lighthouse - May 2019

CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE

Famous quotes stand the test of time because they are proved to be true. In this context ‘Life begins where fear ends’ is an esteemed maxim by Gautama Buddha, later interpreted by many spiritual and philosophical leaders. In today’s corporate world, where progress is determined by targeted objectives, quotes like this have gained greater relevance because the burdens on one’s emotional and mental well-being are increased.

Fear is one of our primary emotions. It is something which is natural and instinctive. From an evolutionary perspective fear may save our lives but it can also stop us from living the way we desire. Reacting spontaneously, with a fear-or-flight response, when coming across a venomous snake is one thing. However, fear creeping into our psyche, almost by stealth, is another. Being fearful, when there is no obvious reason, means we become reluctant to step outside our own comfort zone. Examining our life situation and assessing our potential makes for a more focused individual. It invariably helps us gain courage to expand our horizons and look at life in a different perspective.

My greatest worry is that the new generation, who have lots of opportunities around them for professional growth; appear to be faltering owing to lack of self-motivation. Irrational fear is holding some back. Running after motivational gurus is counterproductive because meaningful motivation can only be invoked within oneself. Recognising the fear factor, that is waiting subtly in the background of our minds, enables us to rise above its influence. Putting our fear into a proper perspective means our life really does begin. We will then have the confidence to step outside our comfort zone and grasp new opportunities with enthusiasm.

EXPLORING OPPORTUNITIES

BUDGET AND STRATEGY DISCUSSED AT THE CSS INDIA MEET

CSS India Strategy and Budget Meet was successfully concluded recently. The meeting was held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Kochi from the 15th to 16th March 2019. Station heads and key decision makers from within the group company attended the meeting along with the CSS India Vice Presidents. The welcome address was done by Rahat Talreja, Vice President CSS Central India, wherein he opened up a discussion on the changes happening in the global economic scenario and the possibilities for CSS India in the coming few months.

Followed by Rahat, CSS Delhi did the presentation. CSS North India Vice President, Rajesh Arora in his remarks re-iterated the need for more close coordination of all the branches for providing flawless services in the entire Sub-continent. For the first time, CSS Colombo also made their presence at the CSS India Meet in Kochi. Ms. Menusha, General Manager, represented Colombo.

Detailed discussions were made on all aspects of export and import services. In her remarks, CSS Group COO for NVOCC, Chandrakala (CK) pointed out the need for more effective use of the IT platform, especially the CRM related activities for creating more transparency in the CSS service offerings.

Midhun George, Asst. General Manager CSS Abu Dhabi attended the two day meet and interacted with all the participants. Special thrust was given to certain network associates and their importance in his presentation as well, by Midhun.

Day two witnessed presentations from Chennai, Tirupur, Coimbatore, Kolkata, Ludhiana and Colombo offices. Closing remarks were made by The CSS Group Chairman T S Kaladharan. He focused on bringing in more combined efforts from all offices for effective utilization of the resources and maximize profits. At the same time, he urged the group members to be more particular in the personalization of services to create a long-standing relationship with the customers.

The first evening dinner was organised at the pool side venue of Crowne plaza. The second evening was organised at the historic Fort Kochi area. All participants travelled to Fort Kochi, Hotel Fragrant Nature. The Dinner was accompanied with a Gazal performance by acclaimed singer Janardhan Athri. It was an enjoyable evening with the mesmerizing musical performance as well as the Dinner.

STRENGTHENING RELATIONS

CSS QATAR ORGANIZES NETWORKING DINNER FOR THE SHIPPING FRATERNITY

CSS Qatar team rolled out the red carpet to welcome guests from the shipping fraternity, for an event exclusively organised by Console Shipping Services in Doha. The event which was named CSS EVE 2019 was organised, providing opportunity to meet, greet and interact with all the partners who stood in supporting CSS Qatar from the very first day of its inception in Doha.

