UNIT II

UNIT II

2. CYBER AGE

 POLYMER BANK NOTES

Q)  What are polymer bank notes? How are they superior to paper notes? What makes counterfeiting polymer banknotes difficult?

A) Polymer bank notes are the currency notes made from polymers. Such notes have many security features when compared to paper notes.

Paper bank notes

1. made of paper

2. easy to counterfeit

3. lesser life/ durability

4. use normal dye-based ink

5. easily torn/ damaged

6. security features include intaglio, off set, letter press printing, latent images, micro printing, intricate background pattern, watermark, embossing etc.

7. ----

Polymer bank notes

1. made of polymers

2. cannot be easily counterfeited

3. lasts two and a half times longer than paper notes

4. use metameric ink

5. harder to tear, more resistant to folding and soiling, water proof (washing machine proof) and easy to shred (destroy by machines) and recycle.

6. along with the features of paper notes, these include additional features such as using different colours on the obverse and reverse sides, colour shift characteristics, transparent windows, diffraction grating etc.

7. commonly used polymer is BOPP (Baxially Oriented Polypropylene)

BOPP Notes:

                        BOPP (Biaxially Oriented Propylene) notes posses many security features not available to paper notes. They are long lasting and therefore reduce environmental impact, production cost and replacement costs.

            The BOPP substrate is processed through the following steps:

Opacifying: Two layers of ink (usually white) are applied to each side of the note, except for an area deliberately left clear for creating an OVD.

Sheeting: The substrate is cut into sheets suitable for the printing press

Printing: Traditional offset, Intaglio and letter press printing – three different printing techniques are used.

Over coating: Notes are coated with a protective varnish. BOPP is a non fibrous and non porous polymer and hence harder to tear, waterproof and easier to shred and recycle.

            All traditional security features applied to paper notes can also be applied to polymer notes. The transparent window where the OVD is located is a key security feature of the polymer bank note. As the polymer bank note contains many security features that cannot be successfully reproduced by photocopying or scanning, it is very difficult to counterfeit. The substrate BOPP film is widely available from European and Chinese Suppliers.

Q) What was the problem that led to the development of polymer bank notes in Australia? What is the Reserve Bank of Australia doing to market its invention and how successful it has been?

Modern polymer notes were first developed by the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA), CSIRO, which is Australia’s national science agency and The University of Melbourne and was first issued as currency in the country in 1988.

Ø  In 1967, forgeries of the Australian $ 10 note were found in circulation. With the release of colour photocopiers in the same year, the RBA was concerned about an increase in counterfeiting.

Ø  In 1968, the RBA started collaborations with CSIRO.

Ø  In 1969 funds were made available for the experimental production of distinctive papers.

Ø  In 1972, it was proposed that an OVD (Optically Variable Device) created from diffraction gratings in plastic should be inserted in bank notes.

Ø  In 1973, the first patent of polymer bank notes was filed.

Ø  In 1974, a technique of lamination was used to combine materials. A BOPP laminate in which OVDs could be inserted without needing to punch holes was chosen for this purpose.

Ø  In the early 1980s, the American Bank Note Company developed an alternative polymer of poly-ethylene fibers which was marketed as ‘Tyvek’ by DuPont.

Ø  Tyvek did not perform well in trails: smudging of ink and fragility were reported as problems.

Ø  Only Costa Rica and Haiti issued Tyvek Bank notes.

Ø  Test notes were produced for Ecor, El Salvador, Honduras and Venezuela but never placed in circulation.

Ø  In 1983, the English Printers Bradbury Wilkinsons produced a version of Tyvek, but marketed it as Bradvek; however these are no longer produced.

Ø  The RBA and Innovia Films market BOPP as ‘guardian’ for countries with their own bank note printing facilities.

Ø  Note Printing Australia (a subsidiary of the RBA) prints commemorative notes and notes for circulation for other countries (for 20 countries so far).

Ø  By 2011, at least seven countries have converted fully to polymer bank notes –       Australia, Bermuda, Brunei, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Romania and Vietnam

Ø  Countries and regions which have issued commemorative bank notes not in circulation on guardian polymer include China, Taiwan, Kuwait, Northern Island and Singapore.

Ø  Canada released its first polymer bank note ($ 100) on 14 November, 2011 followed by $ 50 on 26 March, 2012 and $ 20 on 7 November, 2012.

Ø  Countries with notes printed on guardian polymer in circulation include Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Hong-Kong (for two year trail), Indonesia, Israel, Malaysia, Mexico, Nepal etc

EPITOME OF WISDOM

2. THREE DAYS TO SEE – HELEN KELLER

Helen Keller (1880-1968) has proved to be one of the greatest role models for not just the disabled but for all those striving towards a goal. Due to her outstanding energy, enthusiasm and will power she became a source of inspiration to many. She became deaf and blind when she was 19 months old. Yet she learned to read and write in several languages. She authored 13 books, wrote countless articles and devoted her life to social reform. She was an exceptionally talented author, political activist and an inspirational lecturer.

