May 20th, 2012
It is a trade capacity development tool, with a goal to promote rapid economic growth by using tax and business incentives to attract foreign investment and technology. By offering privileged terms, Special Economic Zones attract investment and foreign exchange, spur employment and boost the development of improved technologies and infrastructure.
In India, Special Economic Zones are being established in an attempt to deal with infrastructural deficiencies, procedural complexities, bureaucratic hassles and barriers raised by monetary, trade, fiscal, taxation, tariff and labour policies. Since country-wide development of the infrastructure is expensive and implementation of structural reforms would require time, ( Special Economic Zones/Export Processing Zones) are being established as industrial enclaves for expediting the process of industrialization.
One of the earliest and most famous Special Economic Zone was founded by the government of the People’s Republic of China under Deng Xiaoping in the early 1980s.
Government of India in April 2000 announced the introduction of Special Economic Zones policy in the country. As of 2007, more than 500 Special Economic Zones have been proposed, 220 of which have already been created. This has raised the concern of the World Bank, which questions the sustainability of such a large number of Special Economic Zones.
Tracing Indian economic reforms In India several attempts have been made to liberalize the system of economic management. In 1980s, the Indian Government focused on reorganizing low-efficient state-run enterprises and partial disinvestment, relaxing the control on private enterprises and foreign capital, introducing competitive mechanisms, reducing protection for domestic industries, promoting and importing advanced technological equipment from abroad etc.
In 1991, the reformed trade and industrial policy eliminated licensing requirements for private domestic and foreign investment in certain industries and relaxed the restrictions under the Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practices Act on expansion, diversification, mergers and acquisitions by large firms and industrial houses. Special Economic Zones came in pursuance of this export led growth strategy.
Special Economic Zones were announced by the Government of India in April 2000 as a part of the Export-Import policy of India. The government realized the need to enhance foreign investment, promote exports from the country and at the same time provide a level playing to the domestic enterprises, while ensuring manufacturers to be competitive globally.
The Special Economic Zones as announced by the Government of India in 2000 were deemed to be foreign territory for the purposes of trade operations, duties and tariffs. These zones were to provide an internationally competitive and hassle free environment for exports. Units were allowed be set up in Special Economic Zone for manufacture of goods and rendering of services. All import/export operations of the Special Economic Zone units were on self-certification basis. Anything could be imported duty free but sales in the Domestic Tariff Area by Special Economic Zone units were subject to payment of full Custom Duty and as per import policy in force. Further Offshore banking units were being allowed to be set up in the Special Economic Zones. The policy provided for setting up of Special Economic Zones in the public, private, joint sector or by State Governments.
On 31st August 2004 the Department of Commerce announced the Foreign Trade Policy 2004-2009 to create an appropriate institutional framework and policy environment for facilitation and growth of external trade. The basic objective of this policy was to double India’s share of global merchandise trade by 2009 and make exports an effective instrument of economic growth and employment generation. The Special Economic Zone Act, 2005 and the Special Economic Zone Rules, 2006 were introduced under this policy, to regulate and promote the development of these industrial enclaves.
The Act designated the Special Economic Zones a duty free enclave to be treated as foreign territory only for trade operations and duties and tariffs. Under the Act, no license is required for import and no routine examination is to be conducted by the custom authorities of the export/import cargo. To aid backward and forward integration of the economy, the Act provides exemptions to Special Economic Zone units and Special Economic Zone developers from all indirect taxes, including basic customs duty, countervailing duty, education cess, and direct taxes while at the same time domestic sales are subject to full customs duty and import policy in force. The Act provided the freedom to subcontract. It also permitted manufacturing, trading and service activities in the Special Economic Zones.
India and China : Whether on a Level Platform Success stories of large and small developing countries can be explained by the growth of world trade and opening up of these economies with market based deregulation. But from any in-depth scrutiny one finds that the reform package under the broad heading of “liberalization” is very different from country to country. There is no standard recipe of a “reform package”. A lot of factors influence the performance of Special Economic Zones in a country e.g. economic history, location, industries, state policy etc. Since India has adopted the idea of the special economic zones from China it becomes pertinent to study the history of economic development in India and China.
China’s success can be ascribed largely because of its effective population control. In the pre-reform days, both in China and India top priority was given to equity, removing poverty and increasing the social aspects of standards of living. This, however, was attempted in China under a total state-controlled economy and in India with the public sector playing a dominant role along with the market forces. Both the economies adopted a strategy of import substitution and heavy industry growth. China over time, realized that maintaining high standards of living becomes difficult unless efficiency in the use of resources is increased. Its attempt to maintain equity through forced saving and administered directives resulted in social unrest, which came to a breaking point after the controversial Cultural Revolution. The key objective of present reform in China is to bring incentives back in the economy by increasing the role of the market with minimum changes in their political i nstitutions. This is defined in China as an experiment in a socialistic market economy.
In India, heavy import substitution lead to increased inefficiency in production and generation of surplus for maintaining the tempo of equity measures as a result social development became impossible. This led to heavy borrowing, culminating in a balance of payments crisis. To meet the crisis, this new economic policy in India was initiated.
China’s success in attracting foreign direct investment and becoming one of the top exporting countries of the world hinged on the careful implementation of its Special Economic Zone policy. Size, location, flexible labour laws and stable policies were the factors primarily responsible for making Chinese Special Economic Zones attractive to foreign investors. In India, the fiscal concessions being offered to developers and units are the primary driving force.
Chinese government started building Special Economic Zones way back in 1979. The idea behind the Special Economic Zones was to experiment with liberal policies in certain ear-marked regions while insulating the rest of the economy from their influence. The government identified huge tracts of land, near the coastal region, and started building mega cities with all required infrastructure. Stringent labour laws applicable in China were relaxed in these regions and foreign investment was encouraged by offering concessions and promising of stability.
In 1980 four Special Economic Zones namely, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Shantou and Xiamen were opened up. In 1984, fourteen coastal cities were opened up as a further step. In 1985, three delta areas along the Yangtze River and Pearl River and in the southern part of Fujian province as well as several other places were opened up. In the following years, Hainan Island, Pudong New Area in Shanghai, five big cities along the Yangtze River, eighteen provincial capitals and a part of inland and border cities were opened up. These zones were created initially as experimental stations to adjust and watch their operations vis–vis open market interactions.
Though India had a head-start in the direction by building its first export processing zone in 1969 with certain minimum infrastructure and fiscal sops, it could not muster enough political will to build full-fledged Special Economic Zones with foreign territory status in the matters of international trade till the turn of the century. As opposed to five mega Special Economic Zones built by the Chinese government (the largest being Shenzhen built over 49,500 hectares), India opened its doors to private players and allowed sector-specific Special Economic Zones to develop on just 10 hectares of land. As a result, more than 500 Special Economic Zones have been proposed, 220 of which have already been created. The economies of scale, which seems to have worked so well in China by reducing production costs, may not have the same effect in the Indian Special Economic Zone s.
In China, the government chose the location for Special Economic Zone s with a lot of thought with all five located near the coastal region. This made it easier for the Special Economic Zone units to export their products and import inputs. In India, Special Economic Zones are being built all over the country, wherever land can be acquired by the developers. This has also led to allegations of land-grabbing and conversion of productive agricultural land by developers. As a result, Centre has made it mandatory that all proposals should have a certificate from the state governments notifying that the land being used is non-agricultural for at least 90%.
Flexibility in labour laws, which played an important role in attracting foreign investors, is absent in the Indian Special Economic Zones. This is one of the prices India has to pay for the advantages of a federal democratic government. India has, however, tried to make up for all the disadvantages by offering attractive fiscal sops. Tax holidays for Special Economic Zones in India are longer and steeper than those given by China. This had given rise to some dissent from the finance ministry which had complained that the fiscal loss would be immense. In fact the scheme has generated a difference of opinion between the Finance and Commerce Ministries. While the former is voicing its concerns about possible revenue loss from the tax privileges for the Special Economic Zones, the latter is stoutly defending the policy with statistics suggesting minimal losses and highlighting eventual gains in terms of employment and revenues
Reserve Bank of India has also expressed its concerns about the revenue losses and the uneven pattern of development. Reserve Bank of India insisted on factoring the revenue implications of the taxation benefits. The revenue loss for the Government in providing incentives may be justified only if the Special Economic Zone units ensure forward and backward linkages with the domestic economy. Also, as resources are being diverted from the less developed, growth will not be uniform.
One of the most basic difference between the Special Economic Zone model adopted in China and India is that the Chinese Special Economic Zone initiative is government driven, whereas Indian Special Economic Zones are driven by private sector . In China , the State acquires the land and develops the required infrastructure, while private enterprises are invited to set up units. Under such a system, land continues to be under the ownership of the State. In India, however, private entities are being involved in developing the Special Economic Zone infrastructure. As a result, Land is being acquired by the State and handed over to private developers.
Current Controversy The Economic Survey of 2006-07 highlighted the fact that Special Economic Zone s are testing grounds for the implementation of liberal market economy principles. At the same the survey emphasized on some apprehensions against the Special Economic Zones: Generation of little new activity as there may be relocation of industries to take advantage of tax concessions, Revenue loss, Large-scale land acquisition by the developers, may lead to displacement of farmers with meager compensation, Acquisition of prime agricultural land, having serious implications for food security, Misuse of land by the developers for real estate and Uneven growth aggravating regional inequalities.
The Survey also mentioned that many of these apprehensions, however, could be addressed through appropriate policies and safeguards. A major controversy surrounding the implementation of the Special Economic Zone scheme has been the ruthless manner adopted for acquiring land. News reports highlighted protests across the country against acquisition of lands for the purpose of establishing Special Economic Zones. The “SEZ No More” campaign gained momentum after the bloody chapter in Nandigram.
