Design Means only the features of shape, pattern or composition of line or color applied to any article in 2D or 3D format by any manual or mechanical process which can be judged by eyes.

It does not include any Trade mark or artistic work (under copyright)

Proprietor of a new or original design Includes –

(1) Author of design

(2) A person who gets the design executed by other person and

(3) A person who acquires design right from an author.

Design Application-

The application for design can be made by any person who claims to be a proprietor of new or original design can be made to the Controller. An application shall be made in a prescribed format and shall be accompanied by four copies of representation of the design and prescribed fee. This application can be sent by hand or by registered post.

An application shall state the class to which such design is to be registered. The Designs Rules, 2001 prescribes classification under which application can be preferred. On application, if any objection appears to Controller, which requires amendment in an application, he may communicate the list of such objections to the applicant. An applicant shall remove/solve the objections within 6 months. Under Sec 6, Design is registered for all or any of the articles comprised in a particular class. Where design is registered for any one article coming under given a single classification, the application for same design but for any other article in the same classification can be granted to the same applicant.

Say ‘Bottle’ and ‘bag’ comes under the same classification and if anyone has obtained design under ‘bottle’ he himself will not be refused from obtaining the same design for ‘bag’. The Controller can either grant or refuse the application. On refusal, the person aggrieved can prefer an appeal to High Court. The Controller shall grant a certificate of registration to the applicant and publish the fact of registration of the design. A register of designs is kept at the Patent Office, in which all particulars of a design shall be entered. Such register is prima facie evidence of any fact regarding design.

Reciprocal Application:-

Any person who has applied for any design in the UK or any other convention country can claim the same design in India. However, such claim shall be made within 6 months from the date of application in the UK or other convention countries.

Rejection: – The controller shall not register the design if:

• It is not new or original

• It has been published in India or elsewhere in any format before the priority date of application of an applicant

• It is not significantly different from known design or their combination

• It contains scandalous or obscene matter.

Substitution: – Where before registration of design:

• A person has applied for registration of any design, and • Other person claims the same design as his design due to any agreement or assignment then the Controller can proceed to register such design in the name of claimant.

However, the design should be identified to the satisfaction of the Controller and the agreement or assignment shall also be produced under which claim of the claimant has been made.

Restoration: – Where renewal fee is not paid, the right has lapsed which can be restored within 1 year, from the date of expiry of an original period on payment of a fee. Application for restoration, as applied by an applicant, shall be published by Controller.

Marking before Sale:- Where the design of an article is registered, a mark with the word “Registered” or “Regd.” shall be affixed along with registration number on such article before delivery for sale of such article.

Cancellation of Registration:

Any interested person can file a petition to Controller for cancellation of registration of design on following grounds:

• The design is already registered in India by any other person

• It has been published in India or elsewhere before its priority date

• The design is not new or original

• It does not come under the definition of design Petition shall be in duplicate and one copy of it shall be sent to the registered proprietor.

The registered proprietor can file his counter statement within a prescribed time period. The controller shall fix a date for hearing on giving 10 days’ notice and shall decide the matter. Any person aggrieved by the decision of Controller can prefer an appeal to High Court.

Piracy of Registered Design:

Following acts are deemed to be infringement of design, if done without permission of registered proprietor:

• Applying design or its imitation on any article in its sale

• Import any article for the purpose of sale

• Knowingly publishing any article for sale

Any person doing above act in contravention of the Act shall be liable to pay Rs. 25,000 to a proprietor. Further, the proprietor also has right to sue for recovery of damage or injunction in District Court.

OTHER PROVISIONS:

1. Every register kept under this Act at Patent Office is open for inspection and any person can take certified copies of any entry in such register upon payment of prescribed fee.

2. Where an application for a design has been refused, then any information, drawing, photo, representation relating to such application shall not be open for inspection.

3. Any person, who is entitled to any design due to any assignment or transmission, can apply to the Controller and the Controller, thereupon, shall register him as proprietor of such design.

4. The Controller shall not disclose any information of a design if it can be prejudicial to the interest of the security of India.

