THE BYSTANDER

While making up your mind to buy any consumer durables, better not to go for the product that has come to market lately. Even it is backed by renowned brand name or company of repute. In India, time and again it is observed many companies try off line products (the products which they do not manufacture), and subsequently abandon it, leaving their customers to meet their fate. So happened, when Philips started selling fridge decades ago. It was not a successful venture for them, so they stopped. Imagine the plight of those who bought their fridges being wooed by Philips brand name! With Indian consumer protection laws being elusive, the gullible consumers are treated like guinea pigs practically. My recent experience with kitchen chimney manufactured by Bajaj Electrical Products is equally bitter. From their web site it appears that they too have abandon their chimney venture. It was in the month of March I bought their kitchen chimney from one of the Kolkata’s most reliable show room...

This is my debut article in the interest of Indian consumers. Just my humble contribution; to enlighten them about the product or service of famous TATA SKY. Amir Khan, the brand ambassador or Mr. Ratan Tata, the person at the helm of all TATA affairs, would be ashamed of TATA SKY, once they know instead of making the life “JINA LALA”; it is turning the life “JINA HARAM” with TATA SKY at times. With much expectation I switch over to TATA SKY from local cable operator in the month of May this year. Within six months twice I they have replaced their set top box. They went out of order and it is under warranty for one year. Every time I called their customer care, they receive they call as if your are naïve. They take no less than half an hour, to guide you to switch off and on , take out their digi-card and put it back, whether you are young or old caring a fig for that! Surprisingly their call centre’s number is not toll free! You are put on hold for ten minutes and another twenty m...

After a long break I am back to blogging again. In between I had a short stint as a copy writer with some American agency. I fell short with my little knowledge in English to meet the demand of their language churning machines. Well said by one of my friend, they are out to make mass production of literature with that software, as Ford started assembly line of production of his cars, early in the last century. Anyway, I too am thinking to focus on different areas of discussion. Consumer movement is still in nascent stage in our country. Though the relevant laws are framed, many seminars, workshops are held with lots of drum beatings. Still we are there now where we were 20 years ago. Thanks to our system which puts snails ashamed! Getting judgments for your genuine grievances, the time factors saps all your energy. That offers the field day here to manufacturers, service providers, professionals’ et al to loot the gullible consumers. You know the medicine you buy should cost much les...

The recent tsunami what has devastated the economy of the United States and with it many other west European economies and finally more or less the global economy as whole. It started from the sub-prime crises. That relates to housing finance in US. In fact we all by now know that. But what is a sub-prime crisis! It is the loan offered at an interest rate which is lower than the prime lending rate, fixed by the central bank. In India, Reserve Bank of India, review and fix it in every quarter. So, when the loans offered at a sub-prime rate of interest went bad (not paid back), that created the crisis. But how come that happened, is bit difficult to understand for them who are only exposed to prudential banking norm as it is in India. We know when we approach for housing loan to any banks or housing loan finance companies, as a security they take the housing unit as a collateral or hypothecation for the same loan. In case the loan going bad, the housing unit is sold off, the money real...

Here I give underneath the discussion took place with Bill Moyers with investment guru George Soros; this will give you the idea how global financial crisis is perceived the by him; October 10, 2008 BILL MOYERS:Welcome to the Journal. You are not alone if you are worried about the financial melt down. So is my guest George Soros, one of the world's best known and successful investors, making billions in times of boom or bust. He's been warning for years of a financial melt down fueled by easy credit and sleepy regulation. Now he's out with this timely book, "The New Paradigm for Financial Markets: The Credit Crisis of 2008 and What It Means." In the interest of full disclosure, you should know that I served three years on the board of George Soros' foundation, the Open Society Institute, dealing with such issues as a free press, the rule of law, and human rights. But I've had no involvement in his political activities and nothing to do, with his business i...

Here was a chat, arranged by WIPRO for its employees, with Dr.Devi Shetty, Narayana Hrudayalaya (Heart Specialist) Bangalore. The transcript of the chat is given below. Useful for everyone. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Qn: What are the five thumb rules for a layman to take care of his heart? Ans: 1. Diet - Less of carbohydrate, more of protein, less oil 2. Exercise - Half an hour's walk, at least five days a week; avoid lifts and avoid sitting for a longtime 3. Quit smoking 4. Control weight 5. Control blood pressure and sugar Qn: Is eating non-veg food (fish) good for the heart? Ans: No Qn: It's still a grave shock to hear that some apparently healthy person gets a cardiac arrest. How do we understand it in perspective? Ans: This is called silent attack; that is why we recommend everyone past the age of 30 to undergo routine health checkups. Qn: Are heart diseases hereditary? Ans: Yes Qn: What are the ways in which the heart ...