The networking dinner was well attended by the members of the Shipping fraternity. Mr. Rashid Saeed A A Al Hajri, Partner CSS Qatar, Ajay Krishnan COO, Freight forwarding CSS Group, Krishna Kaladharan Management trainee and Amith, Asst. Manager Operations represented the CSS Group for the evening. The event was organised at the Sharq Village & Spa, the Ritz Carlton Resort in Doha. Modeled after a Qatari village, the Doha hotel shares the richness of the Middle East at every turn.

“It was a great opportunity to host such an event in Doha for us in CSS. Every moment of the evening turned out to be highly interactive as we discussed a lot about the industry happenings and the market trends” mentioned Amith.

The event kick started with a brief welcome note from the CSS COO, Ajay Krishnan as he extended his gratitude to all the participants who readily agreed to attend the evening at the invitation of CSS. He mentioned about the need of such get togethers for keeping relations intact and where everybody benefits through healthy sharing and interactions. “The relationships on display at the event during the evening are testament to the level of engagement our team at Doha have maintained with our key partners. For a start up in Doha to achieve what we have in 2 years, we thank our customers and carriers,” mentioned Ajay.

Console Shipping Services W.L.L. commenced its operations from Doha, the capital city of Qatar in the year 2016 to cater to the growing requirements for professional management of Shipping & Logistics. CSS, with own infrastructure and a pool of trained manpower caters to all shipping and logistics requirements that the industry demands, today.

NEPTUNE CARGO EVENT

CSS GROUP ATTENDS THE 4-DAY EVENT IN MANILA

CSS Group attended the 3rd annual partnership meeting of the Neptune Cargo Network. The first and the biggest Global NVOCC and LCL Cargo Alliance, Neptune Cargo Network has successfully brought more than 230 sea freight consolidators & LCL forwarders from across the globe under one roof in a 4-day conference being held at the Makati Shangri-La Hotel in Manila, Philippines on February 25 to 28, 2019. CSS Group was represented by Ajay Krishnan COO, Freight forwarding, Chandrakala, COO, NVOCC, CSS Group and Midhun George Asst. General Manager, CSS Abu Dhabi.

Marking its 3rd year in the industry, NEPTUNE has chosen to host its Annual Partnership Meeting in the Pearl of the Orient Seas, Philippines. Consolidators and LCL forwarders that have attended came from 45 countries including the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Brazil, Bulgaria, China, Ecuador, Egypt, Germany, India, Indonesia, Israel, Istanbul, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lithuania, Myanmar, Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, Poland, Romania, Saudi Arabia among others. “In a constantly changing business atmosphere, especially in the Freight forwarding industry, it is vital to have live chats with industry professionals to sharpen our own skills. Neptune Cargo event provided one such opportunity” mentioned Ajay Krishnan.

The 4-day conference started with a welcome cocktail inspired by the tropical climate of the country host. The annual meeting was officially opened with a Samba performance followed by the ribbon cutting ceremony led by the Neptune Cargo Network Directors Christian Raeuber and Nils Walle with the event sponsors. It was then followed by the Network Management Updates, Open Community Mic, Keynote speeches and Face to Face Meeting sessions in the afternoon. A city sight-seeing tour accompanied the Day 3 activities of the meet. “This event introduced us to some new faces from within our industry. The information you gather from such events are enormous and greatly influence your professional side of life. The event also opened up a chance to look into your product placing in the global market and an insight on how to enhance your consolidation business” Commented Chandrakala (CK)

Neptune Consol is dedicated to partnering with sea freight forwarders and consolidators. Its powerful and highly specialized global network comprises only the best local independent sea freight consolidators from their region. Neptune Consol enables every member to offer fully-integrated sea freight solutions and services to customers on a regional and global basis. By solving the expertise, power and reach of the network, which will open the door to a world of new opportunities.