Who decides who makes all the English grammar rules and when to change them? I scoured the Internet for any whiff of a National Grammar Rules Agency or a Government Department of Grammar, or a National Language Regulatory Commission, or Federal Grammar Board.

Not one hit!

So who decides? Does someone send out a survey every ten years? Do they ask questions like, “How many members of your household are grammatically correct?” or “What words don’t you use any more?” or “How many times in the past year have you used adoxography or quidnunc?” (Yes, they’re real, look them up).

If they sent out a survey I didn’t get one.

I wish I knew who “they” were. We have the dictionary people. Then there’s the linguistics folks whose job it is to dabble in language stuff all day. Is they them? Then there’s the Language Arts gurus in our universities. Or maybe it’s those lexicographers or those soft-spoken etymologists who play with our words and slip them in and out of our dictionaries and word warehouses. Are they “they”? Or how about the textbook people? They have to keep writing new editions of their books to sell school boards on the notion that the current version is better than the one the school boards bought several years ago. Why? Because the rules keep changing?

No. The rules don’t change. My favorite grammar book is one my grandfather used called “Grammar, Rhetoric and Composition” by Richard D. Mallery, The New Home Library, copyright 1944 by Garden City Publishing Co. Did you catch that copyright date? The book says adjectives are still descriptive, limiting or proper. It calls comparison of adjectives positive, comparative or superlative. The definition of a complex sentence is (and was in his day) a sentence consisting of one independent clause and at least one dependent clause. Comma splices occurred then just like today. Writers in my grandfather’s day even dangled a few participles once in awhile. The book cautions students not to end a sentence with a preposition or start a sentence with the conjunctions And or But.

But now (I know. I broke the rule–not only with a sentence but a whole paragraph. So, report me. Who will you report me to? If I follow you, maybe I’ll find out who they are.) some language maven bloggers and some other wordsmiths are telling us that they are casting out some of the good ol’ boys. Rules they say are no longer regarded as useful or necessary.

They have identified seven rules they say we don’t have to follow anymore. The English language has a bazillion rules. How did they come up with these seven? And why seven and not ten or 17 or 27? Who do they think they are? I don’t know who they are. But I know what they are-arbitrary and capricious. That’s what they are.

Here are the seven rules they picked to march to the gallows:

1. Never split an infinitive. Who would want to ever do that anyway?

2. Active voice verbs are preferable to passive voice verbs. I will never part with this one. This rule has been encrypted in my memory’s hard drive. Passive voice will forever be stricken from my writing.

3. Never start a sentence with And or But. Okay. I can part with that one.

4. Never start a sentence with “There is” or “There are.” Sorry, whoever they is, This one sticks like glue. There is nothing more confusing to a reader than having to scour through a sentence trying to figure out what the writer is saying when he or she begins his or her sentence with “There is” or “There are.”

Is there? Of course not. This one stays.

5. Never end a sentence with a preposition. Now that’s a rule they can do without.

6. Always use “more than” instead of “over” with numbers. Okay. Whatever. Math’s not my gig.

7. Data is plural, so the verb must always be plural. So data is what data does? Or data are what data do? If they say so.

So I guess they are telling us it’s okay now to sometimes split infinitives and start sentences with And or But, and end our sentences with prepositions. I wonder if they have real jobs. Or did they just get up one day and go to the office and agree to throw a bunch of grammar rules out the window?

I can’t find anyone who really knows for sure. However, some pretty smart folks claim these rule changes are for real, such as the folks down at Strunk & White’s Elements of Style, 3^rd edition; the Chicago Manual of Style, 14^th edition, and the Associated Press Stylebook and Libel Manual.

But who told them?

Does anyone know who they really are? We’d better be on our guard. First they start by quietly and without much media coverage crucify a few seemingly insignificant rules. A few language buffs have already taken notice. But then what if they start messing with our pronunciation, or our syntax? Pretty soon they might infiltrate our speech and maybe even our written language.

We’ve got to find out who they are and stop this subtle sabotage now!

College Leadership regularly makes decisions about how the various departments and employees will spend their time and effort and how much money will be made available. This small group at the top of every college structure has the ability to help more students get off to a better start in their careers.

