Fwd: What we do with our life ?

Good one.

---------- Forwarded message ----------

A boat docked in a tiny Mexican fishing village.

A tourist complimented the local fishermen

on the quality of their fish and asked

how long it took him to catch them.

"Not very long." they answered in unison.

"Why didn't you stay out longer and catch more?"

The fishermen explained that their small catches were

sufficient to meet their needs and those of their families.

"But what do you do with the rest of your time?"

"We sleep late, fish a little, play with our children,

and take siestas with our wives.

In the evenings, we go into the village to see our friends,

have a few drinks, play the guitar, and sing a few songs.

We have a full life."

The tourist interrupted,

"I have an MBA from Harvard and I can help you!

You should start by fishing longer every day.

You can then sell the extra fish you catch.

With the extra revenue, you can buy a bigger boat."

"And after that?"

"With the extra money the larger boat will bring,

you can buy a second one and a third one

and so on until you have an entire fleet of trawlers.

Instead of selling your fish to a middle man,

you can then negotiate directly with the processing plants

and maybe even open your own plant.

You can then leave this little village and move to Mexico City ,

Los Angeles , or even New York City !

From there you can direct your huge new enterprise."

"How long would that take?"

"Twenty, perhaps twenty-five years." replied the tourist.

"And after that?"

"Afterwards? Well my friend, that's when it gets really interesting, "

answered the tourist, laughing. "When your business gets really big,

you can start buying and selling stocks and make millions!"

"Millions? Really? And after that?" asked the fishermen.

"After that you'll be able to retire,

live in a tiny village near the coast,

sleep late, play with your children,

catch a few fish, take a siesta with your wife

and spend your evenings drinking and enjoying your friends."

"That's what I am doing now" Replied the fisherman!!!!

Know where you're going in life.... you may be there already!!

Public nuisance – we need 9-1-1 in India

I just escaped a major accident in hairline gap, last Sunday, when I was driving back home from shopping, in Bangalore roads. I had to stop the bike for a minute before I could start driving again!

Yes, it was because of a ridiculous ass-hole (sorry, but I have to use a bad word here. I would represent him as AH hereafter) who was driving his car in a completely unacceptable manner. I am not sure whether he or she was drunk or was driving like that for fun? He also shocked other few bikers who were driving in front of me, some with their family in the bike. AH would have killed some of them if they had had made a mistake in shock. His driving was totally insane; in addition to being too fast, he was driving rashly in a jig jag manner on a busy road. But, I couldn't do anything but just cursing him.

I bet if this had happened in the US, people would have had an option to call 9-1-1 and just report AH’s car number. We probably need such a service in India too, considering the increase in the number of cars and the number of half baked drivers who straight away start driving the car without even having driven a cycle ever. Part of the problem is with the licensing authority who issues licenses based on under the table deals without even seeing the driver and the rest of the problem is with the attitude of the people.

image source: http://www.legaljuice.com/angry_man.png

By nature, we Indians now seem to be growing too selfish without concern for anybody else. It may be because most of us are ignorant or unaware of the pain our activities could cause or it is that everybody else is doing, so I will also do, as anyway nobody is going to question me irrespective of whatever I do. I guess we just started talking advantage of one of the best things our society had, forgiveness.

If somebody had stopped a vehicle in the middle of the road to answer his mobile, we just go around him without even telling him to move aside as he is creating a traffic nuisance. That gives him the encouragement to stop his damn vehicle wherever he wants and go to a shop or a temple without caring for the others. I guess we just should not allow this any more. There should be a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) which people could call and report any such nuisance to the public, ranging from peeing in public properties to irresponsible parking to stupid driving to smoking in a public place to whatever that can be considered a public nuisance.

It’s time to start thinking about this before the moral hazard of not punishing the violators spoil rest of us and the next generation. In a huge country like ours, we can’t just wait for the lawmakers and the police man to ensure this at all the places. Public should question the nuisance then and there, so that the fellow in question understand the seriousness of his or her action. In addition, every single person should thrive to be good man not hurting others knowingly or unknowingly to the smallest possible extent and that is when we become a disciplined and a peaceful society to live in. Just living in the glory of our ancestors’ culture doesn't help; if we keep doing whatever we are doing right now, we probably would be considered a crappy society in the world one or two generations down the line.

