Archive for August, 2008

Domain Name Goldrush

{ August 29, 2008 @ 3:23 pm } · { Business, UK }
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Domain name speculation has been big business for about as long as domain names came onto the free market. Any new type (TLD) has sparked a steep increase in purchases from people who simply registered whatever came to their mind; words and names that may or may not be wanted. If you get lucky, you could be rich overnight!

I have to shamefully admit that I have tried this once… A few years back when .info domains were on a special promotion; any person could freely register 20 of them and only had to pay after 1 year. So I got various 3 character letter/number combinations, and some combinations of keywords aimed at travel, gambling, air tickets etc. and put them on Sedo Parking. Good thing it was free, because I didn’t sell even one of them.

Most recently, the introduction of the “.eu” domain has sparked another gold rush, considerably bigger than the minor ones for country specific domains. Obviously, because .eu does not cover only one country but a large area with in certain cases strong association with the “European Identity”. I can imagine that companies largely selling in Europe, but not specific to one country would love a .eu domain. For exactly this reason, I contacted someone who holds the “.eu” domain of my employer’s name. It was obviously a domain registered for speculation purposes only; You open it and it displays some links and a search, which are not in any way related to the domain name itself. Also, a whois search quickly revealed that the company owning this name was located in the Bahamas!

I have just received a reply to my enquiry regarding what price they’re looking for… 888 Euro! It’s absolutely insane. And this for a name which has no real meaning, is not spelled properly even according to normal perception, and it’s not even a “.com”. Perhaps this company has invested so much in this speculative endeavour and nobody really wants their domains, that in order to cut their losses they need to charge exorbitant amounts for one single domain name…

I for one am of the opinion that this whole affair just makes domain costs spiral out of control unnecessarily. The names are expensive simply because somebody has bought all of them for no valid reason. Same way there are restrictions on registering trademarked names and phrases, there should be rules to prevent this insanity from continuing! There should be trading standards on names, based on how desirable they are, how many letters, which TLD. Not every e-cowboy should be allowed to just occupy large numbers of domain names, and sell them on to others at unjustified premiums; it borders on extortion!

R.I.P. Traditional Marketing

{ August 28, 2008 @ 1:18 pm } · { Business, UK }
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Although I am not a marketing expert, I am lucky to enjoy the daily company of one. One who is looking for a job in this field. Having experience in India, which is a largely conservative market when it comes to Marketing and Advertising, being introduced to Marketing UK-Style has come as quite a shock. I, however am much more at home because what is considered Marketing here, I used to try and sell to small time business owners in India; online presence.

We have looked through hundreds of vacancies, reading job profiles and descriptions and one word particularly shows through; “online”.

Marketing Executives/Managers/Assistants/etc all seem to do just one thing: Online marketing; newsletters, company websites, SEO, PPC/PPV (Pay Per Click/ Pay Per View) advertising. There simply is no mention of anything else; except in the rarest of cases where you may find something about presentations and copywriting for flyers (secondary to the company newsletter of course!)

Marketing in the traditional sense seems to have died. Right now my husband works in a huge company, in Sales. And they seem to put little or no effort at all into Marketing. They simply survive on their brand name and make sure their website/newsletter is up-to-date. This is a luxury and definitely makes you lazy! And it’s not just the big time corporates following this path either! If you spend some time browsing around Forums dedicated to small business owners, all they can think of nowadays is getting their website up and advertising it online, or getting on the first page of Google search results. How crazy is it that people get so caught up in the whole online aspect of things, that more experienced businesspeople have to come up to them and say “you know, you could get flyers printed as well, they can be quite effective, if not more than an online ad campaign!” As if it’s a revolutionary idea!

Sure, globalisation made the world quite a small place. But this total contrast in how we try to advertise ourselves in the Western world and anywhere else is shocking to me. Sure, in India online presence as well as access is much more limited than in the West where people do their shopping online even. So there it becomes difficult to convince a Bricks&Mortar business owner who is not PC literate, to even consider getting the most basic website for his business. But do we tend to forget that perhaps our parents’ or grandparents’ generation might not necessarily know how to switch on a PC either, let alone see an online banner advert for your business?

Do we want to lose the business of people who are suspicious of online ads, simply because there have been reports of online scams? A flyer, brochure or business card, reaching your potential customer may just make your business name stand out a little extra. Or they may give it to someone who needs your products/services.

Or do we want to use online marketing the way it should be used; as a valuable part of your Marketing strategy, which should not be ignored, but also not seen as the only option.