Before making a decision about changes that would increase student job hunting success, College Leaders should first answer eight questions:

1. Are your College Leaders ‘highly motivated’ to help more students land good jobs? (If your College Leaders are not fully committed to improving student employment success, STOP HERE.)

2. Are your College Leaders willing to retain an Outside Consultant who will work closely with the Team to help guide and expedite the entire project?

3. Will your College Leaders quickly identify the Team Members who will be assigned the responsibility for investigating and recommending the improvements, best practices, changes, tools, techniques and activities that will ensure better student employment outcomes? Team Members to be included:

a. A Well-Known and Highly Respected Vice President or College Leader

should be selected to serve as the full-time Team Leader for the

Investigation, Recommendation and Implementation phases

b. The Director of Career Services

c. Two Respected Department Heads – From a different areas of the college

d. Two well-known Student Leaders – From a different majors

e. One Recent Graduate who struggled to find and land a good job

f. One Campus Recruiter from a Major Employer

g. An Outside Consultant who will help lead this project

4. Will College Leaders make it possible for the Team to present their findings and recommendations not later than six months from their first meeting?

5. Will your College Leaders welcome, support and implement the team’s recommendations for helping students prepare for a desirable employment outcome?

6. Will your College Leaders become visibly involved and play a critical role in breaking down any barriers and handling any problems or objections that may slow or interfere with the implementation process?

7. Will College Leaders make it possible for the implementation process to begin immediately upon acceptance of the recommendations? (Note: Implementation should be broken into steps and changes that will take place over the next three years.)

8. Will College Leaders encourage Team Members to seek and obtain input and honest feedback from students and recent grads about their needs and experiences?

A Place To Start – When these questions are answered in the affirmative, the Team can begin to look into the areas suggested below:

1. What is the current size, structure and effectiveness of the Career Services Department?

– How can the department be restructured to help many more students?

– What duties should be reduced or eliminated?

* Activities that contribute little to student employment success

* Reduce one-on-one activities in favor of more group activities

* Reduce manual activities in favor of automated activities

– What new or different personnel assignments should be considered?

– What metrics should be used to measure progress and effectiveness?

– What models, examples, lists, steps, ideas, suggestions, databases etc. should be made available to students?

– What are current and former students saying about the services provided?

– What part-time jobs should be created for talented, upper class students who will help with this project? (Information Gathering, Recordkeeping, Job Identification, Automation, Data Analysis, Student Contact, Coaching, Information Distribution, etc.)

2. What is the current employment success rate (students obtain a good job in their field of interest) for students in ‘each major’ offered by your college?

3. The College Community includes underutilized people, departments and organizations that can and should be helping students prepare to land a job that will launch their careers. Some of these include:

– Students

– Professors

– Adjunct Instructors

– Administrators

– Alumni

– Parents

– Providers of Goods and Services

– College Leaders

– Board Members

– Employers

– Local Government

– Local Business Associations

– Local Professional Associations

4. What duties should be assigned to members of the College Community?

– Help students develop and pursue their Personal Employment Plan

– Identify potential employers for students in each major

– Identify job-related or desirable full-time, part-time and summer Jobs for students in each major

– Help students identify and pursue the performance, experience and accomplishments that will impress their target employers

– Identify and tap more underutilized sources for student employment help

5. What are some of the steps and activities your college can utilize to jumpstart student employment success? Note: This list is not all-inclusive. Your College should also look at additional factors and needs that are identified by the Team.

– Encourage beginning students to participate in the college’s job search preparation system

– Make it clear to everyone that job search preparation is a semester by semester process, not a last minute event

– Help students identify a career direction early in their college experience

– Identify and expand new and better job search preparation information delivery systems

– Develop strategies, systems and databases that students can use

– Involve exceptional students in teaching, coaching, recordkeeping, research, networking, automation and follow-up etc.

– Conduct Group Training Sessions for students at every step of the job search preparation and employment process

– Develop accomplishment and experience oriented Résumé models for students to follow

– Develop accomplishment and experience oriented Sales Letter models for students to follow

– Help students develop talking points and success stories to utilize during interviews

– Offer multiple mock interview opportunities, so students can practice

– Assign everyone in the college community a role that will help students in some way (Coaching, Job Identification, Networking, etc.)

