Treeduck

Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan is reportedly set to act in a Tamil flick. According to the reports, King Khan would be appearing in the movie “Asal” in a new Avatar.

Reports say that the makers of Ajith starrer Asal are making every effort possible to contact SRK and request his cameo appearance in Asal.

Ajith was earlier a part of SRK’s Asoka as his younger brother. And now, King Khan may just decide to return the favour.

Bollywood’s hottest babe Sameera Reddy is playing the lead opposite to Ajith and the same time the movie is produced by Sivaji Productions.

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Khushbu, actress, producer and distributor says, “These so called B-school guys have ruined Tamil cinema, by entering the market without doing a proper study. As a result, they have pushed up the cost of production. What do these guys, sitting in the cool comfort of their offices in Mumbai and Chennai, know about collections, audiences profile or the topography of a Theni or a Dindigul film market?”

The B-school boys and their management skills have come in for sharp criticism in the industry after the failure of a superstar film which they bought for a ridiculous amount. The company, which purchased the film, also took over 200 theatres in Tamil Nadu on lease, but is struggling to keep afloat today. Says Balasubramaniam, a theatre owner in Coimbatore who had leased out his twin theatres to the company, “I was running my theatre well before these guys took it on lease. They claimed that they would professionalise the business, but ended up with egg on their face.”

Kandaswamy Bharathan, an MBA from IIM, Ahmedabad and a leading producer says, “The word corporatisation, when it comes to the film industry, should be defined in a broader context. Films have to be considered as products — there is production, pricing, distribution and they satisfy the needs of customers through entertainment.” Kandaswamy also added that today, a lot of young B-school boys are venturing into production, distribution and other sectors of film business, which require a professional approach.
However P L Thenappan, a leading producer begs to differ. Says he, “I’m a school drop out, but I have made more than a dozen hit films with big stars like Kamal Haasan. I know how the trade functions better than any B-school graduate. These guys have created chaos in the industry by making films without any budget constraints, paid salaries to stars which were not viable and most importantly, they do not understand the pulls and pressures of filmmaking.”

The argument is never ending as financial analysts and entertainment industry trackers who have graduated out of B-schools feel that there is gold in Tamil film production and trade if the “best minds in the business run Kollywood.” Recently, a leading corporate completed their new film Kandein Kadhalai in a record five months. This is quite a feat considering veteran producers are still struggling to finish their big budget films two years after the film was launched!

Says producer G Dhananjayan, who has made quality films like Poo, Raman Thediya Seethai and now Kandein Kadhalai, “We have brought in a professional approach to filmmaking by completing our films on time. We are currently testing waters and if we are confident, then we will definitely invest more.” Concludes Swaroop Reddy, owner of a leading multiplex in the city, and one of the key players to bring about a change in the Tamil film business, “Much can be said by both sides. At the end of the day, it does not matter if you are a traditionalist or a modernist. It is the passion for cinema that is the driving force in show business.”

Even though Google gets more than three times the amount of traffic, Yahoo Search continues to add some pretty innovative features that its main competitor doesn’t have. In the past year and a half, Yahoo introduced Search Assist, thumbnail images and preview panes for Image Search. Yahoo even had the ability to search for Creative Commons licensed images before Google. Now, Yahoo Image Search is rolling out a travel image refiner in its search, which is definitely worth a look.

When you type in a city in image search, Yahoo will suggest related points of interest to your search, giving you more contextual information about your destination. For example, if you type in an image search for San Francisco, you will see a box to the left side of the page that will include image results for various points of interest and popular destinations within San Francisco, such as the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz or Fisherman’s Wharf.

If you click on one of the points of interest, you will see an overlay of the images so you can take a virtual tour of the Golden Gate Bridge without having to leave the search results for San Francisco. Yahoo says that by providing these suggestions, tapping into what the company calls a “Web of Objects,” you will be able to take a virtual tour of a city without having to input many different sites or places. Basically, Yahoo Image does all the work for you.

