It says that the City Council of Cincinnati plans to support residents and business houses to replace tar and shingles with vegetation by channeling grants and loans.
After reading the article, naturally I went to Wikipedia, the free encylopedia for more information. From Wikipedia, I went on to other sites and got plenty of lovable information which I would like to share with you.
Article entitled, "May Your Roof Be Green" from Al-Ahram, Weekly Online, June 2-8, 2005:
http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2005/745/en2.htmGrateful thanks to Terry Kinney, San Diego Union-Tribune, Amany Abdel-Moneim, Al-Ahram, Katherine Noyes, Charity Guide.org and Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Grateful thanks to Vinod for the photo - clicked by him with his Nokia N70MWhen the young behave badly, it is because society has already behaved worse. We have the teenagers, like the politicians and the wars that we deserve - J.B.Priestly.
"Hydrogen is in many ways the perfect fuel - it can be burnt in combustion engines and produces only water as a by-product. But, for the hydrogen-powered vehicles, the gas tank is a big limiting factor.
Being able to store more hydrogen, more easily, could advance the technology at a stroke. And a new generation of hydrogen fuel tanks that store gas inside solids or liquids are not starting to make that possible." (
http://snipurl.com/43com).Grateful thanks to 'Science in the News" e-newsletter, Mr.Collin Barras and New Scientist.
Grateful thanks to Vinod for the photo - clicked by him on his Nokia N70MThe Secret of Inner Peace is a Healthy Life: Exercising Regularly, Eating Properly, Breathing Deeply. - J.Donald Waters
Dad being honoured for meritorious service by the then Governor of Tamil Nadu, Hon'ble Sadiq Ali, during the Railway Week celebrations at Chennai. I don't remember the year. Sri Sadiq Ali was Governor of Tamil Nadu during 1980-82. So it is more than 25 years old. 2. In 1947, there live a Hindu sage in the person of Mahatma Gandhi, who told his fellow countrymen not to kill one another in the name of religion. He was ready to starve himself to death to stop them from indulging in madness in the name of religion.
3. The fact that in several instances the police watched the atrocities in silence and refused to register cases is shocking. The incidents in Orissa seem to be a replay of what happened in Gujarat in 2002. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had to face an embarrassing situation abroad thanks to religious terrorism perpetrated against the minorities by a few unscrupulous elements belonging to the majority community. - M.Haneef, Kottayam.
It is time we realised that there is no place for fundamentalist organisations such as the VHP and the Bajrang Dal in a secular country. There is enough ground to ban these groups. - Dhananjay Tripathi, New Delhi.
Courtesy: The Hindu, Madurai, Oct.6, 2008 ("Letters to the Editor").
Thanks to Vinod for the photo - clicked by him using his Nokia N70 M
The most commonly misunderstood concept, in my opinion, but widely used in corporate circles, is “cost reduction”. Other euphemisms/ synonyms for cost reduction are austerity measures, retrenchment, golden handshake, trimming and ETOC (every thing on contract).I have found all these things extremely counter-productive. Cost reduction is definitely not stopping some expenses, curtailing few facilities extended, rationing some entertainment and disowning some responsibilities. It cannot be at the cost of values and ethics.
In one company I know, at the pretext of austerity measures they stopped the daily morning and evening tea to all contract employees. The explanation given was that it was the duty of the contractor and not the company’s. The saving arithmetic was 70 people x 2 times x 365 days x 3 rupees. But the feelings of the 70 people with flesh and blood were completely ignored. There were visible repercussions and the damage caused was heavy, but it was not tangible for the costing department.
The admin people to their credit, allowed all Air Conditioners in the company only two hour operation per day to save money on electricity. The problem was not more of physical but the very idea irritated most of the employees and that became a hot topic for quite some time.
People were making fun out of these austerity measures and have even gone to the extent of recommending half-pant and shirt uniforms for employees, instead of full shirt and pant. One accountant seriously asked why Rs.500 per month was given to a priest for performing weekly 'puja' in company premises and suggested to perform the same by one of the company employees.
One important inference from all the above is an amenity once given if stopped suddenly will have adverse effects and more often that not will be counter-productive. For saving hundreds, you may be losing thousands. Further, it affects the morale of the employees, disturbs their sense of belonging and the grudge they carry in their minds is bound to affect productivity and performance.
One of the unit heads declared in the company’s group meeting that he was ready to retrench 15 employees with immediate effect and with a nod from the top and it was implemented at once. Selected 15 People with 15 to 20 years of experience in the company were asked to leave with short notice. The after-effects of the above incident were a great blow to the management. 50 % of the employees - all good people left the organization without or with short notice. Only employees who had no option remained.
It is proof that such measures could send wrong signals to the other employees like the company is in trouble or the same thing could happen to them in future. So they conclude it is better to leave the sinking ship.
The employee turnover was very high and as a measure to retain the employees the management increased the remuneration package to all its employees. But it was too late and most of the good people had already left the organization. Many people realized their own potential only then, and got good placements. The inferior lot who remained in the organization was rewarded with revision for their inability to move out of the organization.
To fill up the gap created by the resignation of good employees, the company recruited many new ones with high starting pay.
Many public limited companies announced golden handshake to get rid of inefficient employees. Contrary to the expectations, all good employees availed the opportunity and thus weakened further the system in existence.
The feeling of oneness and the family concept is lost in letting work on contract basis. Contract workers always carry a grudge against the company and its employees and at the very first opportunity they ditch both.
There is no compromise in the cost of safety and environment. Any compromise in these two will be detrimental in the long run.
The real cost reduction comes from increased productivity and innovative process changes and modifications. Savings by all other methods are very marginal and if overdone will become counter productive. Here one should remember Parato’s 80-20 principle.
No doubt a saving is a saving however small it may be. But one act of improved productivity will excel hundred such trivial savings all put together. Leaders always look for big leap. Being a leader I hope you will also vouch my statement.
