Indian Economy - Going Global

INTRODUCTION

Globalization in India started in the early 1990's. Industrialization is the reason behind globalization. Business is the key. When a company operating in a home nation establishes its subsidiary in other nations (host nations), it becomes an MNC and there starts the process of globalization wherein a local company serves the entire world with its products and services. The advent of Internet and the ensuing "new economy" has opened up a plethora of new business opportunities - and an "inevitable" number of business casualties. Shapiro and Varian (1999) argue that while technology changes - economic laws do not. This is globalization in company's perspective. Globalization in India has transformed the country's system. Presently India is regarded as an economy dominated country rather than politics driven, as it was earlier. Political dominance has fallen significantly these days. Adoption of Globalization in India and liberalization principles has widened the horizon of country's Consumers worldwide. Consumers in India have become more conscious. Market information in India has become clear.

Liberalized policies have led the industrial sector to grow at a faster pace. BPO, IT, ITES, Retail and Insurance sector have performed well. Both male and female have got equal opportunity in that sector. The success for India is the reduction in gender inequality in India. More over, development in education and awareness is largely marked in the country in the era of Globalization in India.

INDIAN ECONOMY - HIGHLIGHTS

India is among the five countries sharing 50 per cent of the world production (or GDP).
FDI inflows have jumped by almost three times to US$ 15.7 billion in 2006-07 as against US$ 5.5 billion in 2005-06.
The aggregate income of the top 500 companies rose by 28.4 per cent in 2006-07 to total US$ 469.51 billion.
India's National Stock Exchange (NSE) ranks first in the stock futures and second in index futures trade in the world.
Twenty Indian firms have made it to the list of Boston Consulting Group's 100 New Global Challenger Giants list.
According to a study by the McKinsey Global Institute (MGI), India's consumer market will be the world's fifth largest (from twelfth) in the world by 2025.
The number of companies incorporated has increased at an annual average of 55,000 companies in the last two years to 865,000, from 712,000 companies at the end of 2005.
Four Indians and seven Indian microfinance companies make it to the Forbes list of Top10 world's wealthiest CEOs World's Top 50 Microfinance Institutions, respectively.
India has the most number of private equity (PE) funds operating amongst the BRIC markets.
Mumbai has been ranked tenth among the world's biggest centres of commerce in terms of the financial flow volumes by a survey compiled by MasterCard Worldwide.

Another significant aspect has been the broad-based nature of the growth process. While new economy industries like Information Technology and biotechnology have been growing around 30 per cent, significantly old economy sectors like steel have also been major contributors in the Indian growth process. For example, India has moved up two places to become the fifth largest steel producer in the world. And with its manufacturing and service sectors on a searing growth path, Lehman Brothers Asia estimates India to grow by as much as 10 per cent every year in the next decade.

CONTRIBUTION OF INDUSTRIES TO INDIAN ECONOMY

Industrial revolution is the stepping stone for globalization. In India, the contribution of different sectors is immense and all contributing to the fast growth of the Indian economy.

The IIP data show that during April-November 2007, cotton textiles grew by 5.5 percent. During 2006-07, textile exports recorded an increase of 6.9 per cent over 2005-06. During April-October 2007, textile exports increased marginally by 1.49 per cent on year-on-year basis. Indian Government has given a lot of subsidies to the textile industry through various fund schemes and textile parks. The rate of growth in the paper industry picked up to 8.7 per cent during 2006-07, but dropped to 1.6 per cent during April-November 2007.

Leather products, which contribute significantly to employment generation and export earnings, registered an impressive 12.2 per cent growth during April-November 2007. The chemical industry is growing steadily at 10%. The value of pharmaceutical output grew more than tenfold from Rs. 5,000 crore in 1990 to over 65,000 crore in 2006-07. India is now recognized as one of the leading global players in pharmaceuticals. While the production of rubber footwear grew by 4.7 per cent, sheets (PVC/rubber) grew by 18.8 per cent. PVC pipes and tubes, which have the highest weight in the product group, grew at 27 per cent during April-November 2007. Crude oil production during April-November 2007 was 22.69 million tonnes (MT) as against 22.56 MT during the corresponding period in the previous year, showing a marginal increase of 0.60 percent. In this sector, the demand will be always greater than the supply and India has to divest and encourage private players like Reliance to enter into the petroleum industry.

The cement industry recorded a growth of 7.72 per cent (provisional) during April-November 2007. The production increased from 99.99 MT during April-November 2006 to 107.71 MT during April-November 2007. Indian steel companies have marked their diversified presence in the global market, effected mainly through the establishment of the state-of the-art plants, continuous modernization, and improved energy efficiency of plants. Mittal Steel has created a buzz all over the world with its recent merger with arcelor. While overall industrial production grew by 9 per cent during April-December 2007, importantly capital goods production rose by 20.2 per cent compared to 18.6 per cent during same period in 2006. Services grew by 10.5 per cent in April-September 2007, on the back of 11.6 per cent during the corresponding period in 2006-07. Manufacturing grew by 9.6 per cent during April-December 2007, on the back of 12.2 per cent growth during same period in 2006-07. Core infrastructure sector continued its growth rate recording 6 per cent growth in April-November 2007. While exports grew by 21.76 per cent during April-December 2007, imports increased by 25.97 per cent in the same period.

