Odaiba, Tokyo

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Few pics of Odaiba, Tokyo


Mini Version of Liberty statue


Artificial Beach


Fuji TV Building


Rainbow Bridge

Japan'il Sivaraman - 1

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Hi All...

Almost a week has passed by since i landed here...in the land of Rising Sun... Was not able to blog as frequently as i would have liked... but let me start now...atleat..

Bangalore - Tokyo Itinerary...

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Bangalore-Chennai-Bangkok-Tokyo

Our office Travel agents made a big mess out of it... first it was supposed be a direct flight from Bangalore to Bangkok... Then they made it as Banglore-Chennai-Bangkok... Earlier the flight was scheduled @ 10:45 and later rescheduled it to 7:55...:'(...got the tickets at 6:00...Hurried to Bangalore airport... As this was my first travel, I was not comfortable with the aircraft procedures...also i didnt have time to filter the unwanted things that I didnt want to carry...also missed few basic amenities...(my experience on flight in a seperate post)

Definitely not the best itinerary...but it turned out to be good for me... Called one of my friend in Chennai from airport to meet me there... Reached channai at around 9:15...Met my friend after an year... Thank god, all my stuff passed through the security without any hassles... and also no problem with the immigration...

Then took Thai Airaways to Bangkok, Suwarnabhoomi Airport. Defnitely it was tooooo good compared to the airports in Inida. Definitely world class... Landed at the Swarnabhoomi airpot at early morning 6:15... The flight was late by an hour... so had to rush through in Bangkok...


Suwarnabhoomi Airport











I would walked around 2 Kms afetr entering the airport to the transit office and from there to the Japan flight... Five hours journey from there to Tokyo...Reached Tokyo at around 3:00 PM local time.

Beginning of the story "Japan'il Sivaraman"

Japan Count Starts...

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Just now submitted the VISA application to our VISA office. This would be my first ever travel. I might leave in another 5 days. Japan count starts...1..2..3.....

Definitely One of my kind...:-)

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Wiki Summaries

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I was searching in the web for some articles on the book "The Catcher in the Rye" and hit one of the sites. I found it quite good to read a gist on some of the novels which i have planned to buy. Hope it will useful to others as well.

WikiSummaries

25th day successfully

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05-May-2007: 25 days have passed since I quit smoking.

Events as on Fri-Sat 4th-5th May 2007

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Artists: Me, Muthu, Annamalai, Parthi, Srini(Forced him into it), Vijay anand.

Fri 07:30 PM I, Muthu, Annamalai went to Garuda Mall

Fri 09:00 PM Had dinner in Garuda Mall Shiv Sagar

Fri 09:20 PM Spider man 3 sold out. Wasn’t able to get ticket.

Fri 09:50 PM At last got tickets because of SMS cancellation of tickets.

Fri 10:10 PM Movie started

Sat 00:00 AM Called Srini to wish him Happy Bday

Sat 01:00 AM Came home. Parthi returned from office.

Sat 02:00 AM Decided to have the left out beers which Annamalai has brought from Bulgaria. Parthi left for office with his bags packed. Leaving for Chennai in the early morning flight.

Sat 02:10 AM Someone came up with a ridiculous idea of cooking that night.

Sat 02:15 AM Started pestering Srini with Bday calls.

Sat 03:00 AM Power cut. Overcooked Dhall.

Sat 03:15 AM Started everything again.

Sat 04:00 AM Cooking almost through.

Sat 04:30 AM Asked Parthi to join us. By that time we finished the beers.

Sat 05:00 AM Finished our early morning breakfast.

Sat 05:15 AM Parhi left.

Sat 05:45 AM All three left for majestic to pick our friend Vijay anand.

Sat 06:30 AM Picked him up from the railway station

Sat 07:30 AM Returned home.

Sat 08:30 AM Slept at last.

For those inested in sugar

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Sugar exports: Industry faces double whammy
M.R. Subramani
Coutesy: The Hindu

Rupee's rise against $; sharp fall in global prices

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Turning bitter
Global prices for white have declined to below $300 a tonne.
The rupee has gained to below 41 to the dollar.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chennai April 25 Despite the Centre announcing a subsidy for sugar exports, the industry faces a double whammy. Even sugar mills in Maharashtra, which enjoy another subsidy for exports, are seen facing problems.