NEW HIGH BAY CONTAINER STORAGE SYSTEM LAUNCHED AS “BOXBAY”

Introducing a new and intelligent High Bay Storage system that will transform the way containers are handled at ports.

Dubai/Dusseldorf, 17 April 2019: A new international joint venture that aims to change the way that containers are handled in ports has been launched by global trade enabler DP World and industrial engineering specialists, SMS Group.

“BOXBAY” represents a new and intelligent High Bay Storage (HBS) system that will be ready in time for the Dubai Expo 2020 with a pilot project scheduled at Jebel Ali Terminal 4.

The patented design and rack structure of the system creates unique advantages with containers stored up to eleven stories high, delivering the capacity of a conventional terminal in a third of the surface area.

By being fully automated it has direct access to each container, eliminating unpaid and unproductive reshuffling. It also features significant gains in handling speed, energy efficiency, safety and a major reduction in operating costs.

The joint venture brings together decades of experience in container terminal logistics at DP World and AMOVA’s high bay storage handling for metal products that weigh as much as 50 tons each in racks as high as 50 meters. BOXBAY will present its technology and operator business cases for the first time in public at the Terminal Operator Conference (TOC Europe) in Rotterdam in June.

DP World Group Chairman and CEO, Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, said: “We continue to explore new technologies that push boundaries, disrupt and add value for our operations and customers. We are excited by the prospects for BOXBAY as handling speed and efficiencies are key aspects of the ports and terminals business and the system is a major development for the sector around the world. We look forward to the technology being installed especially in readiness for Expo 2020.”

Dr. Mathias Dobner, CEO of BOXBAY, said: “With our BOXBAY High Bay Storage technology, we are introducing a revolutionary system that will disrupt global port logistics. Following the world’s operators’ tremendous interest in our joint venture, we are now looking forward to showcase our solution to them in person.”

Burkhard Dahmen, CEO of SMS group, said: “The BOXBAY system is a direct result of our “New Horizon” strategy, in which SMS transfers proven technology from the metallurgical sector to other industries.” TOC Europe will take place from 18th to 20th of June in Rotterdam and the BOXBAY booth (E93) is located in the main hall.

CSS AT SCLG EVENT

THE ANNUAL NETWORKING AND DINNER IN DUBAI

CSS Group attended the SCLG annual networking and dinner in Dubai. This year the event was organised at the Sobha Hartland. MBR City, Ball room.

The networking dinner was attended by Ajay Krishnan Chief Operating Officer, Freight forwarding CSS Group and Rosh Manoli, General Manager, Sales & Marketing CSS Dubai. The networking event was a gathering of supply chain management professionals from across various industries. It included manufacturers and MNC’s who have a presence in this region. The event was very good as it was a platform for knowledge sharing and information on key trends in the supply chain industry. More than 110 industry professionals from around 70 organizations attended the function.

“SCLG Annual Networking was a perfect platform to meet and interact with a cross section of Supply chain management professionals from various organizations. Foundations of long-term business associations are laid during such events and this truly was a great opportunity for us from CSS” mentioned Ajay.

Headquartered in Dubai (UAE), Supply Chain & Logistics Group (SCLG) is a membership driven industry business group engaged in advancing supply chain & logistics industry locally, regionally and globally. SCLG currently has a membership base of 200+ corporate organizations and is growing.

“The annual networking dinner organised by SCLG is considered as one of the premium events in Dubai. The increase in the number of attendees itself is a proof of the importance of the function. We had a very good opportunity in meeting professionals from various industries and introducing them about the CSS Group” commented Rosh about the function.

SCLG is a purpose-based organization delivering values through bringing policy-centric discussion, connection, communication, collaboration, creation, motivation, empowerment and encouragement to individuals, organizations industry and economy. SCLG engages in supporting and conducting industry-centric conferences, roundtables, educational awareness, site visits and supports publications and co-ordination of magazines and research notes aimed at growth and innovation of organizations.