This is no doubt a useful feature, especially considering that researching travel spots is now conducted primarily online by consumers. Having this sort of feature only enhances the travel planning process on the web. Yahoo says the Image Search Refiner is currently available for location-specific searches, but is planning to expand this functionality to other types of image searches in the future.

Of course, while Yahoo is adding these nifty features to its search capabilities, it’s facing challenges from Microsoft, with Bing nibbling at Yahoo’s search share. But a little competition never hurts, and perhaps even livens up the fight between the two underdogs.

Google has made AdWords a little bit more local for businesses by allowing them to run location extensions on ads. According to Google, location extensions allow you to “extend” your AdWords campaigns by attaching your business address to your ads.

Once you link you AdWords campaign to your Google business center account, Google will dynamically match a business’s locations to a user’s location or search terms and show the appropriate address with text ads. If Google can’t approximate the searcher’s address, then the ad will be shown without an address. You can turn off the dynamic feature and show a specific address with a particular ad, so that the address shown is not based on the searcher’s location. The ads can be shown with their address extensions on Google and Google Maps and as regular text ads without the extensions on partner sites in the Search and Content Networks.

Now that AdWords has introduced the location extensions feature, Google says local business ads won’t be a separate ad format, as local business ads will include the extensions. This is all part of Google’s attempt to crack the online local advertising market, which remains a challenge (and opportunity) for all the big Web companies. (Local is one of the five new areas of focus of AOL as well under new CEO Tim Armstrong).

For those of you who watch The Simpsons, one of their episodes Lard of the Dance shows us the way! Homer and company finds out about grease being worth some cash and enters the business of collecting the stuff to sell for cash. Groundskeeper Willie holds the most formidable stash of grease in Springfield, in the basement of Springfield Elementary. That's the first time biodiesel entered this author's consciousness--the first time yours truly thought a lot of kids would have to eat a LOT of fries to supply sufficient quantities of grease to make biodiesel.

"Used grease is worth money? *gasp* Then my arteries are clogged with yellow gold! I'm rich Apu! Rich, I... arrrgh! *clenches heart, sighs* Money in the bank!"--Homer Simpson, Lard of the Dance
(Picture credit: Gracie Films)

Biodiesel usually refers to a diesel-equivalent fuel derived from processing biological sources like vegetable oils, which can be used in unmodified diesel engine vehicles. The key here is UNMODIFIED. One can simply drive up to a biodiesel station and fill 'er up! Because biodiesel is usually derived from biological sources like plants, it has 60 percent less "net lifecycle" CO2 emissions, since plants absorb CO2 in photosynthesis and this volume of CO2 is subtracted from the total CO2 emitted in the processing and burning of the fuel.

Because biodiesel does not inherently contain sulphur, the processing of biological sources into biodiesel does not require any desulphurization processes, thus having a greener process signature and also maintaining the natural lubricity which desulphurization will eliminate.

Biodiesel is not merely a Simpsons fantasy, there is an established network of biodiesel pump stations in Germany, for example. Biodiesel boasts 3 percent market share in the country, making it the top alternative fuel there. Other European countries also feature millions of users, though not to the extent of Germany.

Engine-related benefits

The natural lubricity of biodiesel results in lower engine wear, and this has been verified in labs. Biodiesel is a better solvent than standard diesel as it "cleans" the engine, removing deposits from fuel supply lines. The naturally high cetane/octane levels of biodiesel enable more efficient combustion and ensure cleaner engine combustin chambers and valves.

Efficiency of biodiesel production

When plant material is used to create fuel for vehicles because of the huge consumption and high selling price of fuel biostock, the chief concern is always the issue of sacrificing arable land to create fuel instead of food. Ongoing rapid development in biofuel research has improved yields from biodiesel feedstock, and in the near future, cost reductions in biofuel processing could reach a quantum leap of 6x in terms of yield per acre of land, thus addressing this concern.

Some plants like jatropha, which survive in marginal conditions, could be cultivated in land not suitable for food production anyway. Theoretical research in the US has given promising signs that, with special oil-yielding species of algae, merely 0.3 percent of the land area of the US will yield sufficient quantities of biodiesel to replace all its fuel requirements, and subsequent development could enable this algae to be grown in desertified land.