ROLE OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

The IT/ITES industry's contribution to the country's GDP has been steadily increasing from a share of 1.2% in FY98 to 5.2% in FY07; it has contributed to foreign exchange reserves of the country by increasing exports by almost 36% and its direct employment as grown at a CAGR of 26% in the last decade, making it the largest employer in the organized private sector in the country.

In the last two decades, the Indian IT/ITES industry has contributed significantly to Indian economic growth in terms of GDP, foreign exchange earnings and employment generation. The industry has been the trigger for many "firsts" and has contributed not only to unleashing the hitherto untapped entrepreneurial potential of the middle class Indian but also taking Indian excellence to the global market.

The current and evolving role of IT/ITES industry in India's economy is well established. The sector is proving to be the major growth pole within the services sector, which in turn drives several economic indicators of growth in the country.Export earnings in FY08 stood at approximately USD 40.0 billion with a growth of 36%.Direct employment in the sector is expected to be 2.0 million by end of FY08 growing at a CAGR of 26% in the last decade, making it the largest employer in the organized private sector of the country. IT Industry is spearheading India global.

CONCLUSION

According to some experts, the share of the US in world GDP is expected to fall (from 21 per cent to 18 per cent) and that of India GDP to rise (from 6 per cent to 11 per cent in 2025), and hence the latter will emerge as the third pole in the global economy after the US and China.

Indian Economy experienced a GDP growth of 9.0 percent during 2005-06 to 9.4 percent during 2006-07. By 2025 the India's economy is projected to be about 60 per cent the size of the US economy. The transformation into a tri-polar economy will be complete by 2035, with the Indian economy only a little smaller than the US economy but larger than that of Western Europe. By 2035, India is likely to be a larger growth driver than the six largest countries in the EU, though its impact will be a little over half that of the US.

India, which is now the fourth largest economy in terms of purchasing power parity, will overtake Japan and become third major economic power within 10 years.

A large number of global multinational brands such as Coca-Cola, Google, Micro-soft and Mercedes-Benz have successfully operating in India. Indian Brands which were operating locally in India earlier have started competing internationally. From New Delhi to New York brands have become global. Pattern of consumption in India has also changed. Level of spending on the private consumption has been growing significantly. Spending by young consumers in India is regarded as the most powerful consumers. In an era of globalized environment, the country has become a major player in the socio-economic fields from merely a third world country. BRIC and other reports have forecasted India to be the third largest economy by 2020. Everything looks ominous for India.

Carl.E. Case, Ray. C. Fair, "Principles of Economics", Eastern Economy Edition, 2006.

Nasscomm Report 2008.

Indiabudget report 2008.

Economy Watch

The Economist

Where Have You Been, Neon Signs, and Where Are You Going?

Many experts in the lighting field believe that the overall outlook for neon signage seems to be very optimistic. Neon signs have a record of 100 years of successful use in advertising. If there were no neon signs cities and towns would be darker places and the neon sign industry would cease to exist, but that is not likely to occur.

Let's start with some general information about neon such as why it's used, uses other than advertising, where it's used here and in other countries, neon signage around the world, and so much more. Everyone knows its main use is for advertising and that's what keeps the neon sign industry going, but it has many other uses that are beneficial to the public. Enjoy watching TV? Neon is used in in television tubes. Do you have a neon wall clock? Neon lighting is use in the home and in many businesses to enhance and highlight dark areas. It is used in gas lasers is used to remove eye cataracts and for other medical problems. Many people have flown, but did you know this? It has been used in beacons and it has can be seen by pilots have seen it 20 miles away when it was impossible for them to see other kinds of lights. Neon lights can be seen through the fog. Many travelers have found it very helpful when looking for a motel on a foggy night. Neon does all this and more.

However, neon's biggest and most widely-known use is in neon signs. What makes it so useful for signs? There are two reasons for this. First neon is a first-rate conductor of electricity, and secondly it has the amazing ability to give off light that can be seen at great distances. As hard as it may be to believe neon technology started in Europe in 1675. It's not that neon signs were invented then but just the idea that would grow into the modern neon sign. In fact, strange as it may seem electricity was not even discovered yet. These two ideas developed independently because neither was dependent upon the other being in place.

