Random Thoughts

Into the Wild is a biography of Chris McCandless who comes from a well-to-do family but chooses a life of tramping, he hitchhikes across US and finally walks alone into the wilderness of Alaska never to return. Thought I would share this piece from the book .

"I think you really should make a radical change in your lifestyle and begin to boldly do things which you may previously never have thought of doing, or been too hesitant to attempt. So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned to a life of security, comformity, and conservatism, all of which may appear to give one peace of mind, but in reality nothing is more damaging to the adventurous spirit within a man than a secure future. The very basic core of a man's living spirit is his passion for adventure. The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun."

Personally i don't subscribe to McCandless' principle of leading a solitary life in the confines of wild. Neither does his wilderness doctrine ring a chord with me. However i do believe that for most parts we do tend to lead a life of confirmity. I am not arguing the merits of conformity, just that we got to stop every once in a while, and do things which i believe in and are more fulfilling to me when i look back.

For all the Souls who were craving - Its finally Here ...

Vodafone to Offer Apple’s iPhone in Ten Markets
06 May 2008

Vodafone today announced it has signed an agreement with Apple to sell the iPhone in ten of its markets around the globe. Later this year, Vodafone customers in Australia, the Czech Republic, Egypt, Greece, Italy, India, Portugal, New Zealand, South Africa and Turkey will be able to purchase the iPhone for use on the Vodafone network.

An Absolut Goof-up

"In an Absolut World" is a series of print ads that invite the consumers to percieve a world that appeals to them. As part of this campaign Absolut featured this ad recently in a mexican magazine. Essentially the ad message is simple (primarily to mexican audience) "In an Absolut world, one third of US is under mexican control".



Its anybody's guess that the ad only fuels the rapidly growing seperatist movement in the US between the natives and the immigrants specially the illegal ones. Absolut claims that the ad was not politically motivated and it was truly a brand excercise at a targeted segment. Infact i wouldn't imagine that the ad had any political bent at all, however this ad has particularly received lot of flak and there are consumer groups calling for boycott on Absolut.

In all earnesty the ad must be aimed to increase Pernods Ricard's (makers of Absolut) market share in Mexico. I wonder how much of an impact has it had on its market share in US. I am just curious to know whats the net gain over all.