Business Advice Open Day – 18 Sept. (Twickenham)

{ August 26, 2008 @ 4:01 pm } · { Business, UK }
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A couple of days ago, my colleague received an invitation from HM Revenue & Customs for a Business Advice Open day to be held in Twickenham on Thursday 18 September.

She knew that I am in the process of starting my own business, and asked if I wanted to come along. Since it’s free I was quite eager.

On these open days, Business Link and others host free seminars which can be booked through the website. Topics include: Tax/VAT/National Insurance, Import & Export, Marketing, Intellectual Property, Health & Safety and more.

I’m not quite sure what to expect, but I can’t imagine any better way to spend a day I would’ve otherwise spent sitting in office, staring at a PC screen. And if I learn anything useful, I’ll be sure to post it on this blog for everyone to read.

Wanted: 1 bedroom flat in Middlesex

{ August 26, 2008 @ 3:42 pm } · { Misc, UK }
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In case you didn’t know, at the moment my husband and I live in a tiny studio flat. We had a long weekend just now, due to Monday being off; Summer Bank Holiday. This holiday seems to be just an excuse the British thought up in order to drive the working class to the shops and spend money. But that’s an entirely different topic…

So, this Bank Holiday Weekend, I decided to pass on horrible, store bought naan to go with the Indian dishes I generally cook. So I made some Atta and wanted to make Paranthas. If it wasn’t enough that I was preparing Dry Rajma at the same time, and had tons of various spices strewn all over the place, putting wheat flour and water together in a bowl in order to create the atta was just a little too much to ask. With my arms up to my elbows in sticky dough and my hair falling in my face, I was getting increasingly frustrated and claustrophobic. When the atta was done, and the Pressure cooker happily hissing and whistling away, I decided to make a little space for rolling my Paranthas. I should’ve known better.

Things got knocked over, Paranthas stuck to the work surface. Mayhem and chaos in my kitchen…

It is time I think, to find a place just a bit bigger. One separate bedroom, a slightly bigger kitchen, perhaps even a big wardrobe that will actually fit our clothes? It seems like a distant dream…

Wanted: 1 Bedroom flat in Middlesex. Budget: as cheap as humanely possible ;-)

The perfect Vagina

{ August 22, 2008 @ 3:21 pm } · { TV, UK }
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Ever since it came on TV a couple of days ago, I’ve been wanting to see this show “The perfect Vagina”; simply because I was puzzled what that exactly is. Thank god for online free catch up on TV shows! So today I had a bit of time on my hands and watched the show in a tiny little pop-up window .. at work… with my hand always on the mouse, ready to switch over to a more acceptable screen if anyone should take notice of what I was doing.

So the show is a documentary about women who are so very insecure and unhappy with their vaginas that they want to alter them through plastic surgery. The most common complaint is that their inner labias are too big and floppy. The solution is easy, in just a couple of painful minutes the plastic surgeon chops them off with a knife and stitches up the remainder. Piece of cake, right? Then over a period of up to THREE MONTHS, you can barely walk and sit properly, never mind have sex, so your vagina can heal.

Tempting thought isn’t it. And then your pussy will be perfect and you will feel like a complete, beautiful and blissfully happy person! Right? Wrong! Maybe your boobs are sagging down a little more than just a couple of years ago. Maybe your bum is too big. If you are insecure enough to get your privates chopped up, live through the bleeding, swelling, hurting and god knows what else while they heal, you will NOT be satisfied with yourself afterwards. The problem lies deeper than that, I’m convinced.

I find it fascinating to see how humanity is still surviving, while people are so deeply disturbed by the most trivial things. Why don’t we all just give up, let our heads hang down and just waste away forever. Luxury will be our downfall; because when you have nothing, you keep fighting for survival. And when you have everything, you will inevitably find some imperfection to be upset with. People are just unable to be happy aren’t they?

Defining India

{ August 21, 2008 @ 4:05 pm } · { India }
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People in Europe can usually not imagine what India is like. Whatever is shown in the media is usually negative (or it wouldn’t be considered newsworthy). Most people believe that India is just a big shithole with no facilities, infrastructure, food, and just a whole lot of starving people. On the other hand they are very aware of call centres and IT firms mushrooming all over the place, in their mind it becomes very hard to reconcile one stereotypical image with the other.

I cannot consider myself to be an expert on India. It would be impossible. But for everyone in my surroundings I do get to play expert sometimes; whenever somebody is curious or hears something in the news, they want my view on it. But it’s not so easy to explain.