It wasn't until 1910 that in Paris a, man called Georges Claude came up with the idea for neon signs. His first effort was a sign for a barber shop in that city. How and when did they first come to the United States. Earle Anthony, the owner of an auto dealership in Los Angeles, apparently heard about neon signs and visited Paris. The result was two Packard neon signs which he purchased for $1,250. The year was 1923. The idea spread quickly because both businesses and the public took hold of this new concept in advertising. Traditional sign advertising was hit with the brilliant explosion of neon signs. These first signs were called "liquid fire" no doubt because of the bright red light they emitted seem to signify danger.

The first sign that came to Las Vegas was a sign advertising a place called the "Oasis Cafe House". Who realized then that the city would become one of the country's two premiere neon signage showcases? It was a notable event but few people, gave much thought other than that.

When discussing neon signage in America the Las Vegas Strip(or "The Strip" as it is often called) and New Yok City's Times Square are the logical starting points. It is easy to see how they earned their titles. Both receive millions of visitors each year who view neon displays that are almost blinding. Las Vegas may have an edge over Times Square because it receives many more visitors because of its casinos who provide the city's neon display. In comparison Times Square signs are subject to more frequent changes due to the fact that businesses in that city change often while Las Vegas has casinos that are the mainstay of the city's revenues and the casinos are always in business.

The Las Vegas Strip is home to a world famous iconic neon sign that was erected in 1959. The sign was the idea of Betty Willis, who worked for a local sign company. The sign contained the words "WELCOME TO Fabulous LAS VEGAS NEVADA". The sign was never copyrighted because Willis considered it her gift to the city. This sign is synonymous with the City of Las Vegas. The Willis sign is number one on the list of the world's 10 most impressive neon signages. Las Vegas is also home to the world's largest neon sign which carries the name Hilton and is owned by the Hilton Hotel Corporation. This sign was erected in 1996 and covers over 70,000 feet, The Hilton name is 164 feet wide and the letters are 28 feet high. At a price tag of approximately $9 billion it could easily be called the world's most expensive neon sign.

Times Square received its first neon sign in the mid-1920's. The density of illuminated signs in Times Square has reached the point where it's beginning to give the Las Vegas Strip a run for its money. This density is the result of the smaller size of Times Square compared to that of the Las Vegas Strip which runs for miles. In any case both of these locations are filled with thousands of signs.

Turning our attention from these two neon showcases there are other places in the Us that have notable neon signs. However, they are naturally not on the same level as the previously mentioned giants of neon signage. In Elk City, Oklahoma at the National Route 66 Museum proudly exhibits the giant iconic Route 66 neon sign. The city of Saginaw, Michigan claims it has the largest neon sign in the state an d the largest figural sign in the nation. Figural neon signs show humans and animals. This neon sign is 35 feet high and fifty feet long.

The list of the top 10 neon signs in this country has many neon signs that are nationally known. Many of them are long gone. They all once brightened a city street. Number one is Boston which had its Schrafftt's n sign which was a symbol of the company's candy and chocolate business. Second place on the list went to the "Vegas Vic" sign which was standing tall on the city's Fremont Strees from 1951 to about 1995 when it was retired.

In number three position is the Great Grain Belt Bear sign in Minneapolis which was used a great many years since it was installed in 1940, and is now up for sale. Fourth is the Coppertone Girl sign that was erected on Miami's Biscayne Boulevard to advertise the company's product, suntan lotion. It was a city landmark and was there from 1959 to the 1990's. What made the sign so noticeable was the puppy that was tugging on the little girl's bathing suit. Next on the list is the Skipping Girl sign from Abbotsford, Australia. She was called"Little Audrey" and she advertised the Nycander Company's product, sugar. She was gone in 1968 but due to the public's outrage at the loss of this landmark she was replaced by a replica in 1970. Portland, Oregon's "Made in Oregon" sign which advertised sugar was erected in 1941. It was changed over the years and remained in place when the company left the building in the 1950's.

The Westinghouse Company's sign in Pittsburgh to the number seven spot. It had been up since the early 1920's and was taken down in 1998. Taking the number eight place is the Magikist's Company of Chicago with its sign advertising carpets. The 41,400 pound lips on this sign were regarded as a city landmark However, all of the previous neon signs mentioned are gone. The number nine sign, the Reno Arch in Reno, Nevada which was built in 1927 and is still going strong. Last on the list is the Traveler's Insurance umbrella sign which can be found in Des Moines, Iowa. It was built in 1963 and still in operation.

No mention of neon signs would be complete without including a list of the world's 10 most impressive examples of neon signage. It should be of no surprise that number one on the list is the iconic WELCOME TO Fabulous LAS VEGAS, NEVADA neon signage. This is followed by the Times Square display. Third place goes to Hong Kong's 15 minute entire skyline light show, The next spot belongs to Osaka's Dotonbun signage which was the inspiration for the move, "The Blade Runner". Shanghai's Najinj Road takes position number five with Tokyo's Ginza and Shibuya occupying the number six place. The Vegas Boneyard (where old and iconic Las Vegas signs are restored and displayed) is next. This is followed by the signage showing Vintage Times Square neon signs from the 1920's to the 1950's.

