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Lifestyle

Fun things to do in Chennai

If you’re new to a city, clubs and groups are a great way to get to know the place, and to meet people with similar interests. If you’re a local, groups are also a fun way to discover a new side of your city.

Whether you enjoy curling up with book or exploring the great outdoors, namma Chennai has something for everyone.

The Great Outdoors:

If the idea of exercise makes you happy, and trekking through jungles is your idea of a perfect holiday, Chennai has many clubs to choose from. The Outdoor Activities’ Club is for anyone who loves the great outdoors. The Club offers trekking, hiking, bicycling, kayaking, angling and bird watching activities. The group has great opportunities to explore nature, and organizes frequent camping trips. Located on NH5, the club is great for week end activities.

Attention Bookworms:

There are clubs for those of you who prefer to stay in the warmth and the comfort of the indoors, curled around a book. Book Buff Company is a group that meets regularly to discuss, and review various novels, exchange books and talk about anything literary, over cups of coffee.

Curtain Call:

Chennai has a vibrant theatre culture. Unleash you’re inner drama queen by joining one of the many theatre groups in the city. Theatre groups such as Madras Players, Theatre Y and Crea- Shakti offer you a chance not only to act, but also to volunteer in production and direction as well.

Lights, Camera, Action:

If you hope to direct your own film someday, Refractions (RefrACTIONS) is the place to start. The activities of the club are inclusive of the various aspects of film making, such as production, direction, script writing, acting and even film criticism. With notable speakers offering input and expert advice, this club is a great opportunity to hone your skills and showcase your talent!

Head’s up shutterbugs:

Chennai has plenty of groups and clubs with regard to photography. The Photographic Society of Madras is one such group. The group conducts regular classes, as well as organizing photography tours regularly. Another great club to join is the Chennai photographers models group. This group is for both aspiring models and photographers. Apart from the occasional photo shoot, they also arrange for regular photography camps.

B Factor:

If you’re planning on starting your own business, Chennai has a host of clubs to choose from. The Startups Club is a group that provides support for the practical aspects of business. Whether you have vague business ideas, own a company or plan on starting out on your own, the Chennai Entrepreneurs Meetup Group offer industry advice regarding business and entrepreneurship. Members of the group meet to network, brainstorm and share resources in order to get over common obstacles.

Cracking the code:

A variety of clubs teach members the basics of computer languages, coding and operating platforms. Groups such as Chennai Titanium, Chennai Embedded Linux Networkgroup, Analytics for Business and Chennai Electronics Design Technology Meetup provide members an opportunity to hone their existing software skills, and acquire knowledge from industry experts.

123… Mike Testing:

Toastmasters is a club that teaches public speaking and leadership skills. It helps individuals get over stage fear, and enables people to present themselves more effectively. There is a Toastmasters club in almost every locality in the city; it’s a great way to meet new people, while developing one’s communication skills.

Surf’s up:

Every surfer remembers their first wave. The Bay of Life – First Wave surfing school offers lessons to people of all ages. The organization offers a variety of both short and long term courses. Bay of Life provides members with the surf board, and accessories. In just a couple of classes you could catch your own wave. Given Chennai’s great beaches, it‘s a fun club to join.

The X Factor

For those of you who believe that Life is either a daring adventure or nothing, Chennai has a lot to offer. Everest Base Camp Trekking – We Ramblers is a community of enthusiastic members looking for daring adventurous activities world over. The club organizes treks to Everest Base Camp, Annapurna Ranges and Zanskar Region, bike rides along some of the world’s most perilous roads, scuba diving in the Arabian Sea and much more. Touchwood Club is another group that also regularly organizes trekking, biking and other adventure based activities.

Dirt Track:

If you are passionate about biking, Madras Bulls is your ideal club. Madras Bulls regularly undertake long road trips across the country, and members are expected to participate in the rides and events. The club members typically ride the bullet series of motor cycles from the Royal Enfield stable. The MadBulls meet at 7 PM on every second Saturday at Maya Motors, LB Road, Adyar.

No matter what your area of interest is, there is a club for you. These are just few of the many activity clubs in the city, so choose a club and join, as groups are a great way to unwind and relax.

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 Lifestyle

App solutely outlandish

Smart phones are common news these days, and by virtue of that, so are Applications or Apps – as they are commonly known, for these phones. Apps have become an integral part of our daily lives and it is impossible to imagine a life without them. There are apps for everything, be it food, lifestyle, gym, news, music, education, games and what not. There’s no doubt that they make our lives not only more interesting, but a lot easier. As amazing as these apps maybe, there are some that should not have been invented at all.

