Monday, February 8, 2010

Shoaib Malik is Captain in Pakistan vs England 2010 Series

Pakistan and England are going fight for T20 series in Dubai later this month. There is now a lot of pressure on Pakistan cricket team to perform well as they have done very badly in the Australian tour. Shoaib Malik has been named as the captain of the team. I guess that Afridi was the captain of Twetny20 team but he is suspended for two matches for ball tempering in the last T20 match in Australia. Afridi will not be available for the first match but he will come in the second match.
Shoaib Malik is a good batsman but it is perhaps the bad time for him to lead his team. There is a lot of pressure and expectations on him now. Of course, the captain cannot do anything alone. It is a team sports and all the 11 players have to perform. 
Posted by Razib Ahmed at 12:19 PM 0 comments Links to this post
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Dr. Conrad Murray Charged with involuntary manslaughter in the death of Michael Jackson

I just saw it in BBC world news as a breaking news that Dr. Conrad Murray has been charged with involuntary manslaughter in the death of Michael Jackson. Details are still not very clear and we will find more information in the next few minutes. Now, CNN gave the same breaking news. So, it is confirmed that Dr. Conrad Murray has been charged with manslaughter. This news will surely cause a lot of media storm today and tomorrow. Earlier, we heard that Dr. Conrad Murray would plead not guilty. We also saw report that the children of Michael Jackson would testify for the doctor.
Now, CNN is giving detailed coverage to this item. CNN is showing footages from the court room. There is a huge presence of media outside the court house. It is perhaps a shocking news to the millions of fans of this pop legend. It is not that the doctor killed him but perhaps gave wrong drugs which are dangerous. It is to be noted that the doctor was close to the singer. So, the death investigation of this pop legend has taken a dramatic twist. The doctor neglected his duty but perhaps with no ill intention. 
Posted by Razib Ahmed at 11:55 AM 0 comments Links to this post
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Paypal Stops payments to India: Some Observations

If you are a freelance worker in India or somehow your work is related to internet then it is perhaps a very bad time for you because you can not carry out transactions through Paypal. Paypal is the most popular form of online transaction and they just posted an entry in Indian blog with the following message:
I’m writing to let you know that personal payments to and from India and transfers to local banks in India have been suspended while we work with our business partners and other stakeholders to address questions they have about the service.
During this time, customers can still make commercial payments to India but merchants cannot withdraw funds in Rupees to local Indian banks.

Anju is the person who put the message on behalf of Paypal. He promised to update the blog as soon as there is information. However, until now there is no update and it is really very tragic. This entry was posted on February 6. However, from some of the websites that covered the news, I can find that the problem originated on 28th January 2010.
After reading the message of Paypal, I could not understand what the problem is. There has not been any controversy or problem regarding Paypal in India.
Many people are dependent on it because it is a very reliable way of online transaction. India is the outsourcing giant. The big companies employ thousands of workers. However, it is the freelance workers who are mainly dependent on Paypal in India.
India has thousands of people working in Internet for various individuals and companies of USA and other countries. If you take a look at the Digital Point forum then you will understand that how many Indians are working in Internet. Many of them are very unhappy and and they don’t know whom to blame. Some thought that Indian government and RBI had something to do behind this problem of Paypal. However, there has been no official reaction from either Indian government or Paypal.
So, it is not clear what the problem is. This shows the complex world that we live in now. Internet is a great place and it is helping everyone. However, when something like this happens then many people suffer. I just hope that Paypal officials understand the gravity of problem.
On the other hand, I also wish that Indian government officials try to address the problem and contract Paypal about it. Both the parties should talk to each other and solve out the problem. As I have already stated that many people in India are dependent on earning money from internet. It is helping many families and for Indian economy, it is also brining some foreign currency. So, Indian government should encourage this matter and help the freelance workers who are bringing foreign currency.
I am not sure when there will be an update about the whole issue. It is already several days and there is no official confirmation either from Indian government or Paypal. Indian freelancers are perhaps at this moment frantically searching for alternative methods of payment but the really is that Paypal is the best. 
Posted by Razib Ahmed at 10:33 AM 0 comments Links to this post
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Schedule of Pakistan vs England T20 Series 2010

