** Thuglak **

Thuglak is online... subscription fee is $20 p.a. If you are interested -> click here www.thuglak.com

** Another New Car **

This time it is Mahindra that has come out with another cheap car priced at Rs 1.3 lakh. My friend mailed me the info and I do not know how far it is away from truth - but the car looks nice and hence thought of posting....

** ICL Vs IPL **

Indian Premier League (IPL), the Board of Cricket Control of India's (BCCI) new wing has got the biggies of India like Ambani, Vijay Mallaya, Sharukh sponsor the newly formed Twenty-20 teams. Thus it has taken a huge leap both financially and on conducting this tournaments as well. Ambani has taken away the Bombay team for 436 crores, Vijay Mallaya the Bangalore team for 435 crore, India Cements the Chennai team for 354 crore, Sharukh the Calcutta team for 312 crore and so goes the list. (Something similar to the Football sponsors) . Now we will have the tournaments conducted in Apr this year.

With this move, the Zee group headed ICL, with Kapil Dev at its helm, is heading towards even tougher battle. Its existence is going to be in question. The ICL was facing a tough battle right from the beginning. The BCCI got it de-recognized by the ICC !! BCCI had the players participating in ICL banned from its official list. BCCI manipulated and got the big stadiums locked for the ICL tournaments. And the final blow was this "IPL" punch!!
Whether cricket will get more interesting or not - cricketers are going to be getting more and more money !! Let us not forget the betting aspects !!

** NEW New Year **

Karunanidhi has done it again. He has got a resolution passed in assembly changing the Tamil New Year's day from Apr to Jan ("Thai" first will be Tamil New Year's day henceforth and not "Chithirai" first). It actually makes NO difference to all of us. But, on what basis did he do that? What are the benefits of this move (ofcourse other than the old man's political gimmick) ? - Luckily, for Karunanidhi, does NOT have the necessity to answer anyone - after all Tamil Hindus will take anything and everything !!

** Bharat Ratna - cont'd **

If you have something as the HIGHEST award and honour - it should not be given to the "best amongst the AVAILABLE". To me, it is simple - if no one deserves - then DONT give it. I am not surprised at the fact that the award has not been given to anyone in the past seven years.

Talking about the yardstick - YES, I do agree that we lack one. Moreover, over a period of time, this award has been totally politicized. I think, this syndrome started when Rajiv Gandhi decided to confer the award on MGR for sheer political reasons.

Gandhi is considered above this award. So, I think, we should set such a high standard - someone of the stature and caliber of Gandhiji. I dont think that there is a single politician in our nation who deserves this award and hence my view that they should be kept out of it. I am ready to change my view, if we get to see a Politician of the calibre of Gandhiji in our life time. History provides a twisted picture when you learn that both MGR and APJ Abdul Kalam were the recipients of this award. If MGR deserves the award - then why not NT Rama Rao?

"Bharat Ratna"

It was a peculiar news for me to read that for seventh consecutive year, there was no one in the country to get the Topmost of the civilian award.....

While I do appreciate Gowri's shock in the below mail, it is equally tragic that we do not have any clear yardstick to pick up one or two out one billion people for such a long time. Perhaps, instead of getting into any needless controversy OR to avoid a tussle on account of this, I think the Government had been playing safe.....

But Gowri, is it possible to keep politicians out of this completely ?? When businessmen like Ratan Tata are awarded for doing good business why not for politicians for doing good politics....?? If your point is to keep out specific list of politicians, is it really possible to have a negative list.... (IS it ok for the country to have Dirubhai Ambani as Padmashri or one of his sons ??)

It is quite funny for me to see a very long list of Padma shri & other Padma awards....Why dont they pick up the best of the Padma awards and announce a Bharatha Rathna every year ?? I wont ask such a wierd question but the contradiction is too striking......The more DOT years we are going to have, it is going to be much more controversial when some one is going to get announced....

Jan 25, 2008

** Bharat Ratna **
It is shocking to see the list of names that are being recommended for "Bharat Ratna" by all the political parties. Kanshi Ram, Mulayam Singh Yadav, Karunanidhi - well, this can only be the best way to denigrate the highest award of the Nation !! I suggest that we should adopt a resolution stopping this award from going to any Politicians henceforth. That way, we will start taking notice of some real deserving candidates like MS Swaminathan and Ratan Tata.
Posted by Gowri at 9:40 PM
Labels: India, Politics

Manager in the Making - 5 :: Empowering with caution

Hi All

Jan I week was very special to me at office. We had an exhibition in our organization to display our best practices to other teams. This was started last year, and I still remember the extra ordinary moments that I had during Jan 2007 when I visited some of the stalls a year back.

I had written about the session I had with my team earlier during Dec (Transcendance - 7 ::: "Making debut in SINGING") & the eventful day arrived during Mid January. The 4 member team constituted by us had worked tirelessly for a whole week and one guy with too much of activity in right side of his brain had actually video shot himself & made a MPEG file of the presentation that he wanted to make for one particular idea that we wanted to present….He along with his personal friends were found playing a role play and then this fellow coming up in the screen to explain very nicely the importance of our practice. The total file ran for close to 5 minutes. The introduction was done superbly with thrilling music in the background giving introduction to our Company, team and the ideas that we want to present (it was like some big banner film !!)