STOP SCREWING OTHERS HAPPINESS!

Good video in the same lines:

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1161100909135&ref=nf

Fwd: Deepaavali - View of Thanthai Periyaar..

Some good points to think about! No time to translate and post, so this is only for people who can read Tamil :)

image source : http://qualsys.files.wordpress.com/2007/11/278906462_f465b4d8b8.jpg

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தீபாவளிப் பண்டிகையைக் கொண்டாடுவது தமிழனுக்கு மானக்கேடும், முட்டாள்தனமுமான காரியம் என்று 50-ஆண்டுகளாக எழுதியும், பேசியும் வருகின்றேன். இதன் பயனாய் அநேக தமிழ் மக்கள் இப்பண்டிகையைக் கொண்டாடாமல் நிறுத்திவிட்டார்கள் என்றாலும், இன்னமும் பல தமிழ் மக்கள் தங்கள் இழிநிலையை மானவமானத்தை உணராமல் கொண்டாடி வருகிறார்கள். இக்கொண்டாட்டமானது தமிழ் மக்களுடைய, இழிவையும் முட்டாள்தனத்தையும் காட்டுவது மாத்திரமல்ல, தமிழர்கள் (திராவிடர்கள்) ஆரிய இனத்தானுக்கு அடிமை. அவனது தலைமைக்கு அடிமை, மீட்சிபெற விருப்பமில்லாத மானங்கெட்ட ஈனப்பிறவி என்பதைக்காட்டிக் கொள்ளப் போட்டி போடுகிறார்கள் என்பதையே காட்டுகிறது.

"மானமும் பகுத்தறிவும் உடையவனே மனிதன்; அஃதிலார் மனித உருவ முள்ள மிருகமே ஆவர்" என்ற அறிவுரைப்படி மானமில்லா மக்களே இப்போது தீபாவளி கொண்டாடுகிறார்கள் என்றுதான் சொல்லவேண்டி இருக்கிறது.

வெளிநாட்டிலிருந்து பிழைப்புக்கு வழி தேடிக்கொண்டு நம் நாட்டிற்குள் புகுந்த ஆரியர் அக்காலத்தில் அவர்கள் இருந்த காட்டுமிராண்டித் தன்மைக்கு ஏற்ப மடமையினால் கொண்ட கருத்துக்களை மதுக்குடி வெறியில் உளறி வைத்தத் தன்மைக்கு ஏற்பத் தொகுத்துக் களியாட்டம் ஆடிய ஆட்டங்களைத் தமிழ்மக்கள் என்ன சூழ்நிலையாலோ ஏற்று அவற்றுக்கு அடிமையாகி, பின்பற்றித் தாங்களும் அப்படியே களியாட்டம் ஆடி வருகிறார்கள்.

அதன் பயனாய், அம்மடமையும் அல்லது வெறி உளறலுமே இன்று தமிழ் மக்களுக்கு கடவுளர்களாக, மதமாக, நீதி நெறிகளாக, பண்டிகை, விரதம், நோன்பு, உற்சவங்களாக, நல்ல நாள், தீயநாளாக, அப்பாத்திரங்களே நல்லவர்களாக, தீயவர்களாக ஆக்கப்பட்டு இருந்து வருகின்றார்கள்.

இஸ்லாம், கிருஸ்துவம் முதலிய மார்க்கங்களாலும், வெள்ளையர் ஆட்சியாலும் உலக மக்களிடையில் ஒரு அளவுக்கு தலைகீழான மாறுதல் எற்படும்படியான கல்வி அனுபவமும் ஞானமும் ஏற்பட்டிருந்தும் கூட இந்த மடமை மிக்க ஆரிய வலையில் சிக்கிய தமிழ் மக்களிடையில் பெரிதும் சிறு அளவு ஞானமும், மாறுதலும் ஏற்படாமல் அம்மடமையிலேயே மூழ்கித்திளைத்து வருகிறார்கள்!