Pakistan is going to play two Twenty20 matches against England in Dubai international stadium on February 19 and 20, 2010. Thus, it has become Pakistan and England Twenty20 series 2010 and it will perhaps attract a lot of viewers on Television than the attraction on crowd in stadium. The two matches will be live broadcast in TEN SPORTS TV channel in South Asia and from now TEN SPORTS is giving advertisement of the matches. These matches are not that much important for any of the two teams because it is only two matches. However, they have some significance considering the fact that Twenty20 World cup 2010 will take place in April and May in West Indies.
You may wonder that why the matches are taking place in Dubai of UAE. If you are a cricket fan and collect information about world cricket then you should have known that for many months no foreign team has been touring to Pakistan because of security concern. So, Dubai and Abu Dhabi are becoming the second home for Pakistani cricket. In UAE, thousands of people of Pakistani origin work as emigrant workers and they are always happy to be in the stadium on a Friday. Here is the schedule below:

Date
Teams
Time
Venue
19 February 2010 (Friday)
Pakistan vs England- 1st Twenty20 match
GMT 14:00
Local Time 18:00
Indian Time 19:30
Dubai International Cricket Stadium
20th February 2010 (Saturday)
Pakistan vs England- 2nd Twenty20 match
GMT 14:00
Local Time 18:00
Indian Time 19:30
Dubai International Cricket Stadium


The organizers are hopping that many fans will come up for the two matches. The organizers have also tried to decrease the ticket price so that more people come. The price of the ticket is just AED 75 and this price is for the 19 February match. 19 February is going to be Friday and it is the holiday in UEA. So, you can expect a good turn out for the match. For the next match on Saturday, the ticket price has been just AED 50. Well, I think that the ticket price should have been decreased even further for Saturday’s match because in Saturday not many people will turn up for the match.
Pakistan’s recent performance is very bad. They can not play in their home stadiums for many months and this is perhaps one of the main reasons. They have less match practice than other countries. Pakistan just finished a very miserable tour of Australia in which they played three matches and lost all of them. Pakistan also played five ODI matches and lost all of them and they played one T20 match and even lost that one too. In the final Twenty20 match, Shahid Afridi was found guilty for ball tempering and he had been banned for two T20 matches. So, most probably Pakistan will have to play against England in this series against Shahid Afridi. This will surely make the Pakistani team weak. I am not sure if Afridi and Pakistani team has appealed against the ban and would be able to play. Another notable player who cannot play is Mohammad Asif.
Many people in Pakistan are very unhappy because of the way their national team lost against Australia. The Pakistan cricket team could not even secure one draw or one win in the entire tour. Now, Pakistan’s coach and captain have been called in the country to explain the bad performance. However, I don’t think the coach and the captain had anything to do with the bad performance.
The players are not in good shape and what Pakistani government and cricket board need to do is arrange more matches for the team in places like Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
I really think that Pakistan cricket board and Pakistani government should now focus on the England series in stead of investigating the reasons of humiliating defeat in Australian tour.
On the other hand, England recently went to South Africa for a four-match test series. The two teams also played five ODI matches and two T20 matches. The test series was draw. England won the ODI series by 2-1. The t20 series was also a draw. So, England had a very good tour of South Africa because South Africa at this moment is the number one ranked country in the world.
This series is t20 series and Pakistan is the current world champion in T20 cricket. Just a few months ago, in England Twenty20 world cup cricket took place and Pakistan was the champion. So, Pakistani supporters are now expecting that their team can defeat England easily. On the other hand, English cricket fans are hoping that England can win because Pakistan’s recent performance is very bad in world cricket. So, it is a very good opportunity for England to take advantage of the situation and win the t20 series.
I think that the series is taking place mainly for money rather than playing cricket. First of all it is only just two T20 matches and there is no ODI or Test matches. So, it is a sad matter for cricket fans of both the countries. Pakistan cricket board is under serious financial stress and they will get some decent amount of money from TEN SPORTS who will broadcast the matches live. I think that they will also get some money from the sponsors and that is perhaps why the two matches are taking place. 
Posted by Razib Ahmed at 8:53 AM 0 comments Links to this post
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Sunday, February 7, 2010