As for the last two on the list the Caesar's Palace neon signage is in ninth place and Bankok's soi cowboy road completes the list. It is interesting to note at this point that at an earlier time London's world famous Piccadilly Circus would have most certainly come in near the top of this list. It received what many have called the first neon sign to come to Europe, a popular soft drink sign, which was replaced a new version in 2003. However, today all of the neon signs in Piccadilly Circus are on one building with the names all being large international corporations.

Many organizations have sprung up in all parts of this country. Their purpose to to collect, restore, and exhibit old classic neon and iconic neon signs. One of these is the Neon Museum of Philadelphia which opened in 1983 and shows neon signs from businesses. The Neon Museum in Las Vegas has iconic neon signs from closed casinos and businesses. It has more than 150 historic restored and non-restored neon signs. It is non-profit and was established in 1996. The American Sign Museum in Cincinnati, Ohio was founded in 1999 and is asid to have over 2,800 signs of all types including neon. The Los Angeles Neon Museum opened its doors in 1981 with the intention of preserving old neon signs and other forms of neon art. In a related vein a gallery and workshop called Let There Be Light opened up in New York City in 1972 to train artists how to use neon.

After illuminated sign usage started in the United States other cities followed although at a much slower pace. Tokyo seems to be one of the first cities outside of the United States to get them. They were installed in a city park in 1926. Australia's first one appeared in a Melbourne suburb in 1930. Johannesburg, South Africa got its first one in 1935. India didn't get its first one until about 1940. Shanghai, China had to wait until 1982 to get its first one. Puskin Square in Moscow got its first sign in 1989. It was a popular soft drink sign. Stockholm. Sweden received its first one around 1936. On the other hand, Zurich Switzerland is reputed to have no neon signs.

Even so, their are some cities in the world that have banned the use of neon signs within their jurisdictions. The Prime Minister of Pakistan, trying to combat his country;s growing power problem, banned them and brightly-lit billboards. In January 2010 the city of Sao Paulo, Brazil, which is the world's fourth largest city, banned them to try and stop its rising pollution problem. In the US in 1996 the town of Avon, Connecticut passed an ordinance banning the use of what they called exposed tubes, but neon signs encased in plastic were alright to use. The town's residents questioned the reasoning behind this ordinance. More recently a ban against the production and sale of illuminated tubes has gone into effect in Vermont and Massachusetts with other states looking to follow suit. Illuminated tubes not using mercury are permitted.

The city of Madrid, Spain, has an ordinance that prohibits all illuminated signs in the city's center so as to reduce contamination, conserve energy, and to make the city more aesthetically pleasant. This ordinance covers all neon used in pharmacies, theater marquees, business signs, and bars. Madrid had had illuminated signs for over 70 years up to this point.The city of Duluth, Georgia prohibits neon signs, and even though these signs are not prohibited in Mesa, Arizona the city's present day ordinances and policies weigh heavily against the survival of illuminated signs.

Starting in the 1960's there was a movement in the United States and Canada against illuminated signs. The city of Vancouver banned the use of these signs on what once were brilliantly-lit streets which then became dark passageways that left the city with a cold, heartless, look.

Since we are talking about neon signs it might be a good thought to get an idea about the neon sign industry. In 2008 neon sign company total revenues were about $2.9 billion. The sign industry, as a whole, had revenues of about $11 billion. At that time there were some 35,00 sign shops, including illuminated sign shops, in this country. These amounts have grown in thw succeeding years.

What is a commercial neon sign worth? That's really hard to say. However, when it comes to prices collectors might pay for them there are some figures available that show what they have paid for highly-prized illuminated signs. In fact, in June of 2006, at a memorabilia sale a Thunderbird Hotel illuminated sign sold for $26,000., while one that said Cloud 9 sold for $21,275., and the star part of a Holiday Inn sign went for $3,220. This shows what people are willing to pay for collectible neon signs. Prices for the commercial kind vary according to size and other factors.

Now it's time to compare neon signs with another form of lighting, LED. Before getting into the advantages and disadvantages of these two methods as they pertain to their commercial use.

Let's start by seeing what LED is and some information about it. The letters LED mean light emitting diodes. LED was first used as a replacement for incandescent indicators and for laboratory equipment displays. Later on it was used in television sets, watches, radios, indicators, and calculators. It isn't only until recently that LED prices have dropped allowing for sales to residential and commercial markets. Outdoor lights and Christmas lights are part of LED home lighting products. With the energy crisis in effect and some foreign countries looking for ways to reduce energy costs LED lighting companies can probably look forward to a profitable future when it comes to their products.

Now that we have a working knowledge of LED lighting is we can make a fairer comparison to neon signs as we mention the good points and the bad points of each. The basis for comparison is the use of the two lighting methods in advertising.

