http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=cec3d9fd68600c58ee43

The person who loaded this video up to Godtube called it Genuine Revival in China. But when I see this video I do not see a revival at all. I see true Christianity as it should be every day..just as the Lord intended it. We might think this is a revival due to the great apostacy and lukewarmness of our day but this is nothing more than Christianity at it's heart. For me there were three things that stood out to me in a powerful way and all of these should be evident and freely flow from the heart of anyone who claims to have had a true conversion by the Spirit of Christ. Yet these things I find are missing from the lives of so many who claim to be follower of Jesus. I can only assume that those who do not have these aspects of Christianity in their life are sitting on a false conversion and should worry about the current state of their soul. None of these aspects are things that must be worked up or somehow produced by our own efforts. These are graces that should daily flow from the hearts of the truly converted. Just as a damn that has been breached cannot help but pour forth water; a heart that's been truly converted cannot help but pour forth these Spirit wrought graces in their life. They are the fruit of true salvation.

1. The first thing that is evidently clear in the video of these believers is a genuine love for the Lord Jesus Christ. So much so that they cannot help but talk about His great love and mercy that they have PERSONALLY received. Not that they "know" about His mercy, or that they have "heard" about His mercy, but they have PERSONALLY EXPERIENCED His saving grace which cause them to be broken at the thought of His great love towards them. They continually talk about the person JESUS Christ because their hearts have been Purified by faith and Christ LIVES, actually, presently, and continually in their heart by faith (Acts 15:9, Eph 3:17). Today I see so many who claim to be followers of Christ continually talking about doctrine and bible truths but not about Jesus and their fellowship with Him. They'll talk about every endtime doctrine out there, point out all the faults in the "harlot church", continue to endlessly debate Calvinism and Armininism, an yet you never hear them talk about the Lord Jesus Christ personally. They never talk about their fellowship with Christ by His Spirit... how Christ humbled them by His grace, how He visited them in a special way in private prayer, how Christ lovingly exposed a sin in their heart which they humbly confessed in seeking to be more like their master, or how they were so caught up in just praising Jesus for His goodness towards them. How can this be? It cannot be this way for those who are in true fellowship with Jesus. The apostle's, in Acts 4:20, in response to the priest and Sadducees:

"For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard."

They had physically seen and heard Jesus...but they had also internally seen and heard Jesus. And that is the true testimony of all who have been born by the Spirit of God. They have seen Christ with they eyes of faith and have heard Him by the Spirit of God. And if you have seen and heard Jesus in this very real way you will be like the Apostles and live in such a way that you "cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard". So ask yourself if you have really seen and heard the Lord Jesus PERSONALLY. If you have, the reality is, it will be evident to all just like the brethren in the video.

2. The second thing that stood out to me was the deep love you see them have for the brethren. There is such a joy for them to worship the Lord together and serve Him together. They don't find fellowship burdensome but rather a true joy and their hearts desire. This is one of the CLEAR marks of one who is truly converted and born of God. They desire to, regularly and often, be around other saints physically and to worship Jesus together. They love to be around other saints and exhort them and encourage them in their walk with Jesus. As Richard Owen Roberts says of one who's been truly born of God:

" He finds that to love his neighbor as himself is less of a commandment and more of a internal prompting and desire than he could have ever earlier imagined."

When the true believer reads in Acts how the disciple met daily it brings them great joy to think they could do the same and be around their brethren and glorify the Lord together. What I find today though with so many who profess to be followers of Jesus is the exact opposite. So many do not have that natural, God given, overflowing desire to meet with the brethren. They have all kinds of excuses as to why they are not meeting with the saints for prayer, worship and fellowship. Many I find have the excuse that they are looking for a good, or perfect, fellowship. While this is to be desired they must realize there is no such thing as a perfect fellowship (I'm not talking about false doctrine.  (If the church is teaching heresy, like emergent post-modern teaching then LEAVE IT). There will always be people who are at different places in their walk with the Lord. There will be babes in Christ as well as tares and false brethren. But this is no excuse not to meet together. With all the mess going on in the Corinthian church the Apostle did not tell them to stop meeting together and find a perfect fellowship. No..Paul sought to bring discipline and instruction to this body and to exhort them into a pure faith and fellowship. But I think the real reason many professing Christians will not engage or desire real fellowship is because it causes them to have to walk in the light. When believers are around other believers their faults and sins are usually clearly evident for others to see. Those who are unwilling to let go of their sins naturally forsake fellowship for fear of being exposed for who they truly are. But all this really does is serve to show them the true condition of their heart before God. Those who walk like this should fear for the condition of their soul. You might think that is a strong statement but it's the truth. These professing Christians are not manifesting one of the natural proofs of salvation that one who is born of God does. Remember what Jesus said: "By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another."

3. The third thing that stood out to me in the video was the willingness and joy of the believers to carry their cross, to sacrifice, and to suffer for the name of Jesus. I can't tell you how joyful I was to see believers who want to carry their cross, who want to sacrifice ALL, and who expect to suffer for the name of Jesus. They do not treat this as something that a Christian must be "called" to do. They read the bible and see this is the clear teaching for all who would be disciples of Jesus. The thought of sacrificing for Jesus and the saints brings them joy. They read a passage like Luke 14:25-33 and while reading it with Godly fear and trembling, they at the same time count it a joy to lose all and follow Jesus. False and unconverted "brethren" read a passage like that and see a huge, impossible, burdensome command to be obeyed. While true saints take joy because if Jesus said we must do it He'll give us the grace to fully obey! It's a command of God but it's also a promise that God, in His abundant grace, will give us everything we need so we can give all to Jesus! Do you see the difference? One takes joy at that thought of being able to give all to Jesus while the other sees an impossible command that they really don't want to obey. So how do you see the commands of Christ? Can people look at your lifestyle and actually see what you believe? Or is your lifestyle so opposite of the bible that when you tell people you believe what Jesus said in Luke 14 they cannot tell that you actually believe it by the way you live your life?

So for those of you who are genuine children of God, I know this video will bear witness with you. The deep genuine love for God, love for the brethren, and the joy of accepting the cross of Christ will be your testimony as well. For those who do not have these Spirit born graces in your life I would encourage you to examine your life by the scriptures. Let God expose your heart with the purifying light of His word that you may be soundly and truly converted and become a child of God. Don't cover up the true condition of your heart with religious works and speech. Be honest about the true condition of your heart and turn to CHRIST for salvation. Unless you are born again you will not enter the kingdom of God.

In Christ,

Sean Scott

www.preachingjesuschrist.com

“In September of 2002, at 31 years of age, I was diagnosed with ALS, a neuro-degenerative disease that kills 90% of its victims within five years. At the time, I was working as a playwright and actor in Chicago, running a painting company and changing my son’s diapers. Nine months later I began to make a documentary film chronicling my new life, not one I had chosen and unlike anything I ever could have imagined. Traveling by myself and then with a small crew we filmed the isolated world of ALS; interviewing patients and their families, medical professionals, scientists, religious figures and almost anyone we could find. I wanted to know (perhaps naively), “What does it all mean?”

Indestructible is an attempt to understand and accept the reality of a mysterious and deadly disease that has brought science to its knees, an illness that is a paradigm for life’s ultimate challenges. My personal story in the film, and that of every ALS patient, follows this frightening path into an uncertain future. To show the broad and difficult landscape of medicine for ALS, or lack thereof, we have documented mainstream approaches, controversial stem cell surgeries, Chinese herbal treatments, vitamin supplements, vibrating beds, Yoga, and almost anything that might stop the progression of this horrific killer.

My initial purpose in making this film was to share the extraordinary moments, both dark and light, of a life with ALS, and there are many. I now believe Indestructible will be a catalyst, and mark a turning point for the millions who have and will suffer the wrath of this elusive beast, bringing us one step closer to what every sick person wants - a cure. Indestructiblehas at times provided answers to my questions, if only momentarily, and they are no substitute for my health. In the meantime, I will continue to search. When we unlock the secrets of ALS we will better understand not only neuro-degeneration, but also aging, environment, psychology, spirituality, and what it truly means to be both alive and facing mortality every day.”

-Ben Byer
March 2004

1.  The first secret to becoming immortal is to give up your desire to be immortal.  Longing for immortality burns up your energy, uselessly, because it makes you chase a vain and shallow impossibility you can never catch (think: dog's tail).  The same senseless chase also keeps you from developing fully, so you end up pursuing frivolous goals... and immortality is the exact opposite of frivolity.  Accepting the fact that you will come to an end gives you a dose of humility and puts your ego in check.  It is ironic, but humility makes more room for greatness than egomania.

2.  The second secret to becoming immortal is to wildly and fearlessly explore The Thing that has attached itself to you in a life-altering way.  For some The Thing is an affliction of some kind.  For others, The Thing is an untiring fascination with something in particular.  And for many more, The Thing is a restless yearning or reaching for something beyond one's ordinariness.  A thirst for life that is Fuller, Deeper, Wider, Bolder, Cleaner, Simpler, Saner, Kinder, Juicier, etc.  These Things (a.k.a. mission, obsession, burden, etc.) that make themselves unmistakably known to you must be investigated... with the passion of a lover, the discipline of an athlete, the curiosity of a scientist and the technique of a detective.  Unturn every stone.  Be unreasonably determined to know the Essence of your life-altering thing.  The unfolding process may take years.  Your ability to understand what the heck unfolded may take even longer.  But there's no need to feel rushed about it, because this is the whole purpose of breath and blood and bones anyway... it is to figure out your piece of the puzzle, and then to...

3.  The third and final secret to becoming immortal is to share what you found with others.  When you give yourself to the task of figuring out your piece of the puzzle, you come across valuable insights and experiences that will make another person's life better.  So, it is your responsibility to be very attentive to your discoveries, and then to be very generous with them.  That's what Ben did with his documentary.  And it's why he is immortal.

You and I can do the same.

I asked John Chow to consider INCLUDING A WOMAN'S PERSPECTIVE to his 4-part series, guest-written by Alex Shalman, "How to Get a Girlfriend."  The 4th installment was supposed to answer the question:  "Will having more money help you get a girlfriend?"  In my opinion, the article never got around to answering this question.

John offered to read my perspective/proposed article, so I sent it to him.  He didn't respond, so I'm posting it here:

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

"I plan to marry for love the second time."
 
She actually said that!  I was having dinner with a new female acquaintance.  I didn't know her very well, and this statement really turned me off.  Women like her, who care about a man's money more than his character... and men who care about a woman's looks more than her character... both of these shallow perspectives annoy me because they reduce a person to their least consequential asset.
 