DEEPLY SADDENED WITH THE DEMISE

CSS GROUP EXTENDS THEIR HEARTFELT CONDOLENCES TO THE BEREAVED FAMILY

CSS Group was deeply saddened with the demise of Mr. Lalit Sharma, CEO of Lalit Freight Services. Mr Sharma has always been a great supporter of CSS Group and a long-time business associate. Chairman of CSS Group T S Kaladharan extended his condolences in Mr. Sharma’s untimely departure. “Mr. Sharma’s inspiring leadership and pursuit of excellence have created an enviable reputation for his company in the freight forwarding business. With his demise, we lost a great friend who stood with us in our ups and downs” mentioned Kala in his message.

A brief profile on Mr. Lalit Sharma

With very humble beginnings with his law degree in his hand, Mr. Sharma’s arrival to Dubai was a very unexpected one. Landed in Dubai Mr Sharma started his career as an accountant in a construction company. But soon he has to look for another job due to many unforeseen misfortunes. His next assignment was with a Freight forwarding company where he not only looked after the accounts, but was extremely engaged with the core trade as well. His impeccable skills in PR and communications supported his growth to a great extent.

Founded in 1997, the eponymous company, Lalit Freight Services, had a rich client base, mainly consisting of Mr. Lalit’s friends who were impressed with his work ethics, and the ability to negotiate and obtain the best rates for them. As in any business, there were ups and downs, but Lalit Freight Services continued to thrive and cater to the client’s needs with utmost dedication.

Mr. Lalit Sharma worked round the clock to run a business that is his legacy.

Lalit Freight Services has always been a family business committed to providing excellent services to its clients. After Mr. Lalit Sharma’s sad demise on March 28th 2019, his wife (Shashikala Sharma), son (Kunal Sharma), and daughter (Palvi Sharma), hope to continue the legacy he left behind with the same dedication that he had.

INTERMODAL 2019

CSS GROUP ATTENDS THE THREE-DAY EVENT IN SAO POLO

Intermodal South America, which is considered to be the largest platform that provides communications and idea exchange amongst the cargo and logistics fraternity concluded successfully, recently in Sao Polo, Brazil. CSS Group participated the event from 19th to 21st March, which consisted of exhibition and networking events. CSS was represented by Midhun George Assistant General Manager Sales, CSS Abu Dhabi & Krishna, Management Trainee, CSS Dubai.

“Every year Intermodal brings in immense prospects of business for us at CSS Group and I think that there is no other better manner we can reach the Latin American fraternity across the globe than Intermodal,” commented Midhun about the exhibition.

Considered by the industry experts as a strategic platform for generation of new businesses, Intermodal South America gathers during its three days the main players in international and national market, promoting businesses and partnerships, working as a platform for launchings, brand reinforcement, joint-ventures, sales and networking.

“Intermodal is a worldwide show for coordinations, transport, freight and global exchange. There is abundant opportunity of relationship building, which could eventually become business. Moreover, this event brought in Global giants and start-ups under the same roof for interaction” Mentioned Krishna about the event.

TASTE OF INDIA PART II

I hope you had a good time learning Vedic maths in the 1st part of this series.Today we will speak of mathematics and Hemachandra numbers ( the series of recurrences)
Mathematics is, in large part, the search & study of patterns and for the explanations as to why those patterns exist. We will see the use of these patterns in day to day life.

Example: Patterns in motion of planets led to theory of gravitation or patterns in genomes help in curing disease.

Lets start the math with the universe of Whole Numbers:

What are whole numbers :

……-4,-3,-2,-1,0,1,2,3,4,…..

Lets see some number sequences below:

1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,…. All 1’s
1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,….Counting numbers
1,3,5,7,9,11,13…. Odd numbers
2,4,6,8,10,12,14…Even numbers
1,4,9,16,25,36,….squares
1,8,27,64,125,…..cubes
1,2,4,8,16,32,64,128,….Powers of 2
1,4,16,64,256,1024,4096….Powers of 4

Lets see now how sequences are related:

Example 1: Odd numbers and Square numbers are related

How ?