First, with regards to neon sign usage the advantages are as follows - they have a very long life when used properly, neon has a very high operating range and can run on on very high voltages using AC or DC current, they don't always require special power supplies, and these signs have a very low power consumption. A unique advantage, only enjoyed by neon signs, is that they can be made into any shape. This very important advantage, the ability to be bent into shape makes it ideal for use in advertising, wall clocks, and lighting for homes and businesses. Finally, it's inexpensive for small indicators and decorative lights.

Neon signs also have their disadvantages. They have low light output for input power, only produce a small range of the color spectrum, make only one color at a time, require a large surface area to be used for general lighting, and is expensive for use as signs and displays.

The advantages of using LED lights are these - the US Department of Energy expects the cost of producing LEDs to decline below that of compact fluorescent lamps called CELs in about 2013, high level of energy efficiency, more durable, extended product lifetime, and reduced heat load to the space(an added benefit from reduced energy usage).

The disadvantages of using LED lighting include the "warm" lighting generated by LEDs is more expensive than "cold" lighting, LEDs are more expensive than some more traditional lighting concepts, limited selection and options, color quality, and lack of product standardization.

The purpose of this article was to provide on the many topics related to neon signs that are not often known by the general public. What the future holds for each of these kinds of lighting is hard to predict. By just referring to the material presented the most reasonable answer might be that both of them will be in use for some time to come, but that could easily change due to improved designs and advances that either could develop, changes in the economy, or any one of a number of other factors. Both industries have very large financial resources and will do whatever it takes to obtain the greater share of the signage market.

In the final analysis there are two basic factors that will influence the sign industry with regard to profits and investment. Businesses want to employ whatever method that works the most successful for them. Consideration of future advancements in technology with regards to each form of lighting, prices, and many other factors is crucial plus examining the advantages and disadvantages of each. Another idea is which one draws a better response from the buying public. This could well be the deciding factor. Like all industries these two competitors will undoubtedly look to marketing research studies as a reliable guide to their decision making. Each of these two systems has only one goal in common and that is the same as any business or company and that is to try and make the right decisions that bring in the most money and that's the name of the game.

Joseph Tedesco attended schools in New Jersey and Florida and holds degrees in business and education. He has taught in both elementary and high schools. He has been involved in real estate management and sales. Mr. Tedesco has operated summer businesses in New Jersey's summer resorts. He has traveled extensively in the US and other countries. He has worked for several large corporations. He is married and has a son. He likes to travel and exchange ideas with those he meets. Mr. Tedesco belongs to several organizations and is involved with his family in charitable work. He likes to read non-fiction books about the government, government agencies, and early American history. His favorite presidents are George Washington and Thomas Jefferson.

When the Going Gets Tough - The Tough Start Looking For New Customers

At the moment the news seems to be full of nothing but doom and disaster, fire and famine, war and pestilence, death and destruction.

So it might seem insane to be talking about how to find new customers in these circumstances.

On the contrary, now is precisely the time when it is most important to be thinking about new business. For a start, during the bad times it may be essential to find new customers to replace existing customers who go to the wall. On a more positive note, the links one forges in the hard times tend to endure, and they will probably be the source of far greater profits when the good times return.

In many businesses, bad times produce as many, if not more, business opportunities as good.

If the newspapers are full of war and the threat of terrorism, now is the time to sell life insurance. For most people the chance of being killed in combat or by terrorists is negligible, but it is the fear of these remote possibilities that sells the insurance.

If there are pictures of tornados, floods, or hurricanes on the television, it is good time to be in building materials. The pictures of flattened wooden houses are poignant but also an advertisement for bricks. Again, the brick house would not stand up much better than the wooden one against a major hurricane, but it is the feeling of security that sells.

Even famine in the Third World is a business opportunity. It would be wrong to exploit the starving local people - who, in any case, do not have any money - but when the aid agencies move in, they and their employees will need all sorts of support on the ground.

At this point, there is an obvious question: why write about this instead of going out and doing it?

To this here is an equally obvious answer: even hardened entrepreneurs sometimes feel that there is something indecent about making money out of the suffering of others.

Yet surely it all depends on precisely how one does business.

Meeting a basic need is not in itself immoral. It is, on the contrary, essential that someone does. Indeed, it may be a positive moral good to provide food, shelter, water, healthcare and the like. No one in their right minds would suggest that those who provide these things should not be paid. If they were not, these products and services would be reduced to permanent subsistence level everywhere.

So the farmer who produces the food deserves to be paid. If he happens to be an enterprising and efficient farmer who produces more, and therefore lowers the price to the consumer, he deserves to be paid more.

However, if he reduces production or hoards food in order to drive prices up - which is actually government policy in many Western nations - he is a profiteer.