Q:  Wanna know how to quickly distinguish an important asset from an unimportant one?
 
A:  Imagine yourself with one final hour to live, and envision how much – or how little – you are impacted by that asset.
 
I'm not trying to be morbid or dramatic.  I'm just sharing my value system with you.  Beauty and money rock!  They both make life more enjoyable.  But they are not foundational.  They are not strong enough to hold life's heavier stuff.  The gold-digging chick who took my appetite hasn't figured this out... and the guys who basically pay her to be their sweet-eye-candy haven't either.  Bottom-line:  You can buy "hot," but you can't buy "heart."
 
Money is an amplifier.  Whatever you are (e.g. thoughtful, obnoxious, a player, responsible, generous, etc.) money just cranks up the volume on what is already there.
 
If you're following John Chow's money-making advice, chances are you will soon meet success, if you haven't already... and you will buy cool toys with your loads of cash... and you will want someone with whom to share your fast ride, lovely home and exotic travels.  And you will enjoy those experiences so much more with the confidence that your chosen woman would still be by your side even if you lost everything.  A gold-digger can never give, or sell, you that kind of peace of mind.
 
You can connect with a high-quality woman who also turns you on and makes you pant.  But you will never get that Ocean if you stay satisfied with a Creek.  Expect more, and you'll get it.
 
As an internet entrepreneur, I know you are an accelerated and independent thinker; otherwise, you would be content with the tired 9-to5-til-you're-65 model that so many worker-bee-types still go for.  But not you.  And since you are on the fast-track to building your wealth and freedom, why not also be on the fast-track in your quest for a girlfriend?  Whether or not you have deep pockets, here's how to get a girlfriend you would actually want to keep, and who would actually want to stay with you through thick and thin:
 
1.  Be very clear with yourself.

A lot of dating advice tells you to make a list of the things you want in a partner, as though you were picking out features on a car.  I have a different take on this.  I say decide how you want to feel in your relationship, (e.g. respected, excited, nurtured, desired, motivated, relaxed, etc.).  Then, pursue and spend more time with women who make you feel that way.

2.  Be very clear with others.

No one likes a pretender, except other pretenders (and they are a drain to be around, and their company sucks, too).  You attract what you are, so be real.  Be you.  Drop the mask and costume.  It's not Halloween, and you're not Rico Suave.  There is no sane reason to play emotional games with someone, and I know that an ambitious money-maker like yourself would not squander his greatest resource (time) with juvenile crap like ego-based games.

3.  Protect and enjoy your relationship!  Don't take it, or her, for granted.

I say "protect" because it is so common for people to sabotage the very thing they have been wanting for years, not long after they get it.  (Think Lotto winners, for example).  They have become so accustomed to not having that desired thing or experience that when it finally does become a part of their reality, they freak out and mess it up – unconsciously – so that they can go back to their comfort-zone of fantasizing rather than materializing.  So I say again, be conscious and protect your relationship.  When they are positive and healthy, relationships are the most valuable treasure in all the world.  They are one of the very few things to pass the hypothetical test of "one-hour-to-live" that I shared with you at the beginning of this article.
 
Getting and keeping a girlfriend requires the same kind of foresight, planning and anticipation that you use when launching an internet business.  In both endeavors you consider:
 
*  Who is your market?
*  What do you offer that market?
*  What do you want in exchange for what you're offering that market?
 
These are reasonable questions to keep in mind while dating.
 
The world is incredibly wired, but internet professionals especially are more prone to end up a little short in enriching offline experiences.  A caring relationship is a great antidote to that problem.
 
Getting a girlfriend is not a money issue.  It is a meaning issue.  And the great news is that you can create whatever meaning you want!  I dare you to be as visionary and limitless in your relationship-thinking as you are in your business-thinking.  Do not let past experiences restrain you in any way.  Be the same risk-taker for love that you are for money.  Do that, and you know what will happen?  You will make the world, the internet and your home much better places... because the world, the internet and your home need more radical, fearless lovers.

Copyright © Erika Harris

I got a shock in a PetSmart store.  There was a glass cage -- it seemed as large as a full-sized bed -- on the floor.  And it had no cover.

Inside the cage was a half-dozen brightly colored parakeets.  They walked, hopped and jumped, with just enough pseudo-flapping to go from one caged branch to another.  They did not fly, even though there was more than enough room for them to do so.  I stood there, amazed by the irony of a "cage" that was completely open on top.

An employee saw me staring and asked, "Are you interested in one of those lil' guys?"

"No, thanks.  I'm just here for cat food," I answered.  "But I don't get it... what stops those birds from trying to fly out?"

"Oh, they were born caged," he said, "so now they're just conditioned not to fly.  It would never occur to them to try and escape."

Seeing those parakeets both bothered and helped me.  Seeing them made me really think about my beliefs and goals.  How many limitations are real, or just imagined?  Have I limited my well-being, relationships, or career with a cage that actually has no top?

Can you imagine... pitifully hopping around on the ground, when you could have been in flight all along?

Copyright © Erika Harris

9 The heart is deceitful above all things
and beyond cure.
Who can understand it?

10 "I the LORD search the heart
and examine the mind,
to reward a man according to his conduct,
according to what his deeds deserve."

Does the inherent sinful pull of my heart exist in order to make my seeking of the Lord that much more pleasing to Him?  If I can overcome a sinful heart and pursue the Lord then He knows my desire and it will have special meaning.  If I give in to my sinful disposition, then I only follow what is natural and there is no sacrifice in that.

The Lord wants me to put away sexual lust, anger, rebellion, deceit, and follow a tougher harder path.  It is easy to fall into the sins and temptation that surround me, it is an effort to strive for the Lord and all things good.  God wants me to work, only then will I show my true desire for Him.

"Erika, I'd like you to meet my soon-to-be-ex-husband, Rick..."

I was at a tantric workshop, and this super-evolved couple befriended me.  I was a little surprised by the introduction... and even more so by the deep and ovbious care they continued to share... they way they doted upon each other:  "Oh, I see your tea is empty... let me refill that for you, Dear." 

They had shared 30 years in marriage, 7 children and an interdependence that many happy couples might not even have.  Despite this, though, they mutually agreed they would be better apart, than together.  But what made them so outstanding in my mind was their determination to bless their separation from each other.  They were receiving tantric counseling to help them go far beyond the typical "closure" of failed relationships and marriages.  They did very courageous inner-work to create and sustain healing in the midst of divorce's chaotic pain.

I certainly hope I won't have to practice the wisdom I learned from this couple, but I am grateful to have witnessed it.  Conscious love, at the end of a relationship.

Copyright © Erika Harris

Melodrama is an unfit MaMa.
You can't raise strong babies with that.
Whether your babies be
from sperm and egg,
or paint or words or comedy;

babies -- like dreams -- need love,
and caresses -- energy that blesses
their growth.

Not ho-hum, po-dank, can't-make-it-to-the-bank
blues.

The sky got Blue covered.
So don't make your babies smothered
with your heavy gravy
that can't nobody see through;
let alone breathe through.

Lighten the atmosphere
by inviting angels near.

They come through your singing
and your sacrificial bringing
of gifts like Gratitude and Joy.

Find it.  Make it.
Then watch it multiply...

in the breath of your baby
in the breath of your dreams
in the breath of your mouth
that pours forth streams

of water,
or mud.

It's all your choosing;
your losing, or gaining.
But the fruit of your lips
is surely remaining
for your baby to see.
To eat.
To repeat.

All that she learned from you, Dear MaMa.

Copyright © Erika Harris

Nip.  Tuck.  Lipo-suck.
Squeeze.  Tweeze.  Laser-freeze.

Pierce it.  Paint it.  Decorate it.
Anything but celebrate it.

Anti-wrinkle.  Anti-gray.
Anti-40-plus birthdays.

Starvation.  Implantation.
Reconstruction.  Mind-abduction.

Fatten the lips.  Thin the thighs.
Camouflage those raccoon eyes.

Tighten the waist.  Heighten the butt.
What you can't change, the doctor will cut.

Straighten.  Perm.  Chemical burn.
Chemical peel.  Change how you feel,
with a purple pill... or a purple dress.
Just don't let my hair be a mess.

Unless, of course, "mess" is in.
I wouldn't want to miss a trend.

Tanning bed.  Bleaching cream.
Celebrity diet.  Inner riot.

Makes me wanna scream...
or eat real ice-cream,

with a two-finger chaser.
Tragic fat-eraser.

I'm obsessed with my body.
Won't you please assure me?
Tell me I look skinny!

Just don't look beyond my skin,
'cause there's so little aglow within
that I'd really want you to see.

If I unzipped myself,
would you find something
beautiful there?

Copyright © Erika Harris

There are some people who are actually driven by something much greater than self-absorption.  (They may be in a minority, but they do exist.) These people have an Urge on the inside of them that haunts and compels them to make their Urge a reality.  If you live with that constant inner-pull, then this letter is for you.  And if you’re someone who feels utterly pleased, or bored, with your life, and you have no idea of the Urge and Pull that I’m talking about… well, maybe you know a person like this.  In which case, this letter will help you better understand and support the Visionary who is in your life.

So, at superficial glance, Dear Visionary, people may mistake you for a malcontent; as you’re always tinkering, exploring, creating and insisting upon the improvement of things.  But that’s only because you so clearly see what can be.  And you’ve accepted your participatory role in ushering in that possibility.  You’ve taken responsibility for bringing it forth.  And that really is the most important thing.  Bringing it forth.

Whether you are an activist, artist, dreamer, entrepreneur, idealist, inventor, progressive parent, scholar, scientist, social reformer, etc., you owe it to the world to manifest your Urge.  That Urge is not in just to disturb your sleep, take your mind captive, or make you appear preoccupied and restless most of the time.  That Urge is in you to be developed and brought forth.  A segment of the world’s population is in dire need of the Thing(s) you are meant to bring forth.  And there is a degree of suffering that segment will endure unless and until you finish your Task.

Don’t let delays, criticism or alienation discourage you.  Accept them as part of the course, and go on.  Persist.  Relentlessly.  If you don’t do this, then you and the segment you were born to serve will remain unchanged.  The Future, its History, and our Present, will all be a bit handicapped because of your withholding.

If you’ve been looking or waiting for a Decided Marker – a Sign – to legitimize your commitment to your Urge, receive this letter as that Sign.  Receive these words as a big kick from the Universe telling you that NOW is your time.  Now is your time to give yourself over to that Inner Task you’ve been carrying around for years.

