Book Review: HBR On Strategic Marketing

This is an eye opener to the techniques of marketing. Whether you are a Sales person, a marketer, a manager, an executive or a business owner, this book can give you an insight on how to manage the Sales, generate better leads, how to integrate marketing with sales, asking the right question, marketing digitally and much more.

The way each problem is explained carefully and systematically with real life stories/experiments in the case studies, makes the topic itself much easier to comprehend.

In a chapter encouraging people to think about the best metric for brand perfect ability among the people, the main question that comes to mind is that, “How many people are willing to advice your brand to others?”

This book is not meant for beginner, but for people who are somewhat familiar with the marketing world and its jargon.

At the same time, HBR encompasses many of the bright minds, and getting an opportunity to read the case studies, that are rarely released by colleges, is a good opportunity to revitalize your curious mind, and learn more!

Book Review: Discipline Equals Freedom

Wake up. Plan. Just do it. – These are the words that come to your mind after reading this book. It is an aggressive but motivating book aimed at bringing out the best of you.

Many of us keep pondering over what we want to do, and some who do know – they keep planning for it. It is just useless unless the activities that you thought of are executed. People can think of high dreams but they only realize the intensity of effort needed when they start taking action.

During those days of action, all of us face the dilemma of not moving forward to the goal, not seeing any results. So what you do? Most of us – Give up. NO. That shouldn’t be. Always be persistent and keep at it whether you like it or not. And slowly and steadily, you will reach your goal.

If you need some serious motivation to get up and work, especially work out, then this is the book for you! It also includes a set of exercises, with equipment’s and stretching techniques, which some people might find useful.

Lastly as Mr. Jocko Willink has written:

Don’t just talk.
Don’t just think.
Don’t just dream.
No. None of that matters.
The only thing that matters is that you actually do.
So:
DO.

War!?

Is this a joke to people? Do you understand that everyone is rejoicing over people being killed, bodies being burned, bombs being exploded!

Who the enemy is is now completely out of the equation now, and India or Pakistan are finding a new way to target each other?

People, the enemy are the terrorists! Those who take innocent lives just to force there own propaganda on others! They should be the target, and India or Pakistan should both focus on eliminating this threat of Terrorism before it takes even more lives!

Both these countries were one till 1947, before the “Britishers” separated them as now most of the time they are fighting at the border.

Please understand that war will bring nothing good other than taking even more lives. Think about the soldiers of your own country! They have families too. They want to live too!

Moroccon tourist murders

A couple of tourists in Morocco were ‘beheaded‘ during their trip. Although the culprit has not been confirmed as of now, the police has arrested a dual Swiss-Spanish national. The man was also found trying to recruit Moroccans “to carry out terrorist plots”.

The victims were Louisa Vesterager Jespersen, 24, from Denmark, and Maren Ueland, 28, from Norway, who had arrived in Morocco on December 9th on a month-long vacation. Both of them had been studying outdoor activities at the University of Southeastern Norway. Their bodies were found in their tent.

A minute of silence was observed in the capital Rabat with Danish and Norwegian diplomats present. There were hundreds of people present at the vigil in the southern village of Imlil, where the women’s bodies were found.

No one can understand the reason terrorists or people do such activities. It is beyond rational comprehension. Following such methods, for what cause? Do they just enjoy it? Do they have no remorse? Because of such people, the world has become a place to be trusted even less. People have to be even more cautious at all times, governments spend even more on defence.
Is this the world that will continue on?

Reference: Morocco tourist murders

Drive Carefully… Esp on highways with no reflectives!

haryana road accident ambala chandigarh — Image

A 50 vehicle pile up happened in Ambala, Haryana on Saturday morning (December 29th), killing seven people and injuring more than four people. As per the initial investigations, a truck coming from the opposite direction, rammed into two cars on the Ambala-Chandigarh National Highway due to poor visibility owing to heavy fog.

Bus and Truck drivers have been called out several times in India due to their rash driving, with accidents happening frequently.
“The victims, who were in two cars, were on their way from Chandigarh to Vrindavan in Uttar Pradesh. They had stopped on the highway as one of the cars developed a snag and the heavy vehicle rammed into their cars from behind in the heavy fog.”