எவ்வளவு சொன்னாலும் அறிவும் அனுபவமும் இல்லாத சில இளைஞர்கள் (மைனர்கள்) பித்தலாட்டத்தாலும், வஞ்சகமும், துரோகம், மோசத்தாலும், வாழவேண்டிய தீய எண்ணத்தில் தேர்ச்சி பெற்ற பரத்தையரிடம் சிக்கி விட்டார்களேயானால் எப்படி யார் எவ்வளவு அறிவையும் நன்மையையும் போதித்தாலும் அதைக் காதில் வாங்கக்கூட செவிப்புலனை ஒதுக்காமல் தன் உள்ளம் முழுவதையும் பரத்தையிடமே ஒப்புவித்து அவளிடம் ஓடவே வழி தேடுவார்களோ அதே போல் நடந்து கொள்கிறார்கள்!

இப்படி நடப்பவர்கள் பாமர மக்கள் மாத்திரமல்லாமல் தமிழ்ப்

பண்டிதர்கள் அதுவும் டாக்டர் பட்டம் பெற்றவர்கள் உட்பட தமிழ்ப் பண்டிதர்கள் முதல் பெரும்புலவர்கள் மற்றும் இங்கிலீஷ் விஞ்ஞானத்தில் உடற்கூறு, பூகோளக்கூறு இவைகளில் நிபுணர்கள் உட்பட எல்லாத் தமிழர்களும் இந்தக் காட்டுமிராண்டி மடமைக்கு அடிமைப்பட்டு, சிந்தனையின்றி நடந்து கொள்வதென்றால் தீபாவளி கொண்டாடுவது என்பதில் உள்ள தமிழனின் இழிவுக்கும், மடமைக்கும், மானமுமற்ற தன்மைக்கும் இதைவிட வேறு எதை எடுத்துக்காட்டாகக் கூற முடியும்?

நம் பள்ளிகளும் கல்லூரிகளும் பல்கலைக்கழகங்களும் நம் மக்களுக்கு

இந்த இப்படிப்பட்ட மடமையை உணரும் அளவுக்குக் கூட அறிவைக் கொடுக்கவில்லையென்றால், இக்கல்விக் கூடங்கள் மடமையையும் மானமற்ற தன்மையையும் பயிர் செய்யும் வளமுள்ள விளைநிலம் என்பதைத் தவிர, வேறு என்னவென்று சொல்லமுடியும்? இதில் பயிலும் மாணவர்களுக்கு எந்த விதத்தில் தான் மானமும் அறிவும் விளையமுடியும்?

தீபாவளி என்றால் என்ன? (புராணம் கூறுவது)

1.ஒரு காலத்தில் ஒரு அசுரன் உலகத்தைப் பாயாகச் சுருட்டிக் கொண்டு போய் கடலுக்குள் ஒழிந்து கொண்டான்.

2.தேவர்களின் முறையீட்டின் மீது மகாவிஷ்ணு பன்றி அவதாரம் (உரு) எடுத்துக் கடலுக்குள் புகுந்து அவனைக் கொன்று உலகத்தை மீட்டு மீண்டும் வந்து விரித்தார்.

3.விரித்த உலகம் (பூமி) அப்பன்றியுடன் கலவி செய்ய ஆசைப்பட்டது.

4.ஆசைக்கு இணங்கி பன்றி (விஷ்ணு) பூமியுடன் கலவி செய்தது.

5.அதன் பயனாய் பூமி கர்ப்பமுற்று, நரகாசூரன் என்ற பிள்ளையைப் பெற்றது.

6.அந்தப்பிள்ளை தேவர்களை வருத்தினான்.

7.தேவர்களுக்காக விஷ்ணு, நரகாசூரனுடன் போர் துவங்கினார்.

8.விஷ்ணுவால் அவனை வெல்ல முடியவில்லை. விஷ்ணுவின் மனைவி
நரகாசூரனுடன் போர் தொடுத்து அவனைக் கொன்றான்.

9.இதனால் தேவர்கள் மகிழ்ச்சி அடைந்தார்கள்.

10.இந்த மகிழ்ச்சியை (நரகாசூரன் இறந்ததற்காக) நரகாசூரனின் இனத்தாரான
திராவிட மக்கள் கொண்டாட வேண்டும்.

இதுதானே தீபாவளிப் பண்டிகையின் தத்துவம்!

