nirav February 28th, 2007
The Indian Union Budget came out yesterday. And the IT industry is not happy about it. Well, we got shocks too! The tax holidays for export oriented companies are no more. So we got to pay minimum 10% tax. There is now an additional tax on rented commercial premises - 12.5%. And ESOPs are covered under FBT now!
What does it mean? It means the margins go down - from the already low positions! The cost of renting a premises is very high in a city like Mumbai, and if we have to pay 12.5% on top of it, it’s just crazy. When it comes to premises, they already have it so bad - you have to pay taxes for about 100% of the rent itself now. The owner will not bear them, so the burden comes to you! And if you pay double rents, you may be losing all your profits right there if you are a medium size IT company in Mumbai! If it’s not that good, you may even go red.
The 10% minimum tax too is bad. We got the tax exemption after so many formalities and hard work. Now we even lost that advantage.
The budget does not make an ITentrepreneur happy. It disappoints him. This is not good!
nirav February 27th, 2007
Alright, so Web 2.0 has been overused now, and you know about what it is. But there is a cool YouTube video that communicates it really well. Found it here, and like him, could not resist posting it up here.
- del icio us , web2 0 , sharing , minutes , 5 , technorati , tag , del icio us , sharing , minutes , 5 , tag , technorati , Web , video , Recommended Reading , Blogs , here , and , web2 0 , like , communicates , really , Technology
nirav February 27th, 2007
Close your eyes. Imagine you are in a lush green garden. And get present to the sensations you are experiencing with all different senses - vision, touch, smell, hearing, taste. Describe what you are seeing. How does the breeze feel on your hands? On your face? In your hair? How does it smell? What are the different voices and noises can you hear? Do you hear the birds chirp? The trickle of some water? And how would it taste if you put your tongue out? How does a berry taste that you picked up from an adjacent tree?
Put your palm on the table. And get present to the touch. The temperature, surface, edges, patterns.
Most of us use our senses in an automated way. We are aware of sights and sounds. But not the touch and smell of things around us. Getting in touch with your senses, is an access to opening up your mind. It’s a way to expand your thinking and mental reception.
Everytime I do an exercise to get present to my senses, I feel fulfilled and relaxed. I also get present to the world around me and can understand things better.
What’s your experience?
nirav February 24th, 2007
Kapil told me about the PhotoMarathon in Johannesburg. Over 12 hours, and 12 themes, photographers shoot and submit 12 images each. The best of them are exhibited and awarded. Neat idea.
Can we do such a thing in Mumbai? 22nd April 2007, Sunday?
nirav February 23rd, 2007
Finally, the debate over the trademark for “iPhone” between Cisco and Apple is over. They have reached an agreement to use the trademarks in distinct businesses. I was reading about it, and cursing Apple for violating business ethics, but as it’s said, Steve Jobs always gets his way. Couple of places I have heard a few controversies about Steve Jobs now, so iCon is on my reading list now - still about two months away though.
It’s interesting to observe the case though. If you are Apple, you can infringe a copyright, and then settle it with the copyright owner. But if someone else infringes your copyright, you will crush the company! That’s business it looks like, but not many people are happy with it!
All in all, I think both the companies are happy - so it does not matter what the critics say!