– Use metrics to measure success and identify weak spots

– Offer incentives to those in the college community who play a critical role in improving student employment success

– Offer incentives to Employers that hire your students into full-time positions or provide students with part-time or summer jobs

– Involve Employers in student information and training sessions

– Expect Suppliers of goods and services to take an interest in student employment

– Show Parents ways they can help increase student employment success

– Utilize your Alumni network to help increase student employment success

– Build relationships with Organizations in the community

Student employment success is a partnership between the college and the student. It requires colleges to accept new thinking and behavior clearly focused on positive employment results for students. It also requires College Leaders to constantly seek and try new ways of helping students. Maintaining the status quo will not give students the results they want.

Students need a helping hand in order to learn about job search preparation and how to carry it all out. It is up to the college to provide that information, the tools and the guidance. However, it is up to each student to learn the system, utilize the tools and apply the techniques that will create interest on the part of desirable employers.

College leaders should never forget that students want only three things:

– A good education

– An enjoyable college experience

– A desirable job when they graduate

Furthermore, College Leaders must understand that student employment success will not change very much without their full support, visible involvement and an active voice that requires the results to be measured, continually improved and openly communicated.

Your college leaders can double the number of students who land good jobs, if they want to.

“When you were born, you cried while the world rejoiced. Live your life in such a way that when you die, the world cries while you rejoice.” Ancient sanskrit saying.

I originally read this book eight or nine years ago, and it is one that I keep on my shelf. Just looking at the title can sometimes pull be back from whatever it is I am doing and causes me to think about where my life is headed. I am a retired business man who is now reading, reviewing and researching books on spirituality, spiritual fiction, self-improvement, religion and related topics. I am also in the process of writing my own spiritual fiction book, and have started notes on a second book. I really suppose that I should finish book number one, however sometimes thoughts come to me and I know I need to write them down before they are lost forever. If I find they don’t work later on, so be it. I guess it’s the “thought” that counts.

Who will cry when YOU die? In this book Robin Sharma gives you some ideas on how to live your life so that others can, will and may cry. It is OK for those who do, and OK for those who don’t. This book can be read in bits and pieces, as each thought and idea is independent of the rest and only 2 or 3 pages at the most. On the contents page, you can choose from the suggestions based on the short description, and highlight those that resonate with you to come back to. Starting from number 1 – Discover Your Calling, to number 14 – Remember, Genius Is 99 Percent Inspiration, number 34 is Enjoy the Path, Not Just the Reward, and Number 81 – Don’t Pick Up the Phone Every Time It Rings. With the advent of cell phones today, that should be a rule everyone has to agree to before they are allowed a cell phone.

This book isn’t necessarily a religious book, and it also doesn’t have to be taken as a spiritual book. I use it for spiritual inspiration, however there are just some things the author has pointed out that we can do to make our lives more enjoyable and less stressful. If religion or spirituality works for you in these situations, that is up to you. I was motivated by the title to buy the book originally. Asking myself the question, “Who Will Cry When I Die?” made me curious as to what was inside. I had previously read “The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari” also by Robin Sharma, and I had heard him speak at a conference in Toronto in the late ’90’s so I was confident that the book would be worthwhile. It is.

Number 101 (the last one) suggests that you Live Fully So You Can Die Happy. I plan on being so full during my life that there won’t be a coffin big enough for me when I die.

Laughter and love,

Rick Fess

“Who Will Cry When You Die? – Life Lessons From The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari”

Author – Robin S. Sharma HarperCollins Canada http://www.harpercanada.com

Whichever genre you listen to (Reggae, Hip-hop, Hard Metal, Rock n Roll, Soul, Jazz, Classical etc.) there’s always an Artist(s) who at their Peak Revolutionized the industry and inspired a generation with their Lyrics, Talent, Songs, Personality, and Performance.

They were like demi gods in their prime worshiped by legions of fans worldwide, captivating us with their songs & lyrics, but their mysterious & untimely death shocked us and left an inedible mark on our lives, making us immortalize them to this day.