Here is a countdown list of some really sily apps invented:

Number 10:

Annoying Sounds:

Have you imagined unwinding to the sound of a jack hammer accompanied by the sound of nails scratching against metal? “Annoying Sounds” offers over 50 sounds that you can annoy your friends with. From the sound of multiple crying babies and screeching metal whistles to the sounds of people retching and screaming. This is a sure way to lose your hearing and your friends! The application is available both on the Google Play Store and the App Store.

Number 9:

Yo:

“Yo” is an application that allows you to communicate easily with friends, family and colleagues. Forget about long text messages and emoticons; with this app all emotions and ideas get compressed into a two character message – Yo. The only possible form of communication with this app is Yo. For instance – you want to say, “This app is crazy”, all you can type is, Yo. This app gives your fingers a rest from all that texting! “Yo” is available on both the Google Play Store and the App Store

Number 8:

My name is:

Remember the days when people used to wear identity cards at conferences, to help with easy identification? Those days are now over, “My name is”, is an app that functions, exactly like how an ID card does. It has over 20 fonts and background colour options, making it highly customizable. So the next time you‘re going for a meeting, wear your smart phone around your neck, like a tie. It’s the new must have accessory! “My name is “, is currently available only on the Google Play Store.

Number 7:

Is it dark outside:

“Is it dark outside”, uses your GPS location, date and time, and then proceeds to compare it with the expected sunrise or sunset time in the area, to let you know if it is dark outside. This is the perfect app for those of you, who are uncertain about whether it’s dark outside at 12 noon; or if you plan on moving into a closed cardboard box. This application is available both on the Google Play Store as well as the App Store.

Number 6:

I am Rich:

If you dream of becoming a multi millionaire, “I am Rich” can help you achieve that goal. When launched, the app displays a glowing red “diamond” and the catch phrase “I am Rich” in the background. Originally available on the App Store for a whopping 999.99 US dollars,   “I am Rich”, is now banned in the App Store. However, a similar version of the app, with a blue “diamond” is available on the Google Play Store. Though if you can afford the app, you are clearly on the right path.

Number 5:

iNap@Work:

Have you ever felt like catching a few minutes of sleep, right in the middle of a busy work day? If you have an office space with a door, the “iNap@Work” is the perfect app for you.  This app makes office like “productivity sounds”, ensuring your co-workers hear a constant din coming from your office space. Even though you’re snoring, colleagues will hear office sounds like typing, mouse clicks, papers being stapled and even human sounds such as clearing your throat or sneezing. You can adjust the settings on the phone to pick the sounds you want to imitate, and customize the frequency of the sounds to create the illusion of a busy or relatively free work day. However if your boss decides to do a surprise check, the app can’t save you. But hey, at least you caught up on your sleep! For now, this app is available only on App Store.

Number4:

Anti Mosquito:

Bzzzzzz…. mosquitoes bothering you?  The “Anti Mosquito” app, promises to repel mosquitoes and other small insects, by emitting high frequency sounds. The frequencies are believed to be higher that what most humans can perceive. The “Anti mosquito” app is available on the Ovi Store, the App Store and the  Google Play Store. All the same, don’t throw away those mosquito nets just yet.

Number 3:

Hold the button:

At least Candy Crush requires some level of thinking. “Hold the button”, is a game that requires you to hold the button that appears on screen, for the longest possible duration, without lifting your finger. Users can either challenge their friends, or beat their own previous records at the game. This game really tests your patience, will power and dedication. The app is available on both on the Google Play Store and on the App Store. Now that’s an intellectually stimulating app!

Number 2:

Hair Clinic:

If you’re developing a bald patch, and don’t have the funds for a hair transplant procedure, the “Hair Clinic” is your best bet.  This app generates various high and low frequencies, in order to promote circulation around hair roots, thereby encouraging hair growth. However, if one were to mistakenly place the device in the wrong place or, use it for extended periods of time, one could become completely hairy, like a Gorilla. Currently this app is available only on the App Store.

Number 1:

Send me to heaven:

There are many more bizarre apps, but the title of the most bizarre app goes to “Send me to heaven”. The goal of the game is simple, users have to throw their phones as high as they can, without breaking it .The app’s accelerometer calculates how far the device goes, and the results are uploaded to the apps’ leader boards. Despite having been banned by the App Store, “Send me to heaven”, is available in the Google Play Store .This app has inspired other games with similar ideas such as “Hangtime”; an app that records the time your phone remains in air, after it is thrown, and “How Tall “- which measures a person’s height, when the device is thrown from above.