Since, developing Special Economic Zones involves massive displacement of farmers, it is essential that a systematic approach should be followed for ensuring balance of interests. Consequently, state governments have been advised that in land acquisition for Special Economic Zones, first priority should be for acquisition of waste and barren land and if necessary single crop agricultural land. If perforce a portion of double-cropped agricultural land has to be acquired to meet the minimum area requirements, especially for multi-product Special Economic Zone, the same should not exceed 10 % of the total land required for the Special Economic Zone
The government has also announced the new National Policy on Rehabilitation and Resettlement 2007. This policy would provide land-for-land compensation for acquisition of land for development purposes, including Special Economic Zones, and employment to at least one person from each affected family. A National Rehabilitation Commission would be set up by the Central Government, which would be duly empowered to exercise independent oversight over the rehabilitation and resettlement of the affected families. Further, wage employment would be provided to the willing affected persons in the construction work in the project. The policy also ensures housing benefits including houses to the landless affected families in both rural and urban areas.
Adequate provisions have been made for financial support to the affected families for construction of cattle sheds, shops, working sheds; transportation costs, temporary and transitional accommodation, comprehensive infrastructural facilities and amenities in the resettlement area including education, health care, drinking water, roads, electricity, sanitation, religious activities, cattle grazing, and other community resources.
The benefits expressed in monetary terms have been linked to the Consumer Price Index, and the same shall also be revised suitably at appropriate intervals. Special provision has been made for providing life-time monthly pension to the vulnerable persons, such as the disabled, destitute, orphans, widows, unmarried girls, abandoned women, or persons above 50 years of age (who are not provided or cannot immediately be provided with alternative livelihood).
A strong grievance redressal mechanism has been prescribed, which includes standing R&R Committees at the district level, R&R Committees at the project level, and an Ombudsman duly empowered in this regard. The R&R Committees shall have representatives from the affected families including women, voluntary organizations, Panchayats, local elected representatives, etc. Provision has also been made for post-implementation social audits of the rehabilitation and resettlement schemes and plans.
For effective monitoring of the progress of implementation of R&R plans, provisions have been made for a National Monitoring Committee, a National Monitoring Cell, mandatory information sharing by the States and Union Territories with the National Monitoring Cell, and Oversight Committees in the Ministries/Departments concerned for each major project.
For ensuring transparency, provision has been made for mandatory dissemination of information on displacement, rehabilitation and resettlement, with names of the affected persons and details of the rehabilitation packages. Such information shall be placed in the public domain on the Internet as well as shared with the concerned Gram Sabhas and Panchayats by the project authorities. This policy aims at striking a balance between the need for land for development purposes and protecting the interests of land owners and other displaced people.
Conclusion A study conducted by Aradhna Aggarwal on the Impact of Special Economic Zones on Employment, Poverty and Human Development indicated, that Employment generation, both direct and indirect, has thus far been the most important channel, through which Special Economic Zones have impacted on human development and poverty reduction in India. However, the role of Special Economic Zone s in human capital formation and as an engine for promoting new knowledge, technologies and innovations through technology transfers and technology creation appears to be relatively limited. With new generation Special Economic Zones emerging, the scope of human capital formation and technology upgrading effects will widen. It is therefore important for the government to play a pro active role in strengthening these effects.
For the contribution of Special Economic Zones to various aspects of human development to be realized, it is important to forge linkages between the domestic economy and Special Economic Zones. Systematic efforts need to be made to help zone units forge links with the outside units. Also, the effects of Special Economic Zones are contingent upon the success of these zones in attracting investment, in particular, Foreign Direct Investment. A comprehensive policy framework is required to attain this. The government has to ensure that strategies are developed in a timely manner to strengthen the opportunities that are likely to emerge, protect interests of the Special Economic Zones workers, and forge linkages between Special Economic Zones and the domestic economy. Such a regulated and monitored approach is the only means of attaining the actual potential of these Special Economic Zones.
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May 20th, 2012
This week we had 78 new APIs added to our API directory including a data integration service, travel booking service, user social information and data service, wallet checkout service and social eCommerce sharing platform. In addition we covered the release of the Seamless Food Delivery API. Below are more details on each of these new APIs.
 Accthub API: Accthub is a service that acts as an account management system for app builders. It is used to store and mange user’s account information, credentials, addresses and meta-data. Among the information it can store includes users email address, hashed password, full name, langage, timezone, gender, company, website URL. The API gives users access to the full functionality of the service. The API uses RESTful calls and responses are formatted in JSON.
 ActiveBuilding API: ActiveBuilding is a platform for property management and resident communications. Some features included in ActiveBuilding include maintenance request management and tracking, package tracking, and mass mailing to residents for announcements.
The ActiveBuilding API allows developers to access and integrate the functionality of ActiveBuilding with other applications and to create new applications. Some example API methods include retrieving community information, managing package tracking information, and adding and editing content.
 AddShoppers Social Product API: AddShoppers is a social commerce sharing platform. They aim to help retailers increase sharing by attaching their Social Promo Callouts to sharing buttons. The platform is fully integrated with Facebook’s Want/Own actions. With the API users will have the ability to sort products by most wanted, Tweeted, etc., setup triggers that will email customers automatically when a Wanted product is released, measure the ROI of social sharing at the product level. The API uses RESTful calls and responses are formatted in JSON.
 Betfair Games API: The Betfair Games Exchange allows players to log in to online versions of Blackjack, Hi Lo, Bullseye Roulette, Hold ‘Em, Baccarat, Card Derby Racing and Omaha Hi. The Betfair Games API uses REST protocol that allows developers to integrate with the Games Exchange and retrieve data on the games market and their personal account. It also offers transactional capabilities so players can manage and place bets through the Games API.
 Buddy Media API: Buddy Media is a provider of enterprise level social marketing software. Used by eight of the world’s top ten global advertisers, Buddy Media helps brands build connections from initial point of contact through point of purchase. The social media API allows marketers to track conversions and campaigns across multiple social media sites (e.g. Facebook, Pinterest, Google+, Youtube, etc.) from a single enterprise social media suite. The API allows developers to integrate data gathered such as actions taken, sales conversions, etc. with existing email and CRM packages. Full documentation is not publicly available.
 Budget Your Trip API: Budget Your Trip is a service that determines travel costs based on users’ information. Users register their trips and include expenses by category and location. The information the input will be shown against average costs computed from other users’ similar travels. Their RESTful API exposes the website’s essential functionality. Results about trip location, currency, and average costs are returned in XML, JSON, or text.
 Buyvite Transaction API: Buyvite is a group purchasing platform available via web, mobile and Facebook apps. It allows the user to organize group purchases like event tickets, gifts, flights, etc. and collect money easily through the secure payment platform. The API uses POST requests to submit transactions and retrieve account information.
 ChowNow API: ChowNow is a mobile and Facebook application for restaurants to manage food orders. Restaurants can use ChowNow to create their own applications for their customers to order food from, either from mobiles or Facebook.
The ChowNow API allows developers to access and integrate the functionality of ChowNow with other applications and to create new applications. Public documentation is not available; interested developers should sign up for more information here: http://www.chownow.com/#!/api.
 Coupz API: Coupz is an online deal aggregator. Coupz sends out daily deal emails by city from a variety of retail stores, restaurants, and other services.
The Coupz API allows developers to access and integrate the functionality of Coupz with other applications. Public documentation is not available; interested developers should sign up here: http://www.coupz.com/api/index.html.
 Crisply API: Crisply is a time-tracking service that connects with other systems used to automatically track a user’s time. Some features of Crisply include timesheets, project systems, and billing systems.
The Crisply API allows developers to access and integrate the functionality of Crisply with other applications. Some example API methods include accessing timesheets, retrieving times logged by activity and client, and managing user information and account information.
 DeliveryWatch API: The service monitors European email traffic and providers to report statistics for delivery rates, uptime, spam filtering in place, and related measures. It can provide notice of email delivery via a large selection of internet service providers and blacklist monitoring, with updates when a sender is tagged as a sender of spam.
API methods support retrieval of email delivery performance for ISPs worldwide along with updated reports on spam filtering configurations and blocked sender lists. Methods allow targeting of reports for specific recipient domains and filtering by leading spam monitors.
 Digitalsmiths API: Digitalsmiths is a video search and recommendation service that creates and leverages data around video content
including TV, film and live events across any connected device. Digitalsmiths solutions help users find relevant, personalized entertainment across multiple channels and devices. The API allows for metadata integration. Documentation is not available.
 DRCOG API: The Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG) has a goal of fostering regional cooperation among county and municipal governments in the Denver metropolitan area. The DRCOG database contains spatial and tabular data that is used for regional planning and policy decisions. Users can search this database by keyword or browse it by subject. The API allows users to look up data including geotable attributes, list geotable fields, retrieve features from a specified geotable and more. The API uses RESTful calls and responses are formatted in XML, JSON and KML.
 Easy Projects API: Easy Projects is a web-based project management platform for businesses seeking to offer a collaborative online environment for team and individual projects. It offers team management tools for assigning tasks, reporting tools for monitoring business efficiency, and messaging boards for collaborating. The API uses GET, POST, PUT and DELETE calls to interact with projects, activities, timelogs, messages, users and portfolios.
 eCoComa Convert API: The eCoComa Convert API allows users to convert text between a variety of types and styles. Users may convert text between Unicode and utf8 characters, or between Unicode and Chinese text. Chinese characters can be converted between their traditional and simplified forms. Users may also convert between C# and VB.NET code, or between a UNIX timestamp and System.DateTime.
 eCoComa Domain API: The eCoComa Domain API allows users to retrieve information about a specific host from the Internet Domain Name System (DNS) or to find sites that are hosted by a specific IP address. Another function provides access to the whois service to check domain name availability or to find out who owns a particular domain name.
 eCoComa Email API: The eCoComa Email API allows users to perform two separate e-mail-related functions. One function allows users to receive e-mail from a POP3 server, while the other is used to chat someone’s mail server to determine whether their address is valid. This API is available via SOAP calls using the XML data format.
 eCoComa Geo API: The eCoComa Geo API allows users to perform a variety of geolocation tasks. Users may retrieve accurate city and state information for a U.S. ZIP Code, or find the matching ZIP Code for a given address, city, and state. Users may also employ a function to find the distance between two U.S. addresses. Another function determines an internet visitor’s country based on their IP address.
 eCoComa Marketing API: The eCoComa Marketing API provides users with access to methods for search engine marketing (both search engine optimization and pay per click advertising), banner advertising, e-mail marketing, affiliate marketing, interactive advertising, and email advertising. This API is accessible via SOAP calls using the XML data format.
 eCoComa RSS API: The eCoComa RSS API allows users to create custom RSS (Really Short Syndication) feeds that they can subscribe to in order to receive the latest updates on news or other regularly updated information sources. Users may use this API to combine and filter multiple RSS feeds or create entirely new RSS feeds. The API can be accessed via SOAP calls using the XML data format.
 eCoComa Video API: The eCoComa Video API allows users to search for videos from a variety of online sources. Given a keyword to search for, the API retrieves a list of videos that are associated with the specified keyword. Calls exist to retrieve lists from MSN, AOL, Google, and Yahoo. This API operates via SOAP calls using the XML data format.
 eFreightline API: The service aggregates shipping rates and freight ratings along with available capacity from over 50 carriers serving both regional and national destinations. This single data source can deliver rate quotes for full-truckload or less-than-truckload (LTL) shipments, creating a central source where shippers can plan for transportation needs.