When you add up the odd number sequence you get the square number sequence

1=1
1+3 =4
1+3+5=9
1+3+5+7=16

Formula : 1+3+5+…..(2n-1) = n square

Example 2: Counting numbers and square numbers are related

How?

When you add up the counting numbers sequence to a point N and back to 1 , you get the square numbers sequence.

1=1
1+2+1 =4
1+2+3+2+1 = 9
1+2+3+4+3+2+1 = 16

Formula : 1+2+3 + ….+ n +…..+ 3+2+1 = n square

Now lets see the Hemachandra number series : (Hemachandra (1150 AD) number series also written by Gopala ( 1135 AD ) also known as Fibonacci( 1200 AD))

Write down 1 and 2

The next number is the sum of the previous two numbers

1,2,3,5,8,13,21,34,55,……..

Formula: Hn= H (n-1) + H ( n-2)

So which is the 7th number in the series , look up and count , its 21. and so on.

Where is it applied ?

Hemachandra numbers in Sanskrit Poetry :

Poetry has 2 syllables – Long ( 2 beats) And Short ( 1 beat)

The number of ways you can fill up 8 beats:

Long Long Long Long = 2+ 2+2+2 = 8

(Short Short ) X 4 = 8

Short Long long Short Long = 1+2+2+1+2 = 8

So answer to the question that in how many ways can you fill up 8 beats , see the 8th number in the Hemachandra sequence : answer is 34.

Hemachandra numbers in Nature:

a) Daisies ( flower) have 13 , 21, 34 petals – all Hemachandra numbers

b) Pine Cones have 8,13,21,24 etc spirals – again all in the Hemachandra numbers series

Now , lets evaluate some others mathematical concepts.

Prime Numbers

2,3,5,7,11,13,17,…….

Prime numbers have only two factors , 1 and itself

You cannot have two numbers multiplied to get that number – that is a prime number.

So lets see for example the number 13 = 1X13 = 13 = two factors only , 1 and 13.

But these prime numbers were discovered way before humans by nature.

You know Cicadas ? These are insects ( bugs)

Cicadas live underground and emerge only once every N years , where N tends to be a prime number like 13 or 17

Why ?

The hypothesis is that then N is least likely to be a multiple of the length of the predators population cycle which could kill them off.

Indian Cicadas come out every 7 years and some every 19 years

In America , they come out every 13 years and 17 years.

It was observed that those coming out in years other than prime numbers were predated and lost their lives so this pattern has become common that they come out only in prime number years , based on their predators life cycle!!

Prime numbers in everyday life

Suppose you have two 200 digit prime numbers

Give them a computer , and it can multiply them in a fraction of a second and give the answer which will be a 400 digit answer.

Now take this 400 digit answer and give it another computer , and ask to find the original two 200 digit prime numbers.

The best known algorithms , working on all the worlds computers , would still take billions of years to find those two 200 digit prime numbers !!!!

Which means A multiply by B = C – here finding C is very easy A XB but to reverse find the factors A and B which result in C is impossible !

So basis this , it is easy to multiply two large prime numbers but hard to do the reverse process , is the basis of the world’s encryption !!!!

Often when we submit private information on the internet , prime numbers are what are being used to encrypt the information and protect it since no one knows how to find factor numbers ( or so we think ) this method of encryption is presumably secure !

The thesis is that it is difficult to go backwards and find the factor or find a quick way to find the factor. So the problem of factoring is the basis of encryption technology.

(Opposite of multiplication is factoring – 10X10 = 100

100 is multiplication and factoring is to know 10 and 10 are the factors)

142857 :

Example of 142857 – a 6 digit number – so we will multiply it till 6 and see:

142857 X 1 = 142857

142857 X 2 = 285714

142857 X 3 = 428571

142857 X 4 = 571428

142857 X 5 = 714285

142857X 6 = 857142

Look closely , the same numbers get interchanged in the answers , observe carefully!!!!!!!

