Life and works of a genius
The News Review:
- Life and works of a genius
- Utilities push limits of nuclear plants
- Bajaj Renault to decide on low-cost car by Jan end
Life and works of a genius
Pakistan Dawn – Dec 29, 2007
At night the engineer disappeared and the artist emerged. Canvases and colours were set in place and he painted until the early hours of the morning. In the early 1950s he gained experience as a design engineer in Stockholm where he mounted his first exhibition of paintings before returning to Karachi in 1953 to take up the post of deputy director in Central Engineering Authority Government of Pakistan. He was a consultant on the Mangla and Warsak dam projects but his heart was set on art. In those years in Karachi there were few art facilities no art schools or galleries and artists showed their work at the YMCA or in private residencies. At the behest of the then prime minister Mohammad Ali Bogra concerned citizens began to organise fund raising events for the Arts Council Karachi. In 1957 there was an art auction and the PM acted as auctioneer… Yet it was to be years before he could finally devote his energy to the powerful gestural work he described as “emerging deep from within his own psyche. In Kabul he began to design his superlative mosaic artworks. Visiting an onyx marble plant he noticed the floor strewn with marble chips. The sun shining off the pieces drew his eye and his thoughts turned to Islamic tradition and the decorative aspects of surfaces embedded with small pieces of stone or glass. Excited by the possibilities he created his first portrait worked in mosaics taking the mosaic technique further than ever before. King Zahir Shah was so pleased with his portrait that he immediately commissioned a mosaic artwork of a landscape with camels to be presented to the American president. These were the first of the artist’s internationally acclaimed series of artworks rendered in mosaic fragments of lapis jade and marble.
Utilities push limits of nuclear plants
St. Petersburg Times – Dec 29, 2007
Here in Florida and across the country utilities have asked federal regulators to extend their plants' 40-year operating licenses for another 20 years. Many of those utilities also want to alter their nuclear plants to produce more electricity. "From an engineering and technical standpoint there is no reason not to extend the life of the plant" said Buddy Eller spokesman for Progress Energy Florida. "And from an economic and environmental standpoint in terms of emissions it's a win-win for customers. Petersburg utility has already won approval to increase the output of its Crystal River nuclear plant and plans to ask for a 20-year license renewal says the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Crystal River's 40-year license expires in 2016.
Bajaj Renault to decide on low-cost car by Jan end
Economic Times – Dec 29, 2007
According to auto industry sources the talks are progressing and there havebeen some ?high-level? visits from both sides. ?The final decision willcome by the end of January? said a top source. The discussions betweenRenault-Nissan and Bajaj Auto cover everything from badging distributionsourcing to investments plant sites and engineering decisions. Sources sayNissan-Renault big boss Carlos Ghosn is keen that Bajaj handle the engineeringand distribution of the ultra low-cost car in its own way as they would do withtheir motorcycle range. He reportedly does not want to pollute their bike-to-carideas for this project. Inctober Mr Ghosn visited Bajaj Auto?s Chakan facility at the outskirts ofPune. n that occasion he had indicated that Bajaj Auto will lead the three-wayexclusive global alliance with Renault-Nissan for the $3000 small car projectwith support from the Japanese-Frenchcombine.
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