Biodiesel costs

A biodiesel plant built in 2006 can create a gallon of biodiesel for US$1.04 in 2006 dollars. This may be a higher cost of production than petrol diesel, but the business structure and incentives may allow a lower retail price. Taking into consideration increased efficiencies in biodiesel production and feedstock yield, and current high petrol-diesel costs, the viability of petrol diesel becomes greater and greater. At this time, the premium of biodiesel over petrol diesel has narrowed greatly, a premium where many with a respect for the environment may easily pay.

Biodiesel in the region

Being in a tropical climate, the main issue of gelling under low temperatures does not arise in Singapore and Malaysia, making the fuel extremely attractive. There is at least one biodiesel manufacturing firm in Singapore, Biofuel Research Pte Ltd. But it has yet to make its mark. Global players like Australian firm Natural Fuel, Peter Cremer and Wilmar-Archer are also building refineries in Singapore's petrolchemical hub. It is the excellent infrastructure and connectivity of this petrolchemical hub which make the Republic an excellent choice in Asia for biodiesel production. In addition, the island-state's proximity to biodiesel feedstock-producing nations like Indonesia, Malaysia and Myanmar, and its excellent seaport facilities optimized for the petrolchemical industry, make it hard to beat by any standards.

Some Singapore companies are also investing in raw material production intended for biodiesel. Singapore firm Plantation Resources has acquired 100,000 acres of land in Myanmar to produce jatropha as a feedstock for biodiesel production. Jatropha is optimal for Myanmar's agricultural environment, survives in barely arable and marginal land, and is among the highest-yielding feedstock available today which converts to biodiesel at the lowest processing cost.

Malaysia and Indonesia are already supplying palm oil as biodiesel feedstock to European processing facilities, but the oil palm grows in arable land and thus sacrifices land suited for food production instead. Indonesia, in particular, has been criticized for allowing forest burning to make way for cash crop plantations, and the forest burning generates copious amounts of CO2 and soot which pollute the entire Southeast Asian region, particularly Malaysia and Singapore. Forest burning makes biodiesel based on palm oil stock more carbon positive than petrol diesel, thus negating one of the main advantages of biodiesel.

Although both the Malaysian and Singaporean tax structures penalize diesel users, high-mileage users like taxicabs, buses and logistics companies already use fleets of diesel vehicles as the fuel-efficiency savings outweigh the penalties.

Thailand already has 400 pumping stations for biodiesel-petrol diesel mixes, and has biodiesel refineries of its own, refining feedstock available locally like palm oil and jatropha.

Why not a diesel hybrid?

The technology for production of a diesel hybrid prototype is with us, but there's the business case to consider. Diesel engines cost more to make compared with gasoline ones, and the addition of a hybrid drivetrain would increase costs beyond the fuel cost savings of hybrid technology. Even then, as fuel costs continue to rise, several companies, notably diesel specialists Peugeot and Mercedes, have committed to making a diesel hybrid commercially available soon.

Cars compatible with biodiesel

In theory, all diesel engines can easily use biodiesel. The issue are parts supporting the diesel engines, like some grades of rubber have issues with biodiesel. And since biodiesel actually cleans up the contamination in the fuel pipes left over by petrol diesel, it is highly recommended to change the fuel filter a few months after converting into biodiesel to get rid of these contaminants.

Even though almost 100 percent of the diesel cars on the road are compatible with biodiesel, official manufacturer support for the use of biodiesel varies. Volkswagen and its subsidiaries Audi, Seat and Skoda are notably the strongest proponents, allowing most of their engines to run on 100 percent biodiesel, whereas other manufacturers vary their permissible mixes from 5 to 30 percent. If the manufacturer's position is not followed strictly, it may void the engine warranty.

As public awareness of the benefits of biodiesel grows, both for environmentalists and auto enthusiasts, more automotive companies may follow VW AG's lead.

