Silence is eternal, Resonance is a necessity.
Last year I wondered, if I had missed the train,
This year it was desire to be born a bird,
Life is beautiful but betrays, I wanted to see, understand and experience.
Relationships are divine,
But there are misunderstanding,
What is beautiful fades,
And we have only memories.
I realize, red rose blooms because it is spring,
Or I wonder; if it is its blooming that makes spring, spring.
There is so much to be seen, so much to be done,
What am I doing, except thinking?
O divine one, you make my spirit sour,
You play with my soul.
Would you just fleetingly once make me bloom?
For I know, you want me make my spirit fly.
Monday, December 29, 2008
Winning By Jack Welch with Suzy Welch.
Probably ‘Straight from the gut’ is better, but I could not read it still, nevertheless, ‘Winning’ by Jack Welch, is equaling to many management books. ‘Due to his vintage, he belonged to a very small club: people who have spent their whole careers at one company. He joined GE as junior engineer on getting his degree in 1961 after doing his PHD in Chemical engineering.
This book is based on the thousands of questions, which have been asked to the author, and according to him, most of them come down to this: What does it take to win?
Winning lifts everyone it touches-it just makes the world a better place. It is great! Not just good. When companies win, people thrive and grow. There are more jobs and more opportunities. So also when people win, family grows.
Every day in life there is a new question, in fact it is that which keeps us going. And the general advice given is:
‘Have a positive attitude and spread it around, never let yourself be a victim, and for goodness’ sake-have fun.’
The book is divided into four parts, and this is how it goes:
UNDERNEATH IT ALL
Conceptual in nature containing management philosophies namely:
1. MISSION AND VALUES
Mission announces exactly where you are going, and the values describe the behaviors that will get you there. Effective mission statements balance the possible and the impossible. Setting the mission is top management’s responsibility. A mission cannot be delegated to anyone except the people ultimately held accountable for it. In most common scenario, a company’s mission and its values rupture due to the little crises of daily life in business. The disconnections may sound minor or temporary, but when left unattended, they can really hurt a company. In the worst-case scenario, they can literally destroy a business. Eg. Arthur Andersen and Enron.
Missions and values cannot be vague and generic.
We need to take the time. Spend the energy.
Make them real.
2. CANDOR
Lack of candor blocks smart ideas, fast action, and good people contributing all the stuff they’ve got. It’s a killer.
THE CANDOR EFFECT:
i. Candor gets more people in the conversation, and you get idea rich.
ii. Candor generates speed.
iii. Candor cuts costs.
Why Not?
We are socialized from childhood to soften bad news or make nice about awkward subjects.
Eventually, you come to realize that people don’t speak their minds because it’s simply easier not to.
How to get it done?
We need to reward it, praise it, and talk about it. Most of all, you yourself demonstrate it in an exuberant and even exaggerated way.
It is true that candid comments definitely freak people out at first. It is impossible to think of everyone going on saying everything they think; it would be too much of information. Candor works because it unclutters.
3. DIFFERENTIATION
A company has only limited money and managerial time. Winning leaders invest where the payback is the highest. They cut their losses everywhere else.
GE concentrated on strong business that was No. 1 or No. 2 in its market. If it wasn’t, the managers had to fix it, sell it, or as a last resort, close it. Managers at every level have to make hard choices and live by them.
Differentiation form peoples part is the process of assessing the employees and separating them into three categories in terms of performance: top 20% (they are the best and needs to be treated that way), middle 70% (keep them engaged and motivated) and bottom 10% there is no sugar coating this: they must go. They often go on to successful careers at companies and in pursuits where they truly belong and where they can excel.
Differentiation is something that is seen in the playground children play, or in school grades. Not all become doctors right.
Protecting underperformers always back fires, they hurts the people themselves. Differentiation rewards those members of the team who deserve it, and it can be linked to a candid performance appraisal system. It clarifies business and makes it run better in every way.
4. VOICE AND DIGNITY
‘Know what you believe said Rudy Giuliani, and the belief is this: ‘Every person in the world wants voice and dignity, and every person deserves them’.
Everyone’s opinions cannot be put into practice or every single complaint cannot be satisfied. That’s what management judgment is all about. But everyone should be heard and respected. They want it and you need it.
YOUR COMPANY
Deals with the innards of organizations, about mechanics like people, process and culture.
5. LEADERSHIP
There is no easy formula for being a leader. If only!
Leadership is challenging- all those balancing acts, all the responsibility, all that pressure.
And yet good leadership happens, in all kinds of packages: quiet, bombastic, analytical, impulsive, tough, and nurturing. On the surface, you would be hard-pressed to say what qualities these leaders share. On the underneath, the best care passionately about their people, growth and success.
Are leaders born or made? Both. Some qualities like IQ and energy seems to come with this package, on the other you seems to learn some skills like self-confidence.
WHAT LEADERS DO?
i. Leaders relentlessly upgrade their team, using every encounter as an opportunity to evaluate, coach and build self-confidence. (Use ample praise, the more specific the better.)
ii. Leaders make sure people not only see the vision, they live and breathe it.
iii. Leaders get into everyone’s skin, exuding positive energy and optimism.
iv. Leaders establish trust with candor, transparency, and credit. (They never score off their own people by stealing an idea and claiming it as their own.)
v. Leaders have the courage to make unpopular decisions and gut calls. (You are not a leader to win a popularity contest-you are a leader to lead. If you’re left with that uh-oh feeling in your stomach, don’t hire the guy.)
vi. Leaders probe and push with a curiosity that borders on skepticism, making sure their questions are answered with action. (Don’t be just satisfied with statements that mollifies like ‘we’ll look into it’
vii. Leaders inspire risk taking and learning by setting the example. (just because you’re the boss doesn’t mean you’re the source of all knowledge)
viii. Leaders celebrate. (Work is too much a part of life not to recognize moments of achievement. Grab as many as you can. Make a big deal out of them)
6. HIRING
Every person you hire has to have integrity, intelligence and maturity.
Then there should be the 4-E namely Energy, ability to energize others, edge: the courage to make tough yes or no decision, execute and the P-Passion.
Beyond that at the senior level, look for authenticity, foresight, the willingness to draw on others for advice, and resilience.
Put them all together and those are the people who win.
Then there is few hiring FAQs discussed, and one most common question: What is the one thing to ask in an interview to decide whom to hire, and it is Why the candidate left his previous job and the one before that? Keep digging, dig deep.
7. PEOPLE MANAGEMENT
To manage people well companies should
i. Elevate quality HR to a position of power
ii. Use rigorous, nonbureaucratic evaluation system, monitored for integrity.
iii. Create effective mechanisms-read: money, recognition, and training-to motivate and retain. (Plaques and public fanfare have their place, but without money, rewards lose a lot of their impact.)
iv. Face straight into charged relationships-with unions, stars, sliders and disrupters. (Stars should be replace within 8 hours, sending message that no individual is greater than the company)
v. Fight gravity; treat middle 70% like heart and soul of the organization.
vi. Design org chart to be as flat as possible, with blindingly clear reporting relationships and responsibilities.
This takes time, but matters more, as companies are not buildings, machines or technologies but people.
8. PARTING WAYS
Firings are part of the business but they need not be bitter. It should be managed with little pain and damage as possible. Not all parting are created equal.
Firing for integrity violations-like staling, lying, cheating or any other fom of ethical or legal breach, should be immediate and all should know why, so that there is no breach.
Then there are layoffs due to economic downturns. Every employee should know how the company is doing.
Finally there are firing for non performance.
There should be no surprises, no humiliation. Every person who leaves goes on to represent co. They can badmouth or praise.
9. CHANGE
There are just four practices that matter:
i. Communicate a sound rationale for every change.
ii. Have the right people at your side.
iii. Get rid of the resisters.
iv. Seize every single opportunity, even those from someone else’s misfortune.
10. CRISIS MANAGEMENT
There will be crises, and eventually the flames will die down, and the whole place would be better.
· Know the anatomy of crisis
· Create a plan of action. Keep in mind the five assumptions:
a. The problem is worse than it appears.
b. There are no secrets in the world and everyone will eventually find out everything.
c. You and your organizations handling crisis will be portrayed in the worst possible light.
d. There will be change in the process and people. Almost no crisis ends without blood on the floor.
e. Your organization will survive ultimately stronger for what happened.
· Seek immunity.
a. Tight control
b. Good internal process
c. Culture of integrity.
YOUR COMPETITION
This is about the world outside the organization.
11. STRATEGY
It means making clear-cut choices about how to compete. You cannot be everything to everybody.
· Come up with a big aha for your business-a smart, realistic, relatively fast way to gain sustainable competitive advantage.
· Put the right people in the right jobs to drive the big aha forward.
· Relentlessly seek out the best practices to achieve your big aha, whether inside or out adapt them, and continually improve them.
The steps to test your strategy are:
i. Know what the playing field looks like now.
ii. Know what the competition has been up to.
iii. Know what you’ve been up to.
iv. Know what’s around the corner.
v. Know whats your winning move.
12. BUDGETING
It’s too important. Everyone knows about the Negotiated Settlement and the Phony smile dynamics. But there is another right budget process that can change the way companies compete. It may be awkward at first, but change can begin when you start talking. And the better way is that it should be focused on the two questions:
· How can we beat last year’s performance?
· What is our competition doing, and how can we beat them?
13. ORGANIC GROWTH
Opportunities of every size and variety await you. Grab them. Pick passionate, driven people to lead them, resource them with everything you’ve got, and give them oxygen to breath. There is nothing like the fun and sheer thrill of starting something new.
You are always going to want more autonomy than you get. Your best shot is to earn it. Fight like hell: Even through a few elbows.
14. MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS
It means change, and you can reap the rewards of what happens when 1+1=3, is you avoid the seven pitfalls. Six are related to the acquiring company and just one to the acquired:
i. Believing that a merger of equals can actually occur. Despite the noble intentions of those attempting them, the vast majority of MOEs self-destruct because of their premise.
ii. Focusing so intently on strategic fit that you fail to assess cultural fit, which is just as important to a mergers success, if not more so.
iii. Entering into a ‘reverse hostage situation’, in which the acquirer ends up making so many concessions during negotiations that the acquired ends up calling all the shots afterwards.
iv. Integrating too timidly. With good leadership, a merger should be complete within ninety days.
v. Conqueror syndrome, in which the acquiring company marches in and installs its own managers everywhere, undermining one of the reasons for nay merger-getting an influx of new talent to pick from.
vi. Paying too much. Not 5 or 10 percent too much, but so much that the premium can never be recouped in the integration.
vii. One afflicting the acquired company’s people form top to bottom is: Resistance. In a merger, new owners will always select people with buy-in over resisters with brains. If you want to survive, get over your angst and learn to love the deal as much as they do.
15. SIX SIGMA
http://enrichknowledge.blogspot.com/2008/11/six-sigam.html
YOUR CAREER
It’s about managing the arc and the quality of your professional life.
16. THE RIGHT JOB
Find it and you’ll never really work again. The things to be considered while taking up a new job is: people, opportunity, options, ownership, and the work content (stuff). Finding the right job takes time and experimentation and patience. It gets easier the better you are. So choose something you love to do, and then give it your all.
17. GETTING PROMOTED
Sorry, No shortcuts. To get ahead you have to want to get ahead. Some promotions may come by luck, but very few.
Basically; getting promoted takes one do and one don’t:
§ Do deliver sensational performance, far beyond expectations, and at every opportunity expand your job beyond its official boundaries.
§ Don’t make your boss use political capital in order to champion you.
The most reliable way to sabotage yourself is to be a thorn in your organizations rear end.
Also there are four other dos and one more don’t:
§ Manage your relationships with your subordinates with the same carefulness that you manage the one with your boss.
§ Get on the radar screen by being an early champion on your company’s major projects or initiatives.
§ Search out and relish the input of lots of mentors, realizing that mentors don’t always look like mentors.
§ Have a positive attitude and spread it around.
· The don’t is: Don’t let setbacks break your stride.
18. HARD SPOTS-Working for a bad boss.
That Damn Boss. The world has jerks and some of them get to be the bosses. In any bad situation, you cannot let yourself be the victim. Generally speaking, bosses are not awful to people whom they like, respect and need. Think hard about your performance. It is indeed an awful feeling when your boss is not on your side. And you bump into such situation in your career, and if you endure the situation the potential reward could be big! Spend time with people you like, doing what you like, and reviewing business. Be careful. Uncertainty about the final outcome can make you do something foolish-that is, pull an end run. You may feel the impulse to sneak upstairs and talk to your boss’s boss about the situation. But that can be suicide. The big boss may have your best interests at heart when he scolds your boss for his behavior, but you can be absolutely sure that your life will only become more unpleasant afterwards. There is a reason why kids don’t tattle on bullies. Unfortunately, the same principle applies in the office.
19. WORK LIFE BALANCE
It is a swap-a deal you’ve made with yourselves about what you keep and what you give. Understand the reality:
1. Your boss’s top priority is competitiveness. Of course he wants you to be happy, but only in as much as it helps the company win. In fact, if he is doing his job right, he is making your job so exciting that your personal life becomes a less compelling draw.
2. Most bosses are perfectly willing to accommodate work-life balance challenges if you have earned it with performance. The key word here is: if.
3. Bosses know that the work life policies in the company brochure are mainly for recruiting purposes and that real work-life arrangements are negotiated one-on-one in the context of a supportive culture, not in the context of “But the company says…!”
4. People who publicly struggle with work life balance problems and continually turn to the company for help get pigeonholed as ambivalent, entitled, uncommitted, or incompetent-or all of the above.
5. Even the most accommodating bosses believe that work-life balance is your problem to solve. In fact, most know that there are really just a handful of effective strategies to do that, and they wish you would use them.
If you don’t fulfill your own joy with your work life plan, one day you’ll wake up in a special kind of hell, where everyone is happy but you.
TYING UP LOOSE END
Answers nine questions that did not fall into any of the above categories.
20. HERE, THERE AND EVERYWHERE
Managing the china threat, diversity, the impact of new regulations like the Sarbanes-Oxley act, how business should respond to societal crises like AIDS, how successor, Jeff Immelt is doing, and whether he think he will go to heaven.
Legendry entrepreneurs like Henry Ford, Dave Packard, and Bill Gates are undeniably examples of the excitement and glory of starting something new from scratch and watching it grow to astonishing proportions.