Are there such n digit numbers so the if you can multiply by 1 through n , the number just cycles around ?

Yes example is 0588235294117647 ( 16 digits)
Try multiplying this 16 digit number with 1 and till 16 and the answers will be the same numbers just circling around.

Are there infinitely many such numbers ? No one knows ….

Reasons for this pattern is Self similarity and Fractals:

Examples of self similarity and fractals in Nature are as follows:

Fern leaves – each leaf is just the same as another of its leaf.

Similar fractals are snowflakes , leaves , clouds , coastlines , mountains , lightening ……

Another example of Fractal architecture is The Kandariya Mahadev Temple in Madhya Pradesh

Self similarity in man made art :

Fulani wedding blanket from Nigeria

M.C. Escher the Dutch artist who made mathematically influenced graphic art – zoom a picture and you keep seeing the same picture in the picture.

In todays times , Princeton University even has a Fractal broccoli !

Thanks for taking the time to read this ancient power of Indian sciences and now you can go back to WhatsApp university to learn and argue on what NDA did or UPA did which is our current obsession !

Pride is a result of complex. So if you are already feeling proud that it was an Indian who discovered these patterns and not the Italian Mathematician Fibonacci , it has nothing to do with Hemachandra or Fibonacci , it is to do with your own complex. And yes , I purposely didn’t mention that Hemachandra was a Jain monk born in Gujarat so as not to let any artificial pride get in the way of understanding the subject for what it is. Happy Easter!

PS: This article is directly influenced from the lectures and work of the current generation mathematician at Princeton University , Professor Mr Manjul Bhargava!

GENERAL AVERAGE AND THE IMPORTANCE OF MARINE CARGO INSURANCE

General Average is a principle of maritime law, whereby all stakeholders in a sea venture proportionally share any losses resulting from a voluntary sacrifice of part of the ship or cargo to save the whole in an emergency.

The principle underlying General Average is generally regarded as having been first codified, in the Rhodian Law sometime in the 9th century B.C based on the principle “That which has been sacrificed for the benefit of all shall be made good by the contribution of all”.

In recent times, recognizing the need to formulate the principle to create uniformity across seafaring nations, a set of rules were laid down following conferences in York and Antwerp in the late 19th century, resulting in the York-Antwerp Rules, which is the standard rules relating to General Average in modern times.

The one crucial element that makes all the difference, when a General Average is declared is whether the cargo is insured or not and whether such insurance cover General Average and Salvage Claims. Marine Cargo Insurance can make all the difference in a General Average. The importance of Marine Cargo Insurance is twofold. The same not only indemnifies the policyholder for loss or damage to the cargo, but will also respond to General Average and Salvage Claims.

When a General Average is declared, an Average Adjuster is appointed to co-ordinate the claims, who formulate the extent of the loss which can include repairs to the vessel, salvage and towage costs, loss or damage to cargo survey costs etc. These costs, whilst not impacting directly on some parties, needs to be shared. The Average Adjuster approaches the parties to the voyage for contribution towards these costs in line with the principle of General Average.

If the cargo is insured, the insurers will deal with the Average Adjuster and provide a Guarantee to satisfy the claims of the General Average; leading to the release of the undamaged goods to the owner.

On the other hand, if the cargo is not insured, the Average Adjuster will request a cash deposit from the owner before releasing the undamaged goods. In certain circumstances, this can be a significant amount of money, which can put a great strain on the cargo owner.

It is therefore of paramount importance that the cargo is insured, prior to the shipment and special care should be taken to ensure that such insurance covers General Average and Salvage Claims. This will not only protect you for loss or damage to the cargo themselves, but will deal with any General Average and Salvage Claims, should such a situation arise.