இந்த 10-விஷயங்கள்தான் தமிழனைத் தீபாவளி கொண்டாடும் படி செய்கிறதே அல்லாமல், வேறு என்ன என்று யாருக்குத் தெரியும்? யாராவது சொன்னார்களா? இதை ஆராய்வோம். இக்கதை எழுதிய ஆரியர்களுக்கு பூமி நூல் கூடத் தெரியவில்லை என்று தானே கருத வேண்டியிருக்கிறது?

*பூமி தட்டையா? உருண்டையா?

*தட்டையாகவே இருந்த போதிலும் ஒருவனால் அதைப் பாயாகச்
சுருட்ட முடியுமா?

*எங்கு நின்று கொண்டு சுருட்டுவது?

*சுருட்டினால் தூக்கிக் கட்கத்திலோ, தலைமீதோ எடுத்து ஏக முடியுமா?

*எங்கிருந்து தூக்குவது?

*கடலில் ஒளிந்து கொள்வதாயின் கடல் அப்போது எதன் மீது இருந்திருக்கும்?

*விஷ்ணு மலம் தின்னும் பன்றி உருவம் எடுக்க வேண்டிய அவசியம் என்ன?

*அரக்கனைக் கொன்று பூமியை விரித்ததால் பூமிக்குப் பன்றி மீது
காதல் ஏற்படுவானேன்?

*பூமி மனித உருவா? மிருக உருவமா?

*மனித உருவுக்கும் மிருக உருவுக்கும் கலவியில் மனிதப் பிள்ளை உண்டாகுமா?

*பிறகு சண்டை ஏன்? கொல்லுவது ஏன்?

*இதற்காக நாம் ஏன் மகிழ்ச்சி அடையவேண்டும்.

இவைகளைக் கொஞ்சமாவது கொண்டாடும் தமிழ்ப்புலவர்கள், அறிஞர்கள் சிந்திக்க வேண்டாமா?

நரகாசூரன் ஊர் மாகிஷ்மகி என்ற நகரம், இது நர்மதை ஆற்றின் கரையில் இருக்கிறது. மற்றொரு ஊர் பிரகத் ஜோதி ஷா என்று சொல்லப்படுகிறது.

இது வங்காளத்தில் அசாம் மாகாணத்துக்கு அருகில் இருக்கிறது. இதைத் திராவிட அரசர்களே ஆண்டு வந்திருக்கிறார்கள். வங்காளத்தில் தேவர்களும் அசுரர்களும் யாராக இருந்திருக்க முடியும்?

இவைகள் ஒன்றையும் யோசிக்காமல் பார்ப்பனன் எழுதி வைத்தான் என்பதற்காகவும் சொல்லுகிறான் என்பதற்காகவும் நடுஜாமத்தில் எழுந்து கொண்டு குளிப்பதும், புதுத் துணி உடுத்து வதும் பட்டாசு சுடுவதும், இந்த பார்ப்பனர்கள் வந்து பார்த்து "கங்கா ஸ்நானம் ஆயிற்றா" என்று கேட்பதும், நாம் ஆமாம் என்று சொல்லி கும்பிட்டு காசு கொடுப்பதும், அவன் காசை வாங்கி இடுப்பில் சொருகிக் கொண்டு போவதும் என்றால் இதை என்னவென்று சொல்லுவது?

மாணவர்களே! உங்கள் ஆசிரியர்களுக்கு மானம், புத்தி இல்லா விட்டாலும் நீங்களாவது சிந்தியுங்கள். எதற்காக இவ்வளவு சொல்லுகிறேன் என்றால், இக்கதை எழுதின காலத்தில் (ஆரியர்) பார்ப்பனர்கள் எவ்வளவு காட்டுமிராண்டிகளாக இருந்திருக்க வேண்டும்? அந்தக்காலத்தில் நாம் ஈன நிலை அடைந்தது ஏன்? என்பதைத் தமிழன் ஒவ்வொருவரும் நன்கு சிந்திக்க வேண்டும் என்பதற்கு ஆகவேயாகும்.
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Process oriented problem solving

We often see managers in the knowledge based teams crib about the problem solving capabilities of the team, or the problem solving differences among the team members. Have you ever wondered what could be the reason for the differences which seem to exist? People are normally recruited based on the clearance of a particular criteria, but still there is difference in the performance between the two people who may have performed equally well in the selection procedure, why? What could be the reason for all these perceived differences? Why people perform differently in problem solving and why they win or lose in some scenarios or in some tasks?