To confuse further: Yes India is a shithole. There are still people starving. Lots of them live on the street in filthy conditions and die of diseases that have been eradicated in the west for years/decades/centuries. Brides are still tortured for dowry, widows are still burned to death during their husband’s cremation. Also, there are lots of people who are richer than normal middle class Westeners can imagine. There are lots of people working in call centres, wearing jeans and t shirts, listening to English music and watching Hollywood movies. Only to come home to their husband/wife who was chosen by their parents. There are nicely asphalted high ways with big cars zipping around on them, overtaking 40 year old trucks decorated with colourful floral motives. There are villages without electricity, running water, TV, cellphone coverage. And there are cities with people living on the street, pulling rickshaws for a living while communicating with their friends and family through SMS messaging. There are politicians living in mansions driving a different Merc every day of the week. And middle class families proudly showing off their new Suzuki Alto to the neighbours.

You cannot define India by a single stereotype or idea. You cannot even define it with a full length article. What people do not understand is that there is no one true India. The differences between different cities, states or even neighbourhoods are huge. Even in the same location, the difference between the life of a poor family and wealthy family is unheard of in most western countries.

I can honestly and truthfully say: India is a shithole, a third world country, a place filled with poor people living on the edge of existence. But I do love it; in spite of the bitter expectation in my heart, that there will always be poverty and misery and terrorism and corruption. But there will also always be great beauty and wealth. And I’d love to go back there one day.

Frankly speaking: you should go there for a while. Try to adjust and understand. Maybe it will broaden your horizon a little bit.

Gender stereotypes – Part I

{ August 21, 2008 @ 3:32 pm } · { TV, UK }
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Personally I believe stereotypes are not half as bad as people make them out to be. I believe it was part of growing up for me to realize that people have prejudiced opinions and clichés are usually based on some grain of truth. It was not easy to come to that conclusion, and it took me a few years to realize.

As a teenager I was highly idealistic, wanted the world to be perfect and people to be tolerant and friendly. A stereotype comment could enrage me and provoke an entire lecture about how this sort of thing is exactly what fucks up the world we live in. What a waste of time, that! The world is a horrible place actually. And people, I believe are inherently evil. Those two I have accepted as facts of life, which are not likely to change. Ever.

And my old (teenage) self would have been depressed at that thought. But you only live once so what’s the point of sulking around about how there is so much suffering in the world, and always will be.

Which brings me to the reason which got me thinking about stereotypes. Last night we were watching TV, a show called “Dangerous jobs for girls”. Three British women were sent off to South Africa to do a job 100% practised by men; hunting wild antelopes for meat export. I always find it amusing when women want to prove themselves by any means necessary. One of them made a statement that was so typical and recognisable; I’m sure everyone knows at least a few women like this: “If a man tells me I cannot do something, I will do it and most surely do a much better job than a man ever could!” (or something along those lines). What a feminist outlook in life! Yeah, girl power! *roll eyes*

So over the course of two weeks, they showed these women being trained in the art of shooting, gutting and chopping up wild animals; by a bunch of alpha-male type seasoned hunters who were totally convinced the ladies would run away crying at the first sight of blood.

A true ego battle. In the end, one refused to shoot anything and the other two did alright; they formed a team in their Jeep who were pitched against a team of experienced hunters over one night; Their aim was to shoot as many antelopes as possible during the time they were given. Not surprisingly, after only two weeks of training, they didn’t win. The winners were the professionals who had 10 years of experience. Wow what a shocker…

What made the show so typical and interesting was the drive these women had to prove themselves as equals or superiors to the men. They would not accept defeat. All fine and well, and very feminist indeed. Then in the end, the guy who trained them proclaimed how proud he was of them, that they could manage the work and in just two weeks, almost did as well as the experienced men.

And the women were so pleased to hear that, they were gleaming with pride. When it became so obvious, they didn’t do if for the satisfaction of completing their task. The only reason they wanted to prove their equality was to hear a man say it; “Good girl, you did a great job!”

Honestly, didn’t that just ruin the entire effort? You want to be independent, strong, goal oriented and succeed at whatever you start. But then in the end it turns out you are not independent at all; you’re needy and miserable until a man acknowledges you.. Without that you’re nothing.

Pe(s)ts

{ August 20, 2008 @ 4:11 pm } · { Misc, UK }
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When I was in school I had a variety of pets. It all started with two parakeets.. they were the most noisy pets ever. Then I had a hamster.. then came a couple of mice and a rat. And a dog as well. They were all very cute in their own right. Mainly so because I CHOSE them as pets. They didn’t just come walking in on their own!