Getting enthused with this, the other team members too had prepared their part well and we all gathered for a mock session on the day when the exhibition was organized in the afternoon. With too many other things to do, this could not be organized by us on the previous day. I had sent a meeting request to the whole team (around 50) to gather in the central space to have this mock session around 11 AM….(The exhibition had been organized at 2 PM to 6 PM – just half day)

I started noticing that our team was not ready with the other preparations to be made at our stall (the charts and the table arrangements) and realized that they had too much of communication gaps amongst themselves…. Since the morning of the day, I literally started barking at them for their lack of preparedness and giving them instructions in quick succession asking each one to do various things and also appealed the other members to volunteer some support…The whole hall became like a marriage hall with every one buzzing around and at the corner, I could see my Manager was proudly smiling at me and telling our GM on how the team is doing things this year unlike the previous year….

When all the other stalls were ready at 1.30 PM, we stormed there with all our charts and canvas that we wanted to hang around…and did every thing in a hurry while other stalls & the Quality office colleagues were looking at us with lot of curiosity… It was an extremely eventful day & I had to leave from our stall by 2 PM when the exhibition started as I was one of the Judges to visit few other stalls….

Heard that our boys made a great show and there was a big queue even after 6 PM when the event closed….!! I realized the need to chip in when the team members are not so time conscious & not used to big occasions…..

While the entire team including this core team of exhibition was & still is in upbeat mood about the performance (we did not get any prize though...!!) , I was seriously thinking about the lapses that we made, the communication gaps between them and their inability to pace up with time when the occassion demands.... I really learnt the dimensions of delegation and the aspects to be taken care while empowering others.....

suchoo

** Bharat Ratna **

It is shocking to see the list of names that are being recommended for "Bharat Ratna" by all the political parties. Kanshi Ram, Mulayam Singh Yadav, Karunanidhi - well, this can only be the best way to denigrate the highest award of the Nation !! I suggest that we should adopt a resolution stopping this award from going to any Politicians henceforth. That way, we will start taking notice of some real deserving candidates like MS Swaminathan and Ratan Tata.

** More Quota **

In UP, Mayawati has taken the next step on the "Quota Game". Henceforth, in UP, all the Govt contracts will be allotted based on caste Quota.

Yes, so far, it was based on (ruling) party quota - atleast behind the screens. From now on, UP will have an additional quota raj!! If a contractor is an SC/ST, he will get the contract, say, to build roads and bridges. He/She would be preferred over other caste contractors.

Generally, NO poor man can be a contractor. All contractors can enter the fray only if they have sound financial background. They need lakhs of rupees just to pay the earnest deposit. So why the hell do they need a quota??? Well, thats Indian politics for you !! We are never going to see an end to this dirty game !!

** Kumble **

Kumble took his 600th wicket today (Jan/17). He has won more matches for India than Sachin and yet, he has not got the credit that he is due for. This man has achieved everything that any cricketer would aspire for - above 600 wickets, a test century, a perfect 10 wicket in an innings and now the captain of the Indian cricket team. His statesman like handling of the crisis after the second test at Sydney thoroughly deserves a round of applause. Kudos to Kumble.

** Indian Missile Prog - II **

To my posting on DRDO & Indian Missile program, the below is what my friend wrote...

---------------
Private Companies need to step in to take the research & development also. The requirements of the Armed forces shall be given and they will spend their money to find the product which shall be purchased from them after it is put to test by the end users. That's the model being followed in the U.S.

These private companies like Boeing, Dassault are allowed to sell to friendly countries after the NOC from the U.S State Department. That way, they make their money.

But I would not blame the DRDO as the Politicians made a spoilsport of the DRDO by unwanted interventions. I still remember one of the Wings of DRDO which is the CVRDE (Combat Vehicle Research Development Establishment) in Avadi where the First Director was a Alumini of Indian Institute of Science and he would have completed the MBT in time to be inducted in the 90's. Such was his excellence. But the sad part was that Rajiv Gandhi in 1985 brought in somebody above him due which he was disgruntled and resigned to go to the U.S. Other than the MBT, this guy successfully inducted the Bridge Layer Tank and the Mine Sweeping Tank which still are serving in the armed forces. I had seen able scientists working even from their homes on various drawings. Such was the commitment. Bueracracy spoiled everything.

Another classic example is the Spying case truncated against the ISRO Mahendragiri Director and finally it was proven that it was set up. Nobody would give the honest scientist his honour back. No newspaper carried that report. No politician/Bureacra t apologised for this. so what will be the morale. People now fear to do the right thing as they are always in doubt. Everybody wants to finish his service to go happily with his Full Pension in hand.

Given the independence, Any organisation can perform.People have to be trusted. Independence given. Any Big organisation first is given the Target, when it is agreed by the Organisation then What resources are required to achieve it is asked. Given the time & resources, Any organisation can perform. But the Motivating factor should also be there.

