Code Deco: The Art of Perfumery

Perfumes are an amalgamation of many elements and perfumer Gauri Garodia believes art and science are two of them. She prides herself on ingredients, on perceiving moods and personalities which are then encapsulated inside the artisanal bottles of her Code Deco brand. At Delhi's Moon River store, where she held a workshop on perfumery, Gauri spoke to us about the art and its fragrant offerings.

What draws you towards perfumes?
I have been working with them for over 16 years now and I can tell you that they are a versatile and subtle medium. They speak to us at many levels – they can affect your mood, take you back to a place or time or simply allow you to express yourself in new ways. At Code Deco (her brand of artisanal perfumes) we are always experimenting with new materials and novel combinations. The key is to create something interesting – whether it is through unexpected hints or subtle contradictions. Believe me when I say, nothing is too fantastical!

Tell us about the process of creation.
We begin with a creative outline – a concept or a mood we’d like the fragrance to evoke. A detailed brief is then shared with our expert chemists. At the nose, I then evaluate the fragrances. Sometimes, harmony is achieved with the very first experiment. Other times, we have to go through as many as 100 formulations. What seems effervescent at the surface is the product of many laborious hours. Eaux de Jasmine and Eaux de Rose are some of our finest femme offerings. The first is sheer, ethereal and dreamy, whilst the latter is delicate and chic. B Minor is sophisticated and debonair and Marwar is perfect for the mysterious, enigmatic man.

What inspired the latest collection?
The Jazz series is based on ‘Violets for your furs’ by John Coltrane. Since the piece is dark and melancholic, we wanted a base that boasts of depth and resonance. After several iterations we settled on one made out of cedar-wood, tobacco, leather, patchouli and the piece de’ resistance, Vetiver from Haiti. The resultant fragrance was so beautiful, we built an entire collection around it.

Tell us about the elegant ingredients.
The mysterious Vetiver is used for its earthy, slightly moist woody nature. Juniper, reminiscent of gin, brings a hint of pine and citrus. Bergamot, also citrusy, is sought after for its warm, spicy lavender aroma. For combination of rich earthy wood and sweet must, we swear by patchouli.http://luxpresso.com

'Really confused': Kaiser/NBC poll finds Americans angsting over health-care law

'Really confused': Kaiser/NBC poll finds Americans angsting over health-care law Americans remain deeply divided on the Affordable Health Care Act, with half confused about how it works or worried about how much it will cost them, a new poll shows. On the eve of open enrollment to buy health insurance under the law, and as Republicans threaten to defund the program, the Kaiser Family Foundation/NBC survey found an anemic level of enthusiasm about the program among ordinary people and splits among party lines. Just over half said they were worried, while slightly less said they were confused. Twenty-nine percent said they were angry about the ACA, compared to just 24 percent who described themselves as enthusiastic. "It's how many thousands of pages and taller than most people," said Lauren Cathis, 49, of Canton, Ohio, adding that she is relieved she is covered by Medicare and doesn't have to navigate the purchase of insurance in the coming months. "It's so complex, how can I believe any of the numbers I've been given?" Those numbers are the source of much of the angst surrounding the biggest change in health care in years. Nearly three-fourths of those surveyed said they were very or somewhat worried that they would have to pay more for their health care or health insurance and that their income would be outpaced by rising costs. "I'm really confused, but one thing I know is I can't afford it," said Earle Griffis, 46, a commercial fisherman from Milton, Fla., who was one of the 1,503 people polled between Sept. 12-18. Griffis said he doesn't have health-care insurance now because it costs too much, so he's left a hernia that runs from his navel to his rib cage and heart problems untreated. When enrollment begins Oct. 1, he and other uninsured Americans will be asked to go shopping for a plan in state-based exchanges that are supposed to keep premiums low and provide low-income discounts. Griffis doesn't plan to sign up. He said he estimated it would cost him up to $700 a month in premiums — or 20 percent of his income — though he conceded that was based on prices he was quoted for coverage before Obamacare.Those required to buy insurance under the law who opt out will pay a penalty: $95 per adult or 1 percent of their income, whichever is higher, for the first year, and rising in subsequent years. Underscoring some of the misinformation and confusion surrounding the rollout, Griffis said he had heard he would be fined $200 a month. "I can't pay that," he said. "I guess they'll have to haul me to jail." In Boise, Idaho, 25-year-old Bryan Neba was also bewildered by some of the components of the ACA. But one thing was crystal clear to him: Next year, he will be able to have an operation on an injury he's "just been living with." Because he has a pre-existing condition, Neba said, he's been rejected by insurance companies or quoted prices as high as $500 a month, which would have been a third of his income at the time. He thinks he'll pay less than $200 if he buys insurance through his state exchange. "Insurance companies would not be able to turn me down," he said. "I'm pretty optimistic about it." Even as a solid supporter of the ACA, however, he had concerns, including whether the government can foot the bill. "I want it to be feasible," he said. "I don't want the government to go broke.' The polling data shows that attitudes toward the law differ somewhat according to whether someone already has insurance. More of the uninsured are worried or confused than those who are already covered and don't have to enroll by 2014. But it's the political fault lines that run the deepest, as they have been since the law was proposed. While just a quarter of Democrats say they are worried about it, three-fourths of Republicans fret. More than half of Republicans say they're angry, with numbers even higher among Tea Party members; only 12 percent of Democrats say they feel the same.

