Managing food prices.

Even as reports pour in of a softening of food price futures, the spectre of food price inflation haunts households across the country. But to imagine that the inflation genie can be put back into the bottle through legislative fiat is the height of parliamentary fantasy. The Estimates Committee of the Lok Sabha has recommended just that! It wants new legislation to check price rise of essential commodities by capping the profit margins of trade intermediaries. As if the Essential Commodities Act is not enough, it thinks that more laws means better compliance! The worrisome situation on the food price front deserves all the policy attention it can get, but not through new legislation. The price of food items, including staple cereals, pulses, vegetables, fruit and sugar, are all under pressure for a variety of reasons and demand focused administrative action. daily deals toronto

Net profit likely to jump 3-fold this sugar cycle.

The sugar industry is likely to post robust profit in the financial year ending September 2010 on the back of an expected decline in production in the current sugar cycle (October 2009-September 2010). - Tata Steel sees Rs 2,700-cr loss, to cut some debt - Tata Power net drops 30% in Q2 - Siemens FY09 net up 17% to Rs 704 cr - Balrampur Chini Sept quarter net climbs 193% - Sugar industry may engage RLD for resolving cane impasse - Mphasis Q4 net up 34% at Rs 245 cr According to sugar sector analysts from Antique Broking, Credit Suisse, DSP Merrill Lynch, HSBC Global Research, Morgan Stanley Research and Prabhudas Lilladher, the five most tracked sugar companies are expected to post revenue growth of over 70 per cent and a whopping 280 per cent rise in net profit in financial year 2010.

Now, intelligent viewing on your TV.

The boundary between a television set and a computer is blurring. Consider Zenith Computer-promoted Vu Technologies’ offering, the Intelligent TV, which is a television-cum-PC with a Microsoft Windows operating system (OS). - Around 8,000 CAT students affected in 3 days, admit IIMs - Nagarjuna Construction, Zenith Computers & SCI Q2 results - IIM-Ahmedabad to change campus placement process - IIM-L conclave on SME sector - IIMs to decide on CAT exam debacle after report - IT companies continue to reign at IITs The company has even launched a large format touchscreen-based LCD (liquid screen display) PC that runs on Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium OS, and can double up as a gaming console. An LCD PC allows user to browse the web and watch television. “Its processors and memory chips are as good as any desktop PC you get,” says Devita Saraf, chief executive officer, Vu Technologies.

Microsoft's CFO Liddell to take over as GM's finance chief.

General Motors today said Chris Liddell, Microsoft Corp"s outgoing finance chief, has been appointed as the vice-chairman and chief financial officer of the auto giant. - Microsoft launches WebsiteSpark program - Volkswagen, Suzuki: Joining forces">Volkswagen, Suzuki: Joining forces - Twitter said to be profitable after making $25 mn search deals - GM to close Saab, sale talks with Spyker fail - Kronos in talks with Gujarat firms for workforce management - GM India inks pact with SBI for auto finance Liddell would start with GM in the new year, the company said in a statement. Liddell, who has held the post of chief financial officer in Microsoft since May 2005, will be leaving the software giant on December 31 of this year.