Abdul Kalam in one of his Memoirs talks about Dhawan who was the first director of ISRO when all the rockets were falling into the Sea. Dhawan used to motivate his scientists to go look at the problems associated with the failed Launch and he went to face the Press. Nobody ever knew who was Abdul Kalam or other scientists of the failed Launch. After Many failures, when the first successful Launch happened, Dhawan stepped aside and asked his Team of Scientists to go meet the Press to explain the success story. This fact was emotionally said by none other than Abdul Kalam and Dhawan is no more but his Statue has been errected in front of ISRO in Sriharikota. This is a example of True Leadership who motivated his team to
find success inspite of repeated failures. But for Dhawan, ISRO would not have been a success story. We would have been discussing as another White Elephant.

The Talents are there. It has to be properly nurtured.

Sreedhar

** West Bengal **

West Bengal is going through a tough phase - It started with the TATA Nano car factory at Singur, then the two episodes of Nandigram and now the dreaded Bird flu !! An estimated FOUR lakh chickens and ducks need to be killed. And villagers, not happy with the compensation being given have let loose their birds making the culling process even more difficult for the officials. This time, it seems we are worst hit by the flu. Three districts have been quarantined and border with Bangladesh sealed. So far, no human loss has been reported. We can only hope that this problem is culled at the earliest and in an efficient manner.

Musings on Rangarajan alias Sujatha....

Dear All

I happened to read a (very short) novel of writer Sujatha today morning.....it is titled "Marina" .....& a typical detective novel where his evergreen characters Ganesh and Vasanth unveils a big lie....

The novel contains all the basic elements of a sujatha novel - the thinking Ganesh, casual Vasanth, a very nice plot & interesting characters like a modern boy around whom the story revolves, his would be, his friends with whom this fellow smokes "bad", his bruding father and mother and more importantly a crime branch inspector.

The boy - who is just 19 years old - while "bad" smoking with his friends at Marina Beach late in the night gets into a needless physical assault with a stranger, assaults him for self defensive. Seeing the stranger fall down with blood rushes to home along with friends....next day paper reporting that a young man is dead in the beach....A crime inspector somehow smells the episode and tries to blackmail his father to take a huge compensation to shut off the story from getting publicised....Ganesh jumps in and saves the father by proving that the crime inspector is playing farce....and no one died at the beach...

This novel is deceptively small....and every inch of the story is in Sujatha's style....infact I got reminded of the face of this mild mannered gentleman's face which is quite popular (who is one of my favourite) as I turned page by page....It is quite long I have read a novel and this one did not leave me from its grip.....

Rangarajan, a simple man with strong moorings to orthodox life style due to his origin at Srirangam weaves quite an interesting drama around the characters which is not HIM or which is definitely not resembling his own life....

In this particular novel, I could sense the sharpness of the words coming out of various characters through the extremely natural dialogues and most importantly, touch of profound philosophy (he mainly touches upon generation gap and the problems that RICH class face in their lives) very gently.....reminding me that I am holding the book of one of the great writer of our times...He is one such author whom I have been revering for more than 2 decades.....(I still cannot forget the first novel that I had read written by him....it was named as "andru un arugil"...revolving around three characters...Pulli, amaru and nila...think it was taken as a movie quite recently.....starring Roja as the main character...OR Nila's actress mother)

Some time back, this writer got into a cotroversy when he made a statement that he does not write in any monthly magazines as he saw some one with whom he travelled in train threw it off after reading the same, matter of factedly....IT naturally provoked many of the seasoned writers and patrons of monthly magazines and I remember one particular gentleman retorted ("perhaps it was Sujatha's story"). I have never heard any thing controversial about this writer except this one...and he always inspires me with his genius on three fields....His expertise on science related things, his deep knowledge in Tamil literature with special reference to Vaishnava culture...and last but not the least, his innocence and ability to portray a flavour of innocence regardless of what the subject he is writing about (ike a lotus flower)

I can only close this mail unable to type any thing more on this writer.... He is quite old now (should be past 70s....). I sincerely pray to Almighty that this Gentleman lives a extremely peaceful life in the rest of the years and feels completely satisfied about himself and quite convinced about the purpose of his life....!! He is not just another human being of this over populated country...

Thank you Sujatha...

suchoo

** TATA's - Nano car **

Finally the much talked about 'one lakh' car is out. Full credit to Ratan Tata for this achievement. To know about tech specifications and to see more fotos of the car, please click here.

TATA Dealers are so happy that they have already been flooded with calls. Looks like this car is going to have a wait period of atleast one year after registration (like our good old days when we waited eternally to get a telephone line after booking - we got the telephone line connected to our residence two years after registration). With rear engine, this car, looks like a modified version of our Autorickshaws. So what? Its going to be the world's cheapest car. At this point, all I am worried about is the traffic chaos !!

Feedback to your posting....on Missile Programs

Gowri

I went through your posting and just went aghast seeing the information that you have conveyed....All such news that you give on the height of cheating makes me really dizzy....and trying to give any feedback being me (as a frog well on such practical matters) is not at all good...

I only wish and pray you outlive me and keep giving such interesting facts around us for me to go through in "digest" OR "capsule" form....

