Born into Facebook

There was a time when parents took pictures of their newborn kid(s) and also family pictures with the newborn(s) to put them on their family living room. With the advancement of the internet and with people jumping onto Facebook (I choose to use this instead of "Social Network") faster than ever, these living room pictures have found their way to the "walls" on Facebook.

Save the World. Save the Environment

While the Industrial Revolution has transformed the world from the stone age to what we see today, it is important for the industries of the world to keep an eye on their practices and advancements.

Let us not have the Industrial Revolution take us back to the stone age!

Let's save the environment with safer industrial practices and standards. Let's make the world a safer place to live. Click here for a larger picture.

India - Path to Literacy

The first image that came to my mind when I thought of the above subject.

What does the subject make you think of? Just share the first thought that comes to your mind!

New Year Resolutions and me

I guess it's time to make some resolutions for the year 2010. Should I really do this?...is what I asked myself. Quiet contradictory to my belief, the answer of was -

People give their 100% when they put their skin in the game. Commit to the world on what you plan to do. That's like putting your skin (ego) in the game, and you would strive hard