Tempting as it is, avoid downloading theses apps as they can only lead to irritation and frustration, and you can never get back the hours you spent on them.

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 News

Bhumi and Paperman make trash useful

We celebrated World Environment Day not so long ago. A lot was spoken about the need to plant more trees, preserve green cover in cities and to regulate and control consumption of energy. But, what about waste management? In a city like Chennai with a population of 4.7 million people, in terms of waste produced, a staggering 5000 tonnes of waste is produced in a single day. Not a lot of thought is put into understanding how this can be monetized or recycled. The trash, if properly recycled, can be used to generate INR 15,000 crore. Some easy and smart methods can help reduce the impact caused to the environment.

Instead of throwing away empty plastic bottles, glass bottles or soda cans, used pizza cartons and cardboard boxes, recycle them. Recycling ensures reuse of these materials in various other industries. Glass bottles and tin cans are broken down into smaller bio-degradable components Segregating your trash and selling it to the local waste, paper dealers is a step in the right direction. There are a number of NGOs in the city that are working towards this cause, Bhumi is one such agency.

A Chennai based NGO, Bhumi, aims to build a cleaner and more equitable society through citizen initiatives. Some of their projects include Kanini – a computer literacy programme, Think Green – an initiative towards environmental conservation and Chennai Coastal Cleanup – a beach cleanup project. Recently, Bhumi has collaborated with Paperman to offer a door step trash collection service.

Established in 2010, Paperman is a city based social venture that aims to encourage the spirit and culture of recycling in Chennai. This organisation is an initiative to connect the informal sector of recycling with the community. Local kailaan kadai karan or waste paper dealers work with Paperman to collect trash from houses, offices and schools everyday between 10 AM and 6 PM. Paperman provides all authorized kabadi wallahs or scrap dealers with identity cards. The organisation offering its services to over 200 households, has conducted paper recycling drives in 100 schools in the city.

When it comes to environmental conservation, every step counts. You can make a difference; take the time to call 8015269831, and cite Bhumi as reference. Alternatively you can send a message, – “RECYCLE BHUMI YOUR NAME” to 7666440555. The trash will then collected from your house by a Paperman employee at a mutually convenient time. All trash is cleared and collected within a 48 hour time period. In keeping with the goal of reducing waste all bills are sent via SMS.

In collaboration with their doorstep waste collection drive, Bhumi and Paperman are working together on education projects for underprivileged children. Your used movie tickets, credit card receipts and restaurant bills can contribute towards the education of a child. 80% percent of the proceeds from this venture is utilized for education projects for under privileged children. This initiative aims at creating a better society for the future.

As of now this innovative venture is operational only in Chennai; however the scalable and replicable nature of its operations makes its potential, pan Indian.

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 News

TAFE Tractors Changshu Company Limited inaugurated

The TAFE Tractors Changshu Company Limited plant was inaugurated on July 07, 2014. This new facility is located in China’s Changshu city, known for its scenic landscapes, culturally rich history and thriving agriculture. The Changshu facility is a value addition to TAFE’s Indian and worldwide operations, and will cater to its global sourcing needs.

The inauguration ceremony was a small intimate event hosted by TAFE teams from India and China. The chief guests for the inauguration were Mr. Fang Gang and Mr. Fan Jianqing, Vice Chairmen – Changshu Economic and Technological Development Zone (CEDZ). The guests were received at the entrance with sandalwood garlands – a mark of respect extended towards guests in the Indian culture, and escorted into the facility premises. Here picture boards showcasing the history of TAFE were displayed and guests were provided with explanations to give them insights into TAFE.

The main inauguration program began with the TAFE Anthem and the lighting of the lamp by the dignitaries and TAFE team. Mr. S. Chandramouli – VP, International Business Unit then welcomed everyone present, following which, the TAFE video was screened. Next, Mr. Fang Jianqing addressed the gathering, wishing TAFE the best of luck. The ribbon cutting ceremony next marking the official inauguration of the facility was done as per Chinese customs where six people cut the ribbon simultaneously.

