Non-Sense of Humour

Yesterday I was at the rest room relieving myself, one of my colleagues rushed in with a lot of huff-puff, relieved himself and then he let out a sigh of relief...I remarked "You were under a lot of pressure, huh?" Then he asked me, "how do you know that I have to deliver XYZ report tonight?"

All I could manage was a baffled look and "oh just ignore what I said"

Look What I found...

I was surfing around on the web. I found this T-shirt which I feel all, bloggers would relate to..Go ahead, get one for yourself at googlestore.com

'Professionalism' Xtreme

I was reading a text related to Hindu mythology. The conversation was between Lord Yama(Hindu God of Death) and Lord Shiva(Hindu God of Destruction). The situation is, Lord Yama is not too happy with his job of taking lives, causing pain and grief. As his boss is Lord Shiva, he lets Lord Shiva know about his dissatisfaction with the job.

To begin with Lord Shiva is a patient listener and then he says, "I well and truly understand your dissatisfaction but at the same time it is your job and you have to be professional, and there must not be any half measures around it".

Moral is, do your job and do it well without getting too emotional with it!

Books Ahoy

Aha books... I particularly never developed a taste for management or self development books, as I feel they have the lowest shelf life. Having said that, there are some books which are not to be missed. All the young adults globally, who probably are at the beginning of their career and considering they are a little low on the exposure, unknowingly end up making some mistakes on the professional front. Mistakes are fine but one should maintain a distance from blunders, which have the capability to haunt us for a long time to come. To avoid these blunders career building books come in real handy.

Two books I strongly recommend are 'Career Warfare' by D'Alessandro and just to have a very aggressive outlook about the way one thinks about an organization or looks at management in the company they work for, I recommend 'Winning' by Jack Welch. The quality of these books come across in the first ten pages itself.

Read them ...

'Me'-The Movie Critique

Media, Bollywood and Madhur Bhandarkar's fans are awaiting his next movie 'Corporate' with bated breath. I am no movie expert but looking at the promos, I just get a feeling that the movie will do well at the box office and will sway the public opinion about the 'Corporates' to a great extent. That said, I do not expect Madhur Bhandarkar to treat the subject holistically. Still a couple of days to go for the movie release but when the ad screams 'PAISA'----'POWER'-----'POLITICS' I am somehow forced to believe the subject would not have been handled with a lot of finesse.

Friday is the movie release, Saturday I might get infected by 'Foot-in-Mouth' disease...

Vinayakan

'Art of War' With Mongrels!

One of the days while I was returning late from work, I was walking towards my house, four stray dogs(read thoroughbred mongrels) started growling and one of them barked in real hatred. I was no knight in shining armour, so the brave Vinayakan was about to pee in his pants, but at that time I felt as if there was a lump in my throat so I coughed and to my bewilderment the street dogs stepped back..I coughed again(purely intentional) the dogs, they just went away. I was surprised and I was blinking, wondering what happened.

Just to validate my observation I tried the same stunt on the following days and boy it works. So readers, pass the 'social self-defence' message on. Whenever any of you folks(or anyone in your known circle) gets rounded up by dogs, try coughing the dogs away--I do not know whether this is universally true for all dogs but it definitely works with street dogs in my locality!!

David Vs. Goliath

I have always had a keen interest in business case studies and business rivalries. I have been reading a whole lot of stuff related to it these days. Right from Cola wars to Bank of America Vs Citibank to MasterCard/Visa Vs American Express to Airbus-Boeing standoff.

The rivalry of our times/generation is going to be Google Vs Microsoft. Click on the link below, this is by far the best Flash work I have come across http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/epic.

Not just on the basis of this video, but by the other things that I am reading, I predict there will be no Microsoft by the year 2015. Imagine the world of computers, without Microsoft...Food for thought I guess!

Heartland Hindustani!

Couldn't resist from putting this one up. Click on the photogarph for a closer look. It is 'It happens only in India' at its killing best!