Giving yourself over to your Inner Task is not a grand and dramatic gesture.  It is, instead, precise and subtle.  It is listening like you’ve never listened before.  It is, maybe for the first time in your life, allowing yourself to be guided, taught and ignited by something only you can see.  And because only you can see it, only you can validate it.  You have to leave the safe shores of external affirmation, and go into the deep waters of self assurance.  The only way you can convert your Inner Task into an Outer Contribution is to absolutely believe in its value and worth – perhaps years before anyone else will or can.  You have to be confident in a journey that has no map.  But you need no map, because your confidence doesn’t come from the paths blazed by others.  It comes from a New Land only seen by you.  And you have within you all that you need to take us to that New Land with you.  We are ready and waiting.  Waiting for you to bring forth your vision.

Copyright © Erika Harris

It is useful when you want to integrate the Oracle Apps with any other application.

For example: Integrating Journal Entries in General Ledger,

Payables Invoice and Suppliers in Payables

Receivables Invoice, Receipts and Customers in Receivables. Etc.

This integration is called "Interfacing" in Oracle Apps. Oracle has provided "Interface Tables" of the feature which can be used with other applications.

Examine can be use to find or know what is the ID generated by Oracle Apps for particular record, so that that ID can be used for interfacing.

How to use it?

Navigate to the Oracle Apps form for which you want to know the ID, say, you want to know the supplier's site ID. The easy way to know it is to navigate to Invoice Entry form and enter the supplier's name and site for which you want to know the ID. Once you've selected the desired supplier and its site, highlight the site field or just click on it and go to Help Menu> Diagnostics> Examine. The system will ask for the password which is usually "apps" but I think it is advisable to change it and the DBA should change it when s/he installs the new environment.

Anyways, if you know the password, enter it. A window will appear with three fields,

• Block: Portion or Part of form. Sometimes the form is divided into regions, like Payables Invoice is divided into Header, Lines, Prepayment, etc. All the Tabs are different regions.
• Field: Fields available in that particular region
• Value: This is what we are looking for, Value broadly consist of two things "Display Name" and "ID". If you've selected or pointed your cursor on the site field, then examine field will display VENDOR_SITE_CODE and if you enter VENDOR_SITE_ID in field, then the internal value of this particular site will be displayed. It will be a numeric value which is used for in interfacing. Similarly you can view other IDs of the records as well. Like if you type Terms_ID then the system will display the ID for Payment Terms attached to the invoice.

Happy Examining.

That's All :)

(2 Cor 13:5) Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? The book of 1st John was written that we may know we are indeed in Christ. Read 1st John and apply it to your own walk with the Lord and come to your own conclusion if you truly walk with God.

Hence, as communicators, we need to find an effective way to understand the sentiments of others without any form of confrontation or conflict. And one such way will be to check for inconsistencies, be it in the form of a person's body language, the lingo that he or she uses or even the manner that he or she goes about handling daily issues. This is because when a person is uncomfortable about certain issues, they might not express their opinions verbally but their disagreement will probably show through their communication style. For example, when a person is angry, they might avoid eye contact when we apologise to them about the issue (but of course, we have to make sure that it's not a shyness issue). When a person is friendly initially but turns cold all of a sudden, there's probably a reason behind it too.

As communicators, we need to have both eyes and ears for details, just like a detective. Although the goals are different, we share one common technique for observation: checking for inconsistencies.  This is an important skill that most great communicators possess. At times, these communicators are seen as reading someone else's mind but in reality, they are merely observing inconsistencies in the behaviour of others and making a deduction about the reasons, where - more often than not- they are justified.   

Looking for inconsistencies, examining the reasons behind the change and understanding the rationale for a person's course of action is a challenging task and can't be accomplished within a short period of time. This is precisely why all of us should start observing and examining inconsistencies now. 

Resolving conflicts in communication is vital to sustaining healthy relationships but preventing conflicts before they arise is even more important.

As the saying goes, prevention is better than cure.

a lot of money floats in and out of people’s hands to acquire a lot of things and to do a lot of things to the detriment of a lot of people who don’t usually have a lot of things going for them.

a lot of bombs and missiles are dreamed up by a lot of people who test these weapons on a lot of empty fields contaminated with a lot of holes filled with purple fluid that will never wash away.

a lot of us have been digging a lot of graves prematurely in empty lots where a lot of other people’s bones have been laid to rest in order to escape a lot of things that we don’t like about ourselves.

it’s a lot to behold.

but there’s still a lot of laughter to be had and a lot of forgiveness to bestow before last call, when we don't have to go home, but we can't stay here.

"A young man leaves his middle class existence in pursuit of freedom from relationships and obligation. Giving up his home, family, all possessions but the few he carried on his back and donating all his savings to charity Christopher McCandless (Emile Hirsch) embarks on a journey throughout America. His eventual aim is to travel into Alaska, into the wild, to spend time with nature, with 'real' existence, away from the trappings of the modern world. In the 20 months leading up to his Great Alaskan Adventure his travels lead him on a path of self-discovery, to examine and appreciate the world around him and to reflect on and heal from his troubled childhood and parents' sordid and abusive relationship. When he reaches Alaska he finds he has been insufficiently prepared for the hardships to come. Despite making it through the winter his plan is ill-judged and prepares to return home in spring, only to find the stream he crossed in the snow has become an impassable raging torrent and that he is trapped. With no means of sustaining himself adequately he eventually starves to death in his so sought after isolation. Throughout his epic journey the people he meets both influence and are influenced by the person he is and bring him to the eventual and tragic realisation that "Happiness is only real when shared". http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0758758/synopsis

This movie is actually based on the real-life story of Chris McCandless back in the early 1990's. Apparently, he kept a journal that chronicled his ill-fated journey into the wilderness. I never read the book version, but I am sure it had to be better than the movie one. The movie in itself had a lot of potential, but just was not that great. It dragged out entirely too long. I could have summarized my own synopsis of the movie, but since imdb did such a wonderful job, I thought I would give them the credit they deserved.

At times, I have wondered what it would be like to just abandon everything to live such a simple life. But then, I realize how rude and selfish that would be. Personally, I did not enjoy this movie, and although what Chris did was for good reasons, it was also for very selfish reasons. Just dropping a postcard in the mail would not have hurt him just to give his family some peace of mind. I felt like this was his form of rebellion and punishment to his parents, and in the end, it bit him back. He was very ill-prepared for someone who just wanted to drop off the face of the planet and disappear. I could say I felt sorry for him, but I don't because IMO, it was quite cruel. I really would NOT recommend this movie to anyone unless they are really bored with plenty of time on their hands. Wait for it to come out on cable.

 MPAA Rating: R (for language and some nudity)

People often wonder if the people encountered in dreams are actual, real people, or simply manifestations of their own personality and emotions. Most modern dream interpretation holds that the people in dreams are not actual people at all, but rather symbols for parts of your own personality.

Therefore, the bubbly, exuberant blonde in your dream may into be a real person at all, but rather a side of your personality that you have been afraid to express.

Likewise, negative people encountered in dreams are often manifestations of those parts of the personality that you are ashamed of or wish to repress. Therefore, dreaming of a person you do not like could mean that you need to alter your thinking and be more open minded and accepting of others.

When examining the people in your dreams, it is always a good idea to examine the personalities of these people and try to examine what they might be trying to tell you. Examining parts of your personality you do not like can be a positive result of dream interpretation.

When interpreting dreams about other people, it is important to remember that in the vast majority of cases dreams are about yourself, not about other people. Thus, the people you meet and interact with in your dreams are much more likely to be physical symbols of your own thoughts and desires as they are to be actual representations of actual people.

Therefore, interpreting dreams about other people can be a great way to work through personality and identity issues, and many psychologists and therapists use this approach to dream interpretation.

Of course there are instances in which the people you dream of really do represent actual people. Sometimes these people are relatives or friends who have passed on, while at other times they may be famous people or movie stars whom who have never met.

Dreams in which you meet movie stars or other famous people often represent a longing for something you want but cannot achieve. Sometimes the dream simply represents a conscious desire to meet the person in your dream, but most often the movie star represents something you have been striving for but failing to achieve. This kind of dream is often a way of urging you to try harder to reach your goals.

Many ancient cultures put great stock in dreams which featured departed relatives, and many of these cultures thought of the dream state as the time when the soul left the body to roam free in the spirit world. Even today, many people take dreams of departed relatives or friends very seriously, and they give these dreams many layers of meaning.

These types of spiritual dreams can indeed be very valuable to the dreamer, and a great source of comfort in a time of need. Whether they represent the convergence of souls on the other side, or just the unconscious desire to have the person back in their life, these dreams are some of the best and most fulfilling there are. Knl.

Il affirme que le fait que Québec ait sacralisé la santé, afin de la mettre à l'abri des contraintes de l'économie et de la logique marchande, constitue une erreur, de laquelle découle deux conséquences.  La première, c'est qu'en mettant la santé "dans une bulle, dans un monde à part, on accepte que 10% de nos ressources (NDLR: 10% du PIB, 39% des dépenses publiques québécoises) ne contribuent pas à la création de la richesse".  La seconde, encore plus fondamentale, selon Dubuc, est que l'on condamne, involontairement, le monde de la santé à la stagnation. "On voit maintenant la santé comme une dépense, un coût, une contrainte, une perception renforcée par le fait que le gros du financement provient du secteur public et donc des impôts. On a donc aussi tendance à vouloir combattre la croissance des dépenses en santé, en raison des pressions insupportables que cela exerce sur les ressources disponibles.", de dire Dubuc.

Aussi, comment expliquer que des dépenses qui augmentent dans d'autres secteurs - comme la culture - ne font grimper personne dans les rideaux, alors que de telles augmentations dans le secteur de la santé exacerbe tout le monde?  C'est que la très grande majorité des augmentations de dépenses en santé ne donnent pas les résultats escomptés.  Parce que l'on conserve la santé dans un monde à part, dans une bulle, comme le dit Dubuc.  Dans un monde à l'abri de la concurrence.  Appelons les choses par leur nom; la santé, au Québec, est un monopole syndicalo-étatique auquel il ne faut pas toucher!  Pourtant, la concurrence a démontré ses bienfaits nombre de fois, comparativement au monopole, et ce dans tous les domaines.  D'autant plus que le fait d'introduire la concurrence en santé n'indique pas qu'il faille renoncer au système de couverture public.