Mr. Shaik Rahiman – AVP, Manufacturing, delivered the vote of thanks expressing his sincere gratitude to the Chinese authorities and all the TAFE teams for their tireless work towards making the Changshu facility a reality. The official launch of the operation was next, where the dignitaries turned on the switch to the HMC. Everyone present at the inauguration ceremony was then given a quick tour of the facility.

The day ended with TAFE associates getting together to celebrate the momentous day and to take stock of what they had achieved. We wish the Changshu team all the very best in all their future endeavours!

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 Lifestyle

The game of football and business

Football is a sport of anticipation, team play, co-ordination, strategy, physical prowess and mental strength. Here winning is everything and coming second means nothing! There are a number of parallels that an organization can analyse and implement from a game of football. Let us look at, offence, defence and flanking – three of football’s most fundamental strategies with regards to tactics of marketing and brand positioning. Below is a novice analysis of some of the similarities of football and business strategies.

Focus

One of the most important qualities required of a football player is to always keep the goal in focus. The greatest goals are scored by strikers that keep an eye on the ball while making the run towards goal. Focus, in business involves the complex tasks of segmenting the market and targeting a specific audience. A business’s success requires it to hold the customer’s attention, keep their needs in prime focus and gain a positive customer perception from the communication directed their way.

Timing is of the essence

A player’s advantage in a goal scoring position is lost if the pass comes too early or late. A forward holds the ball and moves forward till he or a fellow striker covers the distance to reach a goal scoring position. Counter-attack, also being an essential ploy to offence, holds timing at a principle position. The defenders have to pass that ball as soon as possible to the offensive units to make sure the opposing defence is caught off-guard. Similarly, in a business, launching products or campaigns in a timely manner before the competition has a major impact on the market and customers.

Scoring goals is the primary objective of the game

Offence in business principally means outselling or out-performing competition through the means of direct and aggressive strategy. While in football, a striker constantly tests the competence of the defence and goalkeeper, a business constantly strives to market products that are preferred over a competitor’s. A striker constantly pressurises the defender forcing him to make mistakes or step on his wrong foot so he can weave past him. Consider a play where a striker is a brand and the defender marking the striker is the competition. In this scenario, the defender tries to cover the distance and positions that the striker may use to score the goal. The striker uses his footwork and skills to deceive the defender and position himself in a way that gives him enough room to score the goal. Similarly, a successful organization positions itself in such a way, so as to position itself conquering its own niche market segment. Using innovative ways that improve and market products that cater to an evolving market is the way to retain a customer.

Planning all aspects of the offensive attack is what makes it successful. Anticipating the capabilities of the opposition is of immense importance too while planning an attack. Using the strength of the team to capitalize on the weakness of the opponent is only possible through rigorous prior preparation. Planning only covers half a dimension of the game. The other half is left to execution. It’s not possible without the 11 players on field being in tune with the strategy decided as a team. Everyone has a small part to play in this and a team is only as strong as its weakest link.

Thus, business like football involves leveraging ones strengths to capitalize the competitions’ weakness while at the same time safeguarding one’s own weaknesses.

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 Lifestyle

A whiff of the future

A Paris-Cambridge based startup Vapor Communications, have invented a device that will now allow users to send smells via mobile messaging – and no it’s not a hoax.

On Tuesday March 17, 2014, the world’s first trans-Atlantic digitally scented messages was sent from Paris to New York. Aided by the new iPhone app called oSnap, a fragrance chemist in New York sent a champagne and chocolate smell-o-gram to inventors David Edwards, a Harvard professor, and Rachel Field, at the American Museum of Natural History.

The device “oPhone”, along with a free app called “oSnap” (available on iTunes), lets users take photos, add text, program an accompanying scent, then combines them to send the scent messages or the “oNote” as the company calls it.

How does it work?

The scent laced messages or the oNotes, are composed on the iPhone app – oSnap. The app has an automatic camera, which takes photos of the object they wish to send. Once the snap is taken, a tagging menu appears with an array of scent notes such as butter, cocoa beans, baguette or red wine for the user to choose from. Up to eight different scents can be combined to give the recipient the full picture of a meal or any other experience. The app facilitates the users to mix and match different scents from the 32 primitive scents to create more than 300,000 unique aromas to send via mobile message.