Though this was one of the three books received on renewing subscription to readers digest, a year before, Courtesy: training on leadership by Biju Sir in office, which prompted me to ponder over this book once again.
BONWIKK – OPI’s Annual Day
‘What is this life if full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare’
Amidst the busy schedule, soon after we saw
‘Mumbai standing at the edge of the sea, begging to sea Gods, for mercy; begging to carry her in the waves… to a world where there is no terror, violence and atrocity’, and
Awaiting the worst recession in the near past,
The Sports and Cultural committee of OPI brought out BONWIKK on 14th of December 2008 at Ramada Resort, a beautiful and natural site.
We had our special guest of honor from Symcor, KPMG and Cargill.
Function started by 6.30 pm with the formal inauguration by our President Kishore Mirchandani; welcome address by our Senior Vice President Suryaprakash Kukyan; and addresses by our guests.
As we celebrated our 3rd annual day, we remembered those who laid down their lives in Mumbai so that we are safe.
The highlight of the award function was to include drivers, security guards and housekeeping personnel over and above our employees who excelled in cultural and sports events.
This followed various cultural events, a lot of fun, music and OPIans putting up a fabulous show up there to delight the crowd.
S&C Committee did a skit on OPI’s recruitment & appraisal process and named it as OPI - Star Processor 2008. Alex Abraham walked away with the special gift hamper being the winner for the event organized for the managers. We also witnessed some enthusiastic OPIans displaying their singing talent in the Ganamela, and dancing talents with their dance performances. In addition, there was a skit cum dance by Leo and team.
Our Vice President Nilanjan Majumdar delivered the vote of thanks. M.C. for the day was none other than Ranjani Haridas of Idea Star Singer fame.
It was not yet over. We enjoyed a delightful dinner with family, colleagues, and the melodious music by DJ Savyo in the background, and OPIans dancing to the tune…!!!
We have no time to stand and stare’
Amidst the busy schedule, soon after we saw
‘Mumbai standing at the edge of the sea, begging to sea Gods, for mercy; begging to carry her in the waves… to a world where there is no terror, violence and atrocity’, and
Awaiting the worst recession in the near past,
The Sports and Cultural committee of OPI brought out BONWIKK on 14th of December 2008 at Ramada Resort, a beautiful and natural site.
We had our special guest of honor from Symcor, KPMG and Cargill.
Function started by 6.30 pm with the formal inauguration by our President Kishore Mirchandani; welcome address by our Senior Vice President Suryaprakash Kukyan; and addresses by our guests.
As we celebrated our 3rd annual day, we remembered those who laid down their lives in Mumbai so that we are safe.
The highlight of the award function was to include drivers, security guards and housekeeping personnel over and above our employees who excelled in cultural and sports events.
This followed various cultural events, a lot of fun, music and OPIans putting up a fabulous show up there to delight the crowd.
S&C Committee did a skit on OPI’s recruitment & appraisal process and named it as OPI - Star Processor 2008. Alex Abraham walked away with the special gift hamper being the winner for the event organized for the managers. We also witnessed some enthusiastic OPIans displaying their singing talent in the Ganamela, and dancing talents with their dance performances. In addition, there was a skit cum dance by Leo and team.
Our Vice President Nilanjan Majumdar delivered the vote of thanks. M.C. for the day was none other than Ranjani Haridas of Idea Star Singer fame.
It was not yet over. We enjoyed a delightful dinner with family, colleagues, and the melodious music by DJ Savyo in the background, and OPIans dancing to the tune…!!!
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Mumbai, mere Jaan!!!
Mumbai: She always has unhealed wounds on her! When one fades, the other tears her off into pieces. She picks up the pieces and builds up herself when days wither. But when I see you standing at the edge of the sea, begging to sea God, for mercy; begging to carry you in waves…to a world where there is no terror, violence and atrocity, I hold my hands together to the heaven……
Mumbai, I want to hug you once, and cry!!
Indeed what a way of expressing the feelings, and who else could do it this way other than Prabu!! You can read him at a href="http://nightrain.rediffiland.com/iland/nightrain_diary.html">
Being so far, and busy with our daily routine, when it has effected us so much, cannot phantom the plight of the people there.....
Will there be an end to this terror or would it be an end of the world!!!
Had written about it earlier on 9th May 08 at http://arunoday.blogspot.com/2008/05/amchi-mumbai.html and had uploaded the beautiful photo of the Gateway of India, and the Taj! Indeed my jaan who had molded me into what I am today, given me shelter for the first 17 years of my life....
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Values
Getting my mobile after nearly one year, lost on 6th November 07, and got back on 31st October 08, after a span of nearly one year, was indeed a remarkable incident. And both happened, in the midst of my examination!
Well friends, here is a piece of information, please note the IP # of your mobile, and if you happen to loose your mobile, do not forget to launch the complaint with the police. They will get it searched from the cyber cell. The need is that the recipient should have started using the lost/stolen mobile.
Trust Lost on friend, proved to be genuine, and the person, a teacher….who has to teach the students, values, stealing a mobile, reveal the values practiced by today’s generation. She is a teacher, from a school in Kakkanad.
We have the ‘ashtadharmas’ taught in school, namely ahimsa, dharma, jnanam, satyam, sevanam, shanti, thyagam, and vinayam.
Practice of the same begins from within, as character is what we are in darkness. What is the use of preaching something and practicing something else? What is the use of serving the society, if one cannot serve the family?
Also the recent performance appraisals, also have brought to light that, just as birds of a feather are flocked together, knowingly or unknowingly people cherishing similar values, tend to be more friendly, to each other….It differs from people to people. For some it is respect, and for others it could be sincerity, honesty, punctuality, tolerance, Dignity….and so many…apart from the Ashthadarmas.
It is seen that, any person who can stick to a ‘maximum’ (It could be even lesser, say three ) of five values, irrespective of the situation is assured of achieving success in life…Values could be anything.
And this history as proved. Mahatma Gandhij, is related, to Truth and Ahimsa. Nehru, for his love for children……
The Inner beauty by Brahma Kumari was a book worth reading on this subject and, the advertisement on TATA mobile has left a mark Suno Dil khee Awaz, Dunya khi math suno, with people like Abdul Kalam, Karan Johar…..
"...I had a mixture of relations and experiences. Some of the relations were wonderful, and some of the experiences were awful, but the awful teachers served a good purpose by being a bad example. All examples are good" – something related said by Larry Ellison
To quote Swami Vivekananda, “let the world say whatever they want, stick to your convictions and the rest is assured, the world would be at your feat"
Mission announces exactly where you are going, and the values describe the behaviors that will get you there...One of the major reason for big shots like Arthur Andersen and Enron,to collapsed in flames, is the vision-mission melt down.
Well friends, here is a piece of information, please note the IP # of your mobile, and if you happen to loose your mobile, do not forget to launch the complaint with the police. They will get it searched from the cyber cell. The need is that the recipient should have started using the lost/stolen mobile.
Trust Lost on friend, proved to be genuine, and the person, a teacher….who has to teach the students, values, stealing a mobile, reveal the values practiced by today’s generation. She is a teacher, from a school in Kakkanad.
We have the ‘ashtadharmas’ taught in school, namely ahimsa, dharma, jnanam, satyam, sevanam, shanti, thyagam, and vinayam.
Practice of the same begins from within, as character is what we are in darkness. What is the use of preaching something and practicing something else? What is the use of serving the society, if one cannot serve the family?
Also the recent performance appraisals, also have brought to light that, just as birds of a feather are flocked together, knowingly or unknowingly people cherishing similar values, tend to be more friendly, to each other….It differs from people to people. For some it is respect, and for others it could be sincerity, honesty, punctuality, tolerance, Dignity….and so many…apart from the Ashthadarmas.
It is seen that, any person who can stick to a ‘maximum’ (It could be even lesser, say three ) of five values, irrespective of the situation is assured of achieving success in life…Values could be anything.
And this history as proved. Mahatma Gandhij, is related, to Truth and Ahimsa. Nehru, for his love for children……
The Inner beauty by Brahma Kumari was a book worth reading on this subject and, the advertisement on TATA mobile has left a mark Suno Dil khee Awaz, Dunya khi math suno, with people like Abdul Kalam, Karan Johar…..
"...I had a mixture of relations and experiences. Some of the relations were wonderful, and some of the experiences were awful, but the awful teachers served a good purpose by being a bad example. All examples are good" – something related said by Larry Ellison
To quote Swami Vivekananda, “let the world say whatever they want, stick to your convictions and the rest is assured, the world would be at your feat"
Mission announces exactly where you are going, and the values describe the behaviors that will get you there...One of the major reason for big shots like Arthur Andersen and Enron,to collapsed in flames, is the vision-mission melt down.
SHARE FOR PHYSICALLY CHALLANGED
To share is the best way to show we care.
Share, the way we show, we care; So let us cheer the special as spectators cheeer the goal.
Special could be those below poverty line, orphans, elderly people, physically challenged, natural calamity/terror attacked, or any other ways.Well how we forget, the first and the basic: Educate all. Our thoughts should have expression or it is of no use!!
Happen to meet few special people and have found that the inequality experienced by people 'disabled' by and in modern society is beyond expression. They do not have access to proper services for their needs and is forced to wait to be put to bed. They are excluded from mainstream society, forced to accept their condition, their impairment, and the society find it difficult to accommodate him. Society refuses to adapt itself to his impairment.
‘He sat in a wheeled chair, waiting for dark,
And shivered in his ghastly suit of grey,
Some cheered him home, but not as crowds cheer Goal.’ - Wilfred Owen
FINANCIAL
Assistive Technology like wheelchair, standing frames, text telephones, accessible keyboards, large print, Braille, & speech recognition computer software or sign language can be provided to the really genuine people. Also some need financial assistance to get operated.
The need is to ascertain the genuiness, and priorities them. There are some, who are just waiting to give a try, if they are able to get some financial assistance, which may not be a real success.
One member of the team is entrusted to measure, their requirement, collect the required details and ensure their genuiness in each of the following areas:
FAMILY FIRST: As service begins at home, the effort in this direction is communicated to the family members.
SCHOOLS & HOSPITALS: There are especial schools for such people, and even in government schools, and other schools, there are so many needy, which are found from references, of the teachers, and nurses/doctors, and the staff working there. Then they can be met in person, or in groups.
SOCIAL ORGANIZATIONS: There are many service organizations, working for the welfare of such people, like the Ramakrishna Mission, Chinmaya Trust, Christian Missionaries, Association can be set with them.
NEIGHBORHOOD: There are so many people in our surrounding, and we find so many of them on our way from home to office, place of worship, playground or market. Also it is seen that people around some polluted organizations face specific disability. These are to be tapped.
NON FINANCIAL
SELF HELP: What most of them need, is a regular help. Indeed there is no greater help than self help. And the need of the hour is to find means so that they can help themselves in the long run.
We have identified Employment exchanges catering to the needs of such people.
We need to identify disability insurance, nationalized and private: Disability benefit, or disability pension, is a major kind of disability insurance, and is provided by government agencies to people who are unable to work due to a disability, temporarily or permanently. In the U.S., disability benefit is provided within the category of Supplemental Security Income, and in Canada, within the Canada Pension Plan. In other countries, disability benefit may be provided under Social security systems. These need to be identified, communicated, and provided.
DONATION OF ORGANS: There are few acts in life that are nobler than donating our organs. Donating our organs after we are gone from this world is the closest and simplest that we can do, but we are reluctant, or ignorant about. Organs that can be procured include the heart, intestines, kidneys, lungs, liver, pancreas. These are procured from a brain dead donor or a donor where the family has given consent for donation after cardiac death, known as non-heart-beating donation. The following tissues can be procured: bones, tendons, corneas, heart valves, femoral veins, great saphenous veins, small saphenous veins, pericardium, skin grafts, and the sclera (the tough, white outer coating surrounding the eye). These are only procured after death. Organs that can be donated from living donors include part of the liver or pancreas and the kidney. An awarness about this has to be created, and proper matching has to be done.
CULTURAL/SOCIAL ACTIVITY PARTICIPATION: The Paralympic Games (meaning 'alongside the Olympics') are now held after the (Summer and Winter) Olympics. There is a need to popularize and encourage people towards this.
COUNSELING: Disability is not just a status condition, entirely contained within the individual. Rather, it is an interaction between medical status and the environment. There are many people who are in need of counseling, and in many of the cases, it is not just the special individuals, who need counseling, but their supporters.
To quote Sachin Tendulkar on: The Great Indian dream
“Let us work towards an educated, healthy and poverty free India. You may say I am a dreamer, Let me not be the only one….come share the dream…..
There is more to life than cricket!!”
Share, the way we show, we care; So let us cheer the special as spectators cheeer the goal.
Special could be those below poverty line, orphans, elderly people, physically challenged, natural calamity/terror attacked, or any other ways.Well how we forget, the first and the basic: Educate all. Our thoughts should have expression or it is of no use!!
Happen to meet few special people and have found that the inequality experienced by people 'disabled' by and in modern society is beyond expression. They do not have access to proper services for their needs and is forced to wait to be put to bed. They are excluded from mainstream society, forced to accept their condition, their impairment, and the society find it difficult to accommodate him. Society refuses to adapt itself to his impairment.
‘He sat in a wheeled chair, waiting for dark,
And shivered in his ghastly suit of grey,
Some cheered him home, but not as crowds cheer Goal.’ - Wilfred Owen
FINANCIAL
Assistive Technology like wheelchair, standing frames, text telephones, accessible keyboards, large print, Braille, & speech recognition computer software or sign language can be provided to the really genuine people. Also some need financial assistance to get operated.
The need is to ascertain the genuiness, and priorities them. There are some, who are just waiting to give a try, if they are able to get some financial assistance, which may not be a real success.
One member of the team is entrusted to measure, their requirement, collect the required details and ensure their genuiness in each of the following areas:
FAMILY FIRST: As service begins at home, the effort in this direction is communicated to the family members.
SCHOOLS & HOSPITALS: There are especial schools for such people, and even in government schools, and other schools, there are so many needy, which are found from references, of the teachers, and nurses/doctors, and the staff working there. Then they can be met in person, or in groups.
SOCIAL ORGANIZATIONS: There are many service organizations, working for the welfare of such people, like the Ramakrishna Mission, Chinmaya Trust, Christian Missionaries, Association can be set with them.