He is also a bad businessman. If the whole point of getting new customers in bad times is to make more out of them in good times, his exploitation will be remembered and others will make the profits he could have made in the longer term.

Guy Kingston produces and presents the Mind Your Own Business podcast, offering free business advice to entrepreneurs and business owners. As well as audio podcasts there are more articles like this, compelling videos and a must-read blog. All at http://www.myobpod.com or you can network and join in discussions on the MYOB Facebook group http://www.new.facebook.com/group.php?gid=12117784275

Turning Our Backs on Capitalism is Going to Cost US!

Not everyone is a firm believer in capitalism, over the years academia has brainwashed a large part of our educated society that capitalism is bad, and that socialism and communism might actually be the better venue for the future utopia we all seek. However having participated personally in capitalism, having run a business, made a payroll, and built a large company, I disagree. And my practical experience in the real world for the last 27 years trumps anyone else's PhD, because they are only studying theory.

Okay so, someone who is against capitalism might say that it brings out all the greedy bastards in the world, who are trying to rip people off, manipulate the consumer through trickery and marketing, and trash on the employees and the labor. However, this is not the case because if someone is greedy and they want more, they must produce more of what people want, and not only must they produce what people want, they must produce what people are willing to pay for. In doing so they bring everyone else in the society what they need.

In many ways capitalism takes those unfortunate psychological attributes which we know to be innate in the species and turns them into something very positive. If the consumer does not want a product the company produces, no is holding a gun to their head and making them purchase (exception: Obama Care makes it mandatory to buy health insurance from a company), and labor doesn't have to work for a company which treats them poorly. The problems we are having with our economy, society, and political unrest has nothing to do with capitalism being evil.

After all, capitalism built this great nation, and I guarantee you the population does not consider itself to be evil. We are a great nation, we are a giving nation, and we are holding up the entire world. It's nothing to feel guilty about. In fact the US should be commended for proving capitalism works, even though we don't have entirely free markets. But what we have noted is the closer we get to capitalism the better we do, and further away from it we get the worse we do.

I would submit to you that turning our backs on capitalism is going to cost the United States dearly. Why you ask? It's simple really because we turned our backs on the socio-economic strategy that made us great, Capitalism. Today, those who hate capitalism took control of the very flows of labor and money which allow it to bring everyone up, we've moved away from what capitalism is, thus, all the gained synergies of capitalism, are now turning our backs on us.

Why on Earth would we have expected any other possible outcome? The US and her people deserve what's happening now, because we are destroying the very methods and strategy which got us here.

Ayn Rand was right, along with Milton Friedman, and Adam Smith. Indeed, hope you'll please consider all this and think on it. If you have any comments, concerns, complaints, or questions you may e-mail me.

Lance Winslow is an Online Author, his latest eBook about Boat Detailing is now available in the "Lance Winslow Small Business Series" titled; "How to Start a Boat Cleaning Business" (a Nook Book available at the Barnes and Noble Website). Lance Winslow is semi-retired and Founder of the Online Think Tank http://www.WorldThinkTank.net - You may contact Lance Winslow by email for dialogue, discourse, discussion, or debate on interesting topics.

Imagine Getting Sick, Having Medical Insurance and Going Broke Anyway

When I had some pains in my chest my internist decided I should have a stress test. It sounded like a good idea to me. I enjoy living and am not the least bit interested in the alternative.

This was more than an ordinary stress test like running on a treadmill. I was walking quickly on an elevated treadmill while undergoing some nuclear profusion imaging to reconstruct tomographic SPECT images.

Apparently the shots they gave me lit me up inside so the physician and nuclear technician could see how I was reacting to the stress.

While I am probably leaving something important out and do not understand the technical terms involved, I was readily able to recognize the cost of the procedure. Try $2,485. All of this took about 4 hours and the physician was involved for all of probably 20 minutes.

I had insurance but still will end up paying $593. My insurance company will pay $813. It is not difficult for me to understand why people wonder if they have medical insurance or not.

An article in USA Today on March 22 had this headline: Even the insured have trouble paying bills.

Well, duh. I would hardly be exaggerating if I suggested that medical insurance coverage in America is totally out of control.

We have millions of citizens working without any medical insurance, others are paying through the nose for coverage they do have, we have millions of children without any medical coverage whatsoever, and very few of us seem to be getting our medical obligations paid with our insurance in force.

Businesses and organizations keep reducing our medical coverage to lower their premiums, and the insurance providers keep reducing our benefits and raising our deductibles and co-pays for office visits and prescription drugs.

Workers and consumers are getting it from both sides while health care providers and insurance providers claim each is gouging the other. It makes you wonder who is really profiting.

A fleet of 400-dollar-an-hour attorneys with 17 months of legal investigation could not figure it out in their most sober effort, nor would they want to as the pay is too good.

To say no one is really profiting is nonsense as medical costs have routinely exceeded the increase in inflation during recent years.