I only dont want to form any opinion....Realising the importance of understanding such affairs.....Getting a feeling these days that I may not become too serious about these things and become restless about the state of things....I can read through intently your pieces of such importance, can stay there couple of minutes and then go back to my dreamy world without any further ripple of thought....

Keep making such interesting postings yaar.... "evaallaam ippide aniyaayam panraalee....karuda puranaathulaa ivvalukkellaam enna thandanaiyoo theriyalai !!"

Anniyan....

Jan 9, 2008

** Indian Missile Program **

My 50th POEM ::: AGANDAM !!

Hi

I wrote this to be posted in our Entertainment board of our office canteen...took care to make it as simple as possible so that every one of my team member become the fan of my fortnightly communique with them....

suchoo
In upbeat mood still
(its quite long I got depressed !!??)


சாமான்யமாய் தோன்றிடும் சிறு விதை
வளர்ந்திடும் பெரும் விருட்சமாக...
உராய்வில் ஏற்படும் சிறு பொறிதான்
கிளம்பிடும் காட்டுத்தீயாக...

விஞ்ஞானத்தின் ஒவ்வொரு அசைவும்
உருவெடுக்கும் அரிய பயனாக...
கவியின் மனத்தின் சிறுசலனமும்
பிறப்பெடுக்கும் அழகு கவிதையாக…

சிறியதான ஒவ்வொன்றும் பெரியதாக
உருவெடுக்கும்
பெரிதாய் தோன்றும் விஷயம் பல
சிறியதாக முடிந்துவிடும்...

சொல்லிப்புரியாத விஷயம் இது
உற்று நோக்க தெரிந்துவிடும்
ஞானியாகத் தேவையில்லை
சராசரி மனிதனுக்கும் விளங்கிவிடும்

சுரேன்

Moments of Bliss 9 :: The power of Quadrant II

Dear

Its been long since I got into the blog..and was quite convinced (!!) to see that my better half had not posted much during my prolonged absence....(this is the problem / disease of human minds, right, I mean theory of relativity & comparisons)

Now I completed an important Quadrand II activity (important not urgent) which I started off last sunday....It could appear too trivial but for me it was so important... Since last december, on account of Madhoo's birthday on 15th December, I have been spilling poems of various sizes and themes (predominantly revolving around ME, the great egoist !!)....but I was so curious to know the numbers....!!

Being oriented into the Quality initiatives of our office, I am so enthused with Six Sigma Tools and these days, subconsciously I can appreciate the significance of specific piercing questions on data without getting subdued by emotions or sentiments.....I calmly repeat my questions to my subordinates when they try to beat around the bush......!! Have you observed this ??? many people start answering why they do some thing when we just ask them what they are doing !! they start telling HOW they are doing when we ask why they do that....I am scared to see the multiplier effect of not listening properly & not able to frame the right sentences (& choose the words to be spoken to address the actual question)

{I have a great fancy for a particular verse in Kamba Ramayanam...where Anjanyeaa tells "kandeen seedhaiyai"....See his genuine feeling that he puts the positive word to the restless Rama...who will very well know that Anjaneyaa will speak only about his wife as he went on a clear business trip with a clear purpose.....thats just an example of the importance I attach to these practical things....}

Now, coming back to my QII activity I made an index of all my poems to know how many I have written until now......in excel sheet....stating the serial number of the poem, the file name, the size of the poem (big / small), specific remarks...This was needed as there were occassions that in a single ppt file, I had written one dozen poems (vanagiri competition)....

As I have a standardized naming convention these days to name the ppt file with the date of my writing the poem, capturing the date was also quite easy....(I looked at the file created date for my old poems, before I started off this standardisation!!)

I completed this index meticulously during the past half hour and now I do have a list of all my "padaippus"....can you guess the number....?? YES, I have hit an half century exactly....this includes 33 small poems and 17 big ones....!!

There is a photo hanging in the computer room of our house where I stand with my ex colleagues of my previous company, it so happened, when on a particular day couple of months back, I counted those heads which are still working in the same company versus those who have left during the past 4 years (I am in touch with many of them, so I get the updates regularly)...believe me, the ratio was 9 : 9 of the 18 people standing in the photo....The number remains the same even today as there are no new resignations at that place, still !!

These type of magic numbers push me to a blissful state though the left side of the brain of "few" will phooh phooh such data...stating them as "coincidences"...

I will try to post the 50th poem which is yet to be shared with you.....I normally send it through yahoo but not sure, for the past 2 weeks I am not able to connect with the yahoo...and I will try to paste it in the web and send.....please confirm the receipt and visibility of the same Gowri...(sorry, I forgot your specific instruction on how to paste it...I am just going to do it in my own way....!!)

suchoo

** Indian Missile Program **

"On 8 Jan 2008, DRDO announced that it will be closing the missile programe formally, since most of the missiles in the programme are developed and inducted into Indian Armed Forces. According to statement by Dr. S Pralhada - Head controller of DRDO, new missile and weapons systems will be developed within a five-year time frame at low costs, with foreign partners and private industries."