NEIGHBORHOOD: There are so many people in our surrounding, and we find so many of them on our way from home to office, place of worship, playground or market. Also it is seen that people around some polluted organizations face specific disability. These are to be tapped.
NON FINANCIAL
SELF HELP: What most of them need, is a regular help. Indeed there is no greater help than self help. And the need of the hour is to find means so that they can help themselves in the long run.
We have identified Employment exchanges catering to the needs of such people.
We need to identify disability insurance, nationalized and private: Disability benefit, or disability pension, is a major kind of disability insurance, and is provided by government agencies to people who are unable to work due to a disability, temporarily or permanently. In the U.S., disability benefit is provided within the category of Supplemental Security Income, and in Canada, within the Canada Pension Plan. In other countries, disability benefit may be provided under Social security systems. These need to be identified, communicated, and provided.
DONATION OF ORGANS: There are few acts in life that are nobler than donating our organs. Donating our organs after we are gone from this world is the closest and simplest that we can do, but we are reluctant, or ignorant about. Organs that can be procured include the heart, intestines, kidneys, lungs, liver, pancreas. These are procured from a brain dead donor or a donor where the family has given consent for donation after cardiac death, known as non-heart-beating donation. The following tissues can be procured: bones, tendons, corneas, heart valves, femoral veins, great saphenous veins, small saphenous veins, pericardium, skin grafts, and the sclera (the tough, white outer coating surrounding the eye). These are only procured after death. Organs that can be donated from living donors include part of the liver or pancreas and the kidney. An awarness about this has to be created, and proper matching has to be done.
CULTURAL/SOCIAL ACTIVITY PARTICIPATION: The Paralympic Games (meaning 'alongside the Olympics') are now held after the (Summer and Winter) Olympics. There is a need to popularize and encourage people towards this.
COUNSELING: Disability is not just a status condition, entirely contained within the individual. Rather, it is an interaction between medical status and the environment. There are many people who are in need of counseling, and in many of the cases, it is not just the special individuals, who need counseling, but their supporters.
To quote Sachin Tendulkar on: The Great Indian dream
“Let us work towards an educated, healthy and poverty free India. You may say I am a dreamer, Let me not be the only one….come share the dream…..
There is more to life than cricket!!”
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Independence Vs. Freedom
These thoughts flash upon my inward eye, on seeing the pictures displayed at OPI-Kochi Cafeteria, for the photography ‘Expression’ competition. What would your favorite Parrot do as soon as you open its cage and if you have not cut its wings? Before you blink, it would fly away. A picture, like that of Nemo, raised a question, would the fishes have thoughts like Nemo in ‘Finding Nemo’ (computer-animated American family film).
How would you feel if you are taken away from your parents or loved ones, and put alone in a new circumstances/environment? How do you feel when your loved one is not around you or is no more?
Doing what you like is freedom. To do what you like you need not necessarily be independence. It may not be always possible to do what you want if you are independent. You may have to depend on others to do what you like. It is said that the biggest human freedom is the choice between Hate and Forgiveness. Freedom is normally with respect to internal realization.
When we normally speak about independence, it is a relative term. Nobody can be completely independent, unless they make a captive economy for themselves. One has to depend on so many things, so many times. Independence is dependent on outside objects.
Used as synonymous often, there have been numerous debates, as to if they are same or not. Whether it is at the level of individual, family, corporate, or country, there is some difference between independence and freedom. In celibacy there is independence, but in marriage there is freedom.
One would prefer going to US or Dubai, than Saudi Arabia? Most individualistic society is USA according to a 1980 study, and a centre of attraction for many. It could obtain this distinction, because of the function of the reasoning minds, of the people there, which began since its independence, declaration of the legal separation from Great Britain, on 4th July, 1776. Atmosphere there have made individuals independent, strong, reliable, and confident. Above all, you find freedom there. There is one of the greatest symbols of freedom, the Statue of Liberty, also known affectionately as "Lady Liberty". She welcomes arriving immigrants to US
Independence (of a nation) means the nation is not subject to the government of another nation. Freedom of a nation means that its citizens are free to determine their own fates and live their own lives. A country may be independent and not free and vice versa. Whatever, Independence Day, is a day of great rejoice for any country.
More than half of the independent countries in the world are democratic today. We can see that as years roll by, more and more nations are willing to accept democracy as a form of Government. It began with New Zealand becoming the first country to give full voting right to its people way back in 1900. The map of democracy is constantly changing since then.
The salient feature of democracy, which makes it outshine other form of governance, are:
1. There could be real freedom to express our views or opinion.
2. People could choose or change rulers.
During 2004-07 we would have come across this about India:
Headed by a Sikh economist,
Presided by a Muslim scientist,
Directed by a Catholic Italy born lady,
With 82% Hindu population,
Proclaimed to be worlds largest democracy,
We live in a country with a rich & varied heritage,
Willing to accept everything and everyone.
It can happen only in India……….
61 years ago, we broke ourselves from the clutches of British rule, and have become independent. But are we free now? Can we be free from the clutches of inequality, communalism, corruption and the like?
How would you feel if you are taken away from your parents or loved ones, and put alone in a new circumstances/environment? How do you feel when your loved one is not around you or is no more?
Doing what you like is freedom. To do what you like you need not necessarily be independence. It may not be always possible to do what you want if you are independent. You may have to depend on others to do what you like. It is said that the biggest human freedom is the choice between Hate and Forgiveness. Freedom is normally with respect to internal realization.
When we normally speak about independence, it is a relative term. Nobody can be completely independent, unless they make a captive economy for themselves. One has to depend on so many things, so many times. Independence is dependent on outside objects.
Used as synonymous often, there have been numerous debates, as to if they are same or not. Whether it is at the level of individual, family, corporate, or country, there is some difference between independence and freedom. In celibacy there is independence, but in marriage there is freedom.
One would prefer going to US or Dubai, than Saudi Arabia? Most individualistic society is USA according to a 1980 study, and a centre of attraction for many. It could obtain this distinction, because of the function of the reasoning minds, of the people there, which began since its independence, declaration of the legal separation from Great Britain, on 4th July, 1776. Atmosphere there have made individuals independent, strong, reliable, and confident. Above all, you find freedom there. There is one of the greatest symbols of freedom, the Statue of Liberty, also known affectionately as "Lady Liberty". She welcomes arriving immigrants to US
Independence (of a nation) means the nation is not subject to the government of another nation. Freedom of a nation means that its citizens are free to determine their own fates and live their own lives. A country may be independent and not free and vice versa. Whatever, Independence Day, is a day of great rejoice for any country.
More than half of the independent countries in the world are democratic today. We can see that as years roll by, more and more nations are willing to accept democracy as a form of Government. It began with New Zealand becoming the first country to give full voting right to its people way back in 1900. The map of democracy is constantly changing since then.
The salient feature of democracy, which makes it outshine other form of governance, are:
1. There could be real freedom to express our views or opinion.
2. People could choose or change rulers.
During 2004-07 we would have come across this about India:
Headed by a Sikh economist,
Presided by a Muslim scientist,
Directed by a Catholic Italy born lady,
With 82% Hindu population,
Proclaimed to be worlds largest democracy,
We live in a country with a rich & varied heritage,
Willing to accept everything and everyone.
It can happen only in India……….
61 years ago, we broke ourselves from the clutches of British rule, and have become independent. But are we free now? Can we be free from the clutches of inequality, communalism, corruption and the like?
Good bye for sometimes…
Would this be the last minute dip? Don’t know, but would cage my thoughts and stop this for sometime.
As Achan always said about the King, who lost the battle seven times, and tired, but was motivated by the spider creating its web.
There are two of my colleagues, friends and parallels, Jomon and Beena who cleared, in May 2008.
Abhinav Bindra, began with the Sydney Olympics 2000: 11th position, Athens Olympics, 2004: Finalist, but nobody, knew or remembered him, till it was 2008 Gold, and this would not be easily forgotten.. It was not easy. At 16 year old, PT Usha was a baby of the Moscow Olympics 1980. At Los Angeles, she was a different athelete, but lost the medal by one-hundredth of a second. Came back after a break and marriage, but felt she could not make it, so set up a school and says that there would be medals, in 2016. Same is the case with Anju Bobby George, Virendar or Saina.
The real iceing on the cake, and truely inspirational and motivational was the way of Vijay...from Veegaland....Vijooos veega, within a span of 8 years, from accountant with M. Com in Veegaland, has qualified his MBA, and is a qualified professional Company Secretary. Along with his job intact, with promotions. And now is also a proud father of two lovely sons....A balanced, family, professional, personal and career life....Kudos to you....May you sail in the ship of ambition and anchor on the port of success....Indeed, the world is richer for those who aspires to ever reach higher and higher.
‘Its hard to give it away. When you want to, or you think you want to, something stops you.’ So I am back to my exams…..Oh! Examination what a botheration!!!
The great pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do..
There are broadly two schools in art and literature. The first is ‘Art for art’s sake’ like that of Shakespeare or Kalidas, and the second is ‘art for social purpose’ like that of Shaw or Tagore. Though I could not excel in both, this gave me satisfaction, but as there are other important thing, Good bye for sometimes…
But I may be there at Erudition.
As Achan always said about the King, who lost the battle seven times, and tired, but was motivated by the spider creating its web.
There are two of my colleagues, friends and parallels, Jomon and Beena who cleared, in May 2008.
Abhinav Bindra, began with the Sydney Olympics 2000: 11th position, Athens Olympics, 2004: Finalist, but nobody, knew or remembered him, till it was 2008 Gold, and this would not be easily forgotten.. It was not easy. At 16 year old, PT Usha was a baby of the Moscow Olympics 1980. At Los Angeles, she was a different athelete, but lost the medal by one-hundredth of a second. Came back after a break and marriage, but felt she could not make it, so set up a school and says that there would be medals, in 2016. Same is the case with Anju Bobby George, Virendar or Saina.
The real iceing on the cake, and truely inspirational and motivational was the way of Vijay...from Veegaland....Vijooos veega, within a span of 8 years, from accountant with M. Com in Veegaland, has qualified his MBA, and is a qualified professional Company Secretary. Along with his job intact, with promotions. And now is also a proud father of two lovely sons....A balanced, family, professional, personal and career life....Kudos to you....May you sail in the ship of ambition and anchor on the port of success....Indeed, the world is richer for those who aspires to ever reach higher and higher.
‘Its hard to give it away. When you want to, or you think you want to, something stops you.’ So I am back to my exams…..Oh! Examination what a botheration!!!
The great pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do..
There are broadly two schools in art and literature. The first is ‘Art for art’s sake’ like that of Shakespeare or Kalidas, and the second is ‘art for social purpose’ like that of Shaw or Tagore. Though I could not excel in both, this gave me satisfaction, but as there are other important thing, Good bye for sometimes…
But I may be there at Erudition.
Sunday, August 17, 2008
A retrospect on India Today on Independence Day
Missing the flag hoisting, patriotic songs, dance, drama and speeches with the parade during the school days, could see them in Veegaland, now again after a break in OPI at the stroke of midnight hour!!
Otherwise it was only A Day off, but some jobs do not even have that!!! As said in the meeting, I thought of having a retrospect on India Today and this is what I could find:
TERRORISM:
On the way home on 15th morning had to go through the bomb detector at the railway station.
The most serious threat to democracy and nationhood since independence seems to be terrorism. A singe 11/9 attack on the twin world tower way back in 2001 is still unforgettable to the Americans, but terrorist attacks seem to be a daily cup of tea for the Indians. In 2007, the United States National Institute of Counter Terrorism calculated that between January 2004 and March 2007, the death toll in India from all terrorist attacks was 3,674, second during the same period only to Iraq, a country which has a civil war on its hands and an occupying army. It is time to say enough is enough, with a zero tolerance to terrorism. 23 blasts in 2 days, 54 dead 221 injured all metros on high alert. Attacks on successive days in Bangalore and Ahmedabad followed by People seem to be clueless about the attacks and attackers. Is there insider trading in this, or is it Islamic terrorist attack? Was scrapping POTA right saying that attacks on Parliament and Akshardham temple occurred when POTA was in force?
It is said that the suicide attack by ISI backed Taliban militants on the embassy in Kabul is aimed at derailing India’s reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan which has earned it considerable goodwill.
SPORTS:
Since 08.08.08- 08.08.08 (Second-Minute-Hour-Date-Month-Year: Wonderful isn’t it!)
all eyes are on the "Bird's nest" in Beijing, as things are unfolding at the greatest sporting event in the world. Thanks to 25 year old Abhinav Bindra, armed with an air rifle and nerves of steel, India has won its first ever individual gold at the Olympics. It should indeed be an inspiration for the young Indians! Last time at Athens it was silver by chilly Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, who’s winning was an alchemist turning India’s dreams to gold. It was a step by step move forward beginning with one bronze. Any person can win or loose, but taking part with sincere support, hardwork, commitment, knowledge is necessary, and it seems to be beginning now. The boys from Bhiwani are showing better prospects with people like Dinesh kumar, Akhil Kimar, Vijender Singh and Jitender kumar in boxing, just missing the sip in badminton, like P.T. Usha, who almost lost her medal by 1/100th of a second. Isnt it too less for such a vast country and population like ours? Indeed, a lot of opportunity here!!
There are people like Sathyajith, completing his IIM and rejecting the highly paid job, for encouraging football in India. Though the hokey team showed a poor performance with motivating movies like chak de, expecting to have a bright future ahead in all sporting activates, with the increase in awareness, resources and talents in India.
Cricket team India, facing humiliating defeat in international games, are doing what they do best-getting in front of the camera.