Waiting for a Recession Free World

The economic recession hit everyone and almost all the countries. I have written a lot about the recession in this blog and in other blogs. Although I live in Bangladesh, I have been a victim because I have seen my income suffering from blogging. I guess that at least 1 or 2 billion people have suffered directly or indirectly from the recession.
Things are supposed to be better in 2010. One month is gone in this year and things look better in USA, China and some parts of Europe. However, Britain and Japan are still suffering. The jobs are not coming back in USA. China has not back the export figures either. In fact, I am not sure whether recession will completely end in 2010. It has been very tough for millions of people like me.
Perhaps it is a very good time for doing some kind of soul searching. What went wrong? How we can prevent it? I am just worried that in 2012 it again does not come back. Things looked so great at the end of 2007 but then everything fell apart from the second quarter of 2008. I wish that again we have good economy every where. Of course, I don’t want the high oil price and high food price part again. 
Posted by Razib Ahmed at 3:52 PM 0 comments Links to this post
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Interview of Teoh Pang Kee: Imaging Consultant

Teoh Pang Kee is a famous imaging consultant in South East Asia. He worked with Canon for eighteen years and then started to work as a freelance consultant. He is based in Malaysia. Canon brought him to Dhaka to share his expertise with the photographers and photo enthusiasts of Bangladesh. He gave an interview on 19 November 2009 and here it is for the readers:
Razib Ahmed: Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
Teoh Pang Kee: I am working in Canon for the last eighteen years. Currently, I am heading the professional division for the last three and half years. Before that I worked as an Acer Imaging consultant. This is my first time in Bangladesh and I like this country.

Razib Ahmed: So now, who are your biggest clients? Canon?
Teoh Pang Kee: I am currently setting up a training program in Malaysia. In addition, I travel to Nepal and try to support Canon Users. Currently, I am working at the regional office of Canon in Singapore. I am organizing workshops on behalf of Canon. First, I did a workshop in Nepal, then in Myanmar and then in Dhaka. Next month, I will conduct another workshop in Cambodia. By the end of the month we will be in India. I work with professional photographers to help them to know about the features of their cameras.
 Razib Ahmed: So, you have been to various countries and met many photographers. What do you think of the Bangladeshi photographers that you have met so far?
Teoh Pang Kee: Here I see a lot of enthusiastic photographers but the most important thing is photography is still a growing market. It has not been established yet in Bangladesh but there are many photographers who are very much passionate about their crafts. I have met some very good photographers and I believe that photography has a huge potential in Bangladesh. I am planning to do my next photo expedition in Bangladesh. Bangladeshi photographers have good chance to compete in the International arena.


Razib Ahmed: Just a few minutes ago, you were talking about ten mega pixel camera is enough to take good pictures. There is a notion among many people that they should go for expensive camera to take good pictures. What do you think about this matter?
Teoh Pang Kee: Actually, Canon produces camera based on the needs of its users. But Canon also has its own megapixel technology and they always try to give users, cameras with highest productivity. For this reason, even in the entry level Canon cameras, you will find ten mega pixel cameras. It also produces camera with fifteen and eighteen megapixel capacity. Canon produces its own sensor compared to its rivals. So, when you compare Canon’s cameras with other products in the market, you will find out that low range Canon cameras can take good pictures but they would not perform in extreme conditions like those cameras used by professional photographers.