API methods support submission of load size, items to be shipped, desired ship date, and points of pickup and destination, along with other specifications. The service returns rate quotes and current capacity for potential shippers. Methods also allow completion of the shipping transaction.
 eHealth Technology API: The service provides health insurance carriers and general agents with integrated access to exchanges that support their underwriting of consumer applications for coverage. Underwriting functions are supplemented by membership and enrollment tools to accept and automatically process applications, return notifications and status information, and enable instant underwriting (eApproval) upon submission of an application.
API methods support submission of customer application information, underwriting checks to match appropriate coverage, and instant approval with notification of completion. Extension of API access to independent insurance agents and brokers is pending.
 Euro42 Euro to Gulden API: The Euro42 Euro to Gulden API is a currency conversion service that allows users to convert between Euros and Guldens. “Gulden” is the German word for a gold penny, equivalent to the Dutch term “Guilder”. Guldens have been used in a number of European countries, though which country the Guldens in this API are meant to be from is unspecified.
All API documentation is in English, but the rest of the website is in Dutch.
 FAROO API: FAROO is a web search engine. FAROO’s search functionality is based on peer-to-peer (P2P) searching, user-generated reviews and attention, and webpage popularity based on users.
The FAROO API allows developers to access and integrate the search functionality of FAROO with other applications. The available API method is displaying search results, news results, and trending topics.
 FixYa API: FixYa.com is a community-based question and answer site. Users log in and post any questions, specifically about technical problems they have. Other community members and subject experts provide solutions. Their API is offered through business-to-business partnership. It exposes their large repair and support solutions database to be integrated in customer service operations.
 FleetMon API: The service provides worldwide position, tracking, and traffic information for maritime vessels. It locates ocean-going ships, with indications of last port visited and destination port, times of arrival and departure, and related information. Applications can search by vessel identifier or registered name. Port-by-port summaries also are available. Information can be consumed as a live data feed in raw NMEA AIS format.
API methods support submission of vessel-specific queries by identifier (IMO, MMSI) or name or port-specific queries. Returned data include vessel registration information, photo, current location by latitude/longitude and port, last destination with arrival and departure times, ultimate destination, current speed, and other details.
 For Wanted API: For Wanted is an online platform for selling stuff. Users can list their stuff that they would like to sell and at the price they want to sell it at. Other users can browse and purchase the merchandise.
The For Wanted API allows developers to access and integrate the search functionality of For Wanted with other applications and to create new applications. The available API method returns a list of items that match search criteria.
 GuteGutscheine API: GuteGutscheine is a German coupons and daily deals website offering rebates for over 8,100 online stores. Users can conduct a search for the latest coupons or have them sent to their email as they become available. The API allows access to all of the coupons and offers listed on the site. Functionality includes returning coupons, discounts and more details about a specific provider and delivering the most popular coupons and rebates within the specified period. Full documentation is not publicly available.
 HelloFax API: HelloFax is a faxing and electronic signature service. It allows multiple devices in an office to send documents to designated fax machines. The developers have also recently rolled electronic signature functionality into HelloFax. The API wrapper is exposed on GitHub. It is a RESTful API that returns JSON responses that can be converted into Ruby. The methods exposed are document uploading and status monitoring.
 Inbox25 API: The service provides hosted email marketing campaign management for bulk message delivery with message creation and formatting, hosting of file attachments and images, and performance tracking. It provides tools for managing subscriber lists and addresses, bounced message notification, and mailing list groupings and subsets. It also allows campaign definition, list tracking, and success monitoring.
API methods support adding and removing subscribers and assigning subscribers to lists according to campaign and messaging strategies. Methods also support tracking of messages sent, delivery and open rates, click rates, bounced addresses, unsubscribe requests, and more.
 Index Fungorum Fungus API: The Index Fungorum is a global fungal nomenclator. It contains the names of fungi (including yeasts, lichens, chromistan fungal analogues, protozoan fungal analogues, and fossil forms) at all ranks. The Index Fungorum Fungus API provides a range of SOAP calls that users may employ to look up the names of fungal organisms.
 Informatica Cloud API: Informatica is a provider of data integration software and services. Informatica Cloud addresses specific business processes (customer/product master synchronization, opportunity to order, etc.) and point-to-point data integration requirements (e.g. Salesforce.com to on premise or cloud-to-cloud end-points).
Informatica Cloud allows users to integrate data across cloud-based applications such as Salesforce CRM as well as on-premise databases and applications. In addition to data integration it can handle business processes such as customer/product master synchronization, opportunity to order, and more. Key capabilities include data quality, data replication and data loading. The API allows for custom integrations with the platform. Public documentation is not available.
 iOpenAt.com API: iOpenAt.com is a search engine that users can search and return the opening hours of retail locations closest to them. Currently, iOpenAt.com only includes retail locations of stores in the UK.
The iOpenAt.com API allows developers to integrate the functionality of iOpenAt.com with other applications. The API method returns opening hours of locations within the set postal code searched by.
 ISO New England API: ISO-NE oversees the operation of New England’s bulk electric power system. It seeks to ensure the day-to-day reliable operation of New England’s bulk power generation and transmission system, by overseeing and ensuring the fair administration of the region’s wholesale electricity markets, and by managing comprehensive, regional planning processes. The ISO-NE API gives users access to energy and market data. The API uses RESTful calls and responses are formatted in XML and JSON.
 Journeys Travel Insurance API: The UK service provides travel insurance, either directly or via resellers on commission. It offers add-on trip insurance to travel booking products, with automated rate quotes and completion of policy issuing and management.
API methods support submission of a quote request specifying travel dates, destination, and trip duration, along with issuance of a policy based on the quote. Methods also support retrieving information about a previously issued policy and cancellation of a policy.
 Knod.es API: Knodes is a service that provides data about users of websites and applications based on data-driven insights their networks. Knodes offers information about users of applications and websites based on their profiles from their social networks.
The Knodes API allows developers to access and integrate the functionality of Knodes with other applications and to create new applications. Public documentation is not available; interested developers should sign up here: http://knod.es/index/signup.
 Live Departure Boards API: The Live Departure Boards API allows users to obtain the same live train information presented on the LDB web pages for use on their own sites. Users can choose to employ a board listing departures only, a board listing arrivals only, or a board that lists both arrivals and departures. A license must be requested from National Rail Enquiries prior to using this API.
 MasterCard PayPass Online API: PayPass Online allows checkout from a site or app using any wallet that belongs to the Paypass Online network. This speeds up the checkout process by allowing customers to use the payment and shipping information already associated with their wallet of choice on the network. PayPass Online supports full and mobile sites and both Android and iOS apps. This service is free for both consumers and merchants.
 MESSAGEmanager API: The service handles messaging via email or SMS, configuring and sending messages to specified recipient contact lists. It also monitors outbound messaging traffic and reports on success or failure by message and mode.
API methods support submitting a message, including message body, delivery mode, recipient address, and other specifications. Methods also support designation of a file folder location where the service will poll for new files containing message sending and configuration information. Query methods retrieve delivery performance information to confirm receipt of messages, bounce rates, and blocked addresses.
 Mgnet.me shortener API: Mgnet.me is a shortener for magnet: URI scheme. Magnet links are primarily used for referencing resources available for download via peer-to-peer networks. The API provides the same functionality in XML, JSON and text output formats.
 MODIS Land Subsets API: The MODIS Land Subsets API allows users to retrieve images taken of Earth by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometers (MODIS) aboard the Aqua and Terra satellites. Users can retrieve information about available imagery and then choose their desired image data products by wavelength, date, and latitude and longitude location recorded.
 Music Xray S2O Partner API: vMusic Xray is a music-sharing platform intended to connect musicians and music industry representatives. Musicians post tracks to be analyzed for acoustical properties by Music Xray’s Song to Opportunity (S2O) technology. Music Xray will then email the user when an industry professional is looking for music that is comparable to S2O’s analysis. The S2O Partner API exposes Music Xray’s song uploading and comparison functionality to business partners. Users who register through a partner’s API account become affiliates who generate commission for the partner. The API is RESTful and returns XML responses. A Ruby SDK is also available.
 New Dawn ACM API: New Dawn Technologies is a provider of web-based, case management solutions for governments. Solutions include case management software, data sharing, e-filing, e-payment, e-discovery, and public access for government agencies including criminal, civil and municipal courts, attorney generals, county prosecutors, public defenders, corrections departments, child, family and health services. New Dawn offers and API for their Adaptive Case Management (ACM) solution. It allows customers to integrate the software with their existing applications. Full documentation is not publicly available.
 Nextgen Mobile CardBoardFish API: The service provides a computer application interface for sending SMS text messages. It allows both individual messages and bulk messaging to specified lists of recipient numbers. Tools available include message definition, contact list management, campaign management, and administrative functions like billing and service reporting.
API methods support submission of a message with sender, recipient, message text, along with optional parameters like data encoding scheme and delivery receipt request. Methods also support retrieval of incoming messages, scheduling of messages, and service billing functions.
 Nimbuzz API: Nimbuzz is a mobile application that allows users to make and receive calls, message with contacts, and share files for free. Nimbuzz is a mobile social connection application.
