? This crucial question has been at the heart of pricing readymades, all over the West's glittering shopping boulevards. And it is now occupying central space in the emerging world of Indian pret-a-porter
: which means, literally, ready-to-wear.
Miscellaneous
Making a mark
Though photography has come a long way, there are just a handful of women photographers in the media. Sarvesh is one of them. Having come up the hard way and fought all the odds women in the country have to face, she has a special affinity towards captur
ing the toil and travails of the Second Sex.
Caring for survivors
The cover story of the issue dated August 27, Survivor still at sea!, was very informative and thought-provoking. It is true that while companies are issuing pink slips to their employees, little is being done to boost the morale of the employees who hav
e been retained.
Travel & Places
Let's go rural
The turmeric coloured dust of Haldighati gets churned up as our car traverses the indifferently-tarred roads of rural Rajasthan. The sun is at its fullest and our driver is in no mood to meet with our exacting demands. We want to see `rakht talai'
Valley of enchantment
Located 120 km northwest of Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh at an altitude of 3,000 ft, Arraku Valley is an ideal getaway beckoning irresistibly to beleaguered city dwellers to spend a few days in luxurious solitude. Emerald green vegetation, tumbling wa
terfalls and the melodious calls of songbirds also make the place an ornithologist's paradise.
Views unlimited
The Elbe River Valley and the Saechsische Schweiz (Saxon Switzerland) is one of Germany's best-kept secrets. In the past it was behind the proverbial Iron Curtain' and visitors could rarely tour the area. Even today few have heard about this romantic cor
ner of erstwhile East Germany, and as a result it remains one of the relatively unspoilt scenic pleasures of Europe.
Where time stands still
The curator of the Tribal Habitat Museum, Ishwar Rao, a social anthropologist, has conducted research work on the unique tribes of this area. He has studied in great detail a particular nomadic tribe who are among the most primitive in this area. Written
script is absent in most tribes but certain tribes are in touch by use of a pictographic script. The 17 ethnic tribes in the valley have their own unique behavioural pattern and culture. It is believed that these tribes, called Adivasis, had been living
here even before the advent of the Aryans. They continued their way of life, which included hunting animals for food, even when the Aryans introduced the practice of agriculture, by retracting deep into the jungle.
