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JUSTLIKETHAT AJIT NINAN ASIDE

QUOTE OFTHEDAY

Terrorism naturally comes to mind when talking about Pakistan. Wehave also read assurances on terrorism by Pakistan. I hope they deliver

— Ministry of External Affairs spokesman Vikas Swarup on Friday, in reactionto Pakistan’s anti-terror assurance to the US

» Irresponsible commentsIam aghast to read the remarks made byretired General V K Singh about the Fari-dabad incident as reported in the article,‘General shoots from the lip, triggers rowover Dalit killing’, (PM, Oct 23). The com-parison of dogs to Dalits is most deplor-able for an army veteran of his stature. Ev-er since the Bharatiya Janata Party came topower, their ministers have been fre-quently caught up in controversies andare being actively supported by their partyleaders. In V K Singh’s case, BJP spo-kesperson Sambit Patra supported Singhand as always blamed the media for mis-construing their words. The ruling partywill probably remain inactive unless anduntil there is a nationwide uproar.

— C B Vastrad

» President voices concernPresident Pranab Mukherjee’s repeatedremarks about the growing religious intol-erance as reported in the article, ‘Ink at-tack on Kashmir lawmaker over beef par-ty’, (PM, Oct 20) point to the gravity of thesituation. Although the Prime Ministerhas appealed to religious fanatics to re-frain from moral policing, the atmo-sphere of communal harmony is still dis-turbed. Even responsible leaders haveindulged in dangerous comments, whichcan disrupt communal coexistence. ThePrime Minister should have been the firstperson to express concern about the issuewith the trouble makers, especially the ag-gressive elements in his party. It is after allthe Hindutva agenda that they are tryingto impose on everyone.

— Major Mathew Oommen

» Scarring incidentAs a son of the axe-murderer, he will con-tinue to feel ashamed for his father’s deedas reported in the article, ‘I can’t bear tomeet my father’, (PM, Oct 20). The in-cident will undoubtedly haunt any sensi-tive person forever and it is understan-dable that the family wants to shift theirresidence far away from the place whereit all happened. But I believe the distancedoesn’t matter as it is not going to helpthem recover from the trauma. It is easyto give all kinds of advice but it is difficultto understand what they went through.Hope the family gets enough emotionalsupport from his family, friends andwell-wishers to start afresh.

— C V Narayan

» Return of the prodigal snackThe return of Maggi as reported in the ar-ticle, ‘Maggi safe, samples cleared labtest: Nestle’, (PM, Oct 17) reinforces thecase for upgrading and strengtheningour food safety standards. The ban wasbased on the test results obtained fromthe Food Safety and Standard Authorityof India (FSSAI). However, on the Bom-bay High Court’s directive, the tests weredone on Maggi at three government ac-credited laboratories. These labs foundthat the lead content in the product wasbelow the permissible limit in all thesamples sent to it. The court quashed theban in August and also pointed out thatthe food labs under FSSAI were not au-thorised to do the tests. Therefore, thegovernment would do well to revise itswhole procedure of food testing and im-prove the infrastructure at FSSAI.

— C Koshy John

EDIT PAGE 16SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2015

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WEN

N

T he colonial clock has come full circle. Theroles of the victor and the vanquishedhave been reversed. The British who werethe preeminent colonial power for morethan two centuries are now desperately

seeking the goodwill and goodies of their erst-while colonial subject. The President of China,Xi Jinping, is in the UK and the hosts have pulledout all the stops for a lavish reception. Prime Min-ister David Cameron even took Xi to his favouritepub to have fish and chips. Queen Elizabeth andthe Duchess of Cambridge threw a banquet inXi’s honour at the Buckingham Palace. Chancel-lor of the Exchequer (i.e. Finance Minister) Ge-orge Osborne talked about a golden relationshipbetween the two nations that would lead to agolden decade. Osborne had earlier said thatthere was no other Western country that could bemore open to investment from China to the UK.

Indeed the UK was one of the first countries tobreak ranks with the other “rich western na-tions” from the club of G-7, to join the China-sponsored Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank(AIIB). This is China’s answer to the World Bank,which is dominated by the USA. More than 50countries have signed up to AIIB, and the UK isleading the European pack in cosying up to Chi-na. The Brits are looking to increase trade, and es-pecially exports to China. They also want Chinato invest big in the UK, which is struggling withtepid growth and high unemployment, if not anoutright recession-like situation.

The government is fiscally stretched, so taxescannot be raised to fund public projects. Presi-dent Xi’s visit has resulted in major investmentannouncements. These include $ 3 billion for de-velopment of the Royal London Dock, $ 5 billionfor a theme park in South East London, and partof a $ 24 billion package for infrastructure andhousing projects in Northern England. The big-gest deal is that China taking a 30 per cent stake ina$37 billion nuclear power project. China will al-so get to design and build the next two nuclear re-actors in the UK. This is a spectacular turning ofthe tide, with the UK now inviting China to “de-sign and build” its nuclear power stations. We arenot talking about low cost and cheap Chinese

batteries or mobile phones. We are talking aboutsuper sensitive, risk prone nuclear technology,which has been the prerogative of the West to“hand out” to the developing world. This is thesurest signal that the Asian century has fully ar-rived.