J'utilise souvent l'exemple de l'assurance-automobile - celle pour les dommages matériels - à titre de comparaison pour démontrer que l'accès du privé en santé ne signifie pas la fin de la carte-soleil.  Évidemment, personne ne souhaite démolir sa bagnole, mais un jour,... BANG!  Que faites-vous alors?  Vous appellez votre compagnie d'assurance, qui vous réfère à un estimateur, qui fera le tour du véhicule pour évaluer les dommages.  Une fois que celui-ci a produit son rapport à l'assureur, ce dernier vous donne l'autorisation d'aller faire réparer le véhicule chez le carrossier de votre choix.  Dans le présent exemple, qui appartient à qui?  L'estimateur travaille pour une firme qui n'est pas la propriété de l'assureur.  Les carrossiers sont des entrepreneurs indépendants, qui n'ont, eux non plus, aucun lien de propriété avec l'assureur.  Celui-ci choisit l'estimateur, d'accord, mais c'est vous qui choisissez le carrossier.  S'il y a des dommages que l'estimateur n'a pas vu, votre carrossier les soumettra à votre assureur, qui émettra un paiement supplémentaire, le cas échéant.

Pourquoi ne pas mettre le même système en santé?  Imaginez; au moment où vous avez un problème de santé, vous allez dans une clinique, une salle d'urgence, ou encore un CLSC, où le médecin qui vous examine tiendrait le rôle d'estimateur, par rapport à mon exemple.  Il communique les résultats à la RAMQ, qui vous autorise à aller dans un hôpital de votre choix, parmi ceux qui dispensent les traitements que votre état requiert.  Vous choisissez parmi tous les hôpitaux disponibles celui qui vous convient le mieux selon vos critères.  Et c'est la RAMQ qui paie!  Ce serait génial, non?  Les hôpitaux seraient en concurrence les uns contre les autres, vous offrant le maximum afin de rendre les traitements les moins désagréables possibles.

Évidemment, l'arrivée de la concurence dans le domaine de la santé risquerait de mettre fin à la mainmise des syndicats sur les administrations locales.  En fait, pour les centrales, ce serait carrément la fin de la récréation; les administrations privées savent que l'argent est durement gagné à la suite d'efforts, contrairement aux administrations publiques, qui puisent dans les fonds gouvernementaux comme s'ils étaient illimités.  C'est pourquoi les centrales syndicales se battent bec et ongles contre l'arrivée du privé en santé; elles savent qu'elles seraient les grandes perdantes, mais n'avoueront jamais que les grands gagnants, ce seraient les patients.

Comme Alain Dubuc, mais pas nécessairement selon les mêmes critères que lui, je crois que la concurrence serait vivement la bienvenue dans le domaine de la santé.

India FDI Watch along with its partner organizations calls for Halla Bol on 23rd February 2008 in all the major cities of India taking demonstrations to the doorstep of corporate stores. Militant demonstrations will be organized before the corporate stores as part of the action. In Kerala, Kerala Vyapari Vyavasayi Ekopana Samiti will organize a Halla Bol rally in Trichur on 23rd Feb. Lakhs of small shopkeepers are expected to join the rally to raise their voice against corporate retail.

The political resolution draft for XIX Party Congress of CPM says, "The Party firmly opposes FDI in retail trade as it will seriously affect the livelihood of millions of shopkeepers and small traders. The entry of big Indian corporates into retail trade has a similar effect. At present there is no law to restrict the entry of corporate sector. Taking advantage of this, companies like Reliance have entered retail trade in a big way. The CPI(M) has set out a policy document for licensing and regulating the entry of corporates in retail trade. Till the Central Government puts in place such a policy, the Left led governments should take steps to regulate their entry." Leaders of the party informed India FDI Watch that West Bengal Govt. has decided to regulate the entry of corporates in retail trade according to its policy draft and a committee will be formed having traders and hawkers to issue licenses to corporations to do retail.

National Statistical Office (NSO) of South Korea reported that, Mom-and-Pop shops are disappearing from neighborhoods, losing to cutthroat competition against giant retail outlets and convenience stores. Korean Mom-and-pop shops are seeing sales drop. It says, - Losing the competition, these small retailers are disappearing from the market. According to the Bank of Korea, the number of these shops dropped to 585,996 in 2005, from 739,059 in 1995. Another statistic showed that an average 6.3 mom-and-pop shops closed down everyday between 2001 and 2006. The number of corporate stores, meanwhile, surged to 8,855 from 1,557, increasing 20 percent on average every year during the last 10 years.

Below is the link of an informative short video, reflective of the unsustainable wasteful consumption culture being developed by corporate retailers: - www.storyofstuff.org

In Solidarity !
Dharmendra Kumar
Director
India FDI Watch
M-09871179084
Email:dkfordignity@yahoo.co.uk, dkfordignity@gmail.com

Drug wholesalers of Mumbai boycott Subhiksha :
http://www.planetretail.net/NewsFeed/NewNewsFeed.aspx
Drug wholesalers of Mumbai have boycotted Subhiksha. Subhiksha has sent legal notices to drug wholesalers in Mumbai for withholding supplies. Subhiksha Managing Director R Subramanian said, "wholesalers have boycotted us and have stopped supplying medicines.
Wal-Mart did lobby Blair over Asda

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/main.jhtml?xml=/money/2008/01/27/cnasda127.xml

Details of a secret Downing Street meeting held between Tony Blair, the then prime minister, and a senior Wal-Mart executive just months before the world's biggest retailer pounced on Asda have finally been released, some nine years after the £7bn deal was struck. The Sunday Telegraph can reveal that Bob Martin, the then chief executive of Wal-Mart International, complained at the meeting to Tony Blair about Britain's restrictive planning rules. The minutes of the meeting, released last month by the Cabinet Office after a direct order from the information watchdog, lay bare the lobbying strategy employed by Wal-Mart before it bought Asda in July 1999. The three-page document exposes the frantic lobbying of a country's leaders that top executives carry out before making a major acquisition.

Mom-and-Pop Shops Disappear As Giant Retail Shops Pop Up :

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/biz/2008/02/123_18403.html

Mom-and-pop shops are disappearing from neighborhoods, losing to cutthroat competition against giant retail outlets and convenience stores. According to the National Statistical Office (NSO), huge retail outlets like E-Mart posted sales growth of 9.8 percent last year. Mom-and-pop shops, meanwhile, are seeing sales drop. Small markets below 50 pyeong (165.3 square meters), excluding convenience stores, saw sales decrease of 2.9 percent. They were the only retailers to see sales fall. Losing the competition, these small retailers are disappearing from the market. According to the Bank of Korea, the number of these shops dropped to 585,996 in 2005, from 739,059 in 1995. Another statistic showed that an average 6.3 mom-and-pop shops closed down everyday between 2001 and 2006. The number of convenience stores, meanwhile, surged to 8,855 from 1,557, increasing 20 percent on average every year during the last 10 years. Retail outlets also explosively surged to 316 from mere 25 a decade ago, growing 28.9 percent on average each year.

Retail policy stuck over Rs 16 lakh bill :
http://sify.com/finance/fullstory.php?id=14596372
The Centre's proposed retail policy seems to be stuck over, believe it or not, an uncleared bill of Rs 16 lakh. ICRIER, it seems, will not submit the report till this bill is cleared by the government. The government's objective was to draw up a comprehensive retail policy from the findings of the ICRIER study.

WORLD SOCIAL FORUM: Mumbai Marches on Against Globalisation :
http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=40953
MUMBAI, Jan 27 (IPS) - There was grim determination on the faces of the 500-strong crowd that marched through the streets of this western port city for the World Social Forum’s Global Day of Action on Saturday.
Defiantly, they carried banners that read ’Another World is Possible". The slogan -- familiar enough in this city which hosted the WSF in 2004 -- has a special ring to it because memories linger of a year-long strike in 1982, by some 250,000 textile mill workers, which failed.
"India's retail sector is facing the onslaught of national and multinational corporations which will lead to the destruction of livelihoods of over 40 million people in the country," said V. Shetty, lawyer and coordinator of India FDI Watch, an organisation spearheading a national campaign against foreign direct investment (FDI) in the retail sector, and the Vyapar Rozgar Suraksha Samiti (Committee for Protection of Livelihoods and Retailers), a coalition of small traders, hawkers and workers.
"Multinational chains have started selling vegetables at predatory prices, threatening the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of hawkers who make a subsistence income on this work. And Indian companies like Reliance, Godrej and the Birlas open retail outlets and lure middle-class customers with prices that are below cost, running "Mom and Pop" stores out of business after which they can hike their prices sky high, said Shetty. ''The ground realities are in complete contrast to stated government policies of not allowing FDI in the retail trade. Walmart, the largest company of any kind in the world, is slated for entry into India in 2008, in a joint venture with an Indian company."

Reliance Fresh on Orissa govt watch list :
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/News_By_Industry/Services/Retailing/Reliance_Fresh_on_Orissa_govt_Watch_list/articleshow/2738944.cms
NEW DELHI: Reliance Fresh could be headed for an Uttar Pradesh-like situation in Orissa with the state government learnt to have assured an India FDI Watch delegation that it will re-scrutinise the permission given to Reliance Fresh for opening outlets in Orissa. “We have been assured by a senior state government official that all possible steps would be taken for the rehabilitation of roadside vendors. The permission given to Reliance Fresh for opening outlets would also be scrutinised,†India FDI Watch director Dharmendra Kumar told ET.
India FDI Watch is a national association of small traders that is opposing big and foreign retail players. The Orissa government has, meanwhile, also offered a helping hand to the roadside vendors, notifying specific zones for them across the state.
To start with, 15 such vending zones will be opened in the Cuttack district of Orissa, aimed at rehabilitating roadside vendors, whose business has reportedly suffered major losses due to entry of organised retail players. Reliance Fresh has had a difficult time operating in the state. Even its launch in September last year was marred by violent protests from local traders and the company had to close down its Bhubaneshwar store for a couple of hours on the day of the launch itself.
The state government had also refused to extend any preferential treatment or additional security to the corporate giant.
Farmers urged to come under one umbrella :
http://www.financialexpress.com/news/Farmers-urged-to-come-under-one-umbrella/267068/0
The former Union agriculture minister and the CPI leader, Chaturanan Mishra urged the farmers' organizations affiliated to different political parties in country to come under one platform to fight for the just cause. The conference passed a resolution demanding hike in the minimum support price (MSP) for paddy to at least Rs 1000 per quintal and that of paddy and that of wheat to at least Rs 1600 per quintal. It criticised the wheat imports done by the government at higher prices in 2006 and 2007, when ample wheat was available in the country. The government should have purchased wheat from farmers by raising the MSP, instead of buying wheat in the global market at higher prices, it said Expressing concerns over the government's apathy towards the increasing incidences of suicides committed by farmers, the Bharatiya Krishak Samaj president, Krishan Bir Chaudhary demanded reversal of the anti-farmer policies. The resolution criticized the government for opening the doors to the corporate houses and multinationals in Indian agriculture and in the retail chains as this would lead to greater exploitation of farmers. The resolution also called for a ban on futures trading in agro commodities. The resolution also demanded a ban on genetically modified crops. The farmers have suffered huge losses on account of Bt cotton cultivation.

