Sunday, May 16, 2010
The Tingling Charm
With time on hand and a blackberry for company
You just do not do it
When you don't feel like it
You just will look away
When you don't feel like it
Do that what you want
And not what you can
Do something different
And not what's the plan
Think of your self
Remember your dream
For no one else will
As selfish as this may seem
Always have a plan
Just don't stick to it
Do something different
Just go right for it
Life is not that long
Go chart some unknown path
In just toeing that straight line
Where is the tingling charm
You just do not do it
When you don't feel like it
You just will look away
When you don't feel like it
Do that what you want
And not what you can
Do something different
And not what's the plan
Think of your self
Remember your dream
For no one else will
As selfish as this may seem
Always have a plan
Just don't stick to it
Do something different
Just go right for it
Life is not that long
Go chart some unknown path
In just toeing that straight line
Where is the tingling charm
Sunday, May 09, 2010
Communicate
Picture Source: First Friday Book Synopsis
To misquote the late legendary Paul Newman in Cool Hand Luke,
What we had was a failure to communicate.
Some women you just can't reach,
so we ended with what we had then.
Which is the way it would finish in the end.
Well, you get it.
And I don't like it any more than you...
Friday, March 26, 2010
Dear Google...
Dear Google,
I truly and completely appreciate your stand on censorship and am in awe that you are okay with losing all that business that you will in the biggest market in the world. Not to forget all those relationships with channel partners that is now on shaky ground.
In the argument between corporate finance and professional responsibility, you have put your own ethics before any business decision. Kudos to Sergey Brin for standing by the principles on which Google was started. Power to you Sir for wanting to “do no evil”. Furthermore, for prevailing on Schmidt et al; it must not have been an easy feat to achieve.
BUT, forgive my naiveté as I question your methods. Is it not wrong for you to break the law of the land? You entered into an agreement with the Government of the PRC. You agreed to abide by their laws, however archaic may they be. You have rightly taken a step back and evaluated your stance given the current environment and decided that you cannot operate in this manner. It is truly commendable that you did that. In my humble opinion, I believe that if you do disagree, you should withdraw from the country and bring down the google.cn website. By your actions, you are imposing your ideas (however wonderful they may be; and I do believe that they are) onto others. Look at Go Daddy, they have stopped registering “.cn” websites because they are not comfortable with the documentation that is required of them (i.e. from their customers) from the government.
Having spoken to a lot of Chinese friends of mine on the topic, I realize that they value the freedom of speech and yearn to have this essential right back in their home country. They miss YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and the other simple pleasures of life. As for my beliefs, I too value this imperative fundamental right and its importance to humankind. I thank the Almighty for having given me the opportunity to have been brought up in a free liberal country and for having given me the opportunity to experience another. I wish everyone has this right someday.
Mahatma Gandhi famously said and I quote “Be the change you want to see in the world”. I completely agree with these thoughts. It would seem like Google does too. It believes in the freedom of speech and would like to champion the cause, vociferously and possibly at great personal difficulty. All is well and noble with that. There is just one minor problem that I have: One cannot take up arms against injustice. Google should leave the country if it disagrees; it should walk away. It should fight for its cause and fight it should hard. It should merely do what needs to be done within the ambit of the law.
Just saying. These are my two cents.
Peace be to all. Google: 8th wonder of the world. China: Respect, awe and envy.
I truly and completely appreciate your stand on censorship and am in awe that you are okay with losing all that business that you will in the biggest market in the world. Not to forget all those relationships with channel partners that is now on shaky ground.
In the argument between corporate finance and professional responsibility, you have put your own ethics before any business decision. Kudos to Sergey Brin for standing by the principles on which Google was started. Power to you Sir for wanting to “do no evil”. Furthermore, for prevailing on Schmidt et al; it must not have been an easy feat to achieve.