The British are very pragmatic people. Theyknow how to do a beneficial trade with whoeverthat may be. They know that China has a hugepile of foreign exchange (nearly $ 4 trillion). Theyare enticing the Chinese to invest some of thislarge sum into development and infrastructureprojects in the UK (with some backing of a sover-eign guarantee too). It helps the UK citizens, andfetches a good financial and geo-political returnto the Chinese. It eases their fiscal constraints. Itcreates jobs in the UK. It might also revive the nu-

clear industry in the UK (since it was virtuallyshut down for more than a decade, and nuclearengineering talent may be vanishing in the UK).

On their part the Chinese too are not justpragmatic, but also patient. They waited for 200years for this momentous occasion. (Rememberhow they patiently waited for the 99-year lease toexpire and reclaimed Hong Kong from the Brits?They didn’t go to war or invade Hong Kong withtanks. The transfer was all legit, thank you verymuch!) The Chinese patience is legendary. In1972, when asked what he thought was the effectof the French Revolution, Premier Zhou Enlaisaid, “It’s too early to tell”. Patient but persever-ing, the Chinese are undoubtedly leaders of thisreversal of colonial history.

Their neighbour to the south better take note!

Britain cosies up to chinaA sign of the times: When a former colonial master puts out the red carpet for a former colonial subject

Britain's Queen Elizabeth (left) introduces Chinese President Xi Jinping (2nd from left) to British officialsand dignitaries during an official welcome ceremony at Horse Guards Parade in London on Tuesday

AP

AJIT RANADE

ON THE WHEELS THAT MAKE MUMBAI RUN – MONEY AND ECONOMYWrite to Ajit Ranade at punemirror.feedback@gmail.com

TELLTHE EDat punemirror.feedback@gmail.com

SCI-TECH 17SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2015

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WOMAN WHO CAN SMELL PARKINSON’S PROMPTS RESEARCHThe widow of a man who suffered Parkinson’s has triggered new research into the condition after she dis-covered she could “smell” the disease. She told researchers, who dubbed her “super-smeller”, that shecould identify Parkinson"s sufferers from T-shirts they had slept in.

Y ouTube has unveiled a new $10-a-month (approx. Rs 650) subscriptionplan called YouTube Red that com-bines ad-free videos, new original se-ries and movies from top YouTubers,

and on-demand unlimited streaming music.After an inital US launch, Google plans to expand YouTube Red globally.

Red builds on Google’s existing musicstreaming service by providing ad-free accessto YouTube programming, along with featuressuch as the ability to download videos to mobile devices and have music playing in thebackground while using other mobile apps.

Current subscribers to the Google Play Music service, which also costs $10 a month,will also get access to Red.

“It's a major, major evolution of our platform,” YouTube’s chief business officer,Robert Kyncl, told journalists at an event at itsstudio space in Los Angeles.

Red targets YouTube fans who want to skipads, while giving them a chance to pass alongsome cash to their favourite video creators,who’ll share in the new revenues. It comes asstreaming services like Hulu, Pandora, Spotifyand TuneIn offer ad-free as a paid option.

The plan, which launches October 28 in theUS, includes exclusive access to new videoslaunching next year as well as the YouTubeMusic Key service – to be called YouTube Musicafter it launches later this year – for music videos and songs. The new YouTube Music appwill allow you to toggle music videos to play audio only.

However, the new music app will have Redfeatures across YouTube platforms, with theexception of the YouTube Kids app, startingnext week in the US. The apps, including theexisting YouTube app, are free to download.

The service will cost $13 a month if purchased through Apple’s iTunes, but onlybecause Apple takes a 30 per cent cut, executives said. If purchased through the Google Play Store or on the web, the subscrip-tion will still work on apps running on Apple’siOS or Safari browser.

The original videos will range in lengthfrom a few minutes to feature-length moviesand come from established YouTube stars suchas the Fine Brothers, who are creating a scripted

ten-episode series about a singing competitionshow called “Sing It.” Another new show starsvideo game-playing star Felix Kjellberg in a reality series co-created by the makers of TheWalking Dead called Scare PewDiePie.'

Performer and comedian Lilly Singh saidthat while YouTube helped pay for the creationof a documentary of her world tour called ATrip to Unicorn Island, the new service won'tdrastically change how she serves her fans.

“Is YouTube Red going to be the extrememake of my financial career? No,” she said.“But that’s not why I’m doing it. I’m doing it togive my viewers choice.”

YouTube still intends for advertising revenue to remain its core business, and executives say they believe it could take a whilefor paid subscribers to grow significantly.Some original content will also be made available to non-subscribers later with ads.