It was skeptical to see cricketers sold like slaves at the IPL auction in January. Business men like Mukesh Ambani and Vijay Mallya and celebrities like Shah Rukh Khan and Preity Zinta, bidding for cricket franchises seemed more like acquiring a new hobby or a toy to play with than serious business. But Rs. 9,000 crores extravaganza has revolutionized the business of cricket giving everything together that India love- Bolly wood/ cinema, cricket and money. Millioners watched it, aired at the prime time, soon after the office hours, during summer break, ensuring maximum participation, and an opportunity for many new talents, who could not or still have not made to the Indian team. Eight teams, 128 players, 59 matches, in 44 days, at multiple venues, indeed involved mammoth logistical challenge. In the face of a serial bomb blast in one of the venue, Jaipur. Hats off to Lalit Kumar Modi, an Idea that changed the life of cricket. Modi- a Marwari born in Delhi, in 1963 and based in Mumbai, the scion of 8,000 crore K.K. Modi group. After school, where he occasionally connected willow to leather, Modi left for Duke University in North Carolina for a degree in management, but had to depart in baste in the wake of charges of drug abuse, in mid 1980s. To him the arithmetic of TV viewership and the almost-religious fervor that cricket triggered in India made immense business sense. No doubt, there would not be success without a good team work. Also there was Pawars support. On asking what IPL was for him, he said ‘Living this dream’. He is not planning to bill it as one-summer success, and there are even rumors that, there are plans for even second knock out session, from 2010, plans to sell franchise in Dubai!!! If his track record never set Dalal street on fire, there was Anil Ambani who failed to bid; asking why only eight team, why not nine, which itself is a proof that it was a ‘want factor’. Management technique of Kingfishers failed in cricket, but Vijay Mallayia had his brands emblazoned across not only his team’s jerseys but also across four other IPL teams. . Losing Royal challengers could afford to give gold plated gift to all the participants, the semifinals where like fixed, Chennai super Kings owned by India Cements, whose MD N. Srinivasan is also BCCI treasurer. And Rajasthan Royals one of whose owners is his brother-in law , a business man from Africa. It was a fight to the finish between M.S. Dhonis canary yellow clad Super kings and the blue-blooded Rajasthan Royals led by the bleached blond Shane Warne. Yes, it was the trainer, the captain, from the team, which was considered as underdogs, which emerged victorious. New faces/stars that emerged where, Manpreet Gony, Piyush Chawla, Yusuf pathan, Swapnil Asnodkar, Rohit Sharma and Amit Mishra. Dhone and Yuvraj too was wonderful, but there were some of our senior players who could not be upto their mark, but are still there in our team.
CRIMES OF PASSION:
Crimes of passion are ever rising, extra marital affairs, possessive males, liberated women. It’s providing a deadly mix. What’s behind it?
In the last 12 months, India has been witness to series of horrific murders which have happened in somewhat unusual circumstances. A few real life and not movie stories:
• A man named Reji Kumar, killing his wife and three children, and wife’s skeleton found from the septic tank of his house.
• The murder of teenager Arushi Talwar in Noida became a high-profile case due to the fact that her parents were prominent city doctors, and was the initial suspects in the case.
• The developments in the murder overshadowed the gruesome killing of Neeraj Grover from Synergy Adlabs, by the small-time kannada actoress Susairaj, who was dreaming big, with her boyfriend, Navy based, Lieutenant Emile Jerome in Mumbai, which added another chapter to urban India’s growing list of crime of passion. There are so many aspiring persons, who willing to outshine take up any ways, no matter what the price or the way.
• Infosys engineer Amit Budhiraja smothered his wife Sachdeva of one year after an argument over her alleged affair with a colleague.
• These are not new, almost 50 years ago, navy commander Nanavati had shot his English born wife Sylvia’s lover. But either they were lesser then, or less publicized.
• Husbands killing wives, and vice versa, with suspicion.
• Fake Swamis being unveiled in major parts of our country and ashram bapus being attacked.
• Fake currency, temple statues missing, corruption, black market, which existed are still not ruled out, but continues.
• Sixteen years later sister Abhaya, the nun who was found dead in a well at her convent in Kottayam, kerala, her case has been reopened.
Today’s young India is increasingly defined by lust, love and violence, which outpace everything else in life. Along with coke and Nokia, we have become net importers of social and sexual habits that are alien to a society still anchored in tradition. Isn’t it saddening to hear the association of fiery and a wonderful word like passion with crime?? But that is what is happening today.
As the present generation gallop towards professional success, they are leaving convention and their Laxman Rekhas far behind.
POLITICS:
There is more than one striking feature in BJP’s sweeping win in the Karnataka Assembly elections. Until this victory, the party was always seen as a north Indian phenomenon. It could not quite make inroads south of the vindhyas where, it is said, India is another country. Born in the Hindi heartland, the parties core constituency and its national appeal, was always limited. But Karnataka promised to change all that.
The Governments flip-flop over land allotment to the Amarnath Shrine Board has exacerbated tensions in the state and gives BJP one more chance to whip the congress, thus beginning another unholy war.
The UPA had earlier claimed high growth and low inflation as its own. But in the last six months, despite whatever the UPA has done, inflation has risen from 3.89% to double digit, till 12%. For sometimes there was no looking back. Fuelled by rising costs, inflation has wrecked household budgets and government finances. As it threatens to touch double digits and impact growth, the UPA dream team is faced with an economic challenge that is also a political nightmare, and as usual, their first reason is it’s a global phenomenon. History has an annoying habit of repeating itself, particularly through the utterance of politicians.
The dividends of three years of 9+% GDP growths are on its way to being eroded. As in 2004, with the NDA, the UPA Government too is faced with an India that is shining in part but that part either does not vote or doesn’t count for much. It seems it is the part that is suffering make its displeasure known at the polls. We could find the retired bureaucrat, as the father of two great legacies-liberalization and now becoming a true politician winning the no confidence motion, and with the nuclear deal.
If anyone ever doubted the oft quoted adage that in politics, there are no permanent friends or enemies, only permanent interests, then they can have no better proof than what is happening in Indian politics today.
BUSINESS & ECONOMY:
As acquisitions become an integral part of their strategy, Indian companies put into place innovations in the cultural and business landscape to make the mergers deliver results. My friends working for M&A consultancy astonish me by saying about the number of mergers taking place daily, though it is only the hi-fi ones that last long discussions like the Tatas, Birlas, UB Group, M&M, DRL, Mittals.
Then there is outsourcing, ever on its rise. Because people look for better service, rather than doing it all by self, they are willing to hand over non core activities of theirs to the specialist in that specific area, whether it is accounting, HR, transportation, marketing or whatever.
With waste management proving profitable, the world over, Indian entrepreneurs look at rubbish as a resource to build new business. People are making liquid fuel using plastic and organic waste. All the developments would be of waste, if the waste is not properly managed, and clean atmosphere provided for the residence, travelers and workers.
Infrastructure in India is improving whether it is roads, ports, retail outlets, communication, banking or insurance. But still there is dearth of electricity or agricultural products.Do not know why there are so many buildings for IT comming up, when there are many lying vacant, with no users to take them up. Rising cost is making it difficult to make both ends meet for the common people. Will there be an end to this, or a recession?
ENTERTAINMENT:
What is this Forbes First wives club? With Usha Mittal and Tina Ambani from India?? The past six months have seen debuts by several young men but the race to be Bollywoods next boy is still wide open, and the khan’s fights go stronger. Award nights increasing are becoming monopoly of who promotes and who hosts. Bachans are planning to carry their camp on their world tour; their lists are always, selective.
Radio, FM channels, TV channels, Reality shows, have all multiplies and opened up opportunities. Blogging, orkuting, and increase in use of the internet are the growing passion and interest of the present generation. We are not aware what is happening next door, how our immediate relative or friends is. Space, relationships, and the products we use are all becoming temporary or of shorter duration.
We do find time to pay homage to the dead like Brigadier Mehta, Surjith Singh, and ponder over the things done by them, see, re see and re listen to the things done by them, but do not find time to visit the neighbors who died.
Having celebrated our Independence Day, we are looking forward to celebrate our freedom!!!
In a world where you can be anything, let us be ourselves!!! Let us ask what positive we can give to our country too!!
Otherwise it was only A Day off, but some jobs do not even have that!!! As said in the meeting, I thought of having a retrospect on India Today and this is what I could find:
TERRORISM:
On the way home on 15th morning had to go through the bomb detector at the railway station.
The most serious threat to democracy and nationhood since independence seems to be terrorism. A singe 11/9 attack on the twin world tower way back in 2001 is still unforgettable to the Americans, but terrorist attacks seem to be a daily cup of tea for the Indians. In 2007, the United States National Institute of Counter Terrorism calculated that between January 2004 and March 2007, the death toll in India from all terrorist attacks was 3,674, second during the same period only to Iraq, a country which has a civil war on its hands and an occupying army. It is time to say enough is enough, with a zero tolerance to terrorism. 23 blasts in 2 days, 54 dead 221 injured all metros on high alert. Attacks on successive days in Bangalore and Ahmedabad followed by People seem to be clueless about the attacks and attackers. Is there insider trading in this, or is it Islamic terrorist attack? Was scrapping POTA right saying that attacks on Parliament and Akshardham temple occurred when POTA was in force?
It is said that the suicide attack by ISI backed Taliban militants on the embassy in Kabul is aimed at derailing India’s reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan which has earned it considerable goodwill.
SPORTS:
Since 08.08.08- 08.08.08 (Second-Minute-Hour-Date-Month-Year: Wonderful isn’t it!)
all eyes are on the "Bird's nest" in Beijing, as things are unfolding at the greatest sporting event in the world. Thanks to 25 year old Abhinav Bindra, armed with an air rifle and nerves of steel, India has won its first ever individual gold at the Olympics. It should indeed be an inspiration for the young Indians! Last time at Athens it was silver by chilly Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, who’s winning was an alchemist turning India’s dreams to gold. It was a step by step move forward beginning with one bronze. Any person can win or loose, but taking part with sincere support, hardwork, commitment, knowledge is necessary, and it seems to be beginning now. The boys from Bhiwani are showing better prospects with people like Dinesh kumar, Akhil Kimar, Vijender Singh and Jitender kumar in boxing, just missing the sip in badminton, like P.T. Usha, who almost lost her medal by 1/100th of a second. Isnt it too less for such a vast country and population like ours? Indeed, a lot of opportunity here!!
There are people like Sathyajith, completing his IIM and rejecting the highly paid job, for encouraging football in India. Though the hokey team showed a poor performance with motivating movies like chak de, expecting to have a bright future ahead in all sporting activates, with the increase in awareness, resources and talents in India.
Cricket team India, facing humiliating defeat in international games, are doing what they do best-getting in front of the camera.
It was skeptical to see cricketers sold like slaves at the IPL auction in January. Business men like Mukesh Ambani and Vijay Mallya and celebrities like Shah Rukh Khan and Preity Zinta, bidding for cricket franchises seemed more like acquiring a new hobby or a toy to play with than serious business. But Rs. 9,000 crores extravaganza has revolutionized the business of cricket giving everything together that India love- Bolly wood/ cinema, cricket and money. Millioners watched it, aired at the prime time, soon after the office hours, during summer break, ensuring maximum participation, and an opportunity for many new talents, who could not or still have not made to the Indian team. Eight teams, 128 players, 59 matches, in 44 days, at multiple venues, indeed involved mammoth logistical challenge. In the face of a serial bomb blast in one of the venue, Jaipur. Hats off to Lalit Kumar Modi, an Idea that changed the life of cricket. Modi- a Marwari born in Delhi, in 1963 and based in Mumbai, the scion of 8,000 crore K.K. Modi group. After school, where he occasionally connected willow to leather, Modi left for Duke University in North Carolina for a degree in management, but had to depart in baste in the wake of charges of drug abuse, in mid 1980s. To him the arithmetic of TV viewership and the almost-religious fervor that cricket triggered in India made immense business sense. No doubt, there would not be success without a good team work. Also there was Pawars support. On asking what IPL was for him, he said ‘Living this dream’. He is not planning to bill it as one-summer success, and there are even rumors that, there are plans for even second knock out session, from 2010, plans to sell franchise in Dubai!!! If his track record never set Dalal street on fire, there was Anil Ambani who failed to bid; asking why only eight team, why not nine, which itself is a proof that it was a ‘want factor’. Management technique of Kingfishers failed in cricket, but Vijay Mallayia had his brands emblazoned across not only his team’s jerseys but also across four other IPL teams. . Losing Royal challengers could afford to give gold plated gift to all the participants, the semifinals where like fixed, Chennai super Kings owned by India Cements, whose MD N. Srinivasan is also BCCI treasurer. And Rajasthan Royals one of whose owners is his brother-in law , a business man from Africa. It was a fight to the finish between M.S. Dhonis canary yellow clad Super kings and the blue-blooded Rajasthan Royals led by the bleached blond Shane Warne. Yes, it was the trainer, the captain, from the team, which was considered as underdogs, which emerged victorious. New faces/stars that emerged where, Manpreet Gony, Piyush Chawla, Yusuf pathan, Swapnil Asnodkar, Rohit Sharma and Amit Mishra. Dhone and Yuvraj too was wonderful, but there were some of our senior players who could not be upto their mark, but are still there in our team.
CRIMES OF PASSION:
Crimes of passion are ever rising, extra marital affairs, possessive males, liberated women. It’s providing a deadly mix. What’s behind it?
In the last 12 months, India has been witness to series of horrific murders which have happened in somewhat unusual circumstances. A few real life and not movie stories:
• A man named Reji Kumar, killing his wife and three children, and wife’s skeleton found from the septic tank of his house.
• The murder of teenager Arushi Talwar in Noida became a high-profile case due to the fact that her parents were prominent city doctors, and was the initial suspects in the case.
• The developments in the murder overshadowed the gruesome killing of Neeraj Grover from Synergy Adlabs, by the small-time kannada actoress Susairaj, who was dreaming big, with her boyfriend, Navy based, Lieutenant Emile Jerome in Mumbai, which added another chapter to urban India’s growing list of crime of passion. There are so many aspiring persons, who willing to outshine take up any ways, no matter what the price or the way.
• Infosys engineer Amit Budhiraja smothered his wife Sachdeva of one year after an argument over her alleged affair with a colleague.
• These are not new, almost 50 years ago, navy commander Nanavati had shot his English born wife Sylvia’s lover. But either they were lesser then, or less publicized.
• Husbands killing wives, and vice versa, with suspicion.
• Fake Swamis being unveiled in major parts of our country and ashram bapus being attacked.
• Fake currency, temple statues missing, corruption, black market, which existed are still not ruled out, but continues.
• Sixteen years later sister Abhaya, the nun who was found dead in a well at her convent in Kottayam, kerala, her case has been reopened.
Today’s young India is increasingly defined by lust, love and violence, which outpace everything else in life. Along with coke and Nokia, we have become net importers of social and sexual habits that are alien to a society still anchored in tradition. Isn’t it saddening to hear the association of fiery and a wonderful word like passion with crime?? But that is what is happening today.