HOW POROUS IS YOUR LIFE?

Some years ago, Kaleidoscope featured an article about ‘Techno-leapfrogging’. It’s a notion that persons, technology and economies can move themselves forward rapidly by adopting modern systems without going through the intermediary steps. Younger people do this easily because they take what is available now, as their starting point. Ask them what is a ‘brick’ mobile phone and they will have generally no idea. They take the internet, cloud storage and the fact that ‘World Wide Web’ was 30 years old last March for granted. Today the greater majority would be lost without their ‘www’ connection. So, when someone asked the Kaleidoscope team, if we enjoyed being connected, it was a challenge to compare what our social life situation was in 1989 with where we are now.

It will be difficult for some to realise that writing letters or sending a fax, way back then, was the only way to confirm a telephone discussion. However, unlike emails neither could be hacked and compromised. Equally can you imagine standing at a bus stop with nothing to do, where you take advantage of this opportunity to chat with other regular travellers to work? Nowadays many are lost in their isolated world of checking their mobiles. Yes, it is definitely true that we did use our time to interact with what was around us and consider things. Even with this approach some questioned if we were living life too fast. The 19th century acclaimed poet William Henry Davies, in his poem ‘Leisure’, wondered: –

‘What is this life if full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare?

Currently it’s the norm to walk about, ignoring others, with eyes staring down at our mobiles. Many are totally disconnected with their local and social environment, only just about trying to avoid bumping into others. There is certainly no consideration given to ‘standing and staring’, looking at what is going on around them. But what about the person who is not on a mobile? Someone who is looking around? Someone who is checking you out? In such circumstances the whole idea of social interaction is turned on its head. Distraction from our actual environment may mean we miss obvious opportunities whilst, at the same time, we have made ourselves ‘porous’ both visually and electronically.

Those who techno-leapfrog into such a situation have automatically accepted it as being normal. They feel comfortable, even though they are missing out on person to person contact and direct emotional interaction. Being primarily use to social media, staying in touch via mobiles, means they have no basis for comparison with anything else. Mobile communication demands instant responses. Such thoughts are almost ‘peer to peer’ which is why posts are put into the ‘Twittersphere’, ‘Snapchat’ or ‘Instagram’ which are later regretted, when it is too late.

New technology really should come with a warning that we need to reassess and refocus on how we communicate and understand others. In doing so we have to set aside a basic human characteristic of using body language and facial expressions as a way of interpreting what is really meant. Even Facebook or Skype video are restrictive in emotional terms. It is true that you can actually sense and smell fear and you can’t do this by video!
For those who believe that new technology is the next best thing since sliced bread, then perhaps it would help to consider how things have advanced since 1989. Apply the same rate of change and reasoning to where we are now and try asking yourself: –

“If Google, Apple and Amazon have us talking to them now, who will be listening and reacting to what we say in 30 years’ time?”

‘Hi Alexa set the alarm for 6am’ – ‘Hi Alexa play some Bollywood music’, sound innocent enough but it’s been reported that these messages are being stored and examined. Children love playing with dolls and ‘Barbie’ now interacts and build-ups responses with their very young owners. This is where human bonding starts to be replaced with technology and our lives become porous. We have started to leak out information, to others, without realising it. You may be reassured to know that tech companies apparently only listen selectively to your voice, on the basis that they can use information to improve their product. However recent reports, that some share voice clips without your knowledge, must be cause for future concern. Giving out personal information, without your realisation, means your home is no longer your castle because your walls have become porous. Technology is listening in; on the basis it is there to be your assistant.

Maybe as we reach for the future, we should keep a firm eye on how porous are our lives becoming. After all if things progress too far, we may reach a stage where is it too late to hanker for ‘Leisure’ where: –

‘We have no time to turn at Beauty’s glance,
And watch her feet, how they can dance.
A poor life this, if full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare’.