BUT, forgive my naiveté as I question your methods. Is it not wrong for you to break the law of the land? You entered into an agreement with the Government of the PRC. You agreed to abide by their laws, however archaic may they be. You have rightly taken a step back and evaluated your stance given the current environment and decided that you cannot operate in this manner. It is truly commendable that you did that. In my humble opinion, I believe that if you do disagree, you should withdraw from the country and bring down the google.cn website. By your actions, you are imposing your ideas (however wonderful they may be; and I do believe that they are) onto others. Look at Go Daddy, they have stopped registering “.cn” websites because they are not comfortable with the documentation that is required of them (i.e. from their customers) from the government.
Having spoken to a lot of Chinese friends of mine on the topic, I realize that they value the freedom of speech and yearn to have this essential right back in their home country. They miss YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and the other simple pleasures of life. As for my beliefs, I too value this imperative fundamental right and its importance to humankind. I thank the Almighty for having given me the opportunity to have been brought up in a free liberal country and for having given me the opportunity to experience another. I wish everyone has this right someday.
Mahatma Gandhi famously said and I quote “Be the change you want to see in the world”. I completely agree with these thoughts. It would seem like Google does too. It believes in the freedom of speech and would like to champion the cause, vociferously and possibly at great personal difficulty. All is well and noble with that. There is just one minor problem that I have: One cannot take up arms against injustice. Google should leave the country if it disagrees; it should walk away. It should fight for its cause and fight it should hard. It should merely do what needs to be done within the ambit of the law.
Just saying. These are my two cents.
Peace be to all. Google: 8th wonder of the world. China: Respect, awe and envy.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Snakes & Ladders
Picture Source: AgileFAQsSnakes and Ladders must have been invented by a philosopher
It truly is the best metaphor for life there is...
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Wednesday, January 06, 2010
Sick Leave
Person A: When is a good time to write to the boss and tell him i'm sick?
Moi: Never and always!
Person A: Huh? How so?
Moi: Never for the boss, always for you!
Moi: Never and always!
Person A: Huh? How so?
Moi: Never for the boss, always for you!
Sunday, January 03, 2010
Face your own wrath
Picture source: Tweetymomthy words so profound
thy words so deep
some maketh you smile
others see you weep
at the junction ye stand
unsure where to turn
take the road ye heart tells you
leaving else to burn
always been this far
yet never been closer
the right mind maketh the winner
all else sets you the loser
pick up the showel
choose the right path
and if ye so don't
face your own wrath
-max
Sunday, November 01, 2009
When the big tree falls
Around this time, 25 years back, when I was a mere toddler, a big tree fell in this country. The then Prime Minister, Ms. Indira Gandhi was assassinated by two of her own security personnel. This brought about mass unrest in the capital city of New Delhi. Thousands of Sikhs were massacred in what was the largest genocide in modern day India.
Rajiv Gandhi, the 'heir' to the throne [figuratively] and the next Prime Minister had the following words to say at a Boat Club rally, "Some riots took place in the country following the murder of Indiraji. We know the people were very angry and for a few days it seemed that India had been shaken. But, when a mighty tree falls, it is only natural that the earth around it does shake a little."
A mighty tree did fall. Unfortunately, the subsequent tremors was far more devastating than a little shake, scarring Indian minds forever!
Rajiv Gandhi, the 'heir' to the throne [figuratively] and the next Prime Minister had the following words to say at a Boat Club rally, "Some riots took place in the country following the murder of Indiraji. We know the people were very angry and for a few days it seemed that India had been shaken. But, when a mighty tree falls, it is only natural that the earth around it does shake a little."
A mighty tree did fall. Unfortunately, the subsequent tremors was far more devastating than a little shake, scarring Indian minds forever!
Monday, October 12, 2009
Socialism and its perils
An economics professor at a local college made a statement that he had never failed a single student before, but had once failed an entire class. That class insisted that socialism [eschewed for long by India and made famous recently by Barack Obama] worked. It said that no one would be poor and no one would be rich, a great equalizer.
The professor then said, "OK, we will have an experiment in this class on the Socialist plan". All grades were to be averaged and everyone would receive the same grade. Ergo, no one would fail and no one would receive an A. At the end of the first test, the grades were averaged and everyone received a B. The students who had studied hard were upset. The students who had hardly studied were happy.