Indian Missile Program is CLOSED and thats official now. But the above official release is only one of the sample on the series of lies that DRDO has been dishing out and fooling public. - What is Mr Pralhada talking about when he says that most of the missiles were developed and inducted? What happened to Prithvi - Ver II & III?? What happened to Agni?? If he says that the the Indian Missile Prog was successful and all that were designed were developed and inducted... why the hell is he now going for foreign and private partnership?? If it had been successful - are you not supposed to sell your successful missiles to other nations and earn revenue?? Is he saying that the programme was successful, it had accomplished what was intended for and hence is being closed down?? Could there be anything farther away from truth other than this ??

Akash, Nag, Prithvi, Agni .... - we kept reading the "success" stories in news papers and magazines. Truth is, nothing tangible was achieved and not one of those missiles were actually declared as 'success' by the user community (If it had been successful, this programme would not have been scrapped).

In my view, this DRDO, under MoD is a white elephant !! Compare that to the success story of ISRO and you will realise that DRDO is nothing but a BIG flop story. What has DRDO produced till date? Hundreds of crores of rupees is being allocated to DRDO and there is NOTHING worth the name to its credit till date. All it has produced so far is bluffs, botch ups and cover up stories. Can anyone name one single big achievement that this organisation can be credited with - other than playing dirty politics and cheap media tricks by planting "success" stories in the media??

I am sure, had only our ex-President and Father of Indian Missiles known about DRDO before, he would have fought tooth and nail for a separate agency like ISRO for the Missile development program. Unfortunately, it was not to be so and hence this sorry state of current affairs.

Ideally, not just the Missile program, Govt should CLOSE down the DRDO !! This Missile program is just ONE of the skeleton that has fallen out of the DRDO's cupboard.

Manager in the making - 4 :: sharing Self Improvement Tools

Dear

During the decade long corporate exposure, I have undergone various training programs - from just a day long programs to few really big ones which spreads to 4 - 6 months....with long periodical sessions....

I have never been career oriented and I dont have to say much about the past 10 years (note, I meant the past 12 years until 2006) but I do have some special words for such training programs. I have always been too receptive and open to these programs involving myself fully into what ever the program is about....I dont mean being very talkative / friendly OR debating with the trainer in every possible opportunity..... I really mean trying to understand the crux of the program and asking / clariyfying on genuine doubts with the Trainer ... and more importantly, ensuring that I push up the participation levels of my co-trainees by few notches with my spirit and enthusiasm.....!! For that matter, I consciously dont sit with my colleagues / familiar faces during such training programs to avoid nuisances / distractions.....& the point is that I do this very naturally without making it too glaring for them.....

Now, my single biggest feeling about such training programs is that they teach too much when people are not really ready.....!! In particular, I have seen some really powerful tools for time management in few of these programs, mindboggling techniques on Fast reading and communication skills & my pet subject "mind mapping".....BUT, while one single tool is sufficient for one's life time, it is quite natural that the participants loose out the tools over a period of time....you see, its problem of having plenty....!!

To come to specific point to be shared gleefully with you, this year beginning, I made a very simple weekly tracking mechanism on time management..... This is a customisation of many things that I have learnt and felt but was never doing consistently... I had visited Star Zerox on 30th Jan (sunday) to make 56 copies for the format (you see you need 4 pages as a cushion for the 52 week year, right ??) and made a spiral binder of the same....

While doing this exercise, I made half dozen books instead for my own - I distributed to my direct reportee and 3 of his team leaders on Jan 2nd explaining them the importance of such tool.....and the last one was kept reserve with me....!! I am not sure if my TLs will use this for whole of the year but the way they reverentially took it, I am sure they will not throw it....!!

Now the climax of this piece is that when I explained Anoo at home briefly on this, she was so inspired and asked me if by any chance I have an extra copy....I was taken aback as I never expected this question from her.....and quite joyfully handed over the last one which I had in reserve.....The way I explained it should have touched her and who knows, perhaps she may become a better time manager than me in course of time....

A Good Manager never feels bad if his sub ordinates grew up much more than himself.... I am sorry, I should have used the word "leader" instead of "manager"..... I intend to become both !!

suchoo

Sunday Musings !!

Dear

I was bit pre-occupied on Fri and yesterday and could remember to get my copy of my favourite magazine only yesterday late in the evening....I went through the whole book just for a glance after covering two of my pet topics alone - Sadhguru's article and Madhan's QA...

I did see the below article (but yet to read it.....) and can appreciate Gowri's genuine question....These are few delicate questions that I never pose to myself...... Definitely the article cannot be full of curses for her....and most importantly AV could NOT have avoided this sensational news even if she is not a great personality. I dont intend to respond to Gowri in any manner but just leading towards the bottom of my thought process systematically....

Now, earlier Gowri had mentioned about the stance of our Politicians about this shocking death in this blog. I have always seen people standing and talking about the deceased in front of his house very artificially (Yes I mean it)....An year back, I had a wierd experience of sitting beside two of our relatives who were actually intending to talk good about the deceased (my maternal relative) unconsciously moving away to his negatives and how selfish this person had been during his life time....When one of the speakers {I prefer to call this gentle man so though he is another relative, unfortunately OR fortunately still living, I can see people (including me) are getting carried away too much when they are talking} tried to take my acceptance nod, I looked at him like a rock without any expression....He wondered for a moment it was a case of another obituiary seeing my lifeless face, got the message and cut himself short.....