As the present generation gallop towards professional success, they are leaving convention and their Laxman Rekhas far behind.
POLITICS:
There is more than one striking feature in BJP’s sweeping win in the Karnataka Assembly elections. Until this victory, the party was always seen as a north Indian phenomenon. It could not quite make inroads south of the vindhyas where, it is said, India is another country. Born in the Hindi heartland, the parties core constituency and its national appeal, was always limited. But Karnataka promised to change all that.
The Governments flip-flop over land allotment to the Amarnath Shrine Board has exacerbated tensions in the state and gives BJP one more chance to whip the congress, thus beginning another unholy war.
The UPA had earlier claimed high growth and low inflation as its own. But in the last six months, despite whatever the UPA has done, inflation has risen from 3.89% to double digit, till 12%. For sometimes there was no looking back. Fuelled by rising costs, inflation has wrecked household budgets and government finances. As it threatens to touch double digits and impact growth, the UPA dream team is faced with an economic challenge that is also a political nightmare, and as usual, their first reason is it’s a global phenomenon. History has an annoying habit of repeating itself, particularly through the utterance of politicians.
The dividends of three years of 9+% GDP growths are on its way to being eroded. As in 2004, with the NDA, the UPA Government too is faced with an India that is shining in part but that part either does not vote or doesn’t count for much. It seems it is the part that is suffering make its displeasure known at the polls. We could find the retired bureaucrat, as the father of two great legacies-liberalization and now becoming a true politician winning the no confidence motion, and with the nuclear deal.
If anyone ever doubted the oft quoted adage that in politics, there are no permanent friends or enemies, only permanent interests, then they can have no better proof than what is happening in Indian politics today.
BUSINESS & ECONOMY:
As acquisitions become an integral part of their strategy, Indian companies put into place innovations in the cultural and business landscape to make the mergers deliver results. My friends working for M&A consultancy astonish me by saying about the number of mergers taking place daily, though it is only the hi-fi ones that last long discussions like the Tatas, Birlas, UB Group, M&M, DRL, Mittals.
Then there is outsourcing, ever on its rise. Because people look for better service, rather than doing it all by self, they are willing to hand over non core activities of theirs to the specialist in that specific area, whether it is accounting, HR, transportation, marketing or whatever.
With waste management proving profitable, the world over, Indian entrepreneurs look at rubbish as a resource to build new business. People are making liquid fuel using plastic and organic waste. All the developments would be of waste, if the waste is not properly managed, and clean atmosphere provided for the residence, travelers and workers.
Infrastructure in India is improving whether it is roads, ports, retail outlets, communication, banking or insurance. But still there is dearth of electricity or agricultural products.Do not know why there are so many buildings for IT comming up, when there are many lying vacant, with no users to take them up. Rising cost is making it difficult to make both ends meet for the common people. Will there be an end to this, or a recession?
ENTERTAINMENT:
What is this Forbes First wives club? With Usha Mittal and Tina Ambani from India?? The past six months have seen debuts by several young men but the race to be Bollywoods next boy is still wide open, and the khan’s fights go stronger. Award nights increasing are becoming monopoly of who promotes and who hosts. Bachans are planning to carry their camp on their world tour; their lists are always, selective.
Radio, FM channels, TV channels, Reality shows, have all multiplies and opened up opportunities. Blogging, orkuting, and increase in use of the internet are the growing passion and interest of the present generation. We are not aware what is happening next door, how our immediate relative or friends is. Space, relationships, and the products we use are all becoming temporary or of shorter duration.
We do find time to pay homage to the dead like Brigadier Mehta, Surjith Singh, and ponder over the things done by them, see, re see and re listen to the things done by them, but do not find time to visit the neighbors who died.
Having celebrated our Independence Day, we are looking forward to celebrate our freedom!!!
In a world where you can be anything, let us be ourselves!!! Let us ask what positive we can give to our country too!!
Friendship day Again......
Do we really need a day for this!!! Indeed Take time to be friendly, it is the road to happiness!!!
International Friendship Day celebrations take place on the first Sunday of August every year. The tradition of dedicating a day in honor of friends began in US in 1935 and today it is celebrated in large number of countries. This year it was on Sunday, August 03, 2008
Well it is good to get at least one sentence mails from friends with whom we have lost touch as 'people come into our life for a season, reason or life time'
One of the favourate mails received this friendship day:
"I am quoting some lines from a famous song on friendship from Namak Haram
Diye jalte hain Phool Khilte hain
Badi Mushkil Se Magar Duniya Mein
Dost Milte Hain
Daulat Aur Jawani Ek Din Kho Jaati Hai
Sach Kehta Hoon Saari Duniya Dushman Ho Jaati Hai
Umra Bhar Dost Lekin Saath Chalte hain.
Diye jalte hain Phool Khilte hain
Badi Mushkil Se Magar Duniya Mein
Dost Milte Hain
It is indeed very difficult to find true lasting friendship."
So whats your opinion?
Happy Friendship day!!
International Friendship Day celebrations take place on the first Sunday of August every year. The tradition of dedicating a day in honor of friends began in US in 1935 and today it is celebrated in large number of countries. This year it was on Sunday, August 03, 2008
Well it is good to get at least one sentence mails from friends with whom we have lost touch as 'people come into our life for a season, reason or life time'
One of the favourate mails received this friendship day:
"I am quoting some lines from a famous song on friendship from Namak Haram
Diye jalte hain Phool Khilte hain
Badi Mushkil Se Magar Duniya Mein
Dost Milte Hain
Daulat Aur Jawani Ek Din Kho Jaati Hai
Sach Kehta Hoon Saari Duniya Dushman Ho Jaati Hai
Umra Bhar Dost Lekin Saath Chalte hain.
Diye jalte hain Phool Khilte hain
Badi Mushkil Se Magar Duniya Mein
Dost Milte Hain
It is indeed very difficult to find true lasting friendship."
So whats your opinion?
Happy Friendship day!!
Monday, July 28, 2008
The Godfather, by Mario Puzo
The story of the growth and transition of a family business, given by destiny, so well narrated that you feel you are into it, and you find many people resembling the characters in the classic novel. Every man has but one destiny!
It is destiny that makes one a Don, and they do not want their children to be Dons. But willingly or unwillingly, we inherit. Whether it be Vito Andolini, Who became Don Corleone, or Son Sonny, who saw his father first murder, and so became, an angry young me, disinterested in his academics, or the change in fortune of Michael and Kay.
Lessons from The God father:
• Behind every fortune there is a crime.
• Society imposes insults that must be borne, comforted by the knowledge that in this world there comes a time when the most humble of men, if he keeps his eyes open, can take his revenge on the most powerful. It was this knowledge that prevented the Don from losing the humility all his friends admired in him.
• Friendship is everything. Friendship is more than talent. It is more than government. It is almost the equal of family. Never forget that. If you have built up a wall of friendships you wouldn’t have to ask for help.
• Art of negotiation was to never get angry, never make a threat. Reason with people. Ignore all insults, all threats, turn the other cheek. ‘I will reason with him.’
• There is more money potential in narcotics than in any other business. If we don’t get into it, somebody else will. If they become stronger economically they become threat to us.
• There was no greater natural advantage in life than having an enemy overestimate your faults, unless it was to have a friend underestimate your virtues. ( A friend should always underestimate your virtue, and an enemy overestimated your faults.)
• Any profession was worthy of respect to men who for centuries earned bread by the sweat of their brows.
• Time erodes gratitude more quickly than it does beauty.
• When there is a bad news, tell it, present analysis of what must be done to rectify the situation, and keep silent – guilt, grief or sorrow.
• There were monetary insurances, but Bocchicchio insurance was gilt-edged insurance.
• The pattern for Don was his helping those in misfortune, whose misfortune, he had partly created. Not perhaps out of cunning or planning but because of his variety of interests or perhaps because of the nature of the universe, the interlinking of good and evil, nature of itself.
• You cannot say ‘no’ to the people you love, not often. That’s the secret. And then when you do, it has to sound like a ‘yes’. Or your have to make them say ‘no.’ you have to take time and trouble.
• Revenge is a dish that is tasted best when it is cold.
• And even if you are not a believer, whatever you do, for your success and well being, there is someone out there praying for you.
Indeed a classic of our time, with its brilliant and brutal portrayal, unforgettable sage of crime and corruption, passion and loyalty, standing the test of time, with its story on the mafia underworld, as a novel, film, catapulting the minds of people of all ages.
There is so much of good in the worst of us, and so much of bad in the best of us, that it ill behooves any of us, to find fault with the rest of us.
Thanks to Sriram whose review on this you can read at Ram's Ramblings (http://criticatwork.blogspot.com/2008/06/decoding-classic.html)
here
Story Arc : God father
Exposition : Vito Corleone is the most feared and most respected Don in Newyork in 1945. He has 3 sons and a daughter and a god son.
Rising action : Tensions set in when Don Corleone refuses the offer by drug Barron Sollozzo to enter the narcotics business and provide political protection.
Climax : In a series of events of rivalry between the 5 mafia families Don Corleone is severely injured , Eldest son Sonny is killed .
Resolution : His youngest son Michael takes up the charge on behalf of his father.
Falling action : Michael arranges to murder the Newyork city dons and everything is back to normal.
Saturday, July 26, 2008
The weak gone by....
Bomb Blasts!!! Has it become a daily routine in India, and something not to be worried!!! Jaipur se nikelee Gaddy,and now it is Banglore!! Ahmedabad!!! Who, what and why??? Will we ever get a true answer!!!
For sure there has been some secret motive carried out. Happened!!
Once again, it had revealed the ungly underbelly of Indian Politics. The number game was well planned and played with some losses, indeed, but then there is no gain without any loss, right.
After the New Economic policy in 1991, as a primeminister, nuclear deal, would be Manmohan Sings signature, for which he will be remembered in history. He has now pulled one final rabbit out of his hat. The one nobody imagined he would be able to. He has made a bold political gamble, saving both the deal and the government. Now they survive, shifting hands from the ideologies of the left, to much-despised adversaries like Amar sing and Mulayam Sing, Shibu Shoran, and still dominated and dictated by Sonia Gandhi.
Unlike Sangama we could see another face of the Speaker; Somanath Chatterjee, who was first admired for speaking to be neutral and keeping up his post, and then speaking about BJP and loosing respect.
Friends and Jobs will come and go, what remains is our degree….or is it that degree and jobs will come and go, but what remain is our relations.
It was just a coincidence, and nothing criminal intentions, that the CD of shoot out at Lokandwala and the book on the Godfather happened to be together.
The greatest suspense of life and what is important is:
We think of some people but it is others who think of us.
We love some, but it is some others, who love us,
We pray for some, but it is some others who pray for us.
What is important and reliable is who think of us, and who love us.
(Especially applicable to married couples, who forget their parents; it was so sweet of Beena calling me, though I keep forgetting; and could meet Sajina, after so many months of her marriage!! God alone knows, if ever, when and how we will meet again!! )
One may not remember my favorite Victor Hugo; but most of us may remember the Bishop and the Candle Sticks: When the thief took away the candle sticks, and he was brought back for enquiry to Bishop, he said it was my gift to him. This changed the thief totally. One needs to forget and forgive.
Then there is this: The Hunch Back of Notre-Dame: Though La Esmeralda was in love with Phoebus de Chateaupers, who saver her; married Gringoire to save his life, the priest who wanted to posses her, it was the Skelton of the unhanged, ugly, hunch backed, Quasimodo that was found with the body of La Esmeralda!!
Nazias birthday was a grand, unexpected, and first of its kind, in our new residence, amidst the busy schedule, of filling up Income Tax returns for relatives and friends, office work, house work, and the books and dreams! We brough our own stove, finally, on Friday.
Of the return of Sis to India, there was call from Saritha, she was back, and the appreciation for the article send, there was mail from Kuldeep!! Persons differ, situation, context and content the same.
Change in our teams management, training session by Ajeesh on team building, Share and care, Dharpan, indoor games, and the manglish......by Shemas, Ginesh, Saroja, and Hinglish from Aneena and Sandra.....all chilling....At one point of time, if you have failed to respect time; you will reap later!! Time is most precious.
There was meeting of a relative-friend after 15 long years, Rajani cheechi, and Jayanthi after 1.5 years.
Within a span of one week, first week, sons wedding and next week fathers death, our next door neighbour; Lijo and Anthony Chettan. And it had been only few months, Wilson uncle had died, leaving behind, Godu, Solu and his wife. Yesterday there were 10 girls who came to their house to stay as paying guest.. in Potta, that shows how the economy is growing...
For sure there has been some secret motive carried out. Happened!!
Once again, it had revealed the ungly underbelly of Indian Politics. The number game was well planned and played with some losses, indeed, but then there is no gain without any loss, right.
After the New Economic policy in 1991, as a primeminister, nuclear deal, would be Manmohan Sings signature, for which he will be remembered in history. He has now pulled one final rabbit out of his hat. The one nobody imagined he would be able to. He has made a bold political gamble, saving both the deal and the government. Now they survive, shifting hands from the ideologies of the left, to much-despised adversaries like Amar sing and Mulayam Sing, Shibu Shoran, and still dominated and dictated by Sonia Gandhi.
Unlike Sangama we could see another face of the Speaker; Somanath Chatterjee, who was first admired for speaking to be neutral and keeping up his post, and then speaking about BJP and loosing respect.
Friends and Jobs will come and go, what remains is our degree….or is it that degree and jobs will come and go, but what remain is our relations.
It was just a coincidence, and nothing criminal intentions, that the CD of shoot out at Lokandwala and the book on the Godfather happened to be together.
The greatest suspense of life and what is important is:
We think of some people but it is others who think of us.
We love some, but it is some others, who love us,
We pray for some, but it is some others who pray for us.
What is important and reliable is who think of us, and who love us.
(Especially applicable to married couples, who forget their parents; it was so sweet of Beena calling me, though I keep forgetting; and could meet Sajina, after so many months of her marriage!! God alone knows, if ever, when and how we will meet again!! )
One may not remember my favorite Victor Hugo; but most of us may remember the Bishop and the Candle Sticks: When the thief took away the candle sticks, and he was brought back for enquiry to Bishop, he said it was my gift to him. This changed the thief totally. One needs to forget and forgive.