In the USA Today article, a senior policy analyst says "Shifting more costs onto patients has significant health access and financial consequences."

Well duh. Trust me when I say it does not take a senior policy analyst to tell consumers they are getting the short end of the stick as well as paying more for less medical coverage and less medical service.

Someone far brighter than a senior policy analyst needs to figure out how health care coverage in American can be less expensive and more effective.

Things are so bad you cannot even get detail on your bill, and even if you did it is so poorly explained that you cannot understand the charges.

It is like insurance companies lying, cheating and stealing in their policies with consumers, getting caught, paying multi-million dollar fines for their indiscretions, and then acting like it is no big deal when these major corporations are actually common criminals that are never prosecuted.

Is it possible that a nation that has produced so many great thinkers cannot come up with one great thinker that can see through this health care maze and produce a positive plan that benefits the few moneymakers enough to benefit all of us who need more affordable coverage?

Copyright © 2007 Ed Bagley

Ed Bagley's Blog Publishes Original Articles with Analysis and Commentary on 5 Subjects: Sports, Movie Reviews, Lessons in Life, Jobs and Careers, and Internet Marketing. My intention is to inform, educate, delight and motivate you the reader.

Read my articles on Borrowing and Credit Card Companies, including "Financial Predators: Vermin, Rodents and Other Insect Pests", and my 3-part series on "Your Credit Score - How It Can Cost You Thousands More on Your Mortgage - Part 1; Six Actions You Can Take to Improve Your Contract Terms - Part 2; and FICO Plans to Eliminate Authorized Credit Card User Accounts - Part 3".

Find my Blog at:

http://www.edbagleyblog.com

[http://www.edbagleyblog.com/LessonsinLife.html]

Going Nuclear is a Privilege, Not a Right

The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Mohamed El Baradei, warned recently that more than 30 countries could soon have the technological know-how to produce nuclear weapons. As North Korea and Iran push forward with their atomic programs, it seems that going nuclear is becoming fashionable on the international stage.

There are currently five declared nuclear powers (the United States, France, Great Britain, Russia, and China) and two other states known to have nuclear weapons (India and Pakistan). Add in a couple of more countries suspected of having nukes (Israel and North Korea) and the total number of nations known or suspected to have nuclear weapons grows to nine.

The world community has long suspected, and probably rightly so, that Israel possesses an atomic weapons capability, a charge the Israeli government consistently and adamantly denies. North Korea, we now know, has the capability to at least test a nuclear device of some sort. But whether or not the DPRK has the ability to produce an actual atomic weapon, or the ability to deliver a nuclear payload in an attack on another country, is a question still unanswered.

According to El Baradei, many states are developing nuclear technology that is designed for peaceful energy production. The problem, though, is that these programs could quickly and easily be modified to develop atomic weapons.

Iran and Brazil are known to be actively working on uranium enrichment capability, and other countries, including Australia, Argentina, and South Africa are seriously considering programs of their own.

Thirteen more states either have the ability to produce weapons grade uranium, could build the technology to do so, or could use nuclear waste for weapons: Japan, South Korea, Canada, Germany, Sweden, Belgium, Switzerland, Taiwan, Spain, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Lithuania.

Four nations recently announced they were initiating nuclear programs (Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, and Saudi Arabia) and fourteen more have expressed an interest in doing so, either for energy production or in response to regional realities. This group includes Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates, Bangladesh, Ghana, Indonesia, Jordan, Namibia, Moldova, Nigeria, Poland, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam, and Yemen.

Yemen is a known hotbed for terrorists, as is Algeria. Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia, though relatively friendly to the United States and the west, are constantly fighting their own internal battles against Islamic fundamentalists. The potential for global nuclear proliferation has never been greater, and the possibility of weapons of mass destruction falling into the hands of radicals determined to employ them has never been more real.

The global community, under the auspices of the United Nations, has been completely ineffective at dealing with nuclear programs in unstable countries. Negotiations over Iran's uranium enrichment activities are stalled as Russia and China try to protect their business interests. The economic sanctions resolution against North Korea was repeatedly reworded until it was weak enough to satisfy the DPRK's main trading partner, China, and even then several nations decided to only selectively enforce its provisions.

The simple truth is that not every nation has an absolute right to nuclear technology. The consequences of nuclear abuse are too severe to permit unchecked global proliferation. Until a nation has a stable government that demonstrates its ability to be responsible in the international arena, and in its internal politics, it should be prevented from developing any atomic program, for energy or weapons production.

It is absolutely critical for the world's major powers to confront North Korea and Iran, and to do so immediately and effectively. Neither country has demonstrated that it can be a responsible nuclear power, and neither country can be counted on to refrain from providing other rogue nations with nuclear technology.

There is no question that Kim Jong-Il's cash-starved government would sell nuclear technology to any national government or transnational group willing to pay for it. Such sales would provide the North Korean dictatorship with the resources it needs to further insulate itself from a discontented population.