But what if they were still alive; would we hold them in awe? Would their Songs, Lyrics or Compositions be revered? Would their influence & popularity be the same as before they died? What influences our attachment to them when dead than alive? Is it something innate or psychological making us appreciate them more when gone?

It’s hard to know what really makes us immortalize such artists, but after reading several articles, I have advanced several theories to help explain.

“Many things he would try for he knew soon he’d die,” “Now Jimi’s gone, he’s not alone/ His memory still lives on,” “Five years, this he said/ He’s not gone, he’s just dead.” “The Ballads of Jimi,” by Legendary Guitarist Jimi Hendrix. These lines baffled fans worldwide, as exactly five years later he was found dead in his apartment aspirated by his own vomit while intoxicated. Many believed he predicted his own death, and by the lines above I am leaning towards the same, which provided an aspect on my theory why we immortalize them, Artist who predicted their death.

From John Lennon, Bob Marley, David Bowie, Kurt Cobain, and Tu pac Shakur, all somehow predicted their death through lyrics or might have hinted during interviews. With near prophetic precision of their untimely demise, fans were mystified by creating conspiracy theories explaining such premonitions. With no rational explanations or reasons, fans refused let them Rest in Peace as they continuously searched for any rational explanations.

Thus immortalizing such artists by refusing to let them fade away, by seeking answers to explain how they could’ve somehow predicted their own death and revering them by trying to decipher such mysteries.

At age 14, she released her critically acclaimed album, Age ain’t nothing but a number, which was certified gold, and two years later her sophomore album, One in a million, selling 8 million copies worldwide and certified double platinum. Aaliyah Dana Haughton also known by her moniker Aaliyah, achieved such a feat still a teenager, not forgetting her roles in various Blockbusters like Romeo must die.

Just as her star was shining brightly, on August 25, 2001 at the tender age 22 her life was snuffed out by a plane crash in the Bahamas, and after an autopsy traces of alcohol & cocaine was found in the pilot system. Her demise shocked all worldwide, as fans had not had enough of her exceptional talent, they were not finished with her, and she still had more to offer.

Hence providing another aspect of, Artist gone Too Soon, where we immortalize such artists by refusing to let them Rest in Peace, because their demise came rather too soon & sudden and not giving fans time to comprehend the situation.

Or it can be something psychological or innate; as they hold a special place in our heart, just like our loved ones, hence when they die we keep their memories burning in our hearts thus immortalizing by default.

Whatever reason you have or think of, no one deny the fact that their songs & lyrics played a major role in shaping our lives in one way or another, hence morally obliged to immortalize and keep their memory alive.

First of all, let’s take a look at the definition of an ascended master. Ascended masters are the saints of all ages who have returned to God and are no longer required to incarnate on the earth. Ascended masters come from all religions and cultures. They are like elder brothers and sisters who have passed all major initiations on the spiritual path and graduated from Earth’s schoolroom.

A lady master is an ascended master in feminine form. Each ascended master has a unique path and a specific God-quality. We can understand this through an examination of what we know of the lives that they lived while they were still on earth.

Among Lady Master Nada’s past lives were lifetimes spent as a priestess and a lawyer. In her final incarnation, she was the youngest child in a very large family. She was offered the chance to pursue higher education and a career of her own. However, rather than pursuing a career, she chose to serve her brothers and sisters both through outer helpfulness and inner meditation for their protection and the success of all of their endeavors. Nada’s story is an example of disciplined action on behalf of others, employing love to help others achieve their goals.

Nada was also able to communicate with angels and had a strong relationship from childhood with Archangel Chamuel and his complement, or twin flame, known as the Archeia Charity. Like ascended masters, particular angels have specific qualities and energy that they can transfer to those who are open to their assistance. Chamuel and Charity are the archangels of love and ministration. Lady Master Nada is the patroness of ministers, lawyers and all those who place the needs of others before their own.