Police said the driver of the unidentified heavy vehicle escaped from the spot. Such is the human behavior, running away from the incident even after making such a serious mistake. Hopefully justice will be served soon.

At the same time, what is the best way to stop any such incidents from happening in the future? Use of proper reflectives, side-rails along the roads are things that the government should consider while making national highways. At the same time strict regulations should be placed on speed especially that of heavy vehicles.

Reference: 7 killed in Ambala-Chandigarh highway

Passed: Triple Talaq Bill

Is it a bliss that the Triple Talaq bill has passed Lok Sabha?

Most people while applauding the bill have condemned one major issue in the bill, which is the criminalizing of the Triple Talaq offense. Rather than keeping it a civil offense, the punishment has been changed to criminal i.e. the men involved with such issues as Triple Talaq might face Jail time. However, no other religion has had such a harsh punishment in this category as of now.

At the same time, it is a big win for Muslim women, who can finally get a chance to state their opinions and reasons in the court and not let any men cheat or ridicule them by saying a mere three words.

A few opinions are of the fact that the bill has been hastely passed in the Lok Sabha due to the upcoming 2019 political elections, and gain the votes of Muslim individuals in the country.
At the same time it is to be noted that Mr. Amit Shah tweeted “This is a historic step ensuring equality and dignity for the Muslim women. Congress and other parties must apologise for decades of injustice towards Muslim women.” The usage of such words and linking political parties in the same makes you question the very intent of passing the bill.

Reference: Times of India – Triple Talaq Bill BJP lauds

Diffractive sails on spacecrafts

A Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) researcher is taking solar sailing to the next level.

He proposes replacing reflective metallic sails with diffractive metafilm sails. The new materials could be used to steer reflected or transmitted photons for near-Earth, interplanetary and interstellar space travel.

Grover Swartzlander is leading an exploratory study supported by phase one funding from NASA’s Innovative Advanced Concepts program. The nine-month, $125,000 award encourages development of visionary technology with potential to revolutionize future space exploration.

At the same time, Swatzlander also mentions that, “Diffractive sails may also be designed for laser-based propulsion, a decades-old concept that has recently attracted significant interest from private investors, resulting in a program called Breakthrough Starshot.”

Data by New solar sailing technology for NASA

Nokia X5 launched!

The long-awaited Nokia X5 has been launched in China at a minimal price of around $199!

The phone comes equipped with Android Oreo, with face recognition and intelligent AI features.

Nokia X5 launched in China: here’s the full specs, and price

The phone is available in Black, White and Blue colors. With a 5.86 inch screen and a 19:9 HD screen ratio, people can’t find a similar feature at this price.

The phone features a 13 MP + 5 MP dual rear camera, with phase detection autofocus and LED flash. The front camera is 8 MP.

One of the most important features is the in-built AI system in the phone.

The phone supports screen-off fingerprint payment, which lets users open up apps with their fingerprint even if the screen is off, making “fingerprint payment in the lock screen state more convenient and faster”. The phone also has features like intelligent screen recognition, double-finger long-press on the screen that lets you break down articles and conversations into easy-to-select, copy, and search-for words.

Data and Image by Nokia X5 launches in China

China ‘in’ the hyperloop

China has enlisted the help of a US company to build a hyperloop in the mountainous southwest region.

Hyperloop transportation technologies (California, USA) in partnership with a company controlled by the government of Tongren, Guizhou, will build a test track no longer than 10 kilometers in length. The expansion of the track will depend on the test results.

Hyperloop Transportation Technologies, or HTT, is one of several companies formed to develop hyperloop systems since billionaire Elon Musk in 2013 released a manifesto detailing his idea for moving people at superfast speeds through a tube.

Besides this project, HTT has also signed a contract for a Hyperloop route in Abu Dhabi and other countries. (I assume it is time to invest in this company!)

Data from China plans Hyperloop track

Rolls Royce EVTOL flying engine

Rolls Royce debuted its EVTOL (Electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing) concept in digital form at the Farnborough Airshow.

The system relies on 6 rotors that offer vertical and horizontal propulsion with a total of 500 kW electric power. The system includes a M250 engine, so it can be easily filled at airports.

The EVTOL can fly at speeds of 250 mph!

Data and Image courtesy: CNET – Rolls Royce EVTOL flying taxi