As the second test rolled around, the students who had studied little studied even lesser. The ones who had studied hard decided that they too wanted a free ride and ergo, they too studied little. The second test average was a D. No one was happy.
When the third test rolled around, the average was an F. The scores never increased as bickering, blame and name-calling all resulted in hard feelings and no one wanted to study for the benefit of others. To their great surprise, all of them failed.
The professor told them that socialism would also ultimately fail because when the reward is great, the effort to succeed is great. However, when government takes all the reward away, no one will try or want to succeed.
-via random email fwd
The professor then said, "OK, we will have an experiment in this class on the Socialist plan". All grades were to be averaged and everyone would receive the same grade. Ergo, no one would fail and no one would receive an A. At the end of the first test, the grades were averaged and everyone received a B. The students who had studied hard were upset. The students who had hardly studied were happy.
As the second test rolled around, the students who had studied little studied even lesser. The ones who had studied hard decided that they too wanted a free ride and ergo, they too studied little. The second test average was a D. No one was happy.
When the third test rolled around, the average was an F. The scores never increased as bickering, blame and name-calling all resulted in hard feelings and no one wanted to study for the benefit of others. To their great surprise, all of them failed.
The professor told them that socialism would also ultimately fail because when the reward is great, the effort to succeed is great. However, when government takes all the reward away, no one will try or want to succeed.
-via random email fwd
Saturday, October 10, 2009
A nobel joke
WSJ Article
Time Article
Fritz Henderson a more deserving candidate? This very mockery probably hits the nail on the head in trying to explain how the politically savvy, marketing guru with good sense of the pulse of the people got it horribly wrong by accepting the Nobel peace prize award for 2009.
In office for a grand total of twelve days when nominated, eight months into the presidency today, he is still working on his promises and his vision for the US and the world at large. Kudos to him for a job well done thus far, for attempting to create a new world order and for taking the US away from the cowboy diplomacy that it had come to be identified with off late.
Nevertheless, a lot needs to be done before being declared Nobel enough, or maybe not. Well at least more that rhetoric and propaganda. It would have been astute and humble to not have accepted the award, saying in effect, I will be back in three years to accept this award. Only, it may not have been there because the people who are on the committee have proved that they too are human and could have taken his 'no' as a snub and a question of their judgment.
Obama, on his part, showed he is human. He agrees that he is humbled and undeserving, that he is human [read: greedy] enough and is fallible. As for the Nobel, it lost a bit of its charm today. Just like when Sadat, Begin, Kissinger got it. Just like when Mahatma Gandhi didn't. Great guy that Obama, will probably be deserving in 3 years. Flatpacked on twitter put it aptly when he said that it would appear there is a Nobel "looks like you might do something for peace in the rest of your term in office" peace prize.
Time Article
Fritz Henderson a more deserving candidate? This very mockery probably hits the nail on the head in trying to explain how the politically savvy, marketing guru with good sense of the pulse of the people got it horribly wrong by accepting the Nobel peace prize award for 2009.
In office for a grand total of twelve days when nominated, eight months into the presidency today, he is still working on his promises and his vision for the US and the world at large. Kudos to him for a job well done thus far, for attempting to create a new world order and for taking the US away from the cowboy diplomacy that it had come to be identified with off late.
Nevertheless, a lot needs to be done before being declared Nobel enough, or maybe not. Well at least more that rhetoric and propaganda. It would have been astute and humble to not have accepted the award, saying in effect, I will be back in three years to accept this award. Only, it may not have been there because the people who are on the committee have proved that they too are human and could have taken his 'no' as a snub and a question of their judgment.
Obama, on his part, showed he is human. He agrees that he is humbled and undeserving, that he is human [read: greedy] enough and is fallible. As for the Nobel, it lost a bit of its charm today. Just like when Sadat, Begin, Kissinger got it. Just like when Mahatma Gandhi didn't. Great guy that Obama, will probably be deserving in 3 years. Flatpacked on twitter put it aptly when he said that it would appear there is a Nobel "looks like you might do something for peace in the rest of your term in office" peace prize.