Being a behavioral science hobbyist, I looked for an answer in the field of psychology & cognitive sciences and I did get hold of a relatively old research paper that answered exactly what I was looking for. The paper I read was based on the consideration of individual differences and personality traits to come up with a model or process for problem solving. Based on their studies and research findings, the authors of the paper suggest an organizational problem solving process with specific techniques recommended for individual problem solving styles.

Organizations traditionally have been using processes for controlling things that are either done repeatedly or for controlling things that are more procedural with multiple steps to achieve a goal. We haven’t yet come to a point where a process is (widely) used to optimize the problem solving or decision making tasks of individuals and teams and that’s why we have the problem of sub optimal solutions, designs, etc.

Even though some organizations suggest using problem solving processes, it is not made a mandate and more over the processes that being widely suggested like Six Thinking Hats, etc. are based on the rationality of the human mind. As per the findings of latest research in behavioral sciences, there seem to be more emphasis on the irrationality of the human mind as opposed to the classical belief that the human mind is more rational based. Most of the current business management theory is based on the classical belief though, and that is the reason why the managers are bound to think that the problem is with the individuals and not the system itself.

Mostly teams are formed based on skill sets or sometimes sadly based on just the availability of people, but such teams doesn’t seem to deliver to the fullest for unexplainable reasons even after so much of management and other processes that ensures the quality of outputs. It could also be that we have come to a point where the external systems and control procedures hit its limits in doing whatever it can.

Extract from the paper in quotes, as I just want to repeat the same thing here.

“When solving problems, individuals preferring introversion (I) will want to take time to think and clarify their ideas before they begin talking, while those preferring extraversion (E) will want to talk through their ideas in order to clarify them. In addition, Is will more likely be concerned with their own understanding of important concepts and ideas, while Es will continually seek feedback from the environment about the viability of their ideas.

Sensing individuals will be more likely to pay attention to facts, details, and reality. They will also tend to select standard solutions that have worked in the past. Persons with intuition preferences, on the other hand, will more likely attend to the meaningfulness of the facts, the relationships among the facts, and the possibilities of future events that can be imagined from these facts. They will exhibit a tendency to develop new, original solutions rather than to use what has worked previously.

image source: http://www.imindmap.com/articles/files/ProblemSolving.jpg

Individuals with a thinking preference will tend to use logic and analysis during problem solving. They are also likely to value objectivity and to be impersonal in drawing conclusions. They will want solutions to make sense in terms of the facts, models, and/or principles under consideration. By contrast, individuals with a feeling preference are more likely to consider values and feelings in the problem-solving process. They will tend to be subjective in their decision making and to consider how their decisions could affect other people.”

Since it is very difficult to put together a team that is psychologically fit for a task, it would be good to define a process that clearly states the pros and cons of specific personality types and the things individuals and teams need to look for to consciously avoid the side effects by putting a right plan or a review mechanism or system that mitigates the flaw. That may also need individual style profiling techniques to be defined.

Finally, behavioral sciences research in recent times is becoming more powerful with the advancement in technologies like functional MRI and the other means to understand how ‘exactly’ human brain works. In my opinion, it is sure to redefine the management practice shortly. Some companies are already doing their pilots to taking advantage of the behavioral sciences theory in the field of economics, finance and marketing.

It would good for the knowledge based organizations also to look at other fields for redefining their policies, processes, and training & performance management methodologies. In my opinion, companies that would look at the behavior oriented management techniques fast would capitalize the latest research early and would differentiate themselves from the other organizations in a big way.

I liked this

Photo I liked from an email forward.....

Sacred food

Most temples in Bangalore have the practice of serving at least a handful of tasty and quality food (considered to be sacred, as it is being served in the temple) for the devotees who visit the temple. I have the habit of visiting a particular temple every Saturday and I obviously get to taste the awesome food given there; I love it not because it is sacred but because of its quality and taste. There is another temple near my house where they serve an elaborate meal during some of the special worships; in good eco friendly disposable plates (I don’t visit that temple for some reasonJ).