Then there is this: The Hunch Back of Notre-Dame: Though La Esmeralda was in love with Phoebus de Chateaupers, who saver her; married Gringoire to save his life, the priest who wanted to posses her, it was the Skelton of the unhanged, ugly, hunch backed, Quasimodo that was found with the body of La Esmeralda!!
Nazias birthday was a grand, unexpected, and first of its kind, in our new residence, amidst the busy schedule, of filling up Income Tax returns for relatives and friends, office work, house work, and the books and dreams! We brough our own stove, finally, on Friday.
Of the return of Sis to India, there was call from Saritha, she was back, and the appreciation for the article send, there was mail from Kuldeep!! Persons differ, situation, context and content the same.
Change in our teams management, training session by Ajeesh on team building, Share and care, Dharpan, indoor games, and the manglish......by Shemas, Ginesh, Saroja, and Hinglish from Aneena and Sandra.....all chilling....At one point of time, if you have failed to respect time; you will reap later!! Time is most precious.
There was meeting of a relative-friend after 15 long years, Rajani cheechi, and Jayanthi after 1.5 years.
Within a span of one week, first week, sons wedding and next week fathers death, our next door neighbour; Lijo and Anthony Chettan. And it had been only few months, Wilson uncle had died, leaving behind, Godu, Solu and his wife. Yesterday there were 10 girls who came to their house to stay as paying guest.. in Potta, that shows how the economy is growing...
Shootout at Lokhandwala..
What everyone saw was real, what no one saw was the truth. They say Shootout at Lokhandwala is based on true rumours. An Apporva Lakhia film, produced by Sanjay Gupta, Shobha Kapoor and Ekta Kapoor,(Balaji Motion Pictures Ltd. And White Feather Film)
It is the story of a seasoned cop, ACP Khan (Sanjay Dutt) who handpicked cops like inspector Kaviraj Patel (Suniel Shetty), and Constable Javed Shaikh (Arbaaz Khan), to fight out terrorists, forming ATS, as he was unrest by the death of fellow colleagues. So engrossed in their work, that their family life was jeopardized, so much that Kaviraj Patel, even though of availing a group discount for all police staff, in applied for Divorce together. Javed Shaikh was well versed in all the languages he knew. Since its formation in December 1990, the officers of the ATS has won 23 gallantry awards, upto its termination in 1993. Crime rate in Mumbai was reduced by almost 70%. But then Khan was transferred as CP Anti Naxalite division; to Nagpur on 29th January 1993. As the ATS was terminated the Bombay blasts took place on 12th March 1993.
The film is a shocking, hypnotic look at a real life disaster. On a calm summer day, in 1991, in the bustling Lokhandwala complex, five dreaded criminals including Maya (Vivek Oberoi), Buwa (Tusshar kapoor), Fattoo, RC Meeta, Mattoo, were counting money when 286 policemen, headed by ACP Khan took strategic positions around their building, Gunfire ensured and the entire nation witnessed the most talked about daylight encounter lasting six hours that transformed suburban Mumbai into a virtual war zone of automatic gunfire. An enquiry committee headed by Dhingra (Amitabh Bachan) later probed into the encounter; with just one question; When you open your house door and find a man with gun outside, who would you like it to be? Khan or Maya?
So that was real, what was the truth? Who informed ACP of the encounter, and what was done of him? Are the real conspirators behind any subterranean movement ever punished?
A good gift, from Saroja, for my taste being different!!!
It is the story of a seasoned cop, ACP Khan (Sanjay Dutt) who handpicked cops like inspector Kaviraj Patel (Suniel Shetty), and Constable Javed Shaikh (Arbaaz Khan), to fight out terrorists, forming ATS, as he was unrest by the death of fellow colleagues. So engrossed in their work, that their family life was jeopardized, so much that Kaviraj Patel, even though of availing a group discount for all police staff, in applied for Divorce together. Javed Shaikh was well versed in all the languages he knew. Since its formation in December 1990, the officers of the ATS has won 23 gallantry awards, upto its termination in 1993. Crime rate in Mumbai was reduced by almost 70%. But then Khan was transferred as CP Anti Naxalite division; to Nagpur on 29th January 1993. As the ATS was terminated the Bombay blasts took place on 12th March 1993.
The film is a shocking, hypnotic look at a real life disaster. On a calm summer day, in 1991, in the bustling Lokhandwala complex, five dreaded criminals including Maya (Vivek Oberoi), Buwa (Tusshar kapoor), Fattoo, RC Meeta, Mattoo, were counting money when 286 policemen, headed by ACP Khan took strategic positions around their building, Gunfire ensured and the entire nation witnessed the most talked about daylight encounter lasting six hours that transformed suburban Mumbai into a virtual war zone of automatic gunfire. An enquiry committee headed by Dhingra (Amitabh Bachan) later probed into the encounter; with just one question; When you open your house door and find a man with gun outside, who would you like it to be? Khan or Maya?
So that was real, what was the truth? Who informed ACP of the encounter, and what was done of him? Are the real conspirators behind any subterranean movement ever punished?
A good gift, from Saroja, for my taste being different!!!
Monday, July 14, 2008
This is to be my symphony.....
(Further insights from In Search of your true self….Walter Staples)
Have you ever wondered how we got into this world?
For the first nine months, of our life, we got to spend time in this wonderful place called – womb. Now it wasn’t a hotel room but it was better than a hotel room in many ways because, the temperature there was just right, service 24 hours a day, tipping was not allowed, had latest bedding-a wall-to-wall bed! In fact we never had to get out of bed. Things couldn’t have been more perfect until, for some reason, we got evicted. Now we don’t know why-whether we got too rowdy or behind on the rent-but out we went. The first thing that happened was someone wearing a mask grabbed us by our two feet, turned us upside down, and gave us a smart whack on the behind. Then this person cut our umbilical cord and tied it in a tight little know. Hard to believe, perhaps, but this was our welcome to the real world! And for many of us, it never got any better.
I cannot believe that the purpose of life is merely to be happy. I think the purpose of life is to be useful, to be responsible, to be honorable, to be compassionate. It is above all, to matter: to count, to stand for something, to have it made some difference that you lived at all.
The secret of Living is Giving:
I sit in solitude
And contemplate life.
I marvel at nature,
I cry at strife.
I ask, ‘what can be done
By only one mind?’
The answer comes back-
‘A goal you must find!’
So a goal I must find
One bigger than me.
I decide to give-thoughts,
To help Humanity.
Its hope I send out
So that all can see,
We are what we are
But we can be what we can be.
So-look up and look out,
Give what you can give,
Its your special blessing
Helping others to live!
I know that : The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.
To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children, to earn appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends, to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others, to leave the world a bit better, whether by a hppy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition, to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived.
To live content with small means, to seek elegance rather than luxury, and refinement rather than fashion, to be worthy, not respectable, and wealthy, not rich; to study hard, think quietly, talk gently, act frankly; to listen to stars and birds, to babes and sages, with open heart to bear all cheerfully, do all bravely, await occasions, hurry never, In a word, to let the spiritual, unbidden and unconscious, grow up through the common, This is to be my symphony.
God created each of us in His own image. He put a little of Himself,
-His love, His grace, His power- in each of us. Unfortunately, this is the last place most of us think to look to find it.
Isn’t it interesting – almost everything we know in our lives at one time or another goes out of style. But what is the one thing that has never gone out of style, that is timeless, enduring – of course, it is LOVE.
Also do remember:
The seven Habits of Highly effective people, by Steven R. Covey:
1. Be Proactive
2. Begin with the end in mind
3. Put first things first
4. Seek first to understand, than to be understood.
5. Think win-win
6. Synergy
Have you ever wondered how we got into this world?
For the first nine months, of our life, we got to spend time in this wonderful place called – womb. Now it wasn’t a hotel room but it was better than a hotel room in many ways because, the temperature there was just right, service 24 hours a day, tipping was not allowed, had latest bedding-a wall-to-wall bed! In fact we never had to get out of bed. Things couldn’t have been more perfect until, for some reason, we got evicted. Now we don’t know why-whether we got too rowdy or behind on the rent-but out we went. The first thing that happened was someone wearing a mask grabbed us by our two feet, turned us upside down, and gave us a smart whack on the behind. Then this person cut our umbilical cord and tied it in a tight little know. Hard to believe, perhaps, but this was our welcome to the real world! And for many of us, it never got any better.
I cannot believe that the purpose of life is merely to be happy. I think the purpose of life is to be useful, to be responsible, to be honorable, to be compassionate. It is above all, to matter: to count, to stand for something, to have it made some difference that you lived at all.
The secret of Living is Giving:
I sit in solitude
And contemplate life.
I marvel at nature,
I cry at strife.
I ask, ‘what can be done
By only one mind?’
The answer comes back-
‘A goal you must find!’
So a goal I must find
One bigger than me.
I decide to give-thoughts,
To help Humanity.
Its hope I send out
So that all can see,
We are what we are
But we can be what we can be.
So-look up and look out,
Give what you can give,
Its your special blessing
Helping others to live!
I know that : The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.
To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children, to earn appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends, to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others, to leave the world a bit better, whether by a hppy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition, to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived.
To live content with small means, to seek elegance rather than luxury, and refinement rather than fashion, to be worthy, not respectable, and wealthy, not rich; to study hard, think quietly, talk gently, act frankly; to listen to stars and birds, to babes and sages, with open heart to bear all cheerfully, do all bravely, await occasions, hurry never, In a word, to let the spiritual, unbidden and unconscious, grow up through the common, This is to be my symphony.
God created each of us in His own image. He put a little of Himself,
-His love, His grace, His power- in each of us. Unfortunately, this is the last place most of us think to look to find it.
Isn’t it interesting – almost everything we know in our lives at one time or another goes out of style. But what is the one thing that has never gone out of style, that is timeless, enduring – of course, it is LOVE.
Also do remember:
The seven Habits of Highly effective people, by Steven R. Covey:
1. Be Proactive
2. Begin with the end in mind
3. Put first things first
4. Seek first to understand, than to be understood.
5. Think win-win
6. Synergy
Sunday, July 13, 2008
In Search of your true self….Walter Staples
Here is an odyssey into self awareness and self mastery by Walter Staples. In the book ‘In Search of your true self’ you will find a myriad of inspiring words, ideas and concepts, which helps you understand that you are born rich, and the immense treasure lies buried deep within you.
The message put forth by the author through his Renaissance program is: It matters only who we think we are. For if we change who we think we are, we change who we are!
You make a difference by giving something of yourself for the betterment of others. Dare to dream big, and in the process: Set yourself on fire!!
Insights through various illustrations given were:
1. We are responsible for our life:
The price of greatness is responsibility.
What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.
To be what we are and to become what we are capable of being is the only end of life.
There are three major challenges that we face: To master the subject matter, apply the concepts, and teach them to others.
Remember three things:
i. Life is a series of thoughts.
ii. We become what we think about.
iii. We can choose what we think about.
Seven main elements of the Universal Achievement Process that must be considered when pursuing a goal of any consequences are:
I. Desire
II. Clear, focused goals.
III. Unquestionable belief in both ourselves and our goals.
IV. A plan to implement our goals.
V. Taking consistent action in the direction of our goals.
VI. Assessing our results, and changing our approach.
VII. Keep on taking action, all the while focusing on the desired outcome.
Leaders are in the business of empowering others, and need to develop key communications skills that relate to motivating, goal-setting, directing, team-building, planning, delegating, monitoring, training, appraising, counseling and rewarding.
2. Our thoughts are our choice:
The relationship goes something like this:
i. Successful results, come from
ii. Persistent, focused effort, comes from
iii. Clear, meaningful goals, come from
iv. Positive feelings about self (representing high self esteem), come from
v. Strong core beliefs, come from
vi. Individual thoughts and experience
The hardest sell in the world is: You selling you on yourself!
Thoughts plus faith creates form. Sooner or later the one who wins, is the one who thinks he can!
To think, is to SELECT, thoughts from a wide range, EXERCISE CONTROL ON THE THOUGHTS, DECIDE, to be happy.
Strive to become excellent at something you think is important and that intensely interests you.
Know the answers to the Five Ultimate questions:
1. Who am I?
2. How did I get this way?
3. Why do I think, feel and behave the way I do?
4. Can I change, improve for the better?
5. And the most important question of all-HOW?
3. We create our own reality:
The enemy of excellence is good. Our potential is a function of three primary ingredients: our natural talents, our personal belief system, and our inner desire. Our outer world is a reflection of our inner world. Either we see what we believe, knowing we can control what we believe; or we believe what we see, knowing we have no control over what we see. The world itself is a neutral place. No single event in and of itself is either positive or negative. It just is!
4. Think, Re-think, then think again:
There are three real limitations inherent in the sensory perception process of accessing information. Viz.
• limited,
• inconsistent and
• biased.
Because of this it is impossible to get a realistic sense of our True self from looking solely at the physical world. Three critical elements in managing our mental state, that comprise all new thought creation is A-C-E:
• Affirm
• Conceptualize and
• Emotionalize
We think in three dimensions:
• Idea
• Image
• Emotional
And therefore the three pillars of the self are:
• The self concept
• The self image and
• The self esteem
FIVE FABULOURS FACTS:
I. Success is not an accident.
II. Success leaves clues; so does failure.
III. Success is the result of cause and effect.
IV. Our thoughts are the cause, and our behavior and circumstances are the effect but
V. We can choose our thoughts, and hence control their effects.
As a result, we can all learn to become more successful at anything, anytime!
We must first change the state of our inner world if we want to change the state of our outer world.
5. Self-esteem is everything:
It is a person’s judgment of himself, the kind of friends he chooses, how he gets along with others, the kind of person he marries, and how productive he will be. It is the mainstream that slates each of us for success or failure as a human being.
Negative thoughts bring about:
Fear, Anger, Anxiety, Guilt
Other examples of negative behavior brought out by low self-esteem include:
Blaming and complaining, need for constant attention and approval, need to always be right, and fear of failure and fear of rejection.
Here are some suggestions you may want to consider to bring about significant change in your life:
i. Forgive anyone and everyone who has ever done you any harm at any time in your life, including yourself. It annoys your enemies.
ii. Stop blaming any external factors or others for your current state of affair.
iii. Take the approach, ‘My future is in my hands. I am responsible. I accept the challenge.
iv. Accept what has happened, for a reason and a purpose, and will serve you in the future. Learn from the experience and move on.
v. Results don’t lie.