Mom, Pop stores impacted by big retail: ICRIER :
http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/Mom--Pop-stores-impacted-by-big-retail--ICRIER/266673/

The neighbourhood kirana stores will initially feel the heat with the growth of big super markets and malls, Rajiv Kumar, Director of ICRIER, which has been entrusted with a government study on the impact of organised retail on Mom & Pop stores, said. "Small retailers will be initially impacted by the entry of large scale retail houses. However, the impact is likely to be diluted over a period of time", Kumar said.

Draft Political Resolution For XIX Party Congress :
http://pd.cpim.org/2008/0127_pd/01272008_draft.htm

The Party firmly opposes FDI in retail trade as it will seriously affect the livelihood of millions of shopkeepers and small traders. The entry of big Indian corporates into retail trade has a similar effect. At present there is no law to restrict the entry of corporate sector. Taking advantage of this, companies like Reliance have entered retail trade in a big way. The CPI(M) has set out a policy document for licensing and regulating the entry of corporates in retail trade. Till the Central Government puts in place such a policy, the Left - led governments should take steps to regulate their entry.

Reliance to unveil new speciality format; plans to set up 100 AutoZone stores :
Having already launched its first ˜ AutoZone " in the recently opened Reliance Mart (Hypermarket) at Jamnagar (Gujarat) on the 30th January, Reliance Retail, is ready to rollout a super speciality retail chain of auto stores across the country. Apart from selling auto spares and repairing two wheelers and four wheelers, AutoZone stores will also retail two wheelers and pre-used branded cars.Reliance plans to set up about 100 such AutoZone stores across the country, within a year.

Landmark group to undetake aggressive retail expansion; plans $500 mn. investment in 3 years :
indiaretailbiz.com

Landmark Group, owned by Dubai-based group of NRIs, which currently operates 19 stores under three retail chains across 9 cities in India, according to a Business Standard report, is planning to invest another $500 million in the next three years (by 2010) in the country. The group, in the past 10 years, since 1998, has invested $100 million in the country. Landmark group operates over 650 stores across West Asia, India, China and Spain. Landmark's current operations comprise 13 Lifestyle stores, 5 Home Centre stores and a Babyshop store operating out of Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chennai, New Delhi, Gurgaon, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Vashi and Pune.

Reliance could soon foray into travel retail business :
To begin with, before venturing into full fledged travel business, the company would first like to leverage on the domestic and international travel business worth about Rs. 100 crore being generated by the group and on promotional schemes that offer travel related incentives like holidays to its retail customers. The company, incidentally, has already incorporated a subsidiary called Reliance Retail Travel & Forex Services Ltd. The new company appears to have tied up with Indian, the national airline, for up to 30% discount on airfares.

Kamal Nath defends retail FDI policy :
http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2008/02/09/stories/2008020952401000.htm

Bangalore, Feb. 8 The Union Commerce Minister, Mr Kamal Nath, on Friday said that the government will continue to reduce customs duty but it will also ensure that every fiscal policy decision it takes stimulates economic growth. But he defended India’s policy on retail FDI stating that there was a need to protect smaller retail shops and the conditions in the country were different from other countries. "We need to see that the policy does not dislocate small retailers," he told delegates at the India Sourcing Summit.

Birla Retail in talks with farmers' co-ops for direct procurement :
http://www.financialexpress.com/news/Birla-Retail-in-talks-with-farmers---co-ops-for-direct-procurement/269189/

Bangalore, Feb 4 Even as India's largest business conglomerate Reliance Industries is facing trouble over its retail venture over procurement of farm products, its competitor Aditya Birla Retail Ltd, the retail arm of the $23-billion Aditya Birla Group, is trying to overcome the hurdles by tying up with farmers' cooperative societies. The company, that has set a target of establishing 1,000-1,500 superMarkets and has earmarked Rs 8,000-9,000 crore in the next five years, is planning to tie-up with cooperatives to procure fresh farm products, vegetables and fruits.

Spencer's first hypermarket in Kolkata launched; plans to invest Rs. 2,500 Cr. in expansion :
Spencer's, among the oldest names in retail sector, threw open the doors of its Hypermarket store on in Kolkata on the 1st Feruary, 2008. The store was opened by the group patriarch R P Goenka. Besides Kolkata, Spencer's also operates hypermarket format stores in Mumbai, Gurgaon, Ghaziabad, Lucknow, Calicut, Hyderabad, Vizag, Vijayawada, Aurangabad and Durgapur. The group is planning to scale up its operations to 52 cities in the coming months.

India FDI Watch along with its partner organizations calls for Halla Bol on 23rd February 2008 in all the major cities of India taking demonstrations to the doorstep of corporate stores. Militant demonstrations will be organized before the corporate stores as part of the action. In Kerala, Kerala Vyapari Vyavasayi Ekopana Samiti will organize a Halla Bol rally in Trichur on 23rd Feb. Lakhs of small shopkeepers are expected to join the rally to raise their voice against corporate retail.

The political resolution draft for XIX Party Congress of CPM says, "The Party firmly opposes FDI in retail trade as it will seriously affect the livelihood of millions of shopkeepers and small traders. The entry of big Indian corporates into retail trade has a similar effect. At present there is no law to restrict the entry of corporate sector. Taking advantage of this, companies like Reliance have entered retail trade in a big way. The CPI(M) has set out a policy document for licensing and regulating the entry of corporates in retail trade. Till the Central Government puts in place such a policy, the Left led governments should take steps to regulate their entry." Leaders of the party informed India FDI Watch that West Bengal Govt. has decided to regulate the entry of corporates in retail trade according to its policy draft and a committee will be formed having traders and hawkers to issue licenses to corporations to do retail.

National Statistical Office (NSO) of South Korea reported that, Mom-and-Pop shops are disappearing from neighborhoods, losing to cutthroat competition against giant retail outlets and convenience stores. Korean Mom-and-pop shops are seeing sales drop. It says, - Losing the competition, these small retailers are disappearing from the market. According to the Bank of Korea, the number of these shops dropped to 585,996 in 2005, from 739,059 in 1995. Another statistic showed that an average 6.3 mom-and-pop shops closed down everyday between 2001 and 2006. The number of corporate stores, meanwhile, surged to 8,855 from 1,557, increasing 20 percent on average every year during the last 10 years.

Below is the link of an informative short video, reflective of the unsustainable wasteful consumption culture being developed by corporate retailers: - www.storyofstuff.org

In Solidarity !
Dharmendra Kumar
Director
India FDI Watch
M-09871179084
Email:dkfordignity@yahoo.co.uk, dkfordignity@gmail.com

Drug wholesalers of Mumbai boycott Subhiksha :
http://www.planetretail.net/NewsFeed/NewNewsFeed.aspx
Drug wholesalers of Mumbai have boycotted Subhiksha. Subhiksha has sent legal notices to drug wholesalers in Mumbai for withholding supplies. Subhiksha Managing Director R Subramanian said, "wholesalers have boycotted us and have stopped supplying medicines.
Wal-Mart did lobby Blair over Asda

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/main.jhtml?xml=/money/2008/01/27/cnasda127.xml

Details of a secret Downing Street meeting held between Tony Blair, the then prime minister, and a senior Wal-Mart executive just months before the world's biggest retailer pounced on Asda have finally been released, some nine years after the £7bn deal was struck. The Sunday Telegraph can reveal that Bob Martin, the then chief executive of Wal-Mart International, complained at the meeting to Tony Blair about Britain's restrictive planning rules. The minutes of the meeting, released last month by the Cabinet Office after a direct order from the information watchdog, lay bare the lobbying strategy employed by Wal-Mart before it bought Asda in July 1999. The three-page document exposes the frantic lobbying of a country's leaders that top executives carry out before making a major acquisition.

Mom-and-Pop Shops Disappear As Giant Retail Shops Pop Up :

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/biz/2008/02/123_18403.html

Mom-and-pop shops are disappearing from neighborhoods, losing to cutthroat competition against giant retail outlets and convenience stores. According to the National Statistical Office (NSO), huge retail outlets like E-Mart posted sales growth of 9.8 percent last year. Mom-and-pop shops, meanwhile, are seeing sales drop. Small markets below 50 pyeong (165.3 square meters), excluding convenience stores, saw sales decrease of 2.9 percent. They were the only retailers to see sales fall. Losing the competition, these small retailers are disappearing from the market. According to the Bank of Korea, the number of these shops dropped to 585,996 in 2005, from 739,059 in 1995. Another statistic showed that an average 6.3 mom-and-pop shops closed down everyday between 2001 and 2006. The number of convenience stores, meanwhile, surged to 8,855 from 1,557, increasing 20 percent on average every year during the last 10 years. Retail outlets also explosively surged to 316 from mere 25 a decade ago, growing 28.9 percent on average each year.

Retail policy stuck over Rs 16 lakh bill :
http://sify.com/finance/fullstory.php?id=14596372
The Centre's proposed retail policy seems to be stuck over, believe it or not, an uncleared bill of Rs 16 lakh. ICRIER, it seems, will not submit the report till this bill is cleared by the government. The government's objective was to draw up a comprehensive retail policy from the findings of the ICRIER study.

WORLD SOCIAL FORUM: Mumbai Marches on Against Globalisation :
http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=40953
MUMBAI, Jan 27 (IPS) - There was grim determination on the faces of the 500-strong crowd that marched through the streets of this western port city for the World Social Forum’s Global Day of Action on Saturday.
Defiantly, they carried banners that read ’Another World is Possible". The slogan -- familiar enough in this city which hosted the WSF in 2004 -- has a special ring to it because memories linger of a year-long strike in 1982, by some 250,000 textile mill workers, which failed.
"India's retail sector is facing the onslaught of national and multinational corporations which will lead to the destruction of livelihoods of over 40 million people in the country," said V. Shetty, lawyer and coordinator of India FDI Watch, an organisation spearheading a national campaign against foreign direct investment (FDI) in the retail sector, and the Vyapar Rozgar Suraksha Samiti (Committee for Protection of Livelihoods and Retailers), a coalition of small traders, hawkers and workers.
"Multinational chains have started selling vegetables at predatory prices, threatening the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of hawkers who make a subsistence income on this work. And Indian companies like Reliance, Godrej and the Birlas open retail outlets and lure middle-class customers with prices that are below cost, running "Mom and Pop" stores out of business after which they can hike their prices sky high, said Shetty. ''The ground realities are in complete contrast to stated government policies of not allowing FDI in the retail trade. Walmart, the largest company of any kind in the world, is slated for entry into India in 2008, in a joint venture with an Indian company."