On June 5th, I attended the 2nd Annual C.A.V. (Canadian Army Veterans) Motorcycle Unit D-Day invasion at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa. Organized by the 1st C.A.V. Paardeburg Unit, and presided by National President and Co-founder Paul “Trapper” Cane, it was attended by C.A.V. members and supporters from across Ontario and Quebec. Padre Don (Reverend Don R. Chisholm, CD) addressed the somber gathering as did Major General Lewis MacKenzie (Ret’d), founder of the C.A.V.’s Old Guard.

What’s so striking about this group? Not only have they served our country, they are all motorcycle enthusiasts. And they are continuing to serve through direct support of local, national and international charities. The courage, strength and positive energy exuded by this group of individuals is palpable. It’s completely humbling and an honour to stand in their midst.

From simple beginnings in a Kingston parking lot in 2003, the C.A.V. has grown to 65 units comprised of 50 to 150 members each. Their motto: Strength and Honour; their mission statement “Ride, have fun, help others.” They are distinguishable by their red shirts, black vests symbolizing mourning for those who have fallen and a large square crest portraying a mounted soldier on a motorcycle, The C.A.V. prominent across the top, Canadian Army Veteran in block letters at the bottom.

These men and women have fought for the rights and freedoms we all enjoy. They have seen unspeakable atrocities. They have had to advance under enemy fire. They have been called to act far beyond their comfort zone and challenge their own physical, emotional and mental safety envelope.

Now they spend their time helping returning soldiers integrate back into society, comforting the families of those who do not return, participating in countless charity rides across the country – focused on being of service to those in need around the world.

These men and women are all heroes. Heroes on motorcycles with “hearts as big as mountains.” according to National President Trapper. Trapper responded immediately when I asked how best to show our support.

1. Ride with them. Find a chance – they will welcome you.
2. Wear red. Red Shirt Fridays originated a few years ago to show support for those who have served – past and present.
3. Attend repatriation ceremonies, processions.
4. Serve everyone. Do not judge.
5. Get out and Ride. As long as you are on a motorcycle, good will come of it.

As I stood there listening, I gazed around the crowd, wondering what thoughts were going through the minds of the individuals gathered there. Behind them, scarlet poppies waved gently in the breeze on the grassy hill. Beyond that, the flag waved proudly from the top of the Peace Tower.

Sixty-seven years ago, hundreds of thousands of courageous men and women came together to change the course of history. We still have heroes amongst us. They are changing the course of history too – and the weapons they are using are kindness, compassion and peace. Let’s make sure they know how much their contribution is appreciated.

So what is the big deal about sticking some pictures on a T-shirt, pair of skis, or a packet of cigarettes? Why do we hear about Māori up in arms because of the use of a few designs? What is the big deal? -These are questions I get often from friends and colleagues so I thought I would answer as best I can once and for all.

The concerns of Māori in the use of these designs hinges on the ‘appropriateness’ of the application of the design. One of the major factors is that Māori depended on the images and icons to pass on knowledge in lieu of the western styled written language. Therefore the designs and images represent words, meanings and stories.

Given this it is little wonder when the ignorant select the wrong design to grace the front of their product or packaging, they are likely to cause offence.

Even so, what claim does Māori really have on a specific design or icon? according to western law if the author to a design or painting dies, after a certain period the designs become open domain or available to anyone. However indigenous lore not law, which is thousands of years old, differs in some respects because the design is recognised as belonging to the tribe who entrust their history, and meaning to the artist who created it.

Since the tribe is classed as a living entity even after several hundred years later it could be said that it still belongs to the tribe by today’s standards. But this is open for debate and interpretation and may mean a new chapter needs to be included on indigenous intellectual property rights.

There are a number of big company’s or corporations that have been embarrassed by the decision to use Māori heritage on their products or packaging, and not doing it the effectively. These include the recent drama of NZ Post using cartoon caricatures of Kapi Haka. NZ Post had the best of intentions, but the use of cartoons to depict something that is dear to the Māori culture caused such an outcry that the stamps were withdrawn and approximately 1 million were destroyed.

The huge Danish toy company Lego used Māori names for it’s characters in the Bionicles series. Initially they contested their right to use the names but finally capitulated.

More controversially was Morris Tobacco (a huge corporation by any standards), who branded a pack of cigarettes as “Māori Mix”; including a map of New Zealand and various Māori designs.