*Maharaja's Tommy Gun*

Featured here is the world's biggest cannon. Photograph is from road trip to Jaipur in 2005. Location: Amber Fort, Jaipur

Reduce the Drag Coefficient

This one is about the 'parachute effect' inside the car. When cruising at a speed of 80-85 kmph there is enough atmospheric friction that any moving object would encounter. All the fighter planes have a needle/nose in front to negate the atmospheric friction they encounter at Mach speeds and above. Car manufacturers design the car after studying the 'air-flow' around the shape of the car in a computer stimulated environment. When car makers study it, they just take it for granted that windows of the car would be closed. On a highway, if you just keep any one of the four windows open or just the 2 windows at the rear or in front open, there is inlet for air, but there is no outlet which results in a 'parachute effect' inside the car. 'Parachute effect' puts more pressure on the engine where in it consumes more fuel to provide the same thrust. At the same time if you keep one of the front window and one of the rear window open it facilitates cross ventilation and reduces the drag on the engine.

It is easy for me to go on and on about it with many examples...but I want to keep the blog short. For more on drag coefficient click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drag_coefficient

In any case, best thing to do is to keep all 4 windows closed when on a highway for better energy efficiency.

Get Needled..(for a good cause)

I really get spooked out with needles and stuff but I think whoever is healthy and is a able blood donor, that person should always take that extra step to donate blood. I donated blood today to Red Cross. 'Good Citizenship' is really encouraged and it is one of the core values of the company where I work in. I plan to donate blood once in every 4 months, I feel it is a great social cause. Apart from donating blood and paying taxes I do not think I am really making any contribution to the society.

Readers give me some bright ideas..how I can contribute more!

I Spy

My spy antennae are sending a lot of signals. Mira Nair(Monsoon Wedding fame) has plans finalized for a Hollywood remake of Munna Bhai M.B.B.S. The movie will be named 'Gangster M.D' with Chris Tucker in the lead role. Ms. Nair is waiting for Chris Tucker to get over with Rush Hour 3. Production is scheduled to start by January 2007.

Vinayakan

Fuel Efficiency

In these times of rising fuel prices, I thought pushing for energy efficiency when we drive our cars would be our minute contribution to the overall well being of the 'system'. Things like avoiding sudden acceleration, braking etc can be easily avoided if one is quite calculative. I mean if one is approaching a red light at a speed of 50 kmph (approximate distance of 100 meters) one can just switch to neutral and let the momentum carry the car through instead of closing the gap to 30 meters and then pushing the brakes. On a highway one can maintain a constant speed of 80-85 kmph than clocking 120 kmph, at this speed the engine obviously is revving more and guzzling lot more fuel.

Have made some more observations, its about the right kinda music for the road(which keeps you awake), 'parachute effect' inside the car etc...Will post them soon.

Vinayakan

My Friend and My fancy Wheels

Featured here>>>Gev and my car. Now you all know why he was mistaken for a westener. This photo was taken on one of our prevuious road trips. It is at the McDonald's on the Delhi-Agra highway.

Vinayakan

What Are You Lookin' At?

It's me>>> The photo is taken at 06:10, with the camera on self clicking mode at the monument site. Last weekend I drove down from Delhi to visit the Taj. I started off at around 02:00 with my friend. Something really funny happened at the Taj entrance...My friend 'Gev' is a Parsee(from Jamshedpur), he is so fair that most people mistake him for a westener. At the entrance I asked for 2 entry tickets for Indians. The person at the counter took one hard look at Gev and said "you have to buy 1 Indian and 1 foreigner ticket"...I said we are Indians, what is the problem? Then he says "Aap to teek hain, aap ke saath jo hain unka kya?"..Gev was quite irritated by now, he replied in brute bihari "Arey chamdi pe mat jao, Zuban pe jao"(meaning do not go by skin colour, go by what we speak)...

Vinayakan

Foto Ops

My brush with photography....it has got me hooked -love the effects, different angles, lighting can have on a photograph...I am trying to read up magazines and websites to build a theoritical base on photography. Let us see how far I go!

Fancy Wheels Cometh..