SUMMARY

Introduction –

Helen Keller is one of the greatest role models for the disabled and a source of inspiration to many. In her essay “Three Days to See” Helen brings forward her imagination and desire to further understand the world describing what she would do if she were given her eyesight for just three days. People with sight can grasp the true personality of an individual by seeing the facial expressions and body language of that person. But this is not possible for blind people. Hence if she were given her eyesight for just three days, she wishes to see as much of the world as she can and understand the beauty in it.

Helen’s first day of sight –

On the first day, Helen wants to see all her loved ones including her family members and friends who made her life ‘worth living’. She would gaze at their faces and at her loyal dogs and innocent young children and imprint all those images in her mind. But first she wants to see her teacher Anne Sullivan Macy who showed a lot of patience and sympathy towards Helen since childhood. Anne opened the outer world for her. Helen wants to look at the colours of small simple things (intimate trifles) at home and at the books both printed in Braille and more preferably at the ones in normal print. In the afternoon, she will stroll through the hidden paths of the forest and admire the colours of the sunset. While returning from the woods, she will see the horses ploughing the fields and the content (satisfaction) in the lives of the farmers. She will appreciate all of God’s beautiful creations for the humans. When dusk falls she can see things in the artificial light which is a creation of man’s genius. Sleep shouldn’t overcome her excitement that night.

Helen’s second day of sight –

To mark the start of her second day, she will awake to be in awe of the day break. She wants to get a glimpse of world’s past and present especially the evolution of men, animals, earth and nature through the ages by visiting museums. Due to shortage of time, she selects larger museums where she can come across various things in a single place. First she will visit the New York Museum of Natural History and see the historical things which she earlier only touched and felt. Following that she will visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art to see the beauty of the sculptures and the wooden carvings and artifacts of Egyptian, Greek and Roman cultures. She will watch the beautiful paintings and sculptures of famous artists. She will watch the gothic carvings and beautiful Greek vases.

 Helen loved theatre a lot. Hence she plans to watch at least one play or movie enacted in a theatre and derive a great pleasure being able to watch the interplay of speech, colour and movement. Thus she can acquire a deep and true appreciation of art. This experience would make her understand clearly the action of 100 more plays. Helen says that she loves watching plays but as she is both deaf and blind, the actions of the plays should be spelled in her hand by a companion. She desires to see the figures of Hamlet, Falstaff and the others. She recollects her dearest memory of touching Joseph Jefferson’s face while he was delivering the dialogues of Rip Van Winkle. This made her get a meager glimpse of the world of drama.

            

Helen’s third day of sight –

On the third day, she will greet the dawn as every dawn is equally beautiful. On this day, she wants to see our economy, the world of the present, the conditions and activities of men and how they go about the business of life. She will start from her home which is surrounded by greenery. She will observe the peaceful little houses with happy wives and children and men who go for work in the cities. She will drive across the river bridge observing the busy boats and racing speed boats. She will watch the vast banks of stone and steel – structures, fantastic towers of New York and Empire State Building and would go round the city. She would stroll down the Fifth Avenue. Standing in a corner, she will see the people walking on the streets and observe their feelings of happiness, smile, determination and also suffering. She will see the women in colorful dresses. She says that if she was not blind then she might also be like the other women who are too interested in their styles and she would also be a window shopper.

 Next she will visit the Park Avenue and tour the city seeing the slums, factories and children’s parks. She would take a stay-at-home trip abroad by visiting foreign quarters. She will observe everything keenly. She will see the sights of both happiness and misery. However she will not shut her eyes to the miseries because although pathetic they are a part of life. While the third day almost comes to an end, she wants to devote her time to some serious pursuits but she is afraid she would run away to some theatre to watch a funny play to appreciate its comedy.

            Helen says that as night falls and her faculty of sight ceases, she will realize how much she had left unseen. But hereafter whenever she touched anything the glowing memories of how the objects looked like will brighten up her mind.

Conclusion / Helen Keller’s advice to people regarding the use of their senses   –

            Helen concludes her essay saying that if we use our eyes and other senses as if our senses would fail tomorrow, we will see a whole new world of beauty opened before us. Most of us take life for granted. When we are in good health, death is unimaginable and we don’t realize that we should die some day. And we lead a listless life without using our faculties and senses worthily. Only a handicapped person can truly realize the value of the faculty that he does not possess. Perhaps it is human nature to appreciate what we don’t possess and ignore all that we possess. Hence we must make the most of every sense, hear the music of voices, the songs of the birds, the musical strains of an orchestra and enjoy the pleasure and beauty of every animate or inanimate thing. We should enjoy life to the fullest before we die. Live each day as if we were to die the next day.

            The essay is essentially proposed for the people with sight to make them realize their gift and to take full advantage of it.  The essay also tries to reveal some hardships and shortcomings of a blind person. It gives a message to the readers that they should learn to appreciate and not misuse their benefits of having their senses.

            Helen’s personality – On the basis of the sights that she chooses to see, the reader comes to know the optimistic nature of Helen Keller. The essay reveals her love for her teacher, her home and her family and also her longing to see them with her eyes. She expresses her desire to see various emotions in human life. She also likes to know the details of human evolution and present social and economic development. She also expresses her love for books and theatre. Finally she pleads the people to make the fullest and the best use of their senses. Thus she exhibits her maturity of thought and her thirst for knowledge. She is optimistic enough to derive happiness even if she were given just three days of eye sight.