Our prehistoric man evolved by:
• Adapting (furs for clothing, caves for shelter)
• Innovating (bones and rocks for utensils and weapons)
• Experimenting (fire, growing and eating different foods) and
• Communicating
Natural success formula that exists to date is:
I. Decide what you want
II. Take action
III. Assess your results
IV. Change your approach.
V. Keep on taking action…all the while focusing on the desired outcome
6. The comfort zone complex:
Discomfort is a fact of life for anyone wanting more. Yet we must learn to live with it, accept it-we must even seek it out. For discomfort is a sure sign of growth, of wanting to improve ourselves and our situations in life.
Mastery over life cannot be achieved through domination over our physical world. It comes through an understanding of the inner workings of our mind.
Here are some ways we can use our mind to much greater effects:
SUSPEND ALL DISBELIEF: Act as if it were impossible to fail. Take a quantum leap in faith, and you will have a quantum leap in result. If anyone can do it, you can do it.
USE FEAR AS A POWERFUL TOOL: Most fears are only False Evidence Appearing Real. Use it as an useful device. It can be controlled and directed for positive results if we learn more about its origin and features.
(FEAR: Feel Energetic And Act for Result)
7. The power of Belief:
If you want a quality, act as if you already had it, try the ‘as if’ technique. Having ‘faith’ is not a simple business.
All success must include three essential elements:
1. Know what you want.
2. believe you can get it – have faith, and
3. Take action in the direction you want to go.
Our mental attitude is defined as our habitual manner of acting, feeling and thinking that shows our disposition, opinions and beliefs about life. The three key words are ‘habitual’, ‘thinking’ and ‘beliefs’. Therefore the attitude we have is a direct result of the beliefs we hold.
(It is our attitude that determines our altitude)
We’re engineered for success but programmed for failure, and its absolutely true.
When we were born, we didn’t know anything about anything and hence didn’t have a bunch of beliefs about anything either. Our mind was simply a blank slate. Then we experienced something of life, and learned things about ourselves and our world. And if we validated this same information often enough in our later experiences, we accepted it as ‘true’ and it became part of our reality profile.
Consider each of the following beliefs and make them a part of your life:
1. Winners are made, not born.
2. The dominant force in our existence is the thinking we engage in on a daily basis.
3. We are empowered to create our own reality of who we are and what kind of world we live in.
4. There is some benefit to be had from every adversity.
5. The personal belief system we now have is total choice.
6. We are never defeated until we accept defeat as a reality, and decide to stop trying.
7. We already possess the ability to excel in at least one key area of our life.
8. The only real limitations on what we can accomplish in our life are those we impose on ourselves.
9. There can be no great success without great commitment.
10. We need the support and cooperation of other people to achieve any worthwhile goal.
Where do thoughts come from? It is not something that we make, they represent universal intelligence that each of us can access through our subconscious mind.
We are all impacted by events in our life, some controllable, and some not. It is our response to an event that determines its impact on us. It is only thoughts that can stop us from moving into a new direction. We want control- and control comes from exercising our ‘response-ability’. Life is a harsh teacher if we let it consume us at will. We have to stand up and be counted.
8. How to Change core beliefs:
Steps to creating new beliefs:
I. Practice original thinking
II. Change the words you say to yourself
III. Change the pictures you have in your head about yourself
IV. Change your physiology
V. Change the information you expose yourself to
VI. Associate with other successful people.
VII. Take action.
VIII. Act the part
9. Have a dream bigger than you.
Develop a sense of urgency. What people lack most in their life is a vision of a compelling future, a burning desire that stirs their emotions, and gives meaning and direction to their very existence. Do it now! What do you want to be remembered when you are gone? If you have only one year to live? We must literally sparkle inside if we want to be vibrant and full of creative energy. Be in the active mode-think, dream, do. We should have a purpose (an overall direction, which only you can discover all by yourself) and a goal (which is tangible), which is consistent with our deepest values. If you don’t know what your values are, you need only look at your actions, to see what they are, for actions don’t lie.
It isn’t so important what amount of money you earn-it is what you do with what you earn, that is important.
10. The five great wonders of the mind
When we change our thinking, we change our beliefs;
When we change our beliefs, we change our expectations;
When we change our expectations, we change our attitude;
When we change our attitude, we change our behavior;
When we change our behavior, we change our performance,
When we change our performance, we change our life.
It’s simply this, when we change our thinking, we change our life.
We are here to see what we can add to, not to see what we can get from life.
Coming to the five great wonders of the mind:
1) We think in pictures, that are activated by words,
2) We always act out the pictures in our head,
3) We can change the pictures in our head to whatever we want, (it’s the only one over which we have control)
4) The mind cannot tell the difference between fact and fiction,
5) The mind can imagine things for us that we cannot begin to contemplate.
11. Focus on Contribution
When we lose ourselves in giving, we find our reason for living. The only one who literally ‘makes’ money is the person who works in a mint operated by the government. The rest of us must EARN it. We earn it by providing others with goods and services they need and want. Money is a medium of exchange.
Some of the elements of a self-initiated and self-directed program to develop personal and professional excellence are:
1. Develop an appreciation of what excellence is in the area in which you want to specialize.
2. Understand that excellence is not a destination, it’s a journey.
3. List the many benefits that will accrue to you as a result of becoming excellent in your career.
4. List the things you need to do and the obstacles you must overcome in your quest to become excellent.
5. Commit to these steps, no matter what, knowing that this is the price you have to pay to reap the rewards you want.
We need to organize our time and focus on our resources, on a daily basis. The great wheel of life comprises of six key areas.
I INNER FITNESS
i. Physical
ii. Mental
iii. Spiritual
II OUTER ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
iv. Financial
v. Career
vi. family
1. The wheel is strong, only if all six spokes are present and are significant players. If one ore more spokes is missing, the wheel is distorted in shape and wobbles when put in motion.
2. Our very own senses of self lies at the core of the wheel and directly affects all the other parts.
The key then is to ensure that we are making constant improvement in each of these areas, and have a proper balance among all six areas, such that each area is nurtured and enhanced.
Philippinas 1:6 says “ Be confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a great work in you will complete it”.
12. Exploring our spiritual dimension
Summarizing our key findings:
1. BASIC DRIVE: We can sink, simply survive or succeed according to our basic drives. We each have the means to fall to the depths of despair or rise to the heights of greatness. Human nature, if left unchecked, unchallenged and uncharted will destroy us all.
2. COLLECTIVE CONSCIOUSNESS: It is our understanding of ourselves. It represents our sense of self in relation to our world and what we see as our possibilities in it.
3. BIFOCAL SENSING CAPABILITY: The human mind has it. During the early life, it looks outward, and later it looks inward. One or other perspective always predominates.
4. SIGHT: If our focus is outward, we tend to see negative, and if it is inward we tend to see positive.
5. UNIVERSAL INTELLIGENCE: Is present all around us, we are it, and it is us.
6. LIFE: Is not a physical thing; but a mental construct.
7. OUR TRUE SELF is who each of us in fact is.
8. OUR BELIEFS, VALUES AND ACTIONS, help us achieve things.
9. TOOLS: Our ability to contemplate, conceptualize, introspect and imagine are the tools we can use to discover who we really are. It is by first changing our inner world, that we can change our outer world.
10. CONTRIBUTIONS: How we thing, behave and give.
Mastery of life has as its very foundation knowledge and understating- of ourselves and our world, of others, of our profession, of our primary purpose in life, of the cause behind all things.
Thought is first cause. In the beginning, we are. Pure consciousness.
As we are, we thing. As we think, we believe. As we believe, we imagine.
As we imagine, we become. As we become, we do. As we do, We contribute.
As we contribute, we receive. As we receive, we become fulfilled.
All in search of our True Self.
Key elements that define our ability to keep, ‘on purpose,’ to keep focused and moving ahead, a sort of driveability quotient or unstopability index is HRR factor:
H – HAPPINESS: Being positive and enthusiastic, despite what the world is telling us.
R – RESILIENCE: Being able to cope, indeed, overcome. Any obstacle or adversity, and still move ahead.
R – RESOURCEFULNESS. Being able to find the insight and energy to seize opportunities in order to achieve the results that are important to us.
Remember:
Life is a series of thoughts.
We become what we think about.
We can choose what we think about.
These are the primary connecting links in the personal empowerment process. We empower ourselves by gaining control over our thoughts and actions in order to get the results we want, the emotional and material rewards we all so desperately seek in our life.
Our greatest responsibility, then, is simply to act as we know we should. Take us personal responsibility and only then rise your expectation, then you will be happy.
Monday, June 30, 2008
Pride goes before a fall
Pride goes before a fall…..
Life is the greatest teacher…
Blessings of our elders are inevitable in all walks of our life.
Life is a cycle of events, whether it is season, or experience.
I like to get wet in the rain, so that no one would see me crying, I like to get apprised, as I can know my strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats!!
Why do we garnish our own traits while tarnish that of others?
It was nice to see granddaughter coming to see her grandma, at least before joining her college this time.
Was it a realization? If yes well and good.
Still cannot forget the day, when having told that her grandma is sending someone, there was no one at home!!!
Would they have done this if it was whom they want!! What do they have their mobiles for? Just to demand and ask for things??
It needs a fall, to remind us that there is someone above us.
When the results are good, it’s because we are brilliant, when the results are bad, it’s because papers or the task was difficult!!
Events like the reality shows are also an eye-opener.
Indeed, whatever has to go wrong will go wrong, and nobody can stop an idea whose time has come!!!
Grass is always greener on the other side.
Don’t boast. Take time to appreciate and for Thanks giving.
It is all part of future shocks, that we have started depreciating the value of relations!!
It was again Potta Ammavan, who is and was there in the hour of need.
You can fool some people for some time, but not all the people all the time.
It is so good and indeed a blessing to have elderly people at home, you have got so many visitors, and get to know so many people.
Gods blessings are needed in every walk of our life, and when he tests us, we should not give up. Lijohns marriage took place amidst so much of hurdles:
Rain, due to which, house construction delayed, father hospitalized, leg figure swollen and having sugar, business of milking cow had to be stopped, thief, and the day before brother in laws brother expired, yet the wedding happened well.
What you want to do, do it now. You cannot keep it for tomorrow; there is no better time than now! This is the right time. As ammuma said, if you don’t have borrow and give, this time will never come again.
You should never dream of winning a lottery, unless you buy one, and passing an examination, unless you write one, and getting promotions, unless you come out of your comfort zone.
Anubahvikum…That work keep echoing my ears…It is not only sisters, so long as there is life in any individual, he goes through anubhavam, or experiences….Life is indeed the greatest teacher, and each day is a new learning….there are many lessons, learned from life of our own, and of others!!
Life is the greatest teacher…
Blessings of our elders are inevitable in all walks of our life.
Life is a cycle of events, whether it is season, or experience.
I like to get wet in the rain, so that no one would see me crying, I like to get apprised, as I can know my strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats!!
Why do we garnish our own traits while tarnish that of others?
It was nice to see granddaughter coming to see her grandma, at least before joining her college this time.
Was it a realization? If yes well and good.
Still cannot forget the day, when having told that her grandma is sending someone, there was no one at home!!!
Would they have done this if it was whom they want!! What do they have their mobiles for? Just to demand and ask for things??
It needs a fall, to remind us that there is someone above us.
When the results are good, it’s because we are brilliant, when the results are bad, it’s because papers or the task was difficult!!
Events like the reality shows are also an eye-opener.
Indeed, whatever has to go wrong will go wrong, and nobody can stop an idea whose time has come!!!
Grass is always greener on the other side.
Don’t boast. Take time to appreciate and for Thanks giving.
It is all part of future shocks, that we have started depreciating the value of relations!!
It was again Potta Ammavan, who is and was there in the hour of need.
You can fool some people for some time, but not all the people all the time.
It is so good and indeed a blessing to have elderly people at home, you have got so many visitors, and get to know so many people.
Gods blessings are needed in every walk of our life, and when he tests us, we should not give up. Lijohns marriage took place amidst so much of hurdles:
Rain, due to which, house construction delayed, father hospitalized, leg figure swollen and having sugar, business of milking cow had to be stopped, thief, and the day before brother in laws brother expired, yet the wedding happened well.
What you want to do, do it now. You cannot keep it for tomorrow; there is no better time than now! This is the right time. As ammuma said, if you don’t have borrow and give, this time will never come again.
You should never dream of winning a lottery, unless you buy one, and passing an examination, unless you write one, and getting promotions, unless you come out of your comfort zone.
Anubahvikum…That work keep echoing my ears…It is not only sisters, so long as there is life in any individual, he goes through anubhavam, or experiences….Life is indeed the greatest teacher, and each day is a new learning….there are many lessons, learned from life of our own, and of others!!
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Dimensions of Culture
It is said that one who has learnt the language but is ignorant of the culture is a fluent fool. Let us try to know the dimensions of culture:
Individualism Vs Collectivism:
Most individualistic society is USA according to a 1980 study. It is the function of ones reasoning mind. It makes an individual independent, strong, reliable, and confident.
In the orient, there are life long family relationships based on inter-dependence and loyalty. That is collectivism. There is always a safety net.
Whatever, ultimately, you have to face the consequence.
Particularisam Vs. Universalism
Particularisam means an individual behaves as per circumstances and people.
Universalism means there is equality, say like in naxal countries.
High Power Distance Vs. Low Power Distance
Filipino culture ranks extremely high in power distance. There is clear cut distinctions in hierarchy and status. This is seen in Asian families too.
In the USA all are considered equal, so hierarchy is either not acknowledged or is positively de-emphasized. (Classic example-using first names to address people) Hierarchy do exist but it is considered inappropriate to accentuate this fact.
Fatalism Vs. Activism
In Fatalism, individual is a small speck. There is fate or destiny, controlling him. So we Indians forget quarrels, calamities.
In Activism the locus of control is largely internal. There are no limits on what I can do or become, so long as I set my mind to it and make the necessary efforts. People here are generally focused. Americans being so can nevery forget 9/11.
Polychronic Vs. Monochronic
In a polychronic society like India, people follow the IST meaning: Indian Stretchable Time. They don’t realize that the most important thing in life is Time. Those who be on time to places become fools. They have to keep waiting. So much of man hours is lost. But they are good at multitasking too.