Saturday, October 03, 2009
What's in a name?
Bombay or Mumbai, the bard once said "what's in a name?". The 'cool peeps' will call it only Bombay and refuse to call it anything else. The 'nationalists' will call it only Mumbai and will break the heads of those who think otherwise. Grow up folks, call it what you want. It is officially Mumbai; if you don't like that, you should have stood in line and cast in your opinion in the ballot box.
Monday, August 24, 2009
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Friday, August 07, 2009
Ek aawaaz
Kya woh samaa tha
chandni raat woh thi
baal unke khule khule
chehre pe rounak unke thi
usne poochha apne aapse
kya ye sapna toh nahin
jannat ke dwaar khol
aayi ye pari toh nahin
uski saasein phool gayi
uske khone lage hosh
kadam aage usne badaaya
kaabu mein tha naa josh
issi sab ke beech mein
ek aawaaz kaanon mein padi
kaminey, dooor reh meri beti se
warna padegi pichhwaade pe chhadi
-max
chandni raat woh thi
baal unke khule khule
chehre pe rounak unke thi
usne poochha apne aapse
kya ye sapna toh nahin
jannat ke dwaar khol
aayi ye pari toh nahin
uski saasein phool gayi
uske khone lage hosh
kadam aage usne badaaya
kaabu mein tha naa josh
issi sab ke beech mein
ek aawaaz kaanon mein padi
kaminey, dooor reh meri beti se
warna padegi pichhwaade pe chhadi
-max
Scenario Analysis
Best case
Dance like people are not watching
Love like it does not hurt
Work like you do not need money
Base case
Dance like people are watching
Love like it hurts
Work like you need money
Bear case
Dance like it hurts
Love like you need money
Work like people are watching
Worst case
Dance like you need the money
love like people are watching
work like it hurts
Dance like people are not watching
Love like it does not hurt
Work like you do not need money
Base case
Dance like people are watching
Love like it hurts
Work like you need money
Bear case
Dance like it hurts
Love like you need money
Work like people are watching
Worst case
Dance like you need the money
love like people are watching
work like it hurts
Monday, July 27, 2009
Think
Be not the Ostrich that buries her head in the sand and thinks its cant be seen
Be rather the Giraffe, who stretches her neck out to see things beyond the blinding green
-max
Be rather the Giraffe, who stretches her neck out to see things beyond the blinding green
-max
Monday, June 29, 2009
Link Politics
So, its time to unveil an ambitious project... one that connects Bandra in the Western suburbs to Worli in the city. It is the Bandra Worli Sea Link. Great job with the conceptualization, engineering and execution [it was late, will ignore that for now].
Source:Bandra Worli Sealink Blog
So while it has been ready, we have been waiting for a while to inaugrate it. Do you wonder why? It is simple. The need for a VVIP to inaugrate it so that the common people can start using it. So, where do the authorities go looking?
First Choice [Obviously]: Ms. Sonia Gandhi, Congress Working Committee President
Second Choice [Reluctantly]: Dr. Manmohan Singh, Hon. Prime Minister of India
Third Choice [Well, we need 'someone' important]: Ms. Pratibha Patil, Hon. President of India
Such is the mockery of the Executive positions of the Republic of India. Its a pity indeed. Yes, it is upto the government to decide. Nevertheless, no person is greater than the Constitutional heads of the Country.
Source:Bandra Worli Sealink BlogSo while it has been ready, we have been waiting for a while to inaugrate it. Do you wonder why? It is simple. The need for a VVIP to inaugrate it so that the common people can start using it. So, where do the authorities go looking?
First Choice [Obviously]: Ms. Sonia Gandhi, Congress Working Committee President
Second Choice [Reluctantly]: Dr. Manmohan Singh, Hon. Prime Minister of India
Third Choice [Well, we need 'someone' important]: Ms. Pratibha Patil, Hon. President of India
Such is the mockery of the Executive positions of the Republic of India. Its a pity indeed. Yes, it is upto the government to decide. Nevertheless, no person is greater than the Constitutional heads of the Country.
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