Unsurprisingly this caused a furore amongst the Māori community, who have been battling against the grip the tobacco industry seems to have on the Māori people, let alone the Māori heritage. The uproar resulted in an apology from the CEO and a quick withdrawal of the product. These public failures beg the question. Why do they bother? Why sell cigarettes to Israeli’s with Māori designs on them?

In fact Māori design and iconography is undergoing a renaissance in New Zealand, and in many ways this renaissance has been driven by a world hungry for designs that are different and contain some meaning. The icons of much of the western world are largely ‘plastic’ and meaningless: The arches of McDonalds for example, and other manufactured icons.

The resurgence in spirituality, and an interest in alternate cultures throughout the western world has resulted in a demand for Māori icons and designs in the form of Tattoos, product decoration, and symbolism. International corporations are aware of these trends and look to profit from them.

However these lessons have hit home. When it comes to using indigenous imagery as a brand for commercial gain, a new process is emerging. Businesses are becoming increasingly aware of the need to explore the cultural sensitivity, offensiveness and ownership of a trademark which is made up if indigenous imagery or references, before making use of it. Such consultation may be with elders, clans, iwi, language institutions, government departments, and artists, for example. This all goes towards promoting authenticity and depth to a product or service – and more importantly, promoting our culture correctly.

Although the larger corporations are investing in this process the smaller businesses really don’t know what to do. The problems stem from people who are not fully informed or have been poorly advised about the market and how to go about using Māori designs correctly. There is a cultural revival, a Māori renaissance, occurring here in New Zealand. This shows that Māori are alive and kicking and are doing what they can to protect what is left after one hundred and fifty years of colonialism.

Those intending on using Māori design may benefit in the knowledge that Māori are united on all fronts in the protection and preservation of their cultural identities with fierce passion. There are always people ready to take advantage of the uniqueness of what Māori culture bring to the global mix. Unless you have the credibility and respect of the community, expect to see a war party at your doorstep with a pounding by the cultural watchdogs or protectors of Māori culture.

During the Katrina evacuation from the Superdome in New Orleans, thousands of people were pushed up against barricades trying to get a seat on a bus that would take them out of a hell hole. Amongst the pushing bodies a little boy held on to a small dog. The were both frightened, hungry and thirsty. Hope abounded when the busses finally started trickling in. Then adroitly a police officer confiscated the little boy’s dog. Dogs are not allowed on the bus. As the dog was pried from his hands the child squealed in anguish “Snowball, Snowball.. ” and was so overcome with grief he vomited.

Hurricane Katrina has devastated the Gulf Coast, and the human death toll is climbing. For survivors, concern over pets left behind only adds to their trauma. Some evacuees who had vehicles were able to take their pets with them, but thousands entered the Superdome being forced to leave the animals they love behind to fend for themselves. Left heart wrenchingly to face a terrifying hurricane, all alone.

For those animals who did not perish in the hell that was Katrina, their worst was yet to come. The water started rising. Many animals lost and confused started wandering the streets in a world they didn’t recognize, hungry and thirsty and longing for their guardians.

A woman came rushing back to find her entire apartment reduced to oversized matchsticks, but the loss she expressed was only for her dog. “My dog was in the apartment!” she cried out and tears rolled down her face.

A white Labrador stuck in a tree, stranded and terrified looked confused as people just passed him by. But the rescue effort for humans does not have a big enough social heart to include our animals.

Dogs who were carefully rescued and held by families on top of rooftops were abandoned as humans were evacuated. Elderly residents who had stayed in water-logged residences for five days just to safeguard their beloved animals– were forced to leave their animals behind to starve, perhaps to drown. An elderly man got into the boat, his dog patiently waiting for him to invite him in, but instead, he watched his owner float away. “Max” cried the man… “Max” he cried realizing his folly too late as his rescuers hurriedly moved them out of range.

A brave group of animal rescue organizations mobilized to find and rescue dogs, pets, horses and other animals. A shelter was discovered with animals still inside that had not had food or water for three days.

