General Mills Signs on Ford as Partner for its Box Tops School-Fundraising Program

Traditionally limited to store-bought brands, General Mills' Box Tops For Education program is hitting the open road, signing up Ford Motor Co. as the first-ever automotive partner in the long-running philanthropic effort.

Beginning today, consumers can earn money for schools by requesting Ford brochures, viewing the automakers' online videos or even buying a car, which is worth 250 "eBoxTop" credits -- the equivalent of $25. While that seems like small return for such a large purchase, General Mills has proven it can do big things in tiny steps with the program, which remains one of the most iconic and well-supported corporate philanthropic efforts in the nation.
Now in its 15th year, Box Tops has taken in more than $400 million for more than 90,000 schools. Revenue has jumped an average of 19% each year, with last year's fund-raising total exceeding $59 million. Ford estimates it will raise $1 million by the time its promotion expires at the end of November.
"It provides us a unique way to reach and help students across the whole country," Jim Farley, Ford's marketing chief, said in a statement. Negotiations are underway to extend the arrangement beyond two months, General Mills said.
For Box Tops, the move is part of a strategy to move beyond packaged goods with its year-old "eBoxTop" initiative. Though the program, money is electronically credited to schools in reward for consumers who engage in sanctioned activities, such as shopping online at a special web site portal where goods from Target, Best Buy and other retailers are sold. The largest part of the program remains the more traditional approach, in which consumers collect clip Box Top coupons from products. The coupons are worth 10 cents a piece and are usually collected by schools and sent to General Mills in return for a check.


                            NIRAJ KUMAR
                            PGDM 3RD.SEM

Reliance Power's Tilaiya project gets approval for carbon credits

NEW DELHI: Reliance Power, part of the Anil Ambani-led Reliance Group, Monday said its 3,960 MW Tilaiya ultra mega power project in Jharkhand has got approval for carbon credits from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

The Tilaiya plant will generate 21.3 million carbon credits during the initial ten-year period valued at over Rs.2,000 crore.

"The pit-head based thermal power project has been registered with the Clean Development Mechanism Executive Board (CDM-EB) of UNFCCC and it allows the Tilaiya project to earn certified emission reductions (CERs)," said a statement from Reliance Power.

The CERs can be traded and sold and translates into direct revenues for the power major. The Tilaiya power plant will have six units of 660 MW each and is based in the Hazaribagh district in Jharkhand.

The project would supply power to 18 customers in 10 states and is one of the largest investments undertaken by any private sector entity in India's eastern part.

"This is recognition of the company's commitment to use of clean, green technologies for reducing carbon footprints and sets a benchmark in the country," said Reliance Power chief executive

ANIMA SINHA 
PGDM 3rd sem

Gold: Now is not the right time to buy

A sharp and unexpected appreciation in the price of an asset attracts an investor's attention. At present, gold is at the centre of such attention.

As a rule, the higher the frenzy based on past performance, the greater the risk to the investor. If you are unable to hold your urge to jump in, the ironical implication is that you should be cautious rather than optimistic.

Since no expert has seen the future, any prediction about the price of an asset is prone to go wrong. New information can come in and negate earlier assumptions. Though experts have hinted at caution on gold for some time now, the events in Europe and global currency markets have kept the price high.

Investors should not simplistically assume that since prices have been moving up despite all warnings, it may be a good time to buy. As prices disregard logic and rise, the upside potential systematically reduces as the downside risk increases.

Investors see gold as a store of value and a safe haven. The risks in the global financial and currency markets, especially since 2006, have increased the clamour for the yellow metal. Since gold is sought after when other assets turn out to be risky, its usefulness in the wealth portfolio rises as overall risks increase.

This premium for gold has moved up due to the international events since 2008, and has increased more in the past year after renewed risks of recession in the developed markets. The investors who increased their allocation to gold during this period are now looking at decent gains in a market offering negative returns.

However, every consistent appreciation in value brings more investors, which creates a spiral in prices that are pushed up by the increasing number of eager investors. The performance then moves significantly away from its historical average, new justifications are provided for the price rise, forecasts of fantastic future gains float around, and doomsayers are left behind by the persistent increase in price. This configuration is a clear indication to a simple investor that it is not safe to buy gold now.
Such a strong view evokes the obvious reaction from investors, who like to think that gold prices can only go up. That is the historical perception. Let us go back to the basic principles and determine what drives the price of gold.

NIRAJ KUMAR

PGDM 3rd Sem

Even Haldiram's Bhujia plays a vital role in capital markets: Dhirendra Kumar , CEO Value Research

While listening to a friend's experiences of attending a company's annual general meeting last week, I discovered that Haldiram's bhujia plays an important role in India's capital markets. My friend had gone to this AGM, which was of a somewhat smaller company than he has hitherto been familiar with. Here's what he observed. Outside the venue, there was a brisk trade in signed proxy forms. He found this surprising, because nothing remotely resembling a vote was expected. What was even more curious was that even though there was someone buying the proxy forms, and there were a number of shareholders selling them, the going price was only 100 each. a

Watching the proceedings a little more closely, he also realised that many of the proxy-sellers were carrying a relatively large number of forms that represented a small number (five or 10) of shares each.