The Iranians, on the other hand, would probably use nuclear technology to dominate the Middle East. The Persian nation's quest for regional hegemony is quickly becoming a reality, as Iran asserts its influence with Hezbollah against Israel and with the Shiite masses in Iraq, all the while taunting the United Nations and the west with its continued defiance over its nuclear program. But the potential for nuclear technology transfer from Iran cannot be discounted, either for political or economic reasons. Iran's loyalties lie with whoever will help in the quest for regional dominance.

Both North Korea and Iran must be stopped before it is too late. The United States has taken the lead in countering both countries, but the problem does not belong to the United States alone. Other nations must step up and act like the responsible global players they claim to be. Membership in the nuclear club must be selective and limited to those nations who can use the technology in a safe and responsible manner. Going nuclear is a privilege, not a right. And the sooner the major powers of the world recognize that fact, and take action to support it, the better off the world will be.

What's Going on With the National Curriculum Statement in South Africa

The new system aims to put right defects in the unpopular Outcome Based Education (OBE) system and improve learner achievements.

The Committee that reviewed the process acknowledged that teachers were over burdened with curriculum and administrative duties and the department has started the process of relieving some of the pressure on them, thereby allowing them to do what they are there for- to teach our learners. The Review Committee has set in motion measures to reduce the number of projects learners need to do and portfolio files of learner assessments have been axed. Also, as of January 2010 CTAS for Grade 9 learners were stopped.

When you look at some of the statistics that are being published, these changes couldn't have come sooner. A survey found that under OBE, a million children gave up schooling every year, with in excess of five million learners having left school incapable of reading or writing effectively.

The Minister explained the aims of the new National Curriculum Statement (NCS), summarised as follows:

• The repackaging of the existing curriculum into the general aims of the South African curriculum, the specific aims of each subject, clearly delineated topics to be covered per term and the required number and type of assessments, also per term.

• Outcomes to be absorbed into more accessible aims and content and assessment requirements will be spelt out more clearly. Topics and assessments to be covered per term are being aligned to available time allocations per subject.

• The reduction of the number of learning areas in the Intermediate Phase from eight to six. That means that in grades 4 to 6 technology will be combined with science, arts and culture will be combined with life orientation and economic and management sciences will be taught only from grade 7. One of the priorities in the Basic Education budget speech in March was the development and distribution of adequate learning and teaching material. Motshekga went on to explain "A crucial pillar in the Department's determination to improve learner performance is the provision of learner workbooks. This project is a result of the injunction by the Presidency to provide resources to teachers and learners to improve learner performance in literacy and numeracy.

To this end, the Department of Basic Education has developed a plan for the development of the Work Books for Grades 1 - 6 in order to ensure the development, piloting, printing and distribution of learner workbooks early in 2011. We will pilot the workbooks in schools in 2010 and they will be available for use in all schools in 2011. The project will provide resource support to 6.5 million learners and approx 180 000 teachers in nearly 20 000 schools. This will place workbooks in the hands of each and every learner in the system.

A team of curriculum experts/materials developers/translators is developing the workbooks. These individuals have proven experience in the development of learner workbooks, are conversant with resource based methods and are able to produce high quality output according to project deadlines."

Additional recommendations that Minister Motshekga made are:

"Firstly, the Council approved the recommendation that from 2011, the language chosen by the learner as a Language of Learning and Teaching shall be taught as a subject, or as a First Additional Language, from Grade One (1) and not from Grade 2, as is currently the case. What this means, for instance, is that the teaching of English will occur alongside mother tongue instruction for those learners who choose English as a language of learning and teaching. English will not replace the mother tongue or home language in the early grades, as some commentators have interpreted the recommendation.

Secondly, Council agreed to regular, externally-set assessments at grades 3, 6 and 9 in literacy (in home language and first additional language) and numeracy/mathematics. It agreed on a weighting of continuous assessment and end of year examinations.

Council thirdly agreed that the symbols or rating scales used to rate learner performance in Grades 10-12 will, from 2011, be extended to Grades R-9, so that there is consistency across the curriculum."

The fact that the OBE problems are being addressed is indeed progress but what of the 5 million kids that have left school with limited literacy and numeracy skills - are they to be written off as lost?

David Meredith is CEO of Virtual-IT a database development company based in South Africa. The company wa established in 2001 with a management teamthat has a combined experience of over forty years, specialising in the Education Industries of South Africa and the United Kingdom. The team at Virtual-IT has the background that you can trust with your Staff Skills Development Programs, be it Facilitation Feedback, Assessment or Learner Management Reporting Systems, we understand the challenges and opportunities this unique industry offers and our Network of Industry experts allows us to add value to most areas of Training and Reportability.

For more details please go our web site http://virtual-it.co.za/ or [http://lmssoftware.org/]