Reliance Fresh on Orissa govt watch list :
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/News_By_Industry/Services/Retailing/Reliance_Fresh_on_Orissa_govt_Watch_list/articleshow/2738944.cms
NEW DELHI: Reliance Fresh could be headed for an Uttar Pradesh-like situation in Orissa with the state government learnt to have assured an India FDI Watch delegation that it will re-scrutinise the permission given to Reliance Fresh for opening outlets in Orissa. “We have been assured by a senior state government official that all possible steps would be taken for the rehabilitation of roadside vendors. The permission given to Reliance Fresh for opening outlets would also be scrutinised,†India FDI Watch director Dharmendra Kumar told ET.
India FDI Watch is a national association of small traders that is opposing big and foreign retail players. The Orissa government has, meanwhile, also offered a helping hand to the roadside vendors, notifying specific zones for them across the state.
To start with, 15 such vending zones will be opened in the Cuttack district of Orissa, aimed at rehabilitating roadside vendors, whose business has reportedly suffered major losses due to entry of organised retail players. Reliance Fresh has had a difficult time operating in the state. Even its launch in September last year was marred by violent protests from local traders and the company had to close down its Bhubaneshwar store for a couple of hours on the day of the launch itself.
The state government had also refused to extend any preferential treatment or additional security to the corporate giant.
Farmers urged to come under one umbrella :
http://www.financialexpress.com/news/Farmers-urged-to-come-under-one-umbrella/267068/0
The former Union agriculture minister and the CPI leader, Chaturanan Mishra urged the farmers' organizations affiliated to different political parties in country to come under one platform to fight for the just cause. The conference passed a resolution demanding hike in the minimum support price (MSP) for paddy to at least Rs 1000 per quintal and that of paddy and that of wheat to at least Rs 1600 per quintal. It criticised the wheat imports done by the government at higher prices in 2006 and 2007, when ample wheat was available in the country. The government should have purchased wheat from farmers by raising the MSP, instead of buying wheat in the global market at higher prices, it said Expressing concerns over the government's apathy towards the increasing incidences of suicides committed by farmers, the Bharatiya Krishak Samaj president, Krishan Bir Chaudhary demanded reversal of the anti-farmer policies. The resolution criticized the government for opening the doors to the corporate houses and multinationals in Indian agriculture and in the retail chains as this would lead to greater exploitation of farmers. The resolution also called for a ban on futures trading in agro commodities. The resolution also demanded a ban on genetically modified crops. The farmers have suffered huge losses on account of Bt cotton cultivation.

Mom, Pop stores impacted by big retail: ICRIER :
http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/Mom--Pop-stores-impacted-by-big-retail--ICRIER/266673/

The neighbourhood kirana stores will initially feel the heat with the growth of big super markets and malls, Rajiv Kumar, Director of ICRIER, which has been entrusted with a government study on the impact of organised retail on Mom & Pop stores, said. "Small retailers will be initially impacted by the entry of large scale retail houses. However, the impact is likely to be diluted over a period of time", Kumar said.

Draft Political Resolution For XIX Party Congress :
http://pd.cpim.org/2008/0127_pd/01272008_draft.htm

The Party firmly opposes FDI in retail trade as it will seriously affect the livelihood of millions of shopkeepers and small traders. The entry of big Indian corporates into retail trade has a similar effect. At present there is no law to restrict the entry of corporate sector. Taking advantage of this, companies like Reliance have entered retail trade in a big way. The CPI(M) has set out a policy document for licensing and regulating the entry of corporates in retail trade. Till the Central Government puts in place such a policy, the Left - led governments should take steps to regulate their entry.

Reliance to unveil new speciality format; plans to set up 100 AutoZone stores :
Having already launched its first ˜ AutoZone " in the recently opened Reliance Mart (Hypermarket) at Jamnagar (Gujarat) on the 30th January, Reliance Retail, is ready to rollout a super speciality retail chain of auto stores across the country. Apart from selling auto spares and repairing two wheelers and four wheelers, AutoZone stores will also retail two wheelers and pre-used branded cars.Reliance plans to set up about 100 such AutoZone stores across the country, within a year.

Landmark group to undetake aggressive retail expansion; plans $500 mn. investment in 3 years :
indiaretailbiz.com

Landmark Group, owned by Dubai-based group of NRIs, which currently operates 19 stores under three retail chains across 9 cities in India, according to a Business Standard report, is planning to invest another $500 million in the next three years (by 2010) in the country. The group, in the past 10 years, since 1998, has invested $100 million in the country. Landmark group operates over 650 stores across West Asia, India, China and Spain. Landmark's current operations comprise 13 Lifestyle stores, 5 Home Centre stores and a Babyshop store operating out of Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chennai, New Delhi, Gurgaon, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Vashi and Pune.

Reliance could soon foray into travel retail business :
To begin with, before venturing into full fledged travel business, the company would first like to leverage on the domestic and international travel business worth about Rs. 100 crore being generated by the group and on promotional schemes that offer travel related incentives like holidays to its retail customers. The company, incidentally, has already incorporated a subsidiary called Reliance Retail Travel & Forex Services Ltd. The new company appears to have tied up with Indian, the national airline, for up to 30% discount on airfares.

Kamal Nath defends retail FDI policy :
http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2008/02/09/stories/2008020952401000.htm

Bangalore, Feb. 8 The Union Commerce Minister, Mr Kamal Nath, on Friday said that the government will continue to reduce customs duty but it will also ensure that every fiscal policy decision it takes stimulates economic growth. But he defended India’s policy on retail FDI stating that there was a need to protect smaller retail shops and the conditions in the country were different from other countries. "We need to see that the policy does not dislocate small retailers," he told delegates at the India Sourcing Summit.

Birla Retail in talks with farmers' co-ops for direct procurement :
http://www.financialexpress.com/news/Birla-Retail-in-talks-with-farmers---co-ops-for-direct-procurement/269189/

Bangalore, Feb 4 Even as India's largest business conglomerate Reliance Industries is facing trouble over its retail venture over procurement of farm products, its competitor Aditya Birla Retail Ltd, the retail arm of the $23-billion Aditya Birla Group, is trying to overcome the hurdles by tying up with farmers' cooperative societies. The company, that has set a target of establishing 1,000-1,500 superMarkets and has earmarked Rs 8,000-9,000 crore in the next five years, is planning to tie-up with cooperatives to procure fresh farm products, vegetables and fruits.

Spencer's first hypermarket in Kolkata launched; plans to invest Rs. 2,500 Cr. in expansion :
Spencer's, among the oldest names in retail sector, threw open the doors of its Hypermarket store on in Kolkata on the 1st Feruary, 2008. The store was opened by the group patriarch R P Goenka. Besides Kolkata, Spencer's also operates hypermarket format stores in Mumbai, Gurgaon, Ghaziabad, Lucknow, Calicut, Hyderabad, Vizag, Vijayawada, Aurangabad and Durgapur. The group is planning to scale up its operations to 52 cities in the coming months.

India FDI Watch along with its partner organizations calls for Halla Bol on 23rd February 2008 in all the major cities of India taking demonstrations to the doorstep of corporate stores. Militant demonstrations will be organized before the corporate stores as part of the action. In Kerala, Kerala Vyapari Vyavasayi Ekopana Samiti will organize a Halla Bol rally in Trichur on 23rd Feb. Lakhs of small shopkeepers are expected to join the rally to raise their voice against corporate retail.

The political resolution draft for XIX Party Congress of CPM says, "The Party firmly opposes FDI in retail trade as it will seriously affect the livelihood of millions of shopkeepers and small traders. The entry of big Indian corporates into retail trade has a similar effect. At present there is no law to restrict the entry of corporate sector. Taking advantage of this, companies like Reliance have entered retail trade in a big way. The CPI(M) has set out a policy document for licensing and regulating the entry of corporates in retail trade. Till the Central Government puts in place such a policy, the Left led governments should take steps to regulate their entry." Leaders of the party informed India FDI Watch that West Bengal Govt. has decided to regulate the entry of corporates in retail trade according to its policy draft and a committee will be formed having traders and hawkers to issue licenses to corporations to do retail.

National Statistical Office (NSO) of South Korea reported that, Mom-and-Pop shops are disappearing from neighborhoods, losing to cutthroat competition against giant retail outlets and convenience stores. Korean Mom-and-pop shops are seeing sales drop. It says, - Losing the competition, these small retailers are disappearing from the market. According to the Bank of Korea, the number of these shops dropped to 585,996 in 2005, from 739,059 in 1995. Another statistic showed that an average 6.3 mom-and-pop shops closed down everyday between 2001 and 2006. The number of corporate stores, meanwhile, surged to 8,855 from 1,557, increasing 20 percent on average every year during the last 10 years.

Below is the link of an informative short video, reflective of the unsustainable wasteful consumption culture being developed by corporate retailers: - www.storyofstuff.org

In Solidarity !
Dharmendra Kumar
Director
India FDI Watch
M-09871179084
Email:dkfordignity@yahoo.co.uk, dkfordignity@gmail.com

Drug wholesalers of Mumbai boycott Subhiksha :
http://www.planetretail.net/NewsFeed/NewNewsFeed.aspx
Drug wholesalers of Mumbai have boycotted Subhiksha. Subhiksha has sent legal notices to drug wholesalers in Mumbai for withholding supplies. Subhiksha Managing Director R Subramanian said, "wholesalers have boycotted us and have stopped supplying medicines.
Wal-Mart did lobby Blair over Asda

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/main.jhtml?xml=/money/2008/01/27/cnasda127.xml

Details of a secret Downing Street meeting held between Tony Blair, the then prime minister, and a senior Wal-Mart executive just months before the world's biggest retailer pounced on Asda have finally been released, some nine years after the £7bn deal was struck. The Sunday Telegraph can reveal that Bob Martin, the then chief executive of Wal-Mart International, complained at the meeting to Tony Blair about Britain's restrictive planning rules. The minutes of the meeting, released last month by the Cabinet Office after a direct order from the information watchdog, lay bare the lobbying strategy employed by Wal-Mart before it bought Asda in July 1999. The three-page document exposes the frantic lobbying of a country's leaders that top executives carry out before making a major acquisition.