I was at the 8th Auto Expo 2006 in New Delhi. Courtesy a business visitors pass given to me by my dad.

The very fact that marquees like BMW, Porche and Benz was not there was in itself a big let down. To begin with I would like to divide Auto Expo in to some broad categories. Pavilions of auto components companies, truck companies some Bus manufacturers etc., have practically no meaning to me...

Then the Vintage car section, some really cool eye candies out there..

So, lets write about the other 2 categories that interest me the most....The 'cars that are in my reach in near future', and 'cars which are beyond my reach'...The absolute ripper in the 'car in my reach' category is most definitely Fiat Grande Punto..some neat lines and angles, what with Alfa Romeo right on its tail, it was such a crowd puller!! The association of FIAT & TATA Motors, I guess is going to breathe some life into FIAT...who continue to struggle in India even after a sound product line.

'Cars out of my reach category'...none other than Ford Mustang GT...I don't think Ford is going to launch Mustang in India, but if the import duty is eased in another 10 years, then for sure I would be tearing the Delhi's road apart..........

Vinayakan

Evil MIB: Money in Black

When a country like ours is on the threshold of creating ripples across the world economy, let's look at one of the biggest evils that is pegging India back: Black Money. Tax evaders in India should profusely thank Nehru proffered mixed economy. This resulted in building up of black money. It is believed, black money in India has kept pace with white money so much so it is running parallel to the nation's economy!! One cannot really blame the commercial sector or the tax evading individuals if the Congress led government was taxing 60-70% of their income(1950s through 1990) and the resulting accumulation of unaccounted money in trying to evade paying the same. One of the most shocking statistic is, less than 3% of India's earning population is under the tax bracket. Imagine a country of India's size with a huge population finding its feet with such a woefully low amount of tax money. Or the other way of looking at it is how heavily is the salaried class being taxed! The only way forward is lowering the tax percentage and widening the tax net.

Every Indian (tax paying and tax evading) is more or less sure that Mr. P. Chidambaram is going to come out with an amnesty scheme in some form or the other. It is essential for the Finance Ministry to realize that post-amnesty compliance is extremely important if the honest tax paying public is to feel good and also for the larger betterment of the financial backbone of the economy . It is as important as unearthing blackmoney itself.

Let us understand what the developed countries have in place to curb black money, tax evasion, defaulting on loans (which, gives rise to non-performing assets of the financial institutions) and fraud. All developed countries have a social security system or a number system for governance, in place. A number is assigned to an individual when he/she is born or when he/she becomes a citizen of the country. The unique number associated to each individual makes it virtually impossible for the "anti-economy" element to disappear from one bank,and live happily ever after by enjoying credit facilities from another. This system also helps financial institutions by generating personal credit history of individuals who wish to enjoy credit facilities. This ensures that honest people will reap better facilities and the defaulters are penalized. Credit and Debit card usage in Indian economy is on the upswing for the last four years. Keeping this in mind, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) can focus on giving a thrust to credit-card industry by bringing in innovative policies through which we can at least ensure that all future transaction is going to be "white". This will ultimately increase the revenue for the government.

Our FM can definitely take heart from the fact that he was the architect of the most successful amnesty scheme ever launched in India in his previous stint. But, he may know for a fact, similar scheme may not be successful this time. Studies have shown if a tax amnesty scheme is to be successful it should be something of a once in a lifetime opportunity. Opportunity for millions to feel proud that they have given something to their country, opportunity to come clean, opportunity for them to set an example, opportunity to sleep peacefully knowing fully well that they don't have to run and play hide and seek with the taxman. Instead of the government taking a 30-35% cut on an amnesty scheme like VDIS what if FM comes out with a plan which encourages people to invest their black money. By doing so the government may not directly gain for its coffers but at least a major portion of the black money will be unearthed and it will hit the mainstream economy contributing to the infrastructural well being of the country. This will also generate a great deal of employment opportunities ultimately off setting the damage caused by non-payment of taxes. One could perhaps remind the honorable Finance Minister what he said once before, "We can be color blind if black money is invested in certain sectors". Tourist and real estate industries are the most appropriate sectors where investment of black money could be encouraged because they are both labor intensive and are synergic in sustaining the employment they generate. Let us keep our fingers crossed until such a brainwave hits our Finance Minister!