Now I have a mouse again.. only not by choice. It rips my garbage bags and leaves droppings all over the kitchen. It comes into the room and makes noises on the shelf. Initially I thought it was a rat; a shadow ran around the kitchen, seen from the corner of my eye. And it looked like quite a big shadow. Maybe I was just paranoid. So when I went to the shops, looking for a cage style trap.. which lures the rat in and shuts behind it (without crushing its neck or skull or whatever in the process). My noble goal was to release it outside after catching it. Well no such luck! None of the shops sold live traps big enough to catch rats! So dejected I came back, with a regular trap. I was too paranoid to use poison, expecting the thing to die somewhere unaccessable.

After seeing it a little closer up the next week, I realized it was a mouse after all and right away bought a live mouse trap. Great idea isn’t it. Only I forgot to unset the rat trap…….. The same night it snapped shut.

Murphy’s law killed the little mouse.

Horrified but relieved that at least that was over, the traps were put away and life returned to normal. Only why would I be so naive to expect that we had only one mouse living in our flat… The war continues.

Golgappas!!

{ August 20, 2008 @ 3:45 pm } · { Food, UK }
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When I moved to India, it took me quite a while to get used to certain foods. (Some I just totally did not get used to at all but very few!)

One of the things that had to grow on me were Golgappas (Pani Puri). They are like little crispy balls made of flour which are completely hollow. You fill them with some boiled potato and spicy water and try to shove the whole thing in your mouth without spilling the water all over your clothes.

In India they are a very popular snack, sold on the streets. And amongst some of the least safe things to eat as a tourist.. For that matter they are not even that safe to eat for locals either; especially during Monsoon they can make you quite sick if the water is contaminated.

But I was never particularly careful, so used to gorge on these (once I got used to the flavour) no matter what season. In India you get two types of water; sweet water which is maroon in colour, and green water which is a bit more sour and hot. Although both types are very spicy and can set you on fire properly!

So the other day I was craving a snack and discovered that some shops around my flat in London actually sell boxes of them! You get a jar of spicy paste to mix in water, and a big box of ready made crispy flour balls. Not expecting too much, I took them home, boiled some potatoes and mixed the spice paste with water. It hardly took any time and soon we started stuffing our faces. My husband and I must have eaten at least 20 each (it was a big box!)..

I must say, although ironically you always want to eat exactly that which is not available, no matter where you are (or at least this is true for me!), London is not such a bad place… If you look hard enough, you can probably find just about anything in terms of food. And often right under your nose as well! The shop I found the golgappas in is just around the corner from my flat. And until maybe two weeks ago I did not see the inside of it. But one day I was bored and just wandered in, only to discover that it was pretty much like walking into an ordinary neighbourhood every day needs store in India!

After blowing a load of cash on spices and food that we didn’t really need, I got home, you should have seen the look on my husband’s face when presented with some Maggi Masala instant noodles. It’s strange, the things you miss when you move…

The flat.. room rather.

{ August 20, 2008 @ 3:45 pm } · { Misc, UK }
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When I saw the advert, stuck to a shop window for my flat, it read “Studio Apartment, separate kitchen & bathroom. Suitable for single person. £575 all bills included. “

Then I called up the number, the landlady kindly explained “Oh, you and your husband are looking for a flat? But this flat is really quite small, I think it would be too small for a couple.” But I went to see it anyway. And yes it was small, but we really did not have much money to spend so we took it. And in a way it’s not too bad. Other places that were advertised either did not suit us due to location, or had just literally one room. With a bed, and the kitchenette placed conveniently next to it so you could sit on the bed while cutting your vegetables for dinner. Or while doing the dishes. Not a tempting thought!

So our kitchen is separate. But there is no door, just a little narrow corridor. And our bed is basically a mattress on the floor. We were provided with a sofa cum bed which is like UK double bed size. Now if you have ever seen a standard double bed in the UK, you would probably know that it is nearly impossible for two people older than 8 to be comfortable on one of those. It just simply would not allow for any sort of movement. And in case of a sofa cum bed, with a very flexible base, upon trying, my husband and I ended up rolling into the middle of the bed, one person crushing whoever rolled first. So we put the mattress on the floor and now we have some space to stretch at least.

And that would be the only place two people can sort of stretch out, in the entire flat. Room. Whatever.

Whenever I go out shopping, I have to constrain myself not to buy too many things. Maybe some people watch me changing my mind about some clothing. Or perhaps crockery. Maybe they think “Oh she probably does not have the cash to buy it right now.” It’s not that, I just wouldn’t know where to keep it! The kitchen cabinets are so full, the doors won’t even close. And my fridge. Dear lord. I have to buy food almost every day to have enough to eat. It’s one of those tiny things that fit underneath the worktop… I don’t know why people invented fridges of this size! I would consider it too small for a single person. Nevermind a couple. But the saving grace is we live next to a huge ASDA..

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