But when I think about it, I am somehow not so comfortable with this concept. Most people who visit those temples, at least the ones which I visit and where awesome quality food in good quantity is being served as sacred food, are not in need of any food from others. So, why should these temples spend money to give food to people like me and you who are getting three meals a day? Doesn’t it make sense to cook a moderately rich/simple food and serve as many possible numbers of children and elderly who are incapable of earning their meal? Think about it and pass on this thought process to the temple trusts if you have influence on them.

Orthodox types might feel bad that they may not get to taste the ‘sacred, blessed food’, think again; helping the humanity is the best thing you could do rather than believing in the goodness of the sacred food.

FW: How markets work??

- Good email forward.

It was autumn, and the Red Indians asked their New Chief if the winter was going to be cold or mild. Since he was a Red Indian chief in a modern society, he couldn`t tell what the weather was going to be. Nevertheless, to be on the safe side, he replied to his Tribe that the winter was indeed going to be cold and that the members of the village should collect wood to be prepared.

But also being a practical leader, after several days he got an idea. He went to the phone booth, called the National Weather Service and asked "Is the coming winter going to be cold?" "It looks like this winter is Going to be quite cold indeed," the meteorologist at the weather service Responded.

image source: http://revolutioninfiction.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/wall_street_bull1.jpg

So the Chief went back to his people and told them to collect even more Wood. A week later, he called the National Weather Service again.

"Is it going to be a very cold winter?" "Yes," the man at National Weather Service again replied, "It`s definitely going to be a very cold winter."

The Chief again went back to his people and ordered them to collect every scrap of wood they could find. Two weeks later, he called the National Weather Service again. "Are you absolutely sure that the winter is going to be very cold?" "Absolutely," The Man replied. "It`s going to be one of the coldest winters ever." "How can you be so sure?" the Chief asked. The weatherman replied,

"The Red Indians are collecting wood like Crazy." This is how stock markets work!!!

Fwd: World Vision

Please help if you can.

~ Post by email.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: World Vision <bwonlinead@abp.in>
Date: Fri, Jun 26, 2009 at 8:11 PM
Subject: World Vision

click here to make a difference

Language of hospitals

What is the language of hospitals (in south India at least)?

1. Malayalam
2. Malayalam
3. Malayalam
4. All the above

J Yes, it’s the option 4. This week I had to run around in one of the famous hospitals in Bangalore and that’s my finding. I have noticed that in the past as well and it’s just that I have my laptop in the hospital this time and I am putting that in words.

Cartoon courtesy: http://www.skyeauroradesigns.com/store/images/nurse%20stick%201.JPG

Most of the sisters, nurses and other people on medical duty (not applicable for doctors) are from Kerala or at least they speak Malayalam. Not sure of the reason why the % of mallus in the nursing career is more, especially girls. Do they come to this profession because of too much of service mentality? I don’t know and I can’t think of any reason.

But what so ever may be the reason for them to be in this profession, their service to humanity is appreciable. It’s is not an easy deal to be patient and take care of all the stuff that the patients do consciously or unconsciously. Few of the requests I made from the attendees seat of a patient are like the patient wants to drink water (patient is not supposed to drink water for a few hours, so the sister has to attend and give a few drops of water carefully), patient is having headache, drip doesn’t seem to flow, blanket seem to be dirty, this, that and what not……… and the nurses were patient & kind enough to help us out all the time.

We may think that it is their duty and they are being paid for that. Though the hospital is collecting a hefty fee as room charge and stuff, I guess the sisters & nurses aren’t paid anywhere close to the revenue the hospital makes per patient. And beyond everything, service especially the quality of medial and nursing services can’t be ‘bought’ for money. We know that even the blood relations aren’t ready to do nursing service for other family members in many cases.

I appreciate mallus for their contribution to the nursing career. J

Fear therapy for public servants

I was watching one of the Kamal Hassan’s movies, INDIAN, during my trip to home this time. It reiterates the fact that the government employees are just public servants and they are supposed to be helping people by all means within the scope of their role and the law of land. But the irony is that the government employees (I would restrict to India) expect a king like respect from the general public and also expect a TIP to do their duty.