In a monochromic culture, time is given and people are the variable. The needs of people are adjusted to suit the demands of time. So there is no concept of being late. Time is quantifiable and there is a limited amount of it at any given time. They belive in completing one task at a time, and only then taking the next.
Uncertinity Vs. Certinity
Uncertainty avoidance is related to anxiety and not just to risk. It leads to a reduction of ambiguity and hence a need for structure.
High Context Vs. Low Context
In high context we need to look the background. You need to look at the undercurrent for survival. It is harder to understand and penetrate. In countries like Japan and France it is highly followed. In families it is so especially between husband and wife.
Eg. Admit mistake and earn respect: In some organizations you may be chucked out.
When everything is explicitly stated it is low context.
East Vs. West
Once upon a time, India was a self-sufficient, self reliant and happy country. Though after coming into India ruling us and living behind, they have left their culture, which we try to imitate and there is confusion. We are on the middle path. Lessons we can learn from the west are:
Freedom from Prejudice: Only open book can absorb ideas.
Discipline: Most important thing in life is time. One needs to respect that.
Professionalism: How to be impartial in relationship. Accept mistakes, let the other man save his face.
Egoism: Only when an individual is happy, he can help the group, to make a collective right decision. It is worthless to make sacrifices when one is not happy.
Self Confidence: Be a go getter.
Appreciation: We should not be critical, but lean to say good.
Planning foresights:
These qualities need to be imbibed.
It is hurting to see that the new generation, instead of looking at this, feels that family relations are a burden or are wrong. It is especially because the individual is not happy.
Accountant Vs. Marketing:
Accountants would like to economize, make optimum use of their resources. If you try to economize, you will not be able to market.
Marketing people would like to spent more and get more. Getting more makes them happy, and they try to influence those around them. (at times with a heavy price)
This was to highlight the different departments in an organization. Though there are differences, both understand the perception and live together.
Roles, superstitions and rituals, Values-The determinants of behavior, also play a great part. Eg. The father as authority figure.
Remember Ethnocentrism: Ethnic+Centre: The tendency to evaluate a foreigner/outside behavior by the standard of ones own culture.
We take our culture for granted.
We see our behavior as correct and others as wrong.
Infuses prejudice, contempt, stereotype, and conflict.
At any cost you will learn but at what cost and with how much pain is important.
All cultures are not readily compatible. Don’t focus on differences, focus on similarity and you can get alone with anyone.
Courtesy:
• Ms. Pushpa Kurups charismatic personality, and valuable training
• Ms. Narayanis thoughts on lessons we can learn from the west.
• Mr. Sajeev and Ms. Tharas gift: The fountain head, and the other books.
• Life experiences.
Individualism Vs Collectivism:
Most individualistic society is USA according to a 1980 study. It is the function of ones reasoning mind. It makes an individual independent, strong, reliable, and confident.
In the orient, there are life long family relationships based on inter-dependence and loyalty. That is collectivism. There is always a safety net.
Whatever, ultimately, you have to face the consequence.
Particularisam Vs. Universalism
Particularisam means an individual behaves as per circumstances and people.
Universalism means there is equality, say like in naxal countries.
High Power Distance Vs. Low Power Distance
Filipino culture ranks extremely high in power distance. There is clear cut distinctions in hierarchy and status. This is seen in Asian families too.
In the USA all are considered equal, so hierarchy is either not acknowledged or is positively de-emphasized. (Classic example-using first names to address people) Hierarchy do exist but it is considered inappropriate to accentuate this fact.
Fatalism Vs. Activism
In Fatalism, individual is a small speck. There is fate or destiny, controlling him. So we Indians forget quarrels, calamities.
In Activism the locus of control is largely internal. There are no limits on what I can do or become, so long as I set my mind to it and make the necessary efforts. People here are generally focused. Americans being so can nevery forget 9/11.
Polychronic Vs. Monochronic
In a polychronic society like India, people follow the IST meaning: Indian Stretchable Time. They don’t realize that the most important thing in life is Time. Those who be on time to places become fools. They have to keep waiting. So much of man hours is lost. But they are good at multitasking too.
In a monochromic culture, time is given and people are the variable. The needs of people are adjusted to suit the demands of time. So there is no concept of being late. Time is quantifiable and there is a limited amount of it at any given time. They belive in completing one task at a time, and only then taking the next.
Uncertinity Vs. Certinity
Uncertainty avoidance is related to anxiety and not just to risk. It leads to a reduction of ambiguity and hence a need for structure.
High Context Vs. Low Context
In high context we need to look the background. You need to look at the undercurrent for survival. It is harder to understand and penetrate. In countries like Japan and France it is highly followed. In families it is so especially between husband and wife.
Eg. Admit mistake and earn respect: In some organizations you may be chucked out.
When everything is explicitly stated it is low context.
East Vs. West
Once upon a time, India was a self-sufficient, self reliant and happy country. Though after coming into India ruling us and living behind, they have left their culture, which we try to imitate and there is confusion. We are on the middle path. Lessons we can learn from the west are:
Freedom from Prejudice: Only open book can absorb ideas.
Discipline: Most important thing in life is time. One needs to respect that.
Professionalism: How to be impartial in relationship. Accept mistakes, let the other man save his face.
Egoism: Only when an individual is happy, he can help the group, to make a collective right decision. It is worthless to make sacrifices when one is not happy.
Self Confidence: Be a go getter.
Appreciation: We should not be critical, but lean to say good.
Planning foresights:
These qualities need to be imbibed.
It is hurting to see that the new generation, instead of looking at this, feels that family relations are a burden or are wrong. It is especially because the individual is not happy.
Accountant Vs. Marketing:
Accountants would like to economize, make optimum use of their resources. If you try to economize, you will not be able to market.
Marketing people would like to spent more and get more. Getting more makes them happy, and they try to influence those around them. (at times with a heavy price)
This was to highlight the different departments in an organization. Though there are differences, both understand the perception and live together.
Roles, superstitions and rituals, Values-The determinants of behavior, also play a great part. Eg. The father as authority figure.
Remember Ethnocentrism: Ethnic+Centre: The tendency to evaluate a foreigner/outside behavior by the standard of ones own culture.
We take our culture for granted.
We see our behavior as correct and others as wrong.
Infuses prejudice, contempt, stereotype, and conflict.
At any cost you will learn but at what cost and with how much pain is important.
All cultures are not readily compatible. Don’t focus on differences, focus on similarity and you can get alone with anyone.
Courtesy:
• Ms. Pushpa Kurups charismatic personality, and valuable training
• Ms. Narayanis thoughts on lessons we can learn from the west.
• Mr. Sajeev and Ms. Tharas gift: The fountain head, and the other books.
• Life experiences.
The Fountainhead
In ‘The Fountainhead’ Ayn Rand depicts mans character to be the product of his premises, through various characters, which are distinct classes of humanity:–
Howard Roark a college drop out from, the Architectural School of the Stanton Institute of Technology, self made architect, self sufficient, self confident, self centered ‘monster- because he is utterly innocent about it. His integrity is as unyielding as granite. He is in conflict with the world in every possible way-and at complete peace with himself and is himself at every cost. He knows it, and therefore is never hurt, nor suffers, and has no painful surprises. He has accepted what he is to accept from the world and is concerned with only what he does, which cannot be influenced by anything and anyone on the outside. He neither joins the society nor fights them, but lives on his own but do not mind destroying what he believes to be a destruction of creativity. A hymn glorifying a man’s ‘I’. Who dynamited and destroyed, Cortlandt, as it was he who designed it, and others tried to change it. He did not recognize anyones right to one minute of his life, energy or achievement. After a desperate battle waged he is fortunate enough in finding victory, after facing all odds, hardships and obstacles and of the fanatic denunciation unleashed by an enraged society against a great creator. A man who is as he should be as per Ayn Rand. ‘Are you happy Mr. Superman?’
Parallel to him is his senior in the college and the topper, Peter Keating, a second hander, in whose house Roark lived during the three years of his architectural education. He is a ruthless, unprincipled egotist, who did anything for his ‘brilliant career’, removed Tim Davis, Claude Stengel and Lucius Heyer, from his way, send for the competation drawing made by Howard Roark as his. He was a luckier, selfless man, who having no self also did not have any ethics. His aim in life was Greatness-in other people’s eyes fame, admiration, envy. His philosophy was to always be what people want you to be, then you can get them where you want them. Others were his motive power and his prime concern. Concerned, not truly, but only as mirrors for his own vanity. He borrowed from others in order to make an impression on others. That’s actual selflessness. It’s his ego he’s betrayed and given up. But everybody calls him selfish.
Ellsworth Toohey, contrast to Roark, who did not believe in individualism, but that all are equal and interchangeable, glorified all forms of collectivism, who said to Peter, that kindness was the first commandment. We need to learn to love everything, the humblest, the least, the meanest, and then the meanest in you will be loved. According to him there are two things we must get rid of early in life, a feeling of personal superiority and an exaggerated reverence for the sexual act. He seldom let a boy pursue the career he had choosen. He told them, that it would be wiser to choose a profession about which we can be calm, sane and matter-of fact. And if you hate it, it makes for down-to-earthness. He belived in principles and that there are two procedures in life, you can pull out each single weed as it comes up or prepare the soil in such a manner-by spreading such a chemical- that it will be impossible for weeds to grow. Guess he was busy doing the second, with a mask of the social worker. Who destroyed architecture, literature, theater, press. He spend time creating all form of silly organizations. He made friends who clung to him. He once said to kill by laughter. Laughter is an instrument of human joy, but which can be used as a weapon of destruction, by turning it into a sneer. He was Catherines uncle. When there was an end to the Banner, many newspapers bid for his service. He selected the Courier. He went into ‘intellectualism’ in a big way. A subconscious revenge for his obvious physical inferiority, a means to power his body could never give him. Also he had a cunning perception that only mental control over others is true control. Concerned about others, with an overwhelming desire to dominate them.
Gail Wynand, the greatest publisher, born without a silver spoon in his mouth. A self made man, who had acquired all the wealth, and power in the world. But he ruled only as long as he said what the mob wanted him to say, and all were fair weathering when he said what he wanted. Of whom Henry Cameron, who loved his work for which he fought and lost, who was the only person with whom Howard Roark wanted to work, and did work, had warned when on his death bed. With whom Austen Heller, who had given Roark, his first break in creativity had asked Roark to keep a boundary, to which Roark had said: but nobody has ever given the proper statement of where they must be drawn. With his banner was Alvah Scarret, who had never hated anything and so was incapable of love. When Toohey was to be taken back to Banner, he put an end to it. Mike the electrician, and Steven Mallory, who was the sculptor of the controversial statue of Dominique for the temple, were the few well wishers of Roark. But Gail Wynand ended up giving Roark the biggest and greatest break, in his career, though had lost even his wife for Roark.
Dominique Francon, the exquisitely beautiful women who loved Roark passionately, but married first Peter Keating, and then Gail Wynand, and in the end return to Roark. Hers was the character, I could not digest, may be it is typical of the western culture, and unacceptable to traditional orients! To her everything was a string leading to every other.
Catherine Halsey, whom Peter had jilted for Dominique. Who then takes up work, and believes herself to be temperamentally unsuited to domesticity which is too selfish and too narrow. Who learns to believe in looking at things objectively, and being rational.
Mrs. Keating, full of dreams for her son. A true, normal mother – for whom there is only one perfect child. ‘Motherhood in a changing world’. Can they ever broaden their own emotional view and raise their selfish love for their children, to a higher plane?
About material and non material things:
There are various perceptions given of two great professions Architecture and Journalism.
Money: There is nothing evil in a desire to make money. But money is only a means to some end. If a man wants it for a personal purpose-to invest in his industry, to create, to study, to travel, to enjoy luxury- he’s completely moral. But the men who place money first go beyond that. Personal luxury is a limited endeavor. What they want is ostentation: to show, to stun, to entertain, and to impress others. They’re second-handers.
Man: A man thinks and works alone. The man who attempts to live for others is a dependent. A man cannot rob, exploit or rule-alone. Robbery, exploitation and ruling presuppose victims. They imply dependence. They are the province of the second hander. No one is responsible, no one can be held accountable, and such is the nature of all collective action. The only good which men can do to one another and the only statement of their proper relationship is-Hands off!!! Our idea of mankind is general. All we know of it is the people we meet in our lifetime. Of them, one can feel some respect for people when they suffer. They have a certain dignity. But they are different when they are enjoying themselves. Whatever, we need people in our life.
Then there is reference to the Gallant Gallstone, wherein it is said that there is no such thing as free will. We can’t help what we are or what we do. Its not our fault. Nobody’s to blame for anything. It’s all in your background and….and your glands. If you’re good, that’s no achievement of yours-you were lucky in your glands. If you’re rotten, nobody should punish you-you were unlucky, that’s all. – We all agree to this, but when it comes to practice, there are variances.
In the intellectual discussion there was Mitchell Layton who said, that people would be much happier in all regulated society that had a definite pattern and a unified form-like a folk dance. What makes people unhappy is not too little choice, but too much. Jessica Pratt, for whom education is all that we need, we would have a better world.
Altruism-the sacrifice of self to others, live for others. . If physical slavery is repulsive, more repulsive is the slavery of spirit. The man who enslaves himself voluntarily in the name of love is the basest of creatures. He degrades the dignity of man and he degrades the conception of love. Which is the essence of altruism.
Creator: Is the man who disagrees, who swims against the current, stands alone, the egotist. His concern is the conquest of nature, lives for his work, and basic need is independence. Men have been thought that highest virtue is to give, relive others from suffering. But one cannot give that which has not been created. Creation comes before destruction. We should not shrug at an act of achievement.
Egotism is the sacrifice of others to self, and
‘ From this simplest necessity to the highest religious abstraction, from the wheel to the skyscraper, everything we are and everything we have comes from a single attribute of man-the function of his reasoning mind’.
Neither politics nor ethics nor philosophy is an end in itself, neither in life nor in literature. Only Man is an end in himself.
‘Whatever their future, at the dawn of their lives, men seek a noble vision of mans nature and of life’s potential.’
And this book has given an answer to most of my doubts and questions: And the answer is ‘mans ego is the fountainhead of human progress’ Thanks for it....
A lovely birthday present!!!