As a policy, I dont talk in the house where some one is dead....In fact, I had very few of such instances until now, but I never felt a strong urge to speak / utter some nonsense because many of the people are silent OR many of the people are talking some thing about the dead. I just look at the face of the dead for a while and become a big EAR and EYES observing every one around..... !!

Now, considering that I am an abnormal and world around us normally talks quite compulsively when some one is dead, why dont we be bit gracious on AV ?? is my question......

Perhaps, Gowri should also note that Gnani in his article in the same vikatan issue has ripped apart Benazir.....on her will where looks like she had declared that her son will be the successor of her party......!! AV has the majesty to publish its own views though I am sure the Editor had read through Gnani's article...

Perhaps, when I close my eyes and imagine the mental state of AV editor, I get a feeling that perhaps he might have thought that he is just doing the "balancing act" and people know both sides of the story about Benazir....

Water finds its level !! Truth Prevails !! It always happens that when a student is ready, the teacher comes !!

I dont want to make any negative ripple in my mind about AV....after all, like people around us including our own selves, AV does make some silly mistakes at times...I prefer to be graceful and not ask such questions even to myself....

suchoo


Jan 4, 2008

** Ananda Vikatan & Benazir **
Magazine 'Ananda Vikatan' has done a five page obituary to Benazir Bhutto. Yes, even Osama Bin Laden will get five pages or even more. But what is more distressing is that the obituary is full of praise for Benazir. Why do we have to always talk high of the dead? But this is the land that even paid rich tributes to the dacoit Veerapan and Phoolan Devi (who even became an Member of Parliament) and our Chief Ministers sing in praise of terrorists !!!!
Posted by Gowri at 7:02 PM

** Top 100 Products **

PC World has listed the top 100 products - of which, Verizon FIOS is ranked at 4th.. :)

If you wish to have a look at other products... check it out at...
http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,131935-page,13/article.html

** Gift **

Fred, a Pharmacist in Pittsburgh, gifted some 25 lotteries to his relatives, out of which one won $1 million dollars !! His wife's cousin was the lucky one who received this gift. No, Fred did not claim it back saying that it was gifted and wont claim it back. When the interviewer asked whether he likes his wife's cousin more now, Fred, says that they would like him more now than the other way around.

Watch out his interview in...
http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/popup/index.php?cl=5822517

** Ananda Vikatan & Benazir **

Magazine 'Ananda Vikatan' has done a five page obituary to Benazir Bhutto. Yes, even Osama Bin Laden will get five pages or even more. But what is more distressing is that the obituary is full of praise for Benazir. Why do we have to always talk high of the dead? But this is the land that even paid rich tributes to the dacoit Veerapan and Phoolan Devi (who even became an Member of Parliament) and our Chief Ministers sing in praise of terrorists !!!!

** Sachin **

Sachin scored his 38th century today against Australia at Sydney. For many of his critiques who were calling for his head he has replied in his own style. In the recent past, he has been in the habit of getting out in the 90s and today he broke his own jinx. More than anything, India took a first innings lead against the mighty Aussies and probably has posed a threat to the Australians continuous winning streak. It was India earlier too that stopped the Aussies juggernaut of continuous winning streaks. We still have two days to go in this test match and we still have the match wide open. But today, the day belonged to India with Sachin, Ganguly and Harbhajan chipping in with very useful knocks. Also full credit to Lakshman who played a great knock yesterday to put the Aussies on the back foot. There are not many teams that take a first innings lead against the Aussies and India having done that, definitely needs a big round of applause.

Moments of Bliss 8 ::: My GM's appreciation

Hi Dear

It was a proud minute for me when my GM praised my presentation in front of 50 of my team mates. This is too special and I dont want to dilute the power of the moment by cheaply deciding this to be posted in "Manager in the Making" series. Such trivial benefits on getting into limelight apart, this appreciation is quite special....perhaps any one who reads through can appreciate how grateful I am to the Divine Grace showered on me along with my GM's praise.

I have been with this company for close to 4 years now and I can't remember the first year's appraisal when I was ripped apart by the same gentleman as I am not able to "handle people" and I am not strict with my reportees. This person is very special in my heart even on those days though I was not in his good books.....because even whenI used the word "ripped" this man has nice way of putting across things...extremely soft but firm and well known for the way he bows his body in front of the security guard in front of our main gate...An extremely humble man with a extremely matured mind.....On the personal side, he did not decide to get married and should be around 45, looks extremely unassuming and uninspiring but I have admired his eyes which has an element of serenity and intensity (both together) in it.

I dont want to write too much on why he did not consider me as a good leader....its just that I got too confused about what I am supposed to do...being a "doer" in the earlier company and reverred by my earlier bosses on my integrity and ability to see through things, I took a very long time to settle down in this new set up where I am expected to just remain as an "enabler"....(or is it "I am expected to raise myself to enabling role ??). I was just exploited hapless creature getting demoralised again and again unable to strike the rhthym and went gory 18 month period. Then some miracle happened and I got entangled into a software project travelling to Europe which went on for the next 15 to 16 months...In the meanwhile the profile of this GM too changed and by co-incidence, I am reporting to him again.....