Why bother? And other burning questions about Obamacare

Why bother? And other burning questions about Obamacare The new health-insurance exchanges open for enrollment on Tuesday, but a new Kaiser Family Foundation/NBC survey shows most Americans are still worried and confused about what it all means. The battle in Congress over shutting down the federal government -- something that could also happen Tuesday -- has people even more perplexed. Here’s what you need to know before day one of Obamacare: Why bother? Isn’t the government going to shut down and stop this? Won't Congress delay Obamacare anyway? Even with a government shutdown, the exchanges will open as scheduled on Oct. 1. The money the federal government is using to run them doesn’t rely on appropriations from Congress. The Republican-controlled House of Representatives has deliberately linked the Affordable Care Act to the continuing resolution -- the law that keeps the federal government funded. They want Democrats in Congress and President Obama to agree to delay or even repeal the law in return for keeping the government running. Not going to happen, say the Democrats and Obama. It's far more likely that the government will shut down for a few days and then both sides will agree to keep cash flowing without bringing the health-reform law into it. And it’s very unlikely the Republicans in Congress who have vowed to repeal the health-reform law can succeed, because all laws have to pass the Senate and Democrats who support the law control the Senate. And President Barack Obama would veto any such repeal, of course. Even some Republicans point out that the Supreme Court has ruled Obamacare constitutional and it is now the law of the land. Got insurance already? You don’t need to worry Most of us -- 58 percent of non-elderly Americans -- get health insurance through an employer, and 32 percent get government-sponsored insurance such as Medicare or Medicaid. The U.S. Census Department says about 15 percent of Americans don’t have health insurance and these are the people who should be either buying health insurance on the new exchanges, or getting it through Medicaid in the states that are offering it to more people. The opening of the exchanges doesn't affect anyone who already has insurance. The law does change some of the rules regarding health insurance, but the only thing happening Tuesday is the opening of the exchanges. Other changes go into effect Jan. 1. Some news reports have highlighted the cases of employers who have decided their workers will be better off buying insurance on the exchanges. This may be because the federal subsidies would actually lower costs for them. If you have workplace-sponsored insurance, your employer must give you a letter detailing what your options are. What are these exchanges? The exchanges are a new way to buy health insurance that let people compare the plans available to them and to also see, within minutes, whether the federal government will pay for part of the premiums. They’ve been compared to online sites such as Travelocity or Expedia, where people can compare the prices of airline flights across different carriers. At the same time, the sites check to make sure people are telling the truth about their income and employment. How much will it cost? The prices vary based on the different plans -- a lot like employer-provided insurance works now. There are four tiers of coverage: bronze, silver, gold and platinum. The bronze plans usually charge lower premiums, but then you’ll be charged a higher co-pay, which means you pay each time you see a doctor or other provider, each time you fill a prescription, or each time you have a procedure. The platinum plans charge the highest premiums but provide much more care before the patient has to pay a share. In some places, young adults can also buy bare-bones catastrophic insurance for people who really think they’ll only need health care if they have an accident. A lot depends on where you live. In some counties, a family of four with an income of $50,000 may pay $11 a month for a low-level silver plan. In other places a similar family might pay $280 a month for the same plan. This is because care costs more in different places. You can give the federal government site a run now at www.healthcare.gov although you cannot actually enroll until Tuesday. Will the plans be expensive -- more than plans cost now? Some of the bare-bones plans are likely to cost more than the minimal-coverage plans on the market now, but that’s because you get much more coverage. Many of the plans available now don’t provide much coverage, and can stop paying for services once patients start running up bills. The Affordable Care Act requires insurers to provide a basic level of care, which includes free preventive services such as vaccines, mammograms and wellness checkups. They cannot cap your coverage and they can’t charge you more just because you are a woman, for instance. Can people get help paying for the insurance? Many people can get a federal government subsidy. It depends on how much you make and your family size, but the subsidies can be very generous. It’s a complicated formula but families with incomes of up to $94,000 might get a subsidy. There’s a calculator here that you can use to estimate what it might cost. There’s a big exception for people who make very little money. The law assumed that states would expand Medicaid to cover people who earn less than 138 percent of the federal poverty level, which works out to $16,000 for an individual or $32,500 for a family of four. But the Supreme Court ruled that states don’t have to, and many states won’t. These people also don’t qualify for subsidies if they make less than the federal poverty level, and right now they are stuck. They’ll either have to pay full price on the exchanges, or go without insurance. If your employer offers adequate insurance but you decide to go to the exchanges to buy some anyway, you can’t get a subsidy. But you may qualify for one if the insurance you have now isn’t adequate. What if I don't want to pay? Technically, you'll have to pay a fine, which varies depending on your income. The argument is that people without health insurance cost everyone money because they do get sick or hurt and they do go to emergency rooms and someone has to pay in the end. The Supreme Court says it's a tax. The IRS can take the money out of any refund you have coming. In reality, it's not clear how hard the federal government will go after holdouts. What if I’m already sick? That’s called a pre-existing condition. Right now, insurance companies can refuse to cover you if you’re sick, or they can refuse to pay for care for some condition, such as diabetes, if you had it before you bought insurance. Not any more. Now insurers have to cover everyone, regardless of their health or previous illnesses. What about if people are too busy to sign up Oct. 1? Tuesday’s just the first day that the exchanges are open for business. People have six months to sign up for health insurance during what’s called open enrollment. If you get signed up by Dec. 15, you can start using your insurance on Jan. 1, 2014. So where do I go to get started? Anyone can go online and sign up at https://www.healthcare.gov/. States that are offering health insurance have their own sites, too, like Delaware and California. Various privately funded groups like Enroll America also have websites to help people sign up.