Wheels of the Common-man.

* Early bicycles were called as high-wheelers, and in England, they were called penny farthings. 

The two wheels were not of the same sizes just like the penny and the farthing coins.


* The prior patents for specific devices and improvements to bicycles were almost $15 per bike.
U.S entrepreneur Albert Pope gained all patents to have control of costs of them.




* Initially,women's bicycles had side saddles with the pedals only on the left, to make it easier for women wearing skirts to ride.

* By 1890, the 'safety bicycle' ,with two small wheels of equal size, a chain drive and gears replaced the high-wheelers.


* In Asia, bicycles began to arrive during the first boom in the 1860s. Japanese bicycle manufacturing industry developed during the 1870s.

* Even in 1899, few automobiles had been built, and horses and carriages were so expensive that they can hardly be maintained in the crowded cities. Ultimately, bicycles gained in popularity.

* S.A.A Annamalai Chettiar manufactured the 'Swan' bicycles in India in 1925, amid stiff competition from imports. Hind Cycles in Mumbai also manufactured bikes.

* Swan cycles closed and Hind Cycles struggled against competition. 

After an array of negotiations, TI Cycles of India (Chennai) embarked on indigenous bicycle manufacturing and ended up in building a factory by 1951. 


Another major collaborative venture, Sen-Raleigh in Asansol was motivated by the motto of building 100000 bicycles in 1952. Others joined the fray.

FC Barcelona - Qatar Airways and FCB. A team that unites the world

Watch this latest super-hit ad featuring FCB Players Messi,Neymar,Puyol,Iniesta & Busquets.

T0p 10 highest earning World Footballers.

1. David Beckham.


* Salary/winnings   - $5.2 million.
* Endorsements      - $42 million.
* Total Earnings    - $47.5 million.


2. Cristiano Ronaldo. 
 

* Salary/winnings   - $23 million.
* Endorsements      - $21 million.
* Total Earnings    - $44 million.

3.Lionel Messi.

* Salary/winnings   - $20.3 million.
* Endorsements      - $21 million.
* Total Earnings    - $41.3 million.


4. Wayne Rooney.

*Salary/winnings    - $18.1 million.
* Endorsements      - $3 million.
* Total Earnings    - $21.1 million.


5.Sergio Aguero.


*Salary/winnings    - $17.4 million.
* Endorsements      - $3.5 million.
*Total Earnings     - $20.9 million.


6. Didier Drogba.


* Salary/winnings   - $15.8 million.
* Endorsements      - $5 million.
* Total Earnings    - $20.8 million.


7. Yaya Toure.

* Salary/winnings   - $18.2 million.
* Endorsements      - $2.5 million.
* Total Earnings    - $20.7 million.




8. Neymar.

* Salary/winnings   - $10.5 million.
* Endorsements      - $10 million.
* Total Earnings    - $20.5 million.


9. Fernando Torres.


* Salary/winnings   - $17 million.
* Endorsements      - $3 million.
* Total Earnings    - $20 million.


10. Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
 

* Salary/winnings   - $17.2 million.
* Endorsements      - $2.5 million.
* Total Earnings    - $19.7 million.

iPhone 5C, the C is for 'Cook'.

Indo-China Conundrum.

The obstacles that confronted Tim Cook and Co's China and India strategy were essentially two-fold; the first was the difficulty in creating a cheaper product without it being dismissed as old wine in a new bottle.

Even if such a product could be conceived and rolled out,it was essential that it is not a phone meant for the poor Asians; nothing would rankle the pride of the Chinese and Indian customer more. The eventual solution to this was to introduce the iPhone 5C,price it high,and segment the overall product line in a classic case of Apple skating to where the puck will be in perhaps two years.

With the introduction of the new iPhone 5C,the i-1 variant has now been refreshed with a new product that clearly segments the iPhone line-up. The iPhone 5C is not an older version of the latest iPhone,it is the first of a line of iPhones!
This move also has the advantage of ditching the iPhone 5,which,out of all the previous iterations,arguably had the smallest life cycle. 

Why was it essential that the 5C come with a high price tag and not be the budget phone that it was prophesied to be? The answer lies in the phone's target audience,which are essentially the late adopters in developed markets and the early adopters in emerging markets.

Grab the stragglers.

The 5C is remarkably suited to attracting these target audiences-it has a 'new' colourful look which will seduce the notso-technologically-savvi older and younger generations that make up the late smartphone adopters in Western countries.

It is at this point that Apple will make its price play,and when the company will finally pass on the manufacturing costs it has saved in the production of the plastic 5C,with the price shooting down to perhaps roughly $400.
This is indefinitely more effective than selling older models at cheaper prices. 

Investors have little ground to worry,and should rather rejoice in anticipation of the massive profits that Apple is set to reap,for the pricing of the 5C is a symbolic acceptance by Tim Cook to the economies of the company's supply chain.

The events of the last year combined with the groundwork that is presently being laid show that with Cook at the helm,Apple after Steve Jobs is just as strong. And in some ways,even stronger.

Verdict truly Justified.

 Finally.....

The four convicts in the December 16 Delhi gang rape-murder case were awarded death sentence by the Delhi court. The Court claimed that the gravity of the offence cannot be tolerated. 

"DEATH TO ALL"- Additional Sessions Judge Yogesh Khanna said while delivering the verdict in the Delhi gang rape cum murder case that had evoked nation-wide outrage and compelled the Government to bring in a heavy anti-rape law.

Soon after the verdict came out,the victim's mother expressed satisfaction in the judgement. 

'Besides discussing other offences,i straight away come to section 302 of IPC. This falls under inhuman nature of the convicts and the gravity of the offence cannot be tolerated. Death sentence is given to all the four convicts.-he said.'

The four convicts were Mukesh (26) , Akshay Thakur (28) , Pawan Gupta (19) and Vinay Sharma (20) were charged for several offences,besides murder,gang rape,dacoity,destruction of evidence,conspiracy,kidnapping or abducting in order to murder etc.

Advocate,V.K Anand,who appeared for Mukesh,said that he has regard for the verdict and he will file an appeal in the Delhi High Court.

Special Public Prosecutor,Mr Dayan Krishnan said,'I have done my job and we are happy with the verdict.'

The girl's mother said that no such victim should remain silent and should come forward to launch a complaint.

As soon as the verdict was announced,the people who were waiting outside the court room started clapping.

At last,as an Indian,as a human,I want to sincerely express my personal satisfaction on the verdict.
As Cassandra Clare rightly said ,"The law is hard,but it is the law".

                                               JAI HIND.