When I started getting along with my current boss, I curiously asked him if his boss did not mind taking me for this position, it appears that he had very softly told him to see if I am suitable for himself and seemingly had hinted my Manager of my poorvasramam.....!! I dont think he was too harsh or critical on me as the Europe trip and my initiatives there had to some extend convinced him...but still surely he must be having lingering doubts on my "leadership"....

My new manager is a man who takes decisions based on his intution and took me to his command without taking too much time to decide upon.....and then started my "revenge" on my company....I was recognised as one of the best during the mid year appraisal and the hero of my heart (super boss) did not mind telling that perhaps he did a mistake in assessing me earlier and infact told something resembling an apology which literally pushed me to tears....the roaler coaster continued after june too...and the expanded responsibilities at office should have got a swift green signal from this Man....I have no doubts about it...

We have a standing meeting on every thursday and one of the team member makes a general presentation...I did some interesting (but heavy topic) during last june.....and was really enjoying being an audience for more than 6 months....I told the organiser during dec first week that the first presentation of the new year will be mine....and she felt really relieved as she was running out of her waiting list...

I chose a very simple subject unlike the previous one ("story telling") and last saturday spent around 2 hours at home and mentally have been rehearsing for the past 2 or 3 days on the punch lines....Today was a hectic day as I went to the plant at chennai for the first time on my extended responsibilities and reached back to office along with my predecessor and the Manager only by 4.30....PM...the head was quite heavy due to unusual routine, had a quick meeting with my boss till 5.30 on few pending things and believe me the presentation was just made without even a minute peaceful time to get ready for it.....(the preparation of course helped)

I did one of my best presentation in my life narrating a story to get started, involving the audience, laughing aloud, making people speak up, quoting contemporary examples....without forgetting any thing that I had wanted to do....the audience was extremely still and was really enjoying the simple but very powerful presentation and was so absorbed...after I finished, I was shocked to see the GM (who normally does not come for our department level get togethers; he had couple of awards to be distributed to the team....) who seems had come within couple of minutes after I started.....He was standing in a odd direction that I never spotted him.....

He is a man of limited words and getting an appreciation from him for more than a minute was sufficient for me to lift up the left out bitter memories that I had.....My Manager, peers, subordinates none gave their customary feedback as they all sensed the GM expressed every thing that they wanted to say.....

Some times, it takes time for things to happen....!! I am just proud that it happened so quick for me particularly the complete reversal of the image in the same company and same human being.....!! Krishnaarpanam...

suchoo

** Movies **

I got reminded of the movies 'Kadhal' and 'Parthiban Kanavu' after reading Suchoo's reviews on movies in two of his last postings. Movie 'Kadhal' was a well made one - no doubt. But it didnt impress me to watch it the second time (leave alone SIX times). Good - YES, but defnintely not GREAT !! However, the movie "Parthiban Kanavu" did not impress me at all. I could not even sit and watch that movie when it was telecast on TV. Just walked away - so, nothing to say on that.

Talking about good movies - I happened to see some wonderful movies last week. One was Taxi 9211, about which I have written already. Thathaasthu, Cliffhanger and Chestnut were the other nice movies that I saw last week. Sanjay Dutt impressed me with his acting in the movie Thathaasthu. He plays the role of a father, whose son needs heart surgery and doesnt have money to pay for operation. He holds people, around 30, in one of the floors of the hospital for ransom. The story revolves around numerous characters and is well pictured. It was a wonderful movie. I have seen three of Sanjay Dutt's latest movies and he impresses me with his abilities. In Munnabhai MBBS, he played his part better than what Kamal did in the remake version, Vassol Raja. Lage Raho Munnabhai was even better.

Yes, movie making is an art and calls for greater skills and management abilities. Out of hundreds of movies that are released in India every month, a few do really touch the top grade and we can feel happy and proud about that.

** Alliance **

Bajaj has signed a deal with Yamaha for a joint venture in manufacture of Two wheelers. Yamaha, which was previously in partnership with Escorts India, did manufacture some excellent bikes. The model, Rx100 is still in great demand in India - the only bike with excellent resale value, even after 10 years of use. And the Bajaj success story with its Pulsar version is well known (it has been choosen as the best bike of the year 2007). Now that both the giants have come together, lets hope that we get to see some more excellent bikes. With TATA all set to roll out its Rs 1 lakh car, prices of two wheelers are bound to come down (Cost of Pulsar was approximately Rs.50,000).

Another important alliance that happened last week was the deal between Reliance and Bata. I think, in near future, we may get to see joint ventures for "Hair cutting Saloons" !!!

Kalloori !!

Hi All

I am an ardent admirer of the Director of the Film "Kaadhal" which shook me off totally exactly 2 years back on the same day...(Yes, I think that film was released during Dec of 2005 and I happened to see this film on Jan 1st of 2006...if my memory is correct).