The Nimbuzz API allows developers to access and integrate the functionality of Nimbuzz with other applications. Public documentation is not available; interested developers should sign up for access and more information.
 Observu API: Observu is a site monitoring service. Observu monitors sites and servers and sends alerts by email, text, and calls, as well as a dashboard.
The Observu API allows developers to access and integrate the functionality of Observu with other applications. Some example API methods include adding data, retrieving lists of messages, and adding monitors.
 Online Courier Quotes API: The service provides Australian postage, courier, and shipping rate calculation functions and modules for content management systems (DotNetNuke, Umbraco, Drupal, Joomla). The services integrate with existing shopping carts or provide standalone calculations. Shipping cost estimates cover almost any delivery address in Australia.
API methods support submission of a package type and size (including weight), point of origin and destination, and shipping date. Methods return shipping options matching the request with rate quotes and shipper details.
 Online Whois Lookup API: Online Whois Lookup is a service that allows users to input domain name and see a domain’s whois record. The Whois API can be used to check if a domain name is available for registration. It can also lookup information about when a domain was created, changed and its expiration date. The API uses HTTP calls and responses are formatted in XML and JSON.
 Openwave Network Address Book API: Openwave Messaging is a provider of messaging solutions with cloud and social integration capabilities. The Network Address Book (NAB) synchronizes contact information across multiple platforms allowing providers to both personalize and simplify their messaging service offerings. Users of NAB can access and manage their contacts, events tasks and more. This can be accomplished on platforms including webmail, PC email clients, mobile phone address books and voice interfaces. An API is offered that lets developers integrate functionality such as messaging, billing and portal. Public documentation is not available.
 Papirus API: The service replaces ad hoc email collaboration with a templated workflow and task-management platform. It includes messaging and communications functions tied to work activities. It also provides reporting functions to monitor assignments and process compliance, including overdue activities and completion statistics.
API methods support retrieval of task lists and individual task reports, providing the person responsible, person assigning the task, start date, due date, completion date, and current status. Methods also support creating new tasks, linking tasks in process sequence, and adding comments visible to the person assigned and other task stakeholders.
 Plivo API: Plivo is a telephony platform for integration with other apps. It is built to be integrative and take desired call making and receiving functions off of developers’ hands. It provides capacity for conferencing, call tracking, recording, and more. This API is HTTP-based with SSL support for exposing all of the services essential functionality. It returns JSON responses. Pricing details are forthcoming from the developers.
 Qumu API: Qumu is a business video platform provider. Qumu’s video platform lets businesses capture, manage, and distribute live and on-demand content. The Qumu Video Control Center gives businesses control over the entire video life cycle from acquiring video content, building and managing a library, delivering on-demand video and providing a secure portal for employees to view content. An API is available via an SDK that allows developers to access the platform’s functionality and add it to iOS, Android platforms or desktop and web applications. Public documentation is not available.
 Raven Slingshot API: Raven Slingshot offers a series of products for the agriculture industry, including Field Hub and Slingshot RDK. These services collect precise data on a variety of field operations that help streamline business procedures. The Raven Slingshot API provides a platform that allows inter-operability of the previously independent Slingshot products for an enhanced field tracking experience.
 SalesBoom API: The service provides a platform for enterprise resource planning (ERP) and customer relationship management (CRM). Functionality includes customer account creation and updating, contact tracking, customer service, and related activities. Sales support functions include lead tracking, quote management, sales forecasting, and other sales force automation functions.
API methods support creation and updating of customer accounts, retrieval of customer transaction and contact history, and case/incident management. Methods also support creation and modification of sales lead information, review of quotations provided, generation of sales forecasts, and other sales support functionality
 Seamless API: Seamless is an online and mobile food ordering and delivery service. Users can use Seamless to order food and get it delivered to where they are.
The Seamless API allows developers to access and integrate the functionality of Seamless with other applications and to create new applications. Public documentation is not available; interested developers should sign up for an API key here: http://www.seamless.com/business-development/developers/.
 SirsiDynix Symphony API: SirsiDynix provides library automation systems for more than 23,000 libraries in more than 70 countries around the world. SirsiDynix offers APIs that allow libraries to gain full access to all information held within their system. The Symphony API includes tools for performing batch transactions and gives users the ability to gather, edit, load, export and format data within the system. Functionality includes access to the library catalog, ability to verify accounts and logins, access to user account information, retrieval of system information such as policies and much more. Interested developers should contact the provider for more information.
 SmartPea Grocery API: SmartPea Grocery is a web service that users can search for local grocery deals and sales. Users can build a shopping list on the website.
The SmartPea Grocery API allows developers to access and integrate the functionality of SmartPea Grocery with other applications and to create new applications. Some example API methods include searching and returning grocery store deals by zip code and associated information including image, name, retailer, price, savings, and nutritional facts for any searched grocery item.
 SpazioDati API: SpazioDati is a service that parses, extracts, and links text and data. SpazioDati currently works in English and Italian.
The SpazioDati API allows developers to access and integrate the functionality of SpazioDati with other applications and to create new applications. Some example API methods include searching and retrieving information, adding and editing text and information, and account management.
 Spearman Correlation Coefficient API: In math the Spearman correlation measures the statistical dependence between two variables X and Y. The simple API at spearmancorrelation.com can be used to calculate the Spearman correlation coefficient for any set of data. The API uses RESTful calls and responses are formatted in XML and JSON.
 TauP API: TauP is a seismic travel time calculator. In addition, it can calculate derivative information such as ray paths through the earth, as well as pierce and turning points. It handles many types of velocity models and can calculate times for virtually any seismic phase with a phase parser. TauP is available for download, or it can be accessed programmatically via SOAP API.
 TauYou T-Image API: TauYou T-Image is a translation technology. T-Image allows users to read in a variety of languages any text they want to understand. T-Image is available in Chinese, Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, and Swedish.
The TauYou T-Image API allows developers to access and integrate the functionality of T-Image with other applications and to create new applications. The main API method is uploading files and retrieving the translated versions.
 Teleportd API: Teleportd is a service that aggregates, organizes, and makes photos taken and shared from smartphones searchable. Teleportd allows customers to search photos and contact the owner for permissions.
The Teleportd API allows developers to access and integrate the functionality of Teleportd with other applications. Some example API methods include searching and retrieving photos by location, time periods, and users, as well as user account management.
 Travelocity API: Travelocity is an online service for travel shopping. Users can search, browse, and book travel, such as airline tickets, hotels, and rental cars.
The Travelocity API allows developers to access and integrate the functionality and data of Travelocity with other applications and to create new applications. Documentation is available with login; interested developers can sign up for their API key and access here: http://connect.travelocity.com/.
 UN Comtrade API: UN COMTRADE is the name for the United Nations Commodity Trade Statistics Database. The database contains annual international trade statistics from over 170 countries, detailed by commodities and partner countries. Currently the database contains over 1.7 billion data records for 45 years. The API allows users to query the database filtering on parameters including Commodity Classification, Reporter, Year, Commodity Code, Partner Country and Trade Flow. The API uses RESTful calls and responses are formatted in XML and SDMX.
 University of Nottingham Get Entry Profile API: The University of Nottingham Get Entry Profile API allows users to obtain a UCAS Entry Profile for a higher education course. The UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service) is the British admission service for students applying to university and college. This API is part of the e-Portfolio for Lifelong Learning Reference Model Project.
 VINquery API: The service provides real-time decoding of automobile vehicle identifier numbers (VINs). It accepts HTTP requests with VIN numbers and returns detailed specifications for the make, model, and year plus optional equipment implied by the submitted digits.
API methods support submission of a valid character string representing a VIN for an individual car. Returned data break down the manufacturer and model, plus the year, engine and transmission installed, and some other configuration details encoded in the VIN.
 Virtual Observatory Services Distance API: The Virtual Observatory Services Distance API calculates the distance of celestial objects from Earth. Several methods of distance calculation are available including angular diameter, co-moving line of sight, co-moving transverse, and luminosity. This API can also calculate the distance modulus of an object or return the current distance of the Hubble telescope.
 Virtuoso Facets API: The Virtuoso Facets API is a general purpose RDF query facility for facet-based browsing. Faceted browsing is a technique for accessing information organized according to a faceted classification system, which classifies each information element along multiple explicit dimensions. This API takes an XML description of the desired view and generates the reply as an XML tree containing the requested data. The user agent or a local web page can use XSLT to render this for the end user.
 Visual DataFlex Country Information API: The Visual DataFlex Country Information API allows users to retrieve basic information on countries, such as capital city, currency, flag, phone code, and languages used. These pieces of information may be requested individually or all together for a given country. This API can be accessed via SOAP calls using the XML data format.
 Visual DataFlex Football Pool API: The Visual DataFlex Football Pool API provides access to information on European football (soccer) teams, players, and games. Users can discover the names of all players on a team, who plays which position, and who has red or yellow cards. Users may also retrieve information on game results, as well as which cities and stadiums games are played in.
 W3 TempConvert API: The W3 TempConvert API allows users to convert temperatures from Celsius to Fahrenheit and vice versa. This API was created as an example for W3 Schools, but is nonetheless fully functional. The API can be accessed via SOAP calls using the XML data format.
 Wrike API: Wrike.com offers a social project management software that allows businesses to manage over 50 projects in one workspace with the goal to increase team collaboration and productivity and overall efficiency. The Wrike API platform allows clients to build custom applications on top of existing Wrike software features. It offers seven callable API methods and endpoints: Profile, Contacts, Folders, Tasks, Comments, Attachments, Time Logs.
 XML ME Get Custom News API: The XML ME Get Custom News API allows users to retrieve news articles on a topic of their choosing. The user inputs a desired news topic, and the API returns a list of articles from Moreover’s news service. This API is available via SOAP calls using the XML data format.
 XML ME Video Games Finder API: The XML ME Video Games Finder API allows users to search for video games programmatically. The API accepts a search string and then returns a URL pointing to the video games search results. This API operates via SOAP calls using the XML data format.
 YackTrack API: YackTrack is a service that allows users to search for, track, monitor, and access social media conversations about them, their products or companies, and other.