Mom-and-Pop Shops Disappear As Giant Retail Shops Pop Up :

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/biz/2008/02/123_18403.html

Mom-and-pop shops are disappearing from neighborhoods, losing to cutthroat competition against giant retail outlets and convenience stores. According to the National Statistical Office (NSO), huge retail outlets like E-Mart posted sales growth of 9.8 percent last year. Mom-and-pop shops, meanwhile, are seeing sales drop. Small markets below 50 pyeong (165.3 square meters), excluding convenience stores, saw sales decrease of 2.9 percent. They were the only retailers to see sales fall. Losing the competition, these small retailers are disappearing from the market. According to the Bank of Korea, the number of these shops dropped to 585,996 in 2005, from 739,059 in 1995. Another statistic showed that an average 6.3 mom-and-pop shops closed down everyday between 2001 and 2006. The number of convenience stores, meanwhile, surged to 8,855 from 1,557, increasing 20 percent on average every year during the last 10 years. Retail outlets also explosively surged to 316 from mere 25 a decade ago, growing 28.9 percent on average each year.

Retail policy stuck over Rs 16 lakh bill :
http://sify.com/finance/fullstory.php?id=14596372
The Centre's proposed retail policy seems to be stuck over, believe it or not, an uncleared bill of Rs 16 lakh. ICRIER, it seems, will not submit the report till this bill is cleared by the government. The government's objective was to draw up a comprehensive retail policy from the findings of the ICRIER study.

WORLD SOCIAL FORUM: Mumbai Marches on Against Globalisation :
http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=40953
MUMBAI, Jan 27 (IPS) - There was grim determination on the faces of the 500-strong crowd that marched through the streets of this western port city for the World Social Forum’s Global Day of Action on Saturday.
Defiantly, they carried banners that read ’Another World is Possible". The slogan -- familiar enough in this city which hosted the WSF in 2004 -- has a special ring to it because memories linger of a year-long strike in 1982, by some 250,000 textile mill workers, which failed.
"India's retail sector is facing the onslaught of national and multinational corporations which will lead to the destruction of livelihoods of over 40 million people in the country," said V. Shetty, lawyer and coordinator of India FDI Watch, an organisation spearheading a national campaign against foreign direct investment (FDI) in the retail sector, and the Vyapar Rozgar Suraksha Samiti (Committee for Protection of Livelihoods and Retailers), a coalition of small traders, hawkers and workers.
"Multinational chains have started selling vegetables at predatory prices, threatening the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of hawkers who make a subsistence income on this work. And Indian companies like Reliance, Godrej and the Birlas open retail outlets and lure middle-class customers with prices that are below cost, running "Mom and Pop" stores out of business after which they can hike their prices sky high, said Shetty. ''The ground realities are in complete contrast to stated government policies of not allowing FDI in the retail trade. Walmart, the largest company of any kind in the world, is slated for entry into India in 2008, in a joint venture with an Indian company."

Reliance Fresh on Orissa govt watch list :
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/News_By_Industry/Services/Retailing/Reliance_Fresh_on_Orissa_govt_Watch_list/articleshow/2738944.cms
NEW DELHI: Reliance Fresh could be headed for an Uttar Pradesh-like situation in Orissa with the state government learnt to have assured an India FDI Watch delegation that it will re-scrutinise the permission given to Reliance Fresh for opening outlets in Orissa. “We have been assured by a senior state government official that all possible steps would be taken for the rehabilitation of roadside vendors. The permission given to Reliance Fresh for opening outlets would also be scrutinised,†India FDI Watch director Dharmendra Kumar told ET.
India FDI Watch is a national association of small traders that is opposing big and foreign retail players. The Orissa government has, meanwhile, also offered a helping hand to the roadside vendors, notifying specific zones for them across the state.
To start with, 15 such vending zones will be opened in the Cuttack district of Orissa, aimed at rehabilitating roadside vendors, whose business has reportedly suffered major losses due to entry of organised retail players. Reliance Fresh has had a difficult time operating in the state. Even its launch in September last year was marred by violent protests from local traders and the company had to close down its Bhubaneshwar store for a couple of hours on the day of the launch itself.
The state government had also refused to extend any preferential treatment or additional security to the corporate giant.
Farmers urged to come under one umbrella :
http://www.financialexpress.com/news/Farmers-urged-to-come-under-one-umbrella/267068/0
The former Union agriculture minister and the CPI leader, Chaturanan Mishra urged the farmers' organizations affiliated to different political parties in country to come under one platform to fight for the just cause. The conference passed a resolution demanding hike in the minimum support price (MSP) for paddy to at least Rs 1000 per quintal and that of paddy and that of wheat to at least Rs 1600 per quintal. It criticised the wheat imports done by the government at higher prices in 2006 and 2007, when ample wheat was available in the country. The government should have purchased wheat from farmers by raising the MSP, instead of buying wheat in the global market at higher prices, it said Expressing concerns over the government's apathy towards the increasing incidences of suicides committed by farmers, the Bharatiya Krishak Samaj president, Krishan Bir Chaudhary demanded reversal of the anti-farmer policies. The resolution criticized the government for opening the doors to the corporate houses and multinationals in Indian agriculture and in the retail chains as this would lead to greater exploitation of farmers. The resolution also called for a ban on futures trading in agro commodities. The resolution also demanded a ban on genetically modified crops. The farmers have suffered huge losses on account of Bt cotton cultivation.

Mom, Pop stores impacted by big retail: ICRIER :
http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/Mom--Pop-stores-impacted-by-big-retail--ICRIER/266673/

The neighbourhood kirana stores will initially feel the heat with the growth of big super markets and malls, Rajiv Kumar, Director of ICRIER, which has been entrusted with a government study on the impact of organised retail on Mom & Pop stores, said. "Small retailers will be initially impacted by the entry of large scale retail houses. However, the impact is likely to be diluted over a period of time", Kumar said.

Draft Political Resolution For XIX Party Congress :
http://pd.cpim.org/2008/0127_pd/01272008_draft.htm

The Party firmly opposes FDI in retail trade as it will seriously affect the livelihood of millions of shopkeepers and small traders. The entry of big Indian corporates into retail trade has a similar effect. At present there is no law to restrict the entry of corporate sector. Taking advantage of this, companies like Reliance have entered retail trade in a big way. The CPI(M) has set out a policy document for licensing and regulating the entry of corporates in retail trade. Till the Central Government puts in place such a policy, the Left - led governments should take steps to regulate their entry.

Reliance to unveil new speciality format; plans to set up 100 AutoZone stores :
Having already launched its first ˜ AutoZone " in the recently opened Reliance Mart (Hypermarket) at Jamnagar (Gujarat) on the 30th January, Reliance Retail, is ready to rollout a super speciality retail chain of auto stores across the country. Apart from selling auto spares and repairing two wheelers and four wheelers, AutoZone stores will also retail two wheelers and pre-used branded cars.Reliance plans to set up about 100 such AutoZone stores across the country, within a year.

Landmark group to undetake aggressive retail expansion; plans $500 mn. investment in 3 years :
indiaretailbiz.com

Landmark Group, owned by Dubai-based group of NRIs, which currently operates 19 stores under three retail chains across 9 cities in India, according to a Business Standard report, is planning to invest another $500 million in the next three years (by 2010) in the country. The group, in the past 10 years, since 1998, has invested $100 million in the country. Landmark group operates over 650 stores across West Asia, India, China and Spain. Landmark's current operations comprise 13 Lifestyle stores, 5 Home Centre stores and a Babyshop store operating out of Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chennai, New Delhi, Gurgaon, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Vashi and Pune.

Reliance could soon foray into travel retail business :
To begin with, before venturing into full fledged travel business, the company would first like to leverage on the domestic and international travel business worth about Rs. 100 crore being generated by the group and on promotional schemes that offer travel related incentives like holidays to its retail customers. The company, incidentally, has already incorporated a subsidiary called Reliance Retail Travel & Forex Services Ltd. The new company appears to have tied up with Indian, the national airline, for up to 30% discount on airfares.

Kamal Nath defends retail FDI policy :
http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2008/02/09/stories/2008020952401000.htm

Bangalore, Feb. 8 The Union Commerce Minister, Mr Kamal Nath, on Friday said that the government will continue to reduce customs duty but it will also ensure that every fiscal policy decision it takes stimulates economic growth. But he defended India’s policy on retail FDI stating that there was a need to protect smaller retail shops and the conditions in the country were different from other countries. "We need to see that the policy does not dislocate small retailers," he told delegates at the India Sourcing Summit.

Birla Retail in talks with farmers' co-ops for direct procurement :
http://www.financialexpress.com/news/Birla-Retail-in-talks-with-farmers---co-ops-for-direct-procurement/269189/

Bangalore, Feb 4 Even as India's largest business conglomerate Reliance Industries is facing trouble over its retail venture over procurement of farm products, its competitor Aditya Birla Retail Ltd, the retail arm of the $23-billion Aditya Birla Group, is trying to overcome the hurdles by tying up with farmers' cooperative societies. The company, that has set a target of establishing 1,000-1,500 superMarkets and has earmarked Rs 8,000-9,000 crore in the next five years, is planning to tie-up with cooperatives to procure fresh farm products, vegetables and fruits.

Spencer's first hypermarket in Kolkata launched; plans to invest Rs. 2,500 Cr. in expansion :
Spencer's, among the oldest names in retail sector, threw open the doors of its Hypermarket store on in Kolkata on the 1st Feruary, 2008. The store was opened by the group patriarch R P Goenka. Besides Kolkata, Spencer's also operates hypermarket format stores in Mumbai, Gurgaon, Ghaziabad, Lucknow, Calicut, Hyderabad, Vizag, Vijayawada, Aurangabad and Durgapur. The group is planning to scale up its operations to 52 cities in the coming months.

India FDI Watch along with its partner organizations calls for Halla Bol on 23rd February 2008 in all the major cities of India taking demonstrations to the doorstep of corporate stores. Militant demonstrations will be organized before the corporate stores as part of the action. In Kerala, Kerala Vyapari Vyavasayi Ekopana Samiti will organize a Halla Bol rally in Trichur on 23rd Feb. Lakhs of small shopkeepers are expected to join the rally to raise their voice against corporate retail.