I liked every thing about this film, the subject, the message, the portrayal, the dialects, the actors, the songs and above all the direction. The film overpowered me so much that after reaching home (I saw it in First Show on Jan 1st reaching home by 3 PM), my whole body was shivering when I was trying to take some rest lying down at my home.... It was very clear that I allowed the film too much into my system and told my wife categorically that WE are going to the same film once again the same evening.....I dont want to add here that both my wife and my daughter did not like the movie as much as I liked - which was not a surprise for me....& I saw it again for half dozen times after Jan 1st.... (yes, some times, you need to repeat great moments of your life, quite consciously !!0

Now, the same Director has come out with a wonderful film called "college" starring all fresh faces. It is said that all his actors of the film (the friends gang around which the story revolves) are yet to go to college - meaning that they are just 17 or 18..... but they appear to be too good a students capturing what the director had asked them to do.... Hats off not to the entire gang of the students but also to the numerous characters of the film (college lecturers, principal, the auto rikshaw father and other house members of all the friends INCLUDING the college senior ("puruvam thooki" ) boy with a broken heart as the heroine did not accept his proposal).

It needs lot of courage to take film on a real life incident that happened (1999) and the Director had moved in my heart by an inch when I read some where that he had appealed to the state of Tamilnadu "not to go to the theatre with "kaadhal" in the back of the memory"....people at times stun us with this type of radical statements.....He just did not want to bank on the earlier success and I felt that he had not dissappointed the fans (at least me).

The film portrays a college... I mean a real college, no cinema sets, no vivek & charlie posing as college students and Delhi Ganesh / Kavundamani as College Lecturers. The Heroine girl appeared quite aneimic at the first sight and not so eye catchy (except her over fairness), but as she settled down in the story, I too got convinced with her acting abilities. She is extremely natural and had played her part too well...and I dont mind saying I still remember some of her wonderful facial expressions....

Inspite of the Director's appeal, the music director reminds us forcibly of the earlier film (the same music director) but the solace is that the songs are quite consistent to the earlier film. The Hero boy and the friends - every one of them - will remember this adventure for their life time....so will I....!!

I saw a small article in Anandha vikatan where this director was posing with all the main characters portrayed in the film in an open terrance, simply sitting in the middle of the gang of friends....This man seems to be a huge potential....and I pray he comes out with even more wonderful films in the years to come. It is quite a tragedy and crude reality that many such talents does not get flourished during the prime of their career (he looks around 45 at least).

Tamil Industry needs some naturalism and nativity before our cinema creators completely surrender to alien cultures and money power....

suchoo

Reviews of Two Cinemas.....

Hi All

It has been quite a while that I had wanted to share my feelings on a Tamil Movie that I saw roughly a year back....Not that I had wanted to write my views on this film when I saw it for the first time (in fact, this blog was not even started at that point of time.....just chipping in !!....but it was when I saw the film again a month back in DVD once again.....

I dont mean that my opinion on the film drastically in between a period of year.... Its just that I got surprised that my earlier opinion was not formed properly....I really proudly write this in this blog that it did not require some one else's opinion OR reading a review of the film by expert for me to change my own opinion but just with my own careful observation of same film once again...

Too much of prelude as usual, the first Film which is described in the above two paragraphs are "paarthibhan kanavu"..... starring new actor Srikaanth & Sneha in double action as his pair.... I was not at all impressed with the movie in any department including the music though so much was hyped about the music and I just hated to remain in the seat of the theatre unable to stand the stench of the triangular love (with a difference ?) - not to mention the lacklustre performance of the actors......Every thing about the film appeared too immatured for me and as a responsible father, I just sat beside my daughter and wife who were glued to the screen.....some times, you learn to compromise !!

Now, when I saw it for the second time in DVD, I was watching the dialogues quite closely (thats natural, right ?), I could see the freshness and the intensity of the new Director who had made this film.....Many dialogues were too good and extremely sharp with no-nonsense message. I particularly remember the specific deliveries between the two father characters (hero and heroin's - I mean) when they meet quite accidentally.....God, the dialogues (I repeat, for an important reason) were bang on.....and Manivannan alone stands quite exceptional in delivering his dialogues quite beautifully....

That pushes me to the last para of this review, the whole team of actors seems to have decided to act artificially through out the film including the Hero and Heroine and that spoilt the whole film.... It is quite astounding how every one could perform so mediocre and lacklustre.....many scenes were artificial to the core just because of the acting skills though the dialogues delivered were quite thought provoking..... !! I just wonder if the Director is a great thinker but not a good manager of people....perhaps he should take lessons from seniors like Bharathi raaja who slaps the heroines if they did not perform well (still I have strong doubts if the latter brought the best out of his debut heroines...that will put this musings in a different track and I am restraining myself from doing the same)

I changed my own opinion about the film...not that Its a great film but quite a disaster considering that good dialogues were wasted by the performers who needs to be made responsible for the poor film.....!! Whats it ?? Are you coming to say it was infact a box office hit and a commercial success....let it be, the film did not do so good in the view of suchoo...

I wish to post the review of the second film that I saw twice in the past one week (both visiting theatres.....) in the next posting....

suchoo