The YackTrack API allows developers to access and integrate the functionality of YackTrack with other applications and to create new applications. Some example API methods include searching and retrieving comments and accessing information about the comments, such as date and person.
 Yi.tl API: Yi.tl allows users to make long URLs into shorter yitl urls. The service provides shorter URLs than bit.ly or Tinyurl and also allows users to tag their short URLs. The service also allows users to track their URLs in order to see how many clicks each link gets, where they come from, when they clicked and more.
The yi.tl API allows developers to integrate the service with their own applications and sites. The API offers much of the same functionality including the ability to generate or get existing short URLs and retrieving statistics such as top clicked links, least clicked links, newest links. The API uses RESTful calls and responses are formatted in XML and JSON.
 Zip Tax API: Zip Tax is a service that provides sales tax data of the United States. Users can provide a zip code and retrieve the sales tax information for that zip code.
The Zip Tax API allows developers to access and integrate the functionality of Zip Tax with other applications and to create new applications. Some example API methods include looking up and retrieving sales tax information by zip code.
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May 20th, 2012
Tumblr founder and CEO David Karp (L) talks on Wednesday with event co-founder David-Michel Davies during Internet Week New York. (Benjamin Chasteen/The Epoch Times)
NEW YORK—Tumblr—that blogging site many don’t really get, or haven’t heard of—is for users that have things to share online and don’t necessarily enjoy writing, giving each user control over media with a personal domain that has its own URL. Each domain is known as a “Tumblr.”
“If you wanted to put something out there that was really you—and not YouTube slash username—if you didn’t want that vanilla white Facebook page, if you wanted your own domain, if you wanted to share any type of media—not just relegated to photos on Flickr or videos on YouTube—you had to use the blogging platforms,” explained David Karp, CEO and founder of Tumblr, referring to when he launched the site in February 2007.
“I knew exactly what I wanted to use it for. It wasn’t intended to gain social media channels; it wasn’t intended to be viral; it wasn’t even intended to be popular. Just intended to be useful,” David Karp, CEO and founder of Tumblr
“The blogging platforms at the time were geared toward writers, which I wasn’t,” he added.
During the first two weeks, 75,000 users signed up for Tumblr.
“The inherently unambitious and sort of selfish beginnings of Tumblr was this was a tool for me—it was never something I expected anybody else to use,” Karp said, addressing a crowd on Wednesday at the Internet Week New York headquarters off Mercer Street. “I knew exactly what I wanted to use it for. It wasn’t intended to gain social media channels; it wasn’t intended to be viral; it wasn’t even intended to be popular. Just intended to be useful.”
Headquartered in New York City and started by Karp, an Upper West Side native, the roots of the multimedia blogging platform are firmly planted in the city.
A plethora of Tumblrs feature the city as the main subject. Humans of New York, a well-known photography Tumblr, has shots of an eclectic mix of city folk. Short blurbs add flavor to the photos.
Brandon Stanton’s portrait shot of a Qdoba employee, posted on Humans of New York. (Courtesy of Brandon Stanton)
The following story accompanies a recent photo of an Qdoba employee.
“I made a quick stop at the Bleecker St. Qdoba today, and was served by this friendly man. I told him I was feeling fatigued, so I wanted a lot of vegetables.
“He said: ‘You know, it’s good to eat healthy. But I think so much of our health comes from our mental state. You hear about these old grandmas who drink hard liquor every day of their lives, but still live to be 98. You know why? Because they had less stress back then. I think the health of the body really follows the health of the mind.’
“Pretty profound stuff. But with that being said, I felt much better after eating my vegetable burrito.”
Some say Tumblr gives more exposure than other social media. As a comparison between Tumblr and Facebook, the Tumblr post of the Qdoba interaction was reblogged 426 times, while the Facebook post, although receiving 1,648 likes, was shared only 51 times.
“It’s something that represents part of what Tumblr is—really go in depth, and really explore the things that people are passionate about,” said Karp, referring to pages like Humans of New York.
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May 18th, 2012
RICHMOND, Va., May 15, 2012 /PRNewswire/ – Genworth Financial, Inc. (GNW) today announced that Tata Consultancy Services (TCS.NS), (BSE: 532540, NSE: TCS) is the recipient of its 2011 Strategic Supplier Partnership Initiative (SSPI) award. The award recognizes key suppliers that show commitment to embodying Genworth values and demonstrating innovation, continuous improvement and cost performance.
(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120515/PH07429)
TCS is a leading IT services, consulting, and business solutions organization and one of the top 10 technology firms in the world. TCS provides Genworth a broad range of application development and 24×7 technical support services across key administration platforms globally. TCS also provides strategic thought leadership across many key business and technology initiatives by leveraging its deep Insurance domain expertise and its investments into new and innovative technologies. TCS is one of Genworth’s largest services providers and recently celebrated 15 years of partnering together.
“TCS has earned an enterprise-wide reputation from Genworth for delivering technology services and solutions that drive business value and results. We applaud TCS for having consistently demonstrated thought leadership and agility in meeting Genworth’s strategic priorities from consulting on retail care coordination applications to helping support our formulation of a Global Mortgage Insurance IT support strategy” says Lance Davis, Genworth Senior Vice President, Finance Shared Services.
“Receiving Genworth’s Strategic Supplier award is an honor and tribute to the quality of work we do for them,” said Suresh Muthuswami, President, Insurance and Healthcare Group at TCS. “This award is a testament to the strength of our 15+ year relationship with Genworth across the globe, and to our commitment to delivering strategic and innovative services to help our Insurance clients operate their business with greater efficiency and agility.”
“The partnership between TCS and Genworth has excelled because of the shared values and strength of purpose that our two companies have. The dedication and hard work of our teams, our innovative solutions and our global reach has enabled us to deliver on our promise of Experience Certainty,” said Srikant Venkatesh, Client Partner, TCS-Genworth.
The finalists for the SSPI award were SIRVA Relocation, IBM Corporation, and Marsh & McLennan Companies subsidiaries, Marsh and Mercer.
About Genworth Financial
Genworth Financial, Inc. (GNW) is a leading Fortune 500 insurance holding company dedicated to helping people secure their financial lives, families and futures. Genworth has leadership positions in offerings that assist consumers in protecting themselves, investing for the future and planning for retirement — including life insurance, long term care insurance, financial protection coverages, and independent advisor-based wealth management — and mortgage insurance that helps consumers achieve home ownership while assisting lenders in managing their risk and capital.
Genworth has approximately 6,400 employees and operates through three divisions: Insurance and Wealth Management, which includes U.S. Life Insurance, Wealth Management and International Protection segments; Global Mortgage Insurance, which includes U.S. and International Mortgage Insurance segments; and the Corporate and Runoff division. Its products and services are offered through financial intermediaries, advisors, independent distributors and sales specialists. Genworth Financial, Inc., which traces its roots back to 1871, became a public company in 2004 and is headquartered in Richmond, Virginia. For more information, visit genworth.com. From time to time, Genworth Financial, Inc. releases important information via postings on its corporate website. Accordingly, investors and other interested parties are encouraged to enroll to receive automatic email alerts and Really Simple Syndication (RSS) feeds regarding new postings. Enrollment information is found under the “Investors” section of genworth.com
About Tata Consultancy Services Ltd. (TCS.NS)
Tata Consultancy Services is an IT services, consulting and business solutions organization that delivers real results to global business, ensuring a level of certainty no other firm can match. TCS offers a consulting-led, integrated portfolio of IT, BPO, infrastructure, engineering and assurance services. This is delivered through its unique Global Network Delivery Model™, recognized as the benchmark of excellence in software development. A part of the Tata group, India’s largest industrial conglomerate, TCS has over 238,500 of the world’s best-trained consultants in 42 countries. The company generated consolidated revenues of US $10.17 billion for year ended March 31, 2012 and is listed on the National Stock Exchange and Bombay Stock Exchange in India. For more information, visit us at http://www.tcs.com.
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May 17th, 2012
 For more information, please contact: Mike Wilmering Communications Specialist Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis
For Immediate Release
Nakamura, Kamsky Win, Zatonskih and Krush Draw
By FM Mike Klein
The 2012 U.S. Championship and U.S. Women’s Championship did not change leadership today, though the two tournaments produced much different levels of excitement.
With the two top seeds in each division pulling away from the pack, GM Gata Kamsky exuded his usual perfection in positional chess to give GM Alex Lenderman his first loss of the event. That left the crowd watching to see if GM Hikaru Nakamura, the top seed in the U.S. Championship, could keep pace.
After an unusual French Defense led to a stolid middlegame with no obvious breakthrough, it looked like Nakamura and GM Alex Stripunsky would admit the impasse and agree to a draw. After his own game ended, Kamsky looked on from the press room and had a different opinion. He suggested Nakamura prepare his f-pawn’s advance, which Nakamura managed in due time. “White has no counterplay and is lost completely,” Kamsky concluded almost instantly.
Sensing the infiltration, Stripunsky was unwilling to wait for the inevitable. He sacrificed a piece, then the exchange, then later, with his time running out, another exchange. The final salvo proved too much. Though he engineered a quintet of passed pawns, Nakamura’s rook took post on the eighth rank to parry all the possible promotions. Stripunsky saw his pawns were stuck and resigned. After the game, a quick analysis by the players produced a myriad of variations. Enlisting the help of other players produced more questions than answers. “White’s winning, no black’s winning, no white’s winning,” GM Yasser Seirawan said.
Kamsky’s win lacked similar drama. After repulsing any queenside attacking ideas, he eventually advanced five pawns to the fifth rank in picturesque uniformity. After 18…Bh5, Kamsky said his position was “completely OK.” Then he took a closer look and declared, “Actually, maybe it’s not so pleasant for white.” The space advantage, coupled with a belligerent knight, was too much for Lenderman to handle.
“The game got away from me quickly somehow,” a flummoxed Lenderman said. “There were so many choices for white, but I couldn’t find a way to make the maximum of all my pieces. I was trying to calculate lines before outlining strategic possibilities.” In a moment of extreme candor from the 22-year-old, he added, “The position was just too complicated for me. Chess understanding is just not there for me. Good thing I am playing in this tournament. I keep trying to make ‘professor’ moves where I try to do too much. I keep making this mistake against 2700s.”