Happenings


"Two unfortunate things have happened this month. Sugar prices on LIFFE have declined by over 10 per cent from $333 a tonne around April 10. The rupee has gained sharply from 43 to the dollar to around 41," said Mr Praful Vithlani, a Mumbai-based sugar merchant.

On Wednesday, white sugar on LIFFE declined to $298.60 a tonne in early trade.

The rupee, on the other hand, strengthened to 40.90 against the dollar, a nine-year high.

"These two developments have washed away whatever benefits the subsidy could have given to the sector," he said.

Subsidies


The Central subsidy for sugar exports is Rs 1,350 a tonne for mills near coastal areas and Rs 1,450 for those in interior areas. Maharashtra has announced a subsidy of Rs 1,000 a tonne for exports. The Centre's subsidy has come into effect from April 19, when the gazette was notified. The subsidy does not apply to shipments under the advance licence scheme. Under the scheme, raw sugar is imported for exporting refined sugar.

A notification with regard to the Maharashtra Government's announcement is awaited.

Besides this, the industry is faced with a glut that further worsens the situation.

Production

Trade sources said Maharashtra was expected to produce 85 lakh tonnes of sugar and as a result, the country's production was expected to be 270 lakh tonnes. Initial estimates by the Centre put the production at 230 lakh tonnes and in January, the trade put the figure at 250 lakh tonnes.

The Centre itself has raised its estimates of sugarcane production twice. From an initial estimate of 283.40 million tonnes (mt) to 315.53 mt in February, it has now put sugarcane output at 322.94 mt.

Surplus


Given the excess supply in the global market, traders see tough times for the industry, especially on the exports front.

"Sellers are in panic. They want to dispose of the sugar stocks. On the other hand, customers are not making any commitments in view of the glut situation and are more intent on a hand-to-mouth existence," the sources said.

Exports


According to Mr Prakash Naiknavare, Managing Director, Maharashtra Cooperative Sugar Mills Federation, exports are likely to be restricted to select markets.

"Exports are likely to be in small consignments to countries in Africa such as Somalia," he said.

"The industry hopes to export 15 lakh tonnes at end of the current sugar season in September. But it is going to be difficult to achieve even that," said Mr Vithlani.

This is despite the industry look at Pakistan to export three lakh tonnes sometime after June. Though the neighbouring country is expected to produce 36 lakh tonnes sugar, it is seen lower than its demand of 39 lakh tonnes.

Till now, the Centre has given permission to export 9.5 lakh tonnes and of this, nearly five lakh tonnes have been shipped out of the country since January, when the ban on sugar exports was lifted. The ban was clamped in July last to rein in rising inflation and sugar prices. Since then, the fortunes of the industry have been on a decline.

Carryover


According to trade sources, if the production were to be 270 lakh tonnes, the carryover stock could be around 100 lakh tonnes next season. "The carryover stock from last season to the current one is 45 lakh tonnes. Adding 270 lakh tonnes production, the total availability will be 315 lakh tonnes. Even if we were to project 15 lakh tonnes exports and 200 lakh tonnes consumption, we will be surely left with 100 lakh tonnes carryover for the next season," trade sources said.

My Porfolio as on 02-May-2007

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Click on the pic to enlarge

iPod U2 Special Edition

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Recently got iPod U2 special edition from one of my friend in UK.

A Bird came down the Walk

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Emily Dickinson

A Bird came down the Walk—
He did not know I saw—
He bit an angle-worm in halves
And ate the fellow, raw,

And then he drank a Dew
From a convenient Grass,
And then hopped sidewise to the Wall
To let a Beetle pass—

He glanced with rapid eyes
That hurried all abroa—
They looked like frightened Beads, I thought—
He stirred his velvet head

Like one in danger, Cautious,
I offered him a Crumb,
And he unrolled his feathers
And rowed him softer home—

Than Oars divide the Ocean,
Too silver for a seam—
Or Butterflies, off Banks of Noon,
Leap, plashless as they swim.