These 32 aromas are placed inside oPhone’s eight “oChips.” On receiving the oNote, the device releases the corresponding aroma via two cylindrical gadgets based on the aromatic tags assigned by the user. Each scent is designed to last roughly 10 seconds – the average time people take to sense an aroma. If the photo is tagged with multiple scents, the smells are emitted one after the other. The photo and its corresponding scent tags are then messaged to the recipient, who uses a scent-transmitting machine, the oPhone to receive the smell.

oPhone

Coming a long way from its ideation two years ago, the oPhone is available for pre-order for $149 to anyone who donates to the device’s ‘Indiegogo crowdfunding’ campaign. The oPhone will cost $199 (US) at the consumer launch, expected in April next year.

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 Events

TrAction Team in Action

The TrAction program recently received recognition from our associates for the wonderful work done by the team. This called for celebrations all round, and the TrAction team was joined by senior management members. Mr. R. C. Banka – Executive Director & Deputy CEO, Mr. N. S. Swaminathan – Executive Vice President, Mr. Muthukumar Thanu – Group CHRO and Mr. P. K. Agarwal – Vice President-Corporate Quality along with Mr. A. K. Parameswaran – Vice President-Corporate Planning, joined in for the celebrations. The teams at TAFE Madurai and Chennai were connected through video conferencing to celebrate together respectively.

A glimpse of this high-tech celebration is seen in the photographs.

 

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 More

A beginners checklist to choosing a World Cup football team

With Brazil taking on Croatia in the first match of the World Cup in São Paulo, millions of fans around the world kick off a month-long obsession with “football”. For the rest of the world, who don’t follow the game, you’re left with four options this month. Ignore these fans, run away from conversation, nod along to everything being said or jump on the bandwagon. For those who have surrendered, you have an impending task ahead of you. The very first, basic question you will be asked for the next month and a half, “Which team do you support this World Cup?” Well, fret not; this article is here to help you. Presenting (cue drum rolls) “An Beginners Checklist to Choosing a Team this Football World Cup 2014”.

Hold on, before that you need to know what you’re up against.

The World Cup will feature 32 nations – placed in eight groups with four teams each – and a total of 64 games. Each team has eleven players on the field with three substitutions. Each squad however, consists of 23 players on a whole. The teams are divided into eight groups. The four teams in each group will play each other and the top two teams will move on. From there, it heads into single-game elimination, starting with the winner of each group playing the runner-up of another group. Winners advance and keep playing until there are only two teams left.

Now that you know the basics of how the tournament works, let’s move on to what you really want to know- How do you choose which team to support? You could choose your team based on the list given below:

  1. Eye-Candy

The Brazil 2014 World Cup won’t only be the place to bring together the best talent in football; it will also bring some of the most attractive ones. While you’re being forced to watch these hour and a half long matches, you may as well focus on the eye candy.

  1. Good looking fans

Talking about eye candy, with an average seating capacity of 49,896 people per stadium, the stadium has no dearth of good looking supporters. So why not join them in supporting their team?

  1. Color, color, what color do you choose?

FIFA is a legitimate excuse to wear a pair of shorts and a jersey and walk around in front of people. So look up the teams, see which color suits you best, buy a jersey and pretend to support the team.

  1. Dream Travel Destination

Fancied visiting the carnivals of Brazil, the English country side or the Niagara Falls? Well, this suggests you’ve done your country research. So even if you don’t know anything about the team, you support your favorite destination. But do ensure they are playing in this World Cup!

  1. These are some of my favorite things

The Swiss are known for their chocolates, while the English for the Queen and The Beatles, the Germans for their automobiles and South Korea for the Gangnam Style. Why not support the country where your favorites are from?

  1. Bye-bye Honey Singh

The FIFA world cup has its benefits. Honey Singh’s “music” is overridden by the chants of your neighbour singing along with the crowd on TV supporting their team. So listen carefully to the chaos, choose which of the chants you like best and sing it aloud.

  1. The wackiest pre-game ritual.

Some people wear a certain blue shirt for an interview or an important meeting, while someone uses the same pen they wrote class notes with for the exam; we all have our own set of wacky superstitions. Guess what? So do the players and team, find something similar to your superstition? Well, now you know who you’re going to support.

  1. Favorite celebrity supports

Juhi Chawla, The Bachchans, King Khan and of course, John Abraham, are few of the “ardent” football fans. What better way to pledge your allegiances to these stars than support the team they are rooting for!

  1. Cuisine

The World Cup honestly is just another excuse to forget your diet and fill up on snacks. So why not support the team where your favorite food comes from. Pizza, anyone?

  1. Support the team with the most fan following on twitter

Let’s face the fact. You’re only diving in because of peer pressure. Look up twitter, see whom the masses are supporting, there, wasn’t that the easiest thing to do?

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