The political resolution draft for XIX Party Congress of CPM says, "The Party firmly opposes FDI in retail trade as it will seriously affect the livelihood of millions of shopkeepers and small traders. The entry of big Indian corporates into retail trade has a similar effect. At present there is no law to restrict the entry of corporate sector. Taking advantage of this, companies like Reliance have entered retail trade in a big way. The CPI(M) has set out a policy document for licensing and regulating the entry of corporates in retail trade. Till the Central Government puts in place such a policy, the Left led governments should take steps to regulate their entry." Leaders of the party informed India FDI Watch that West Bengal Govt. has decided to regulate the entry of corporates in retail trade according to its policy draft and a committee will be formed having traders and hawkers to issue licenses to corporations to do retail.

National Statistical Office (NSO) of South Korea reported that, Mom-and-Pop shops are disappearing from neighborhoods, losing to cutthroat competition against giant retail outlets and convenience stores. Korean Mom-and-pop shops are seeing sales drop. It says, - Losing the competition, these small retailers are disappearing from the market. According to the Bank of Korea, the number of these shops dropped to 585,996 in 2005, from 739,059 in 1995. Another statistic showed that an average 6.3 mom-and-pop shops closed down everyday between 2001 and 2006. The number of corporate stores, meanwhile, surged to 8,855 from 1,557, increasing 20 percent on average every year during the last 10 years.

Below is the link of an informative short video, reflective of the unsustainable wasteful consumption culture being developed by corporate retailers: - www.storyofstuff.org

In Solidarity !
Dharmendra Kumar
Director
India FDI Watch
M-09871179084
Email:dkfordignity@yahoo.co.uk, dkfordignity@gmail.com

Drug wholesalers of Mumbai boycott Subhiksha :
http://www.planetretail.net/NewsFeed/NewNewsFeed.aspx
Drug wholesalers of Mumbai have boycotted Subhiksha. Subhiksha has sent legal notices to drug wholesalers in Mumbai for withholding supplies. Subhiksha Managing Director R Subramanian said, "wholesalers have boycotted us and have stopped supplying medicines.
Wal-Mart did lobby Blair over Asda

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/main.jhtml?xml=/money/2008/01/27/cnasda127.xml

Details of a secret Downing Street meeting held between Tony Blair, the then prime minister, and a senior Wal-Mart executive just months before the world's biggest retailer pounced on Asda have finally been released, some nine years after the £7bn deal was struck. The Sunday Telegraph can reveal that Bob Martin, the then chief executive of Wal-Mart International, complained at the meeting to Tony Blair about Britain's restrictive planning rules. The minutes of the meeting, released last month by the Cabinet Office after a direct order from the information watchdog, lay bare the lobbying strategy employed by Wal-Mart before it bought Asda in July 1999. The three-page document exposes the frantic lobbying of a country's leaders that top executives carry out before making a major acquisition.

Mom-and-Pop Shops Disappear As Giant Retail Shops Pop Up :

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/biz/2008/02/123_18403.html

Mom-and-pop shops are disappearing from neighborhoods, losing to cutthroat competition against giant retail outlets and convenience stores. According to the National Statistical Office (NSO), huge retail outlets like E-Mart posted sales growth of 9.8 percent last year. Mom-and-pop shops, meanwhile, are seeing sales drop. Small markets below 50 pyeong (165.3 square meters), excluding convenience stores, saw sales decrease of 2.9 percent. They were the only retailers to see sales fall. Losing the competition, these small retailers are disappearing from the market. According to the Bank of Korea, the number of these shops dropped to 585,996 in 2005, from 739,059 in 1995. Another statistic showed that an average 6.3 mom-and-pop shops closed down everyday between 2001 and 2006. The number of convenience stores, meanwhile, surged to 8,855 from 1,557, increasing 20 percent on average every year during the last 10 years. Retail outlets also explosively surged to 316 from mere 25 a decade ago, growing 28.9 percent on average each year.

Retail policy stuck over Rs 16 lakh bill :
http://sify.com/finance/fullstory.php?id=14596372
The Centre's proposed retail policy seems to be stuck over, believe it or not, an uncleared bill of Rs 16 lakh. ICRIER, it seems, will not submit the report till this bill is cleared by the government. The government's objective was to draw up a comprehensive retail policy from the findings of the ICRIER study.

WORLD SOCIAL FORUM: Mumbai Marches on Against Globalisation :
http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=40953
MUMBAI, Jan 27 (IPS) - There was grim determination on the faces of the 500-strong crowd that marched through the streets of this western port city for the World Social Forum’s Global Day of Action on Saturday.
Defiantly, they carried banners that read ’Another World is Possible". The slogan -- familiar enough in this city which hosted the WSF in 2004 -- has a special ring to it because memories linger of a year-long strike in 1982, by some 250,000 textile mill workers, which failed.
"India's retail sector is facing the onslaught of national and multinational corporations which will lead to the destruction of livelihoods of over 40 million people in the country," said V. Shetty, lawyer and coordinator of India FDI Watch, an organisation spearheading a national campaign against foreign direct investment (FDI) in the retail sector, and the Vyapar Rozgar Suraksha Samiti (Committee for Protection of Livelihoods and Retailers), a coalition of small traders, hawkers and workers.
"Multinational chains have started selling vegetables at predatory prices, threatening the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of hawkers who make a subsistence income on this work. And Indian companies like Reliance, Godrej and the Birlas open retail outlets and lure middle-class customers with prices that are below cost, running "Mom and Pop" stores out of business after which they can hike their prices sky high, said Shetty. ''The ground realities are in complete contrast to stated government policies of not allowing FDI in the retail trade. Walmart, the largest company of any kind in the world, is slated for entry into India in 2008, in a joint venture with an Indian company."

Reliance Fresh on Orissa govt watch list :
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/News_By_Industry/Services/Retailing/Reliance_Fresh_on_Orissa_govt_Watch_list/articleshow/2738944.cms
NEW DELHI: Reliance Fresh could be headed for an Uttar Pradesh-like situation in Orissa with the state government learnt to have assured an India FDI Watch delegation that it will re-scrutinise the permission given to Reliance Fresh for opening outlets in Orissa. “We have been assured by a senior state government official that all possible steps would be taken for the rehabilitation of roadside vendors. The permission given to Reliance Fresh for opening outlets would also be scrutinised,†India FDI Watch director Dharmendra Kumar told ET.
India FDI Watch is a national association of small traders that is opposing big and foreign retail players. The Orissa government has, meanwhile, also offered a helping hand to the roadside vendors, notifying specific zones for them across the state.
To start with, 15 such vending zones will be opened in the Cuttack district of Orissa, aimed at rehabilitating roadside vendors, whose business has reportedly suffered major losses due to entry of organised retail players. Reliance Fresh has had a difficult time operating in the state. Even its launch in September last year was marred by violent protests from local traders and the company had to close down its Bhubaneshwar store for a couple of hours on the day of the launch itself.
The state government had also refused to extend any preferential treatment or additional security to the corporate giant.
Farmers urged to come under one umbrella :
http://www.financialexpress.com/news/Farmers-urged-to-come-under-one-umbrella/267068/0
The former Union agriculture minister and the CPI leader, Chaturanan Mishra urged the farmers' organizations affiliated to different political parties in country to come under one platform to fight for the just cause. The conference passed a resolution demanding hike in the minimum support price (MSP) for paddy to at least Rs 1000 per quintal and that of paddy and that of wheat to at least Rs 1600 per quintal. It criticised the wheat imports done by the government at higher prices in 2006 and 2007, when ample wheat was available in the country. The government should have purchased wheat from farmers by raising the MSP, instead of buying wheat in the global market at higher prices, it said Expressing concerns over the government's apathy towards the increasing incidences of suicides committed by farmers, the Bharatiya Krishak Samaj president, Krishan Bir Chaudhary demanded reversal of the anti-farmer policies. The resolution criticized the government for opening the doors to the corporate houses and multinationals in Indian agriculture and in the retail chains as this would lead to greater exploitation of farmers. The resolution also called for a ban on futures trading in agro commodities. The resolution also demanded a ban on genetically modified crops. The farmers have suffered huge losses on account of Bt cotton cultivation.

Mom, Pop stores impacted by big retail: ICRIER :
http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/Mom--Pop-stores-impacted-by-big-retail--ICRIER/266673/

The neighbourhood kirana stores will initially feel the heat with the growth of big super markets and malls, Rajiv Kumar, Director of ICRIER, which has been entrusted with a government study on the impact of organised retail on Mom & Pop stores, said. "Small retailers will be initially impacted by the entry of large scale retail houses. However, the impact is likely to be diluted over a period of time", Kumar said.

Draft Political Resolution For XIX Party Congress :
http://pd.cpim.org/2008/0127_pd/01272008_draft.htm

The Party firmly opposes FDI in retail trade as it will seriously affect the livelihood of millions of shopkeepers and small traders. The entry of big Indian corporates into retail trade has a similar effect. At present there is no law to restrict the entry of corporate sector. Taking advantage of this, companies like Reliance have entered retail trade in a big way. The CPI(M) has set out a policy document for licensing and regulating the entry of corporates in retail trade. Till the Central Government puts in place such a policy, the Left - led governments should take steps to regulate their entry.

Reliance to unveil new speciality format; plans to set up 100 AutoZone stores :
Having already launched its first ˜ AutoZone " in the recently opened Reliance Mart (Hypermarket) at Jamnagar (Gujarat) on the 30th January, Reliance Retail, is ready to rollout a super speciality retail chain of auto stores across the country. Apart from selling auto spares and repairing two wheelers and four wheelers, AutoZone stores will also retail two wheelers and pre-used branded cars.Reliance plans to set up about 100 such AutoZone stores across the country, within a year.

Landmark group to undetake aggressive retail expansion; plans $500 mn. investment in 3 years :
indiaretailbiz.com

Landmark Group, owned by Dubai-based group of NRIs, which currently operates 19 stores under three retail chains across 9 cities in India, according to a Business Standard report, is planning to invest another $500 million in the next three years (by 2010) in the country. The group, in the past 10 years, since 1998, has invested $100 million in the country. Landmark group operates over 650 stores across West Asia, India, China and Spain. Landmark's current operations comprise 13 Lifestyle stores, 5 Home Centre stores and a Babyshop store operating out of Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chennai, New Delhi, Gurgaon, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Vashi and Pune.

Reliance could soon foray into travel retail business :
To begin with, before venturing into full fledged travel business, the company would first like to leverage on the domestic and international travel business worth about Rs. 100 crore being generated by the group and on promotional schemes that offer travel related incentives like holidays to its retail customers. The company, incidentally, has already incorporated a subsidiary called Reliance Retail Travel & Forex Services Ltd. The new company appears to have tied up with Indian, the national airline, for up to 30% discount on airfares.

Kamal Nath defends retail FDI policy :
http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2008/02/09/stories/2008020952401000.htm</