Cartoon courtesy: http://www.savagechickens.com/images/chickenstone.jpg

There are a few scenes in that movie which could be used to correct the government employees by inducing sympathy and fear in their minds. There is a scene in which a widowed wife of a cobbler gives curse to the treasury officer by throwing mud in the air, after being humiliated by a treasury officer for not giving bribe. I don’t think any Indian officer seeing such a scene again and again at regular intervals would like to continue his bribe game for doing his duty. Similarly the scene in which a bus accident kills 40+ kids because of a corrupt brake inspector might also make the officials realize the indirect side effects of their mistake, to the extent that it could ruin a number of families.

I guess a continuous exposure to those kind scenes could be used to modify the behavior of the corrupt officials and even the general public in creating awareness against bribe.

Rajapakse - 21st century Hitler?

This write-up is an extract from a Tamil writing http://tamizachi.com/index.php?page=echoarticle&rubrique=01&article=1265.

To my best I have tried to concentrate & translate only the politically & ethically correct information from the above link. But the crux of the write-up (if true) is heart breaking L

Lankan government with the direct or indirect support of its neighboring countries has done a disastrous damage to the Tamil community in Sri Lanka in the name of war against LTTE. Looks like 50,000 people got killed in the last one week of war and almost 25,000 people became physically disabled. Orphaned children, sexual crime, killing of men in their youth, kidnapping of children are the scene in the Tamils area. Mass killing is going on even after the war is declared to be over, and bundles of dead bodies are being burnt (not buried) in order to erase the traces of mass killing of civilians.

Lankan government has massacred its own citizens (but of minority race) in the name of war against terror. The affected are not being given enough food, medical support, housing or any other basic facilities and feeling is as though the people there have nothing else to lose other than their lives.

This incident is worse than the killing of around 64,000 Jews in 5 weeks time, by Hitler’s racist army in 1941. It is sad that the international community including the ethnic relatives in TamilNadu just kept quite watching the sufferings of the Tamil civilians in Lanka. Massacre of Jews was not known to the world for almost 2 years after that event; Lankan government also is trying to do the same thing by preventing international press and the humanitarian organizations out of the war zone. Their rehabilitation camps are also no good than the war zone.

In the middle of the massacre of Jews, one German solider wrote a letter to his son saying, “Son, even though we are killing thousands and thousands of Jews, they seem to be coming back time and again. I think our respected president should create a special plan to ‘handle’ Jewish women, considering the welfare of our next generation.” See how far racism can corrupt human. There are even traces of such happenings in Lanka, commanded by their respected president.

One day when the war crimes are investigated properly or if any evidence of these happenings comes out, the whole world that was watching the massacre of a race, even in this 21st century, would feel ashamed. Especially the Tamils!

More evidences and related links in the international press:

http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2009/05/27/sri-lanka-un-rights-council-fails-victims

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article6375044.ece

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article6387782.ece

There is a reason for China & Pakistan to vote out the call for international investigation on the war crimes in Lanka. But I have no idea why the other 27 developing countries should vote against the investigation.

Government reforms and its short-term ill effects

UPA government is back in power with full majority and it perceived to be a very good for India. Within few days of coming back to power, the government is talking about petrol price deregulation, labor law reform, PSU disinvestment, etc., Great! All these are good for the Indian economy & people in long term, but what about short term & how to tackle the short term issues gracefully? I don’t know, but that is a very important question to be answered by the reformists and others who support the reforms.

Petrol price deregulation would make the petrol prices fluctuate according to the international crude prices, but it is for sure not good for most of the middle class people. Labor law reform might put many people out of job and the same for PSU disinvestment as well. Considering all these, there is nothing wrong in a set of people strongly opposing these reforms either through unions or by voting leftists to power.