Razib Ahmed: You have done a seminar and a workshop and you met many professionals and amateur photographers. So, in which area do you think they require further improvement? Is there any general trend in photography in Bangladesh that they should focus more?
Teoh Pang Kee: You see photography is an International language. Since we are all photographers we can communicate with each other by photography but I believe that in order to improve further whether it is in Bangladesh or any part in the world photographers should get together more and this is the best way to improve.
Posted by Razib Ahmed at 7:05 AM 0 comments Links to this post
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Interview of Wrixon Wong: Senior Area Manager of Canon Singapore

Wrixon Wong is a senior area manager at Canon Singapore. He recently visited Bangladesh. He expressed his satisfaction with the performance of J.A.N. Associates Ltd in promoting Canon cameras in Bangladeshi market. He also expressed his joy with the continuous high growth in sales figure of Canon cameras in Bangladesh. He gave an interview on 19 November 2009 and here is the interview for the readers:

Razib Ahmed: Have you come to Bangladesh before?
Wrixon Wong: This is my third time in Bangladesh and I am very happy to come because I see a lot of activities in the market, traffic jams, more cars. So it seems like there are lots of activities this time. Things are getting better in your country.

Razib Ahmed: How is Canon doing in Bangladesh in the camera segment?
Wrixon Wong: Currently, we are in the top position in the dSLR camera market. Thanks to Mr. Kafi (Abdullah H Kafi). He has done a very good job. He has been able to build a very good rapport with the media by organizing various promotional events and seminars like this one. By organizing such events he has been able to reach out to the professional photographers and people who are interested in photography but does not have any opportunity to know about it. So, this is a great way to promote our product and connect with our buyers and share our skills and experience with Bangladeshi photographers. For this seminar, we have flown in one photographer, Mr. Teoh Pang Kee, whom we have flown in from Malaysia. He is sharing his photography skills and also his knowledge of the camera- how you can get the best picture.
Razib Ahmed: Earlier today, you unveiled a new product for Bangladeshi photographers. Can you tell us a bit about the special features of this product?
Wrixon Wong: Yes, The new camera we unveiled in Bangladesh is EOS 1 Mark IV Camera. The main feature of this camera is that it can take photos at a very high speed. The camera is equipped with twin DIGIC 4 processors which allow it to take photos at a rate of ten frames per second. It is like the cars. In traditional cars, there is only one carburetor but in present day cars there are two carburetors. This camera is very useful for sports photographers and news photographers who need to take photos of every second.

Razib Ahmed: We see Canon advertisements in satellite TV channels but there is no advertisement of Canon in Bangladeshi TV channels. Do you have any thought about it?
Wrixon Wong: Well, in India we are trying very hard to build our market share because our condition is not very strong in India. So we are working hard to have Indian market share and we are also aware that Indian channels are also shown in Bangladesh and they are quite popular. So, through Indian TV channels we are indirectly trying raise our brand awareness and so far there is a good impact.
Razib Ahmed: What is your future plan about the Bangladeshi market?
Wrixon Wong: In terms of dSLR. Two years ago we changed our distributor. When Mr.Kafi took over our camera distribution, he said that he would like to see Canon as the top product in the camera market in Bangladesh. “When people would think of camera, they would only think of Canon”- this was his vision. This impressed me very much. Mr. Kafi has become very successful as the official distributor of Canon printers in Bangladesh. Currently, Canon is the number one printer brand in Bangladesh. And I believe that he has the ability to take Canon camera to the same heights. It is just a matter of time. A few months earlier, I came to know that he has set up a training center to train people on operating digital cameras because in near future the digital cameras will have lots of features and the customers can not find out about all the features all by themselves. So, through arranging such training sessions, we would be able to connect to our customers and build our brand value in Bangladesh.
Razib Ahmed: Have you seen any significant increase in sales of your product in Bangladesh?
Wrixon Wong: Of course, over the years, we achieved double digit growth in sales but the year 2009 has been a bit difficult for economic recession but in November and December we are expecting to some growth in sales because this is the shopping season. We are hoping for a growth of 120% in sales in the next two months.
Posted by Razib Ahmed at 6:43 AM 0 comments Links to this post
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