Frantic e-mails over the internet made one sick to the stomach. “Could someone go and feed my animals?” Not knowing if their animals were even alive after a week with no food or water, or if in fact their homes still existed, all they wanted was for things to be so simple… just feed the animals. A poignant picture of a cat in the open packed suitcase made one cry. If only they could have left the luggage and taken the cat.

Samson, a big white and brown boxer had been alone a week – he survived. He was left at a veterinary office when the hurricane hit and his family evacuated to Dallas without him. His mellow face was imperative enough for rescuers to offer to drive from other states to go and search shelters in the disaster area.

“THEY FOUND HIM!” yelled the posted message. “He was taken to Gonzalez with the other animals from the clinic. THANK YOU for your help and understanding. I am eternally grateful…” their infectious joy snatched up as a small consolation by all who needed something good to hold on to amidst all the sorrow.

A pet shelter was set up at Blackham Coliseum in Lafayette, right next to the Cajundome. Evacuees could bring their pets there for housing. They reiterated that they had “PLENTY of food, water, crates, cages, bedding and newspaper. BUT the owners are responsible for feeding, watering, walking and medicating their own pets.” And then the cruelest cut of all.

Many of those pets who hugged close to their guardians and survived the hurricane, floods, hunger, thirst and evacuation, have been dealt one final blow by economic necessity. The have been given up for adoption. Their Guardians greater need? To rescue themselves right now.

A group of students at LSU set up an ad-hoc rescue center at the LSU AgCenter/Parker Coliseum housing animals in crates, the “tent home” for dogs. But rescuers can bring large numbers of animals and crate them while they are waiting to be reunited with their owners.

But money for animals is much harder to find. They need 1,000 more extra large air-kennels (open crates), animal supplies, towels, bowls, veterinary supplies, tick and flea medicine and experienced animal shelter volunteers.

“Please, donate at MuttShack Animal Rescue. We need more homes for animals! Every crate is one more life saved!” says Amanda St. John, Founder of MuttShack Animal Rescue.

Hopefully somewhere amidst the rows of crates filled with broken-hearted animals we will find Snowball.

God bless the little boy who jolted our national conscience and made us look repugnantly at ourselves and how we treat our animals…

It is known that the human body sends out vibrations: some are positive, while others are negative. We have orbits formed by people who surround us and with whom we associate closely throughout our entire lives. In my book “The Art & Craft of Success: 10 Steps” by Ostaro, I expand fully on the impact people have upon us.

Through observation and experience we will notice that the association of a certain person or persons will help us finish a project successfully. It is not just a matter of know-how or funding what makes a venture a success. It is more than that. When a person constantly exercises a positive (harmonious) influence upon another human being, it has a great influence on the brain that gives rise to a clearer judgment of a situation or a better solution to a lingering problem. These processes go on quite unnoticed by people – but they do work. In case of a negative person in our orbit, the result of a contradictory or negative vibration could lead to a bad judgment of a situation or problem, poor solutions and utter failure of the project.

The underestimation of all difficulties or challenges involved could mean higher costs and longer time periods to get the job done.

The success in a project is largely dependent upon correct estimation of all factors involved like choosing the right people in a team, carefully considering essential character traits of the human personality (dependability, punctuality, efficiency, capacity for hard work, persistence when faced with difficulties) in order that a venture be completed successfully and yield the desired results.

Cost estimation in terms of human involvement requires a profound knowledge of human nature and business experience. We don’t achieve success by chance. It requires very solid efforts on the physical plane like burning the midnight oil plus utilizing the formula consisting of three major factors, such as choosing the right team for that particular project, the appropriate location (for example: drilling for oil must be at a calculated spot), and proper timing for completion. A multi million dollar movie, if released at a wrong time without regard to competition, could lose you millions and may never get you an Oscar. There are many examples of successful or failed projects. A careful analysis of a successful project reveals the points mentioned above. In fact, timing is more important than proper funding, as evidenced by Michael Moore’s documentary Fahrenheit 9/11 which became a worldwide hit. At a time, when competition is less, the chances of success increase tremendously.

The stakes in a large venture are very high. Choosing the right people, right time to start the project and right location can make the difference between success or failure.