Some doesn’t seem to understand these facts and the short term ill effects to a considerable number of people, and they go on saying that the particular set of people who oppose governmental reforms are bad, for whatever reason. I would like to argue that people have a reason to block or oppose some reforms and it is the responsibility of the people in power to convince & compensate the victims before making any systemic change.

image source: http://www.mybangaloreproperty.com/photos/buying-selling-renting__made__easy/images/390847/640x480.aspx

One example: a highway is being expanded, a lot of people are happy and they welcome the move. But, the person who owns the land on which the road expansion is going to happen is for sure not happy, as the government is not going to compensate him properly by any means. The government gives Rs.2/Sq feet for a land with market price of Rs.200/Sq feet. In this case, though the land owner appreciates the long term benefits of road expansion, he is bound to get a stay order for touching his land or to oppose that move in all possible ways. Is he bad? absolutely not!

So, when we support the government reforms keeping the long term benefits in mind, we also need to support the moves of the victims of the reforms in all possible ways. Government (politicians) may not keep the common man in mind in the first four years of governance, so it’s we the people who need to support the others who are getting affected. Today me, and tomorrow it may be you, so watch out.

How the Budget is kept secret

Interesting......... http://in.rediff.com/money/2006/feb/24spec.htm

Mom, Sweet Mom :)

Nice email forward.......I loved it.

When I came home in the rain, 

Brother asked why don't you take an umbrella. 

Sister advised, Why didn't you wait till rain stopped. 

Father angrily warned, only after getting cold, you will realize.

But Mother, while drying my hair, said, stupid rain! Couldn't it wait, till my child come home?

That's MOM.....

Mr.CEO, better watch out for these signals.

I am a frequent traveler in the KPN travels bus service which operates between Bangalore and most places in TamilNadu. KPN's service used to be comparatively better that of the Govt transport and the buses were much better that the Govt owned ones. Though KPN charges more than 3 times when compared to that of the Govt service, I used to feel comfortable with KPN in terms of boarding points, ticket booking, etc. But KPN people always have monopolistic arrogance as there aren't any private alternatives to their bus service, at least to Salem, which is my destination.

In the recent days, I am not having a good experience with the KPN though there isn't a feeling any change in the attitude or behavior of their staff. Reason, I experience and hear problems like AC duct is not working, no audio/video, bus goes very slow, lot of noise, bus breakdown on the way, etc,. from my friends, relatives and other fellow travelers who are frequent users of this private bus service, in the last one or two months.

Whenever I am into such problems, I would want to give a strong feedback to KPN's management, but unfortunately I don't know the way to reach them and give my feedback. Their normal feedback channel isn't working. Bad, what else can I do, in India we consumers don't have that much legal say, or it is not easy to claim the right. The immediate staff doesn't have an answer, but we can't blame them for not having an answer. I think the time has come and it would just take one competitor to come to the field and screw KPN's business.

image source: http://darkstar.holtz.com/hct/ee/images/uploads/hk-ceo.jpg

In my last trip to native place, I happen to be on the first seat just behind the driver cabin. There is actually no such separation in the volvo buses, you might know. I heard two drivers talking to each other about the very same issues that screw my happiness while traveling home in the recent days. Drivers talk sort of boils down to the operational issues being created by the middle management to meet their targets or to over perform. Looks like the operational managers are over-clocking the buses and the drivers without proper service for the buses and rest for the drivers.

Though nothing serious has happened as of now, other than minor breakdowns and inconveniences, this sort of gives me a feel that it is not at all secure to travel in those buses paying ridiculously more money compared to the state run buses. Looks like over-clocking the drivers and buses might be a threat to passenger safety sometimes. One driver says that he feels like calling up the big boss and letting him know about this operational screw up, but he also adds that he don't want to take the risk of losing his job by doing this. He is afraid that the middle management can always plot him and throw him out as revenge if they come to know about the source of the complaint.

So, what is the point? I am a customer sitting in the bus without knowing how to pass on the feedback to the boss, who I feel would surely care for his long-term business. Driver, the base level employee, also doesn't have a proper channel to pass on the feedback without revealing his identity. Though the customer and the bottom level employee who meets the customer has a very important information that the boss needs to know, for some reason the boss hasn't left a channel open for such important signals to reach him. And for sure his long-term business prospects are getting hurt because the unavailability of such a channel. He might be feeling happy today seeing the number being shown by these operational middle managers, but that may not last long.

I wish the CEOs realize this fact and keep their eyes and ears open for feedback from the customers and the employees involved in business with the customer on a daily basis, in addition to the radars for the business climate changes, competitors, etc.