At the time of writing, the author Michael Tan has no knowledge of any green car incentives in Malaysia. The Honda Civic Hybrid has been available in Malaysia since 2004, but in the absence of tax breaks, sales of the hybrid have been poor to say the least. Malaysia's tax system penalizes Completely Built Up (CBU) imported vehicles, and for the 1.3L Honda Civic Hybrid, it will encounter a 50 percent import duty, 90 percent Excise Duty, and a 10 percent Sales Tax on the total taxed value of the car--10 percent of Car Value + Import Duty + Excise Duty.

The Civic Hybrid would cost RM137,280 to the dealer and lists for RM162,800. For that amount, one could buy a bigger Malaysia-assembled Honda Accord 2.4, with change to spare. A lack of public awareness of the environmental issue and hybrids in general may be stemming sales, and the situation is not helped by the confusing use of the term hybrid by local manufacturers like Naza in Malaysia which refers to dual-fuel systems as "hybrids".

Hybrids like the Honda Civic Hybrid have been around in Malaysia, but demand isn't catching up.

There may be another regrouping of effort by Honda Malaysia to revive interest in the Hybrid, ironically riding on the coat-tails of the Honda Civic Type R. In August, the company put up full-page advertisements in the newspapers and relaunched the car on August 3, 2007. The sales target for the Honda Civic Hybrid is set at 60 units a year by Honda's top brass, which is a very small number compared with the total quantity of cars sold. The world's largest Hybrid vehicle manufacturer Toyota has not announced any plans in Malaysia, presumably until a coherent green car incentive scheme launches in Malaysia. However, there is at least one Toyota Prius in Malaysia, brought in by a British couple at the princely cost of RM251,105.832, and dubbed the most expensive Prius in the world.

On the manufacturing front, the largest locally owned car manufacturer Proton has teamed up with its subsidiary Lotus Engineering to create a Hybrid Concept, the Gen2 EVE Hybrid. With Proton's lagging sales in international markets, its success lies chiefly in its local captive market and it would do well to lobby for green car tax breaks if this concept has any chance to get off the ground.

The Malaysian Government has also given grants to local institutions to develop hybrid technology together with local car manufacturers such as Proton and Perodua.

Back in March, I touched on the rumors floating around that Apple was going to launch a Netbook. It's interesting to watch Apple's communication strategy when it comes to rumors. Jacqui Chang at Ars Technica is one of my favorite tech pundits and this was one of her arguments as to why the Cupertino company would phase in a Netbook:
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To the doubting Thomases who said flying cars are a pipe dream, the yoke's on you. The British-developed Parajet Skycar has undergone a funky redesign and is now available for preorder with a tentative release date of 2010. That's right, friends, the future is late next year!

We're probably getting ahead of ourselves a bit here--people have been promising flying cars since the Jetsons. But an early Skycar prototype was flown 9,656km from London to Timbuktu by an team led by former British army officer Neil Laughton, so there's a higher chance than normal it will see the light of day.

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Zhu Chenghao takes a drag on his cigarette as he pulls out his latest top-selling phone--the iPhone Mini. He may be less charismatic than Steve Jobs but is every bit as keen to show those all too familiar features from a full-size iPhone: The touchscreen, integrated media playback, games, colorful icons and stylish curved finish.

But as the Apple CEO would say, "that's not all". The iPhone Mini includes features Apple is yet to announce in its smartphone: An FM radio player, dual-SIM card support, Java, external storage via miniSD and video recording, to name just a few.

"Shanzhai," Zhu says with enthusiasm as he shows off the shake-to-shuffle feature.

Welcome to a Shanzhai tech market in Shanghai, China. Shanzhai is the Chinese term used inside the middle kingdom for counterfeit or copied goods. The direct translation of Shanzhai (??) is "mountainvillage" and is used to refer to the small, low-quality factories in southern China. It's a blanket term for a range of counterfeit goods ranging from designer bags and clothing to tech gadgets, cars (even Formula One race cars) and helicopters.

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