All this was very mysterious. However, later in the day the solution to the mystery revealed itself. It was Haldiram's bhujia. Each shareholder (or rather, each holding and, thus, each proxy form) was given five large-sized packets of the bhujia, adding up to two kilos of the stuff, as gift. Of course, since gifts are technically not allowed at AGMs, these were supposed to be refreshments even though I doubt whether any shareholder could have felt refreshed after eating two kilos of bhujia.

The mystery of the proxy buyer was also thus revealed. It wasn't as much a proxy for shareholders' vote as a proxy for bhujia. After the AGM, the proxy-buying gentleman collected a huge number of bhujia packets and carried them off in a big sack he had brought along for the purpose. The 100 he had paid for each proxy form was a way of buying bhujia at about a 60% discount to the open market price. This, in turn, leads me to speculate about the business model behind making such an open offer for bhujia. Why would anyone do it? I mean, if you and I were in need of a lot of bhujia (even in industrial quantities, for whatever reason) we would at most go to a wholesale shop. It would never occur to us to obtain it by going to an AGM, buying proxy forms, getting bhujia as refreshment, and then carrying it home in sacks. So there had to be something more to this carry trade in bhujia.

I see two possibilities. One, the proxy buyer was an agent of the original bhujia wholesaler. Over time, this astute merchant had realised that one could just sell bhujia to AGM organisers and soon thereafter, buy it back at a discount and then repeat the cycle for certain profits. Come to think of it, it's not that much different from what many promoters do in the capital markets anyway.

The second possibility is that the proxy buyer is more like a broker than a promoter, in the sense that it wasn't about bhujia specifically.

VIVEK KUMAR

PGDM 3rd Sem

Tesla Model S factory opened to buyers

Fremont: Electric carmaker Tesla Motors threw open its factory doors to customers who have preordered its forthcoming Model S sedan on Saturday evening.
Customers were given tours of the Fremont, California, factory, rides in a prototype of the Model S, and a plea for support from Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk, a co-founder of PayPal.
We need your help, he told hundreds of customers after driving onto a stage in a red Model S, saying many people thought of electric cars as unrealistic unicorns.
He asked the crowd to talk up the car and electric-vehicle technology in general. He also announced Tesla would be introducing a faster Model S that goes from zero to 60 miles per hour/97 kph in 4.5 seconds, shaving more than a second off current acceleration. The 2012 production run of the Model S is sold out. ...
name-deepak kumar jha
pgdm 3rd sem (2010-12)

MAAC calls for entries for 24 FPS Intl Animation Awards 2011

Maya Academy of Advanced Cinematics (MAAC), a leader in 3D animation and VFX training, has announced the closing of call for entries for the 24 FPS International Animation Awards 2011. The awards will be held in Mumbai on December 9, 2011. Closing date for sending entries for the open category was September 30, 2011.

The categories for the 2011 awards are Best VFX Short Film: Student, Best 3D Animated Short Film: –Student, Best 2D Animated Short Film: – Student, Best Game Design 2011 – Studio/ Professional Category, Best Visual Effects Feature Film 2011 - Studio/ Professional Category, Best TVC 2011 - Studio/ Professional Category, Best TV Series 2011 – Studio/ Professional Category, Best Animated (2D/3D) Feature Film 2011 – Studio/ Professional.

With over 600 entries last year from countries like India, China, France, Germany and the US, the event has become bigger. Over the last eight years, the event has gained momentous support from the global animation and fraternity and has been a key driver and promoter of fresh animation talent in the country. MAAC once again gears up to recognise the animation talent this year, with past winners who showcased work like ‘Metanoia’ and ‘Enhaut’.

Ninad Karpe, CEO & MD, Aptech Ltd, said, “Today, the animation industry is gaining prominence. Awards like 24FPS Awards will bring into lime light some of the best work that this industry has projected in the last few years. We are pleased to present the 24FPS Awards, which we feel will further spur the growth of the global animation industry. This event gives youngsters the opportunity to get assessed by veterans and better understand industry demands.”

“24FPS has turned to an international scale with respect participation, quality, enthusiasm and the celebration and Aptech has extended its full support for the same. Last seven years, we have seen a successful and innovative journey of 24 FPS Awards, we had got a fantastic response from academies, colleges, universities, individual professionals and all the reputed studios across the world. 24 FPS Awards is the unique platform which recognizes all form of animation,” he added.

Some of the eminent jury members include: Lucasfilm - Singapore, Dreamworks - USA, Method Studios - Canada, Prana - India & USA, Prasad EFX - India, R&H - India, Double Negative - U.K, Trine Entertainment - India, Pixion - India, Prime Focus - India, United Nations, among other industry stalwarts.
  name- deepak kumar jha

pgdm 3rd sem(2010-12)

Reliance Capital, Reliance Communications up 2% as CBI gives clean chit to Anil Ambani

NEW DELHI: Shares of Reliance-Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group (R-ADAG) companies gained over 2% on Monday on reports that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has given a clean chit to its group chairman, Anil Ambani, related to the 2G spectrum allocation case.

"The CBI, which had said that it was still probing the role of R-ADAG Chairman, Anil Ambani in the 2G scam, has said it has no evidence of his direct involvement in the structuring of different companies and transfer of funds relating to Swan Telecom, a company which got a spectrum licence under circumstances that are now being investigated by the CBI," according to a report.
 
BY- ANKIT KUMAR