My Blog on "Unionising of the BPO brigade" is still a case of work in progress!! It is going to take some time...

Don't Gimme RED

Oh Yes! I have started to blog. The revolution's nth victim. I am taken in.....

Wow!! What a great time to be in India and be an Indian!! These are the times when we are on the fast track to define what India stands for, what India is and what our capabilities are but before we realize our dreams of being a developed country lets look at a big ticket obstacle-Destructive, non-progressive communist mentality at the grass root level.

I have grown up in JNU Campus(read the red campus)been here for the last 23 years all I have seen coming up during these years is red buildings and yes even more red buildings though the shade of red may have changed from time to time..How? Well as per every bright, young JNU student they believe somewhere deep down that JNU would walk away any day with the title of "capital university-of-world's-intellectual-elites", why they feel like that is highly debatable... These would be the same set of students who go hoarse discussing anti-globalization,and how equality can be achieved in the country which is 1+ billion strong in population without getting more FDI. Same set would create posters with their creative juices spilling all over which would scream physical, ideological, chemical and biological usurpation of their alma-mater by a big MNC. In the process they would also create a Che Guevara poster in which he would staring at the horizon...After his death nearly 40 years ago, Guevara became a hero of Third World socialist revolutionary movements, as a theorist and tactician of asymmetric warfare. Whether or not Che is remembered in the country of his origin i.e Argentina, he is a revered figure in JNU. Does India, which is just a decade or two away from becoming a developed country really require Che's ideology?? My point is fast paced growth and communist ideology can never go hand in hand.

Ironically most poster creating elites would perspire and aspire to go abroad to study, work and probably even settle down! Absolutely nothing wrong in enhancing their career prospects, nothing wrong at all when they want to earn more by dint of their hardwork and capabilities. But why jump-on to the communist bandwagon temporarily for 3-5 years when they are in JNU? Is it peer pressure which makes them masquerade as communist? Or is it identity crisis? Okay some grow up, some go abroad and settle down, others remain hereand become politicians. You see the baton has to be passed on from one generation to the other isn't it? Then they vociferously oppose the FDI which the government wants to bring up in retail, hotel and banking sectors. It is well known that reforms in banking or broadly the financial sector would form the real backbone of our economy because it will consolidate all the financial institution which are scattered at this point. As retail sector is already hotting up, FDI in it would give added thrust that it deserves.

Cosider this, according to World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) India is the second fastest growing tourist destination. It is perhaps the most opportune time to go for cent per cent FDI in hotels. If India is to withstand tourism boom we have to really ramp up tourist accommodation and the support system a great deal. Which better place to start than the national capital New Delhi itself which has to get dressed and tressed for a mega-event like Commonwealth Games in the year 2010 and possibly Asian Games in 2014. If we are successful in hosting these mega events it would showcase New Delhi and India largely as the destination of the future for more events. Also needs to be considered is the fact that airline industry globally is going to get into top shape through low cost airlines. Indian airspace is poised for a dramatic image makeover by the entry of private players and India opening up its skies partially for foreign players. We are all well aware that travel, tourism and hotels get us a constant supply of foreign exchange and it generates high quality employment with its multiplier-effect in the economy. To make the FDI environment even more conducive in our country, we can even have relaxed taxation laws, something like no tax if the profit from FDI is re-invested. While we have a fire breathing dragon in our neighborhood which is ready to bend over backwards to make itself more attractive, and even after amazing results India has achieved in the recent 14 years, I fail to understand why the communists are so much opposed to FDI. It is all the more disappointing because it is happening at a time when the communist ruled state of West Bengal is moving ahead with lot of inflows from big MNCs. Since more and more FDI is the need of the hour for the continued well being of our economy, I would request the comrades to lower their red flag let their hammer and sickle rest for some time!

All in all what a heavy duty subject for first time blogging!