Kamsky and Nakamura both have 6/8 and will play each other on Friday. Should there be a winner, he will be the betting favorite to win the title.
Chasing the two leaders is a trio of grandmasters. GMs Alex Onischuk, Varuzhan Akobian and Yury Shulman all have 4.5/8. Taken together, the top five men comprise the U.S. Olympiad team from 2008, the last time the squad won a team medal.
Akobian won the only other decisive game of the day, besting GM Alejandro Ramirez in a wild game. “It was an unusual position,” Akobian said. Ramirez pushed …c5, …b5, …f5 and …g5 all in the first 11 moves. He left his center pawns at home while traversing his queen from one rook file to the other. “I was a little too optimistic,” Ramirez replied. “I wanted to play something interesting, but it backfired.”
Akobian said he spent 20 minutes in the opening calculating the unusual tactic 8. b4. If 8…axb3 e.p., the queen hangs. If 8…Qxb4, 9. Rb1 skewers the queen to the bishop. But if 8…cxb4 the pawn blocks the diagonal pin so 9. Nxe4 is possible. A possible variation is 9…b3+ 10. Ned2 b2 11. Ra2 a3 12. e4 Na6 (heading to b4) 13. Bxa6 Bxa6. Upon seeing this position, both players liked their position. Ramirez thought the b2-pawn and white’s inability to castle offset his material loss. Ultimately, Akobian said he could not accurately evaluate the position, and headed for calmer waters with 8. c3.
GM Gregory Kaidanov played his second queen versus three minor piece game, this time departing with the monarch to try his hand with the knights and bishops. Earlier in the tournament, GM Robert Hess trapped Kaidanov’s queen on the back rank. This time the queen had more space, but with no major weaknesses for either side, Kaidanov and his former student, GM Ray Robson, agreed to a draw.
In the women’s side of the playing hall, IMs Zatonskih and Krush renewed their annual rivalry in round 7. Though a great majority of the their previous contests had produced a winner, Krush had little incentive to go for an unbalanced game. Playing black, Krush liquidated the position’s energy and the ladies agreed to a lifeless draw. They both still lead with 5/7.
Zatonskih regretted the move 12. Bf4, which allowed Krush to centralize with 12…Nd5 and win a tempo. “It is just fantastic how I played this,” Zatonskih said, chastising herself. She was using the literal connotation of “fantastic,” expressing that the move was unexplainable and bad. Afterward, she thought for 40 minutes.
Krush said a plan with b4 would have created a few problems for her, but ultimately she was never worried. “I just tried to play solid today,” she said. Although her pairings for the final two rounds are significantly easier than Zatonskih’s, Krush said, “The tournament is not over. There’s no reason to be joyous.”
The players shared a funny possible drawing line. If 15…a6 16. Nbc3 Nd4 17. Rc1 Nb3 18. Rc2 Nd4 19. Rd2 Nb3 20. Rd3 Nc1 and the rook either returns or goes wandering aimlessly.
IM Rusudan Goletiani took sole possession of third place after her win against WGM Tatev Abrahamyan. With a pawn deficit and short on time, Goletiani threw all of her pawns at her opponent’s castled king, breaking through for the point. While she does not control her own destiny, Goletiani faces Zatonskih tomorrow as white in a game both women will be trying to win to stay alive for first place. If Zatonskih wins, Goletiani will be mathematically eliminated from title contention.
WGM Sabina Foisor was the only other winner of the round. She used the Samisch Variation to beat FM Alisa Melekhina’s favorite King’s Indian Defense. With king’s castled on opposite sides, Melekhina could not open an attack, and eventually ceded control of the only open file. Foisor’s rook took control and dominated in the endgame. Foisor is in sole fourth place with 4/7.
Round nine for the U.S. Championship and round eight for the U.S. Women’s Championship will begin tomorrow at 1 p.m. Central, 2 p.m. Eastern. Come visit the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis.
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May 17th, 2012
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May 16th, 2012
RICHMOND, Va., May 15, 2012 /PRNewswire/ – Genworth Financial, Inc. (GNW) today announced that Tata Consultancy Services (TCS.NS), (BSE: 532540, NSE: TCS) is the recipient of its 2011 Strategic Supplier Partnership Initiative (SSPI) award. The award recognizes key suppliers that show commitment to embodying Genworth values and demonstrating innovation, continuous improvement and cost performance.
(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120515/PH07429)
TCS is a leading IT services, consulting, and business solutions organization and one of the top 10 technology firms in the world. TCS provides Genworth a broad range of application development and 24×7 technical support services across key administration platforms globally. TCS also provides strategic thought leadership across many key business and technology initiatives by leveraging its deep Insurance domain expertise and its investments into new and innovative technologies. TCS is one of Genworth’s largest services providers and recently celebrated 15 years of partnering together.
“TCS has earned an enterprise-wide reputation from Genworth for delivering technology services and solutions that drive business value and results. We applaud TCS for having consistently demonstrated thought leadership and agility in meeting Genworth’s strategic priorities from consulting on retail care coordination applications to helping support our formulation of a Global Mortgage Insurance IT support strategy” says Lance Davis, Genworth Senior Vice President, Finance Shared Services.
“Receiving Genworth’s Strategic Supplier award is an honor and tribute to the quality of work we do for them,” said Suresh Muthuswami, President, Insurance and Healthcare Group at TCS. “This award is a testament to the strength of our 15+ year relationship with Genworth across the globe, and to our commitment to delivering strategic and innovative services to help our Insurance clients operate their business with greater efficiency and agility.”
“The partnership between TCS and Genworth has excelled because of the shared values and strength of purpose that our two companies have. The dedication and hard work of our teams, our innovative solutions and our global reach has enabled us to deliver on our promise of Experience Certainty,” said Srikant Venkatesh, Client Partner, TCS-Genworth.
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May 14th, 2012
It is a trade capacity development tool, with a goal to promote rapid economic growth by using tax and business incentives to attract foreign investment and technology. By offering privileged terms, Special Economic Zones attract investment and foreign exchange, spur employment and boost the development of improved technologies and infrastructure.
In India, Special Economic Zones are being established in an attempt to deal with infrastructural deficiencies, procedural complexities, bureaucratic hassles and barriers raised by monetary, trade, fiscal, taxation, tariff and labour policies. Since country-wide development of the infrastructure is expensive and implementation of structural reforms would require time, ( Special Economic Zones/Export Processing Zones) are being established as industrial enclaves for expediting the process of industrialization.
One of the earliest and most famous Special Economic Zone was founded by the government of the People’s Republic of China under Deng Xiaoping in the early 1980s.
Government of India in April 2000 announced the introduction of Special Economic Zones policy in the country. As of 2007, more than 500 Special Economic Zones have been proposed, 220 of which have already been created. This has raised the concern of the World Bank, which questions the sustainability of such a large number of Special Economic Zones.
Tracing Indian economic reforms In India several attempts have been made to liberalize the system of economic management. In 1980s, the Indian Government focused on reorganizing low-efficient state-run enterprises and partial disinvestment, relaxing the control on private enterprises and foreign capital, introducing competitive mechanisms, reducing protection for domestic industries, promoting and importing advanced technological equipment from abroad etc.
In 1991, the reformed trade and industrial policy eliminated licensing requirements for private domestic and foreign investment in certain industries and relaxed the restrictions under the Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practices Act on expansion, diversification, mergers and acquisitions by large firms and industrial houses. Special Economic Zones came in pursuance of this export led growth strategy.
Special Economic Zones were announced by the Government of India in April 2000 as a part of the Export-Import policy of India. The government realized the need to enhance foreign investment, promote exports from the country and at the same time provide a level playing to the domestic enterprises, while ensuring manufacturers to be competitive globally.
The Special Economic Zones as announced by the Government of India in 2000 were deemed to be foreign territory for the purposes of trade operations, duties and tariffs. These zones were to provide an internationally competitive and hassle free environment for exports. Units were allowed be set up in Special Economic Zone for manufacture of goods and rendering of services. All import/export operations of the Special Economic Zone units were on self-certification basis. Anything could be imported duty free but sales in the Domestic Tariff Area by Special Economic Zone units were subject to payment of full Custom Duty and as per import policy in force. Further Offshore banking units were being allowed to be set up in the Special Economic Zones. The policy provided for setting up of Special Economic Zones in the public, private, joint sector or by State Governments.
On 31st August 2004 the Department of Commerce announced the Foreign Trade Policy 2004-2009 to create an appropriate institutional framework and policy environment for facilitation and growth of external trade. The basic objective of this policy was to double India’s share of global merchandise trade by 2009 and make exports an effective instrument of economic growth and employment generation. The Special Economic Zone Act, 2005 and the Special Economic Zone Rules, 2006 were introduced under this policy, to regulate and promote the development of these industrial enclaves.
The Act designated the Special Economic Zones a duty free enclave to be treated as foreign territory only for trade operations and duties and tariffs. Under the Act, no license is required for import and no routine examination is to be conducted by the custom authorities of the export/import cargo. To aid backward and forward integration of the economy, the Act provides exemptions to Special Economic Zone units and Special Economic Zone developers from all indirect taxes, including basic customs duty, countervailing duty, education cess, and direct taxes while at the same time domestic sales are subject to full customs duty and import policy in force. The Act provided the freedom to subcontract. It also permitted manufacturing, trading and service activities in the Special Economic Zones.
India and China : Whether on a Level Platform Success stories of large and small developing countries can be explained by the growth of world trade and opening up of these economies with market based deregulation. But from any in-depth scrutiny one finds that the reform package under the broad heading of “liberalization” is very different from country to country. There is no standard recipe of a “reform package”. A lot of factors influence the performance of Special Economic Zones in a country e.g. economic history, location, industries, state policy etc. Since India has adopted the idea of the special economic zones from China it becomes pertinent to study the history of economic development in India and China.