Kyncl said the subscription will bolsterYouTube’s revenues and that of artists, andsaid $10 a month is the upper limit of what consumers would pay for such a plan. He said YouTube’s advertising revenues will not be

hurt, given that the number of users switchingto the new service won’t likely make a dent inYouTube’s billion-plus users.

“It wouldn’t really impact the amount ofeyeballs we’re providing through our plat-form,” he said.

The move comes amid a boom in consumerappetite for ad-free experiences. Ad-blockingsoftware has become popular on personalcomputers, and Apple’s iOS 9 operating systemupdate last month allowed ad-blocker apps torun on its mobile Safari browser for the firsttime.

Worldwide usage of ad blockers rose 41 percent last year to nearly 200 million people, ac-cording to PageFair, a firm that seeks to counterad blockers.

Red could boost the ranks of Google PlayMusic subscribers, which stood at 815,000 inthe US at the end of last December. That’s farshort of leader Spotify with 20 million payingsubscribers globally. Apple CEO Tim Cook re-cently said that Apple Music has 6.5 millionpaying subscribers and millions more still onfree trials following its June launch. AGENCIES

YouTube Red is Google’s newad-free video, music serviceThe $10-a-month service is an attempt to take on rivals like Spotify and Hulu by leveraging the popularity ofYouTubers, while also giving the platform a new revenue source amid the ever-growing use of ad-blockers

YouTube’s chief business officer Robert Kyncl introduces original programming for YouTube Red

N ASA’s Space Launch System (SLS), whichwill be the most powerful rocket ever builtand the first vehicle designed to meet the

challenges of the journey to Mars, has complet-ed all steps needed to clear a critical design re-view.

This is the first time in almost 40 years that aNASA human-rated rocket has cleared a criticaldesign review (CDR).

“We’ve nailed down the design of SLS, we’vesuccessfully completed the first round of testingof the rocket’s engines and boosters, and all themajor components for the first flight are now inproduction,” said Bill Hill, deputy associate ad-ministrator of NASA’s Exploration Systems De-velopment Division.

The CDR examined the first of three configu-rations planned for the rocket, referred to as SLSBlock 1. The Block 1 configuration will have aminimum 70-metric-ton lift capability and bepowered by twin boosters and four RS-25 en-gines.

The next planned upgrade of SLS, Block 1B,would use a more powerful exploration upperstage for more ambitious missions with a 105-metric-ton lift capacity. Block 2 will add a pair ofadvanced solid or liquid propellant boosters toprovide a 130-metric-ton lift capacity.

This is the last of four reviews that examineconcepts and designs. The next step is designcertification, which will take place in 2017 aftermanufacturing and testing is complete. PMB

NASA closer to finalising most powerful rocket

Artist concept of the Block I configuration of SLS

Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons isavailable for iOS devices. Scan theQR code to visit the game’s AppStore page.

MOBILEAPP

BROTHERS: A TALE OF TWO SONSBrothers was originally released on PC and consoles and ifyou didn’t play it before, you absolutely must now that it’s oniOS (and soon on Android). As the name suggests, you simul-taneously control two brothers on screen, navigating theworld and overcoming challenges along the way in the hopesof finding a cure for their ailing father. With a touching storyand unique controls that bring co-operative play to a single-

player experience, Brothers is one ofthe most unique games on the AppStore and well worth its Rs 300 price.

T ech giant Apple will finally launch its smart-watch Apple Watch in India on November 6.

The smartwatch was launched in a fewcountries, including the US, France, Japan, and theUK, in April this year and has been rolled out to othergeographies in a phased manner.

While Apple disclosed the smartwatch’s launchdate on its website, the variants that will be makingtheir way to India and prices for the same remain amystery.

The Apple Watch launched internationally inthree variants (Apple Watch Sport, Apple Watchand Apple Watch Edition) and two sizes (38 mm and42 mm), priced between $349 (over Rs 23,000) to awhopping $17,000 (about Rs 11 lakh) for the goldmodel.

Recently, Apple partnered luxury brand Hermèsfor a new edition priced $1,100 (about Rs 71,300)onwards.

Though Apple enthusiasts in the country will fi-nally be able to buy the smartwatch in India, reportssuggest the Cupertino-based firm is already lookingat introducing the second edition of the device bythe middle of next year.

Apple Watch delivers up to 18-hour battery lifeand has a digital face that can look like a traditionaltime piece. It allows users to make and receive calls,read e-mails, control music, manage Instagramphotos and keep track of fitness.

Apple Watch is the first new product category tobe launched under CEO Tim Cook, who took overafter Steve Jobs stepped down. It is also Apple’s firstnew device category since its 2010 entery the tabletmarket with its iPad. PMB

Apple Watch coming toIndia on November 6

Product: MirrorPuneTB PubDate: 24-10-2015 Zone: Pune Edition: 1 Page: PMIRPG16 User: amolt2804 Time: 10-23-2015 22:14 Color: CMYK

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