China’s success can be ascribed largely because of its effective population control. In the pre-reform days, both in China and India top priority was given to equity, removing poverty and increasing the social aspects of standards of living. This, however, was attempted in China under a total state-controlled economy and in India with the public sector playing a dominant role along with the market forces. Both the economies adopted a strategy of import substitution and heavy industry growth. China over time, realized that maintaining high standards of living becomes difficult unless efficiency in the use of resources is increased. Its attempt to maintain equity through forced saving and administered directives resulted in social unrest, which came to a breaking point after the controversial Cultural Revolution. The key objective of present reform in China is to bring incentives back in the economy by increasing the role of the market with minimum changes in their political i nstitutions. This is defined in China as an experiment in a socialistic market economy.
In India, heavy import substitution lead to increased inefficiency in production and generation of surplus for maintaining the tempo of equity measures as a result social development became impossible. This led to heavy borrowing, culminating in a balance of payments crisis. To meet the crisis, this new economic policy in India was initiated.
China’s success in attracting foreign direct investment and becoming one of the top exporting countries of the world hinged on the careful implementation of its Special Economic Zone policy. Size, location, flexible labour laws and stable policies were the factors primarily responsible for making Chinese Special Economic Zones attractive to foreign investors. In India, the fiscal concessions being offered to developers and units are the primary driving force.
Chinese government started building Special Economic Zones way back in 1979. The idea behind the Special Economic Zones was to experiment with liberal policies in certain ear-marked regions while insulating the rest of the economy from their influence. The government identified huge tracts of land, near the coastal region, and started building mega cities with all required infrastructure. Stringent labour laws applicable in China were relaxed in these regions and foreign investment was encouraged by offering concessions and promising of stability.
In 1980 four Special Economic Zones namely, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Shantou and Xiamen were opened up. In 1984, fourteen coastal cities were opened up as a further step. In 1985, three delta areas along the Yangtze River and Pearl River and in the southern part of Fujian province as well as several other places were opened up. In the following years, Hainan Island, Pudong New Area in Shanghai, five big cities along the Yangtze River, eighteen provincial capitals and a part of inland and border cities were opened up. These zones were created initially as experimental stations to adjust and watch their operations vis–vis open market interactions.
Though India had a head-start in the direction by building its first export processing zone in 1969 with certain minimum infrastructure and fiscal sops, it could not muster enough political will to build full-fledged Special Economic Zones with foreign territory status in the matters of international trade till the turn of the century. As opposed to five mega Special Economic Zones built by the Chinese government (the largest being Shenzhen built over 49,500 hectares), India opened its doors to private players and allowed sector-specific Special Economic Zones to develop on just 10 hectares of land. As a result, more than 500 Special Economic Zones have been proposed, 220 of which have already been created. The economies of scale, which seems to have worked so well in China by reducing production costs, may not have the same effect in the Indian Special Economic Zone s.
In China, the government chose the location for Special Economic Zone s with a lot of thought with all five located near the coastal region. This made it easier for the Special Economic Zone units to export their products and import inputs. In India, Special Economic Zones are being built all over the country, wherever land can be acquired by the developers. This has also led to allegations of land-grabbing and conversion of productive agricultural land by developers. As a result, Centre has made it mandatory that all proposals should have a certificate from the state governments notifying that the land being used is non-agricultural for at least 90%.
Flexibility in labour laws, which played an important role in attracting foreign investors, is absent in the Indian Special Economic Zones. This is one of the prices India has to pay for the advantages of a federal democratic government. India has, however, tried to make up for all the disadvantages by offering attractive fiscal sops. Tax holidays for Special Economic Zones in India are longer and steeper than those given by China. This had given rise to some dissent from the finance ministry which had complained that the fiscal loss would be immense. In fact the scheme has generated a difference of opinion between the Finance and Commerce Ministries. While the former is voicing its concerns about possible revenue loss from the tax privileges for the Special Economic Zones, the latter is stoutly defending the policy with statistics suggesting minimal losses and highlighting eventual gains in terms of employment and revenues
Reserve Bank of India has also expressed its concerns about the revenue losses and the uneven pattern of development. Reserve Bank of India insisted on factoring the revenue implications of the taxation benefits. The revenue loss for the Government in providing incentives may be justified only if the Special Economic Zone units ensure forward and backward linkages with the domestic economy. Also, as resources are being diverted from the less developed, growth will not be uniform.
One of the most basic difference between the Special Economic Zone model adopted in China and India is that the Chinese Special Economic Zone initiative is government driven, whereas Indian Special Economic Zones are driven by private sector . In China , the State acquires the land and develops the required infrastructure, while private enterprises are invited to set up units. Under such a system, land continues to be under the ownership of the State. In India, however, private entities are being involved in developing the Special Economic Zone infrastructure. As a result, Land is being acquired by the State and handed over to private developers.
Current Controversy The Economic Survey of 2006-07 highlighted the fact that Special Economic Zone s are testing grounds for the implementation of liberal market economy principles. At the same the survey emphasized on some apprehensions against the Special Economic Zones: Generation of little new activity as there may be relocation of industries to take advantage of tax concessions, Revenue loss, Large-scale land acquisition by the developers, may lead to displacement of farmers with meager compensation, Acquisition of prime agricultural land, having serious implications for food security, Misuse of land by the developers for real estate and Uneven growth aggravating regional inequalities.
The Survey also mentioned that many of these apprehensions, however, could be addressed through appropriate policies and safeguards. A major controversy surrounding the implementation of the Special Economic Zone scheme has been the ruthless manner adopted for acquiring land. News reports highlighted protests across the country against acquisition of lands for the purpose of establishing Special Economic Zones. The “SEZ No More” campaign gained momentum after the bloody chapter in Nandigram.
Since, developing Special Economic Zones involves massive displacement of farmers, it is essential that a systematic approach should be followed for ensuring balance of interests. Consequently, state governments have been advised that in land acquisition for Special Economic Zones, first priority should be for acquisition of waste and barren land and if necessary single crop agricultural land. If perforce a portion of double-cropped agricultural land has to be acquired to meet the minimum area requirements, especially for multi-product Special Economic Zone, the same should not exceed 10 % of the total land required for the Special Economic Zone
The government has also announced the new National Policy on Rehabilitation and Resettlement 2007. This policy would provide land-for-land compensation for acquisition of land for development purposes, including Special Economic Zones, and employment to at least one person from each affected family. A National Rehabilitation Commission would be set up by the Central Government, which would be duly empowered to exercise independent oversight over the rehabilitation and resettlement of the affected families. Further, wage employment would be provided to the willing affected persons in the construction work in the project. The policy also ensures housing benefits including houses to the landless affected families in both rural and urban areas.
Adequate provisions have been made for financial support to the affected families for construction of cattle sheds, shops, working sheds; transportation costs, temporary and transitional accommodation, comprehensive infrastructural facilities and amenities in the resettlement area including education, health care, drinking water, roads, electricity, sanitation, religious activities, cattle grazing, and other community resources.
The benefits expressed in monetary terms have been linked to the Consumer Price Index, and the same shall also be revised suitably at appropriate intervals. Special provision has been made for providing life-time monthly pension to the vulnerable persons, such as the disabled, destitute, orphans, widows, unmarried girls, abandoned women, or persons above 50 years of age (who are not provided or cannot immediately be provided with alternative livelihood).
A strong grievance redressal mechanism has been prescribed, which includes standing R&R Committees at the district level, R&R Committees at the project level, and an Ombudsman duly empowered in this regard. The R&R Committees shall have representatives from the affected families including women, voluntary organizations, Panchayats, local elected representatives, etc. Provision has also been made for post-implementation social audits of the rehabilitation and resettlement schemes and plans.
For effective monitoring of the progress of implementation of R&R plans, provisions have been made for a National Monitoring Committee, a National Monitoring Cell, mandatory information sharing by the States and Union Territories with the National Monitoring Cell, and Oversight Committees in the Ministries/Departments concerned for each major project.
For ensuring transparency, provision has been made for mandatory dissemination of information on displacement, rehabilitation and resettlement, with names of the affected persons and details of the rehabilitation packages. Such information shall be placed in the public domain on the Internet as well as shared with the concerned Gram Sabhas and Panchayats by the project authorities. This policy aims at striking a balance between the need for land for development purposes and protecting the interests of land owners and other displaced people.
Conclusion A study conducted by Aradhna Aggarwal on the Impact of Special Economic Zones on Employment, Poverty and Human Development indicated, that Employment generation, both direct and indirect, has thus far been the most important channel, through which Special Economic Zones have impacted on human development and poverty reduction in India. However, the role of Special Economic Zone s in human capital formation and as an engine for promoting new knowledge, technologies and innovations through technology transfers and technology creation appears to be relatively limited. With new generation Special Economic Zones emerging, the scope of human capital formation and technology upgrading effects will widen. It is therefore important for the government to play a pro active role in strengthening these effects.
For the contribution of Special Economic Zones to various aspects of human development to be realized, it is important to forge linkages between the domestic economy and Special Economic Zones. Systematic efforts need to be made to help zone units forge links with the outside units. Also, the effects of Special Economic Zones are contingent upon the success of these zones in attracting investment, in particular, Foreign Direct Investment. A comprehensive policy framework is required to attain this. The government has to ensure that strategies are developed in a timely manner to strengthen the opportunities that are likely to emerge, protect interests of the Special Economic Zones workers, and forge linkages between Special Economic Zones and the domestic economy. Such a regulated and monitored approach is the only means of attaining the actual potential of these Special Economic Zones.
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May 14th, 2012
Leveraging information in the public domain, as well as dipping into the enormous stockpile of learning that is Open Education Resources, Boundless Learning has a created a tool that hopes to eventually replace the traditional textbook model. Just like “open” anything, however, Boundless Learning has not gone without its fair share of trouble from vested industry interests. Recently, the textbook publishing giant Pearson, along with MacMillan and Cengage, filed a …
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May 14th, 2012
 Typically we think of eavesdropping as a human endeavor. Individually we all do it to a certain degree. Call it social listening, if you will. Sometimes we can’t help but overhear a conversation. Other times we might deliberately try to listen in on what someone else is saying. I remember as a kid putting a cup up against the door to try and hear what was going on behind closed doors. Collectively as nations we eavesdrop on a massive scale, in times of peace and war. Currently, the military spends a considerable amount of money on ‘electronic intelligence’, so much so that there is an entire center devoted to eavesdropping: Menwith Hill in North Yorkshire.
We certainly did not invent this strategy of watching or listening in on others. Like most things, we’ve copied it from nature. Eavesdropping is ubiquitous across the animal kingdom. Whenever substantial time or resources are devoted to an activity there is usually a payoff to be found. This got me wondering, what is the payoff for eavesdropping?
Several advantages immediately come to mind. For example, perhaps you can increase your access to resources. One way to do this would be to avoid wasting time going after resources that someone else has already used up. This is frequently observed among competitors searching for similar resources. When one thinks of fierce competitors, two stingless bee species may not be the first thing that comes to mind.
Nevertheless, between two species of Trigona, the largest genus of stingless bees, Trigona hyalinata is able to increase its foraging efficiency (spend less energy/time looking for food) by avoiding visiting food sources that have been potentially depleted by the other species Trigona spinipes. Both species use pheremone (odor) trails to recruit others of their own species, but it appears that T. hyalinata detects and avoids the trails left by T. spinipes in order to not waste time on unprofitable resources.
Conversely, intercepting someone else’s signal could lead you to resources you might otherwise not know about, or would have to spend a considerable amount of time discovering on your own. Blatant thievery via eavesdropping is a common practice among animals, particularly among food-storing species.
Many rodents and birds store, or cache, their food. In general, if you have to store your food, it seems like a good idea to remember where you put it. Therefore we can predict that animals that put food in different locations will, at the very least, have superb spatial memory. Because of this, some animals also have the ability to find where others put their food, resulting in pilfering rates that can exceed 30%. This stealing is not limited to one’s own species, but often includes thievery between species that coexist in the same area.
The idea is obvious. Why not supplement your own stockpile and strike a blow to your competitor all in one fell swoop? Of course if you are the smaller of the two you might be able to hide your food in places that a larger competitor can’t get to and simultaneously steal their stash. For many rodents, it does seem as though the little guy does better in the robbing department. Pocket mice steal more from kangaroo rats than vice versa, yellow pine chipmunks find more of the larger golden-mantled ground squirrel’s cache sites, and the least chipmunk helps itself to more of the eastern chipmunks hidden food. The more interesting question, however, is how do these robbers find these caches?
In some cases, particularly rodents, it is frequently through smell. Unlike in the bee example, this would not really qualify as eavesdropping since the cacher is not deliberately leaving a scent for others to find. Instead it is tantamount to a kind of random search, except that there are some environmental cues giving you a hint. In most case then, you would be better off looking for food on your own rather than randomly searching around for where someone else hid their reserves. Unless, of course, you could somehow learn where they hid the food. In such situations, the would-be thief does eavesdrop by waiting and watching to see where the cacher plans to hide its food. This is widespread in the corvids, a group that includes ravens, pinyon jays, and the champion of cachers, the Clark’s nutcracker.
Ravens, known for their communication, problem solving abilities, and tool use, can add another specialty to their list: criminal mastermind. Since any reasonable individual would protect their stash, it would be advantageous to delay stealing someone else’s food so that you don’t have to engage in a direct confrontation (e.g., robbing the house when no one is home). Direct confrontation is costly unless you are dominant in some way, like the Somali warlords who sit and wait to intercept aid rations. A safer strategy for the majority of us is tactical deception.
While all corvids are known for their ridiculously fantastic spatial memory, ravens also watch where a competitor hides their food, wait a while, and then raid the cache after the individual doing the hiding leaves the area. Unlike other corvids that hide thousands of seeds over long periods of time (and also remember the location of where others hid their food), ravens hide valuable food on a more short-term basis. As a result, the one doing the watching tries to do so undetected, and the one doing the hiding tries to obfuscate the location of its treasure. As expected, countermeasures develop on both sides, much like the jamming and interception tactics developed by competing military operations. Overall, this ‘arms race’ for discovering information and preventing detection seen in ravens gives rise to one of the few examples of strategic or tactical deception in a nonprimate.
 Certainly the value of a limiting resource like food lends itself to behavior such as eavesdropping, but what about other valuable resources? For a lot of animals out there, finding a mate involves a hard, long, drawn out battle. The fiddler crab has a lovely courtship approach. You have probably seen them along beaches or inter-tidal areas around salt marshes. The easiest way to recognize them is by the males, who have one large fiddle-shaped claw.
Sometimes these crab look like they are waving at you with their one big claw. Indeed the males are waving, not really at you, but at the females. This show-stopping waving action is designed to get the attention of, and impress, the female. Females are attracted to the rate at which a male is waving his claw, and faster is better. While it may get her attention, it also acts like a beacon to other males competing for her affections.
A recent study by Milner and colleagues found that male fiddler crabs eavesdrop on each other. If a male spots another male beginning to wave, he too starts waving. In addition, the eavesdropping male waves at a rate similar to the male who is in complete visual contact with the female. Thus, fiddler crab males use the signal of rivals to increase their chances of getting noticed by females. Similarly, male bush crickets will eavesdrop on a dueting pair and attempt to intercept the female, while the Broadley’s painted reed frog takes its cue, as in the case with fiddler crabs, from the calling of other males to determine when a female is around.
So far all of the examples have focused on avoiding depleted resources or gaining access to resources through clandestine means. In many more cases, and possibly more similar to what we, as humans do, eavesdropping is used to detect a potential threat. For example, in animal communication systems, alarm calls, once emitted, move into the ‘public domain’ creating an opportunity for others to intercept the call.
The challenge here is that to benefit from heterospecific alarm calls an eavesdropping species has to be able to interpret or decode the information sent out by the other species. In doing so, a species can garner several advantages, including 1) not having to spend their time watching for predators since they have a heterospecific sentinel system and 2) not having to produce their own alarm call, thereby revealing their location to the predator.
Of course for eavesdropping to evolve in a community, you need two species at risk from the same predator and one of the species must produce an alarm call. This form of threat eavesdropping has been documented in a wide range of species, including mammals, birds and lizards. It is especialy common in mixed-species groups of birds and social primates.
 For instance, the superb fairy-wren likes to feed on the forest floor. This is a dangerous place to be. In some places superb fairy-wrens share the habitat with the noisy miner, a bird that forages in the canopy. Noisy miners are so named for their proclivity to be feisty and, well, noisy. They routinely attack, or mob, potential predators such as hawks. In addition to mobbing, they emit two different alarm calls, one when a raptor is in flight and one when the predator is perched or on the ground. Superb fairy-wrens have learned what the two alarm calls mean and by eavesdropping on noisy miners, they have a personal alarm system letting them know when its time to get out of dodge.
Aside from potential threats, eavesdropping might let you better discriminate between friend and foe, particularly if there is dishonesty afoot. In this way, being a ‘silent’ bystander can have a strong influence on your future willingness to cooperate. We can easily see how this is advantageous from a military perspective. Nations may appear to be allies, but eavesdropping can reveal divided loyalties. At a smaller scale, social eavesdropping can give individuals important information regarding their status or the willingness of others to share or be altruistic.
For example, little blue penguin males produce a ‘triumph’ display when they win a conflict against another male. When other males hear this call, not only are they less likely to instigate a fight with the winner, but they also have a stress reaction in response to all the fuss. This is similar to what was found in humans, where eavesdropping influenced the perceptions of dominance rank among men.
On the flip side, indirect evidence gained via eavesdropping can assist an individual in detecting cooperating versus cheating individuals. Sparrow males are aggressive with their neighbors until territories have been established. Once mating is underway it behooves both males to spare their energy and fight against strangers and not each other. Strategically this makes sense, but also sets up the potential for one male to not hold up his end of the bargain.
In other words, how can males determine if they should trust the truce reached? We have a saying that your ‘reputation’ precedes you and means everything, and it seems the same is true for sparrows. A given male will observe how his neighbor interacts with his neighbor’s neighbor. If he determines, through eavesdropping, that his neighbor is defecting from the peace treaty, he too will choose an aggressive strategy since he has observed, indirectly, that his neighbor is untrustworthy.
As with people, it has been reported that chimpanzees, client fish, and dogs may monitor interactions between two individuals to assess which individual is more altruistic and willing to cooperate. Though in the case of dogs, they can monitor the interaction between a pair of humans! Marshall-Pescini and colleagues examined whether, through social eavesdropping, dogs monitor, comprehend, and adjust their behavior when observing interactions between two people. Previous work had revealed that dogs console the loser in third-party interaction and also can tell if a person will make a good play partner based on watching that person interact with another dog. In this study dogs first observed a human begging for food from another human. The ‘selfish’ human gave no food to the ‘begging’ human, while the ‘generous’ human freely shared his/her food with the human asking for food.
The dogs were observed for their tendency to gaze at each of the players, and then tested to see if they preferentially approached the ‘selfish’ or ‘generous’ person in search of sausage. In the experimental group, dogs wasted no time with the ‘selfish human’. The dogs not only approached the generous food-sharer more frequently, but also interacted with them for significantly more time. Given that the humans were strangers, dogs used eavesdropping on a third-party interaction to gain valuable information about the likelihood that a particular person would share food with him or her. Not only do dogs have a better sense of smell than us, but also seem to be smarter about reading human behavior and intention than we sometimes are!
From the pheremone trails of stingless bees to the broadscale electronic surveillance undertaken by militaries around the world, it is clear that accessing information, particularly by indirect means via eavesdropping has adaptive benefits. The listener can avoid depleted resources, access additional resources, garner extra protection against predators, and determine their social status. In other social settings, both within and between species (e.g., humans-dog), where the interactions among indivduals are observed, assessing ones tendency to share, cooperate, or be fair may not only benefit the listener or observer, but could potentially discourage selfish behavior. On the other hand, countermeasures flourish in the presence of eavesdropping, so maybe all that listening just promotes more sophosticated deception.
Resources:
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Images:
1. Raven by National Park Service at Wikimedia commons; 2. Fiddler crab by Ianaré Sévi at Wikimedia commons; 3. Superb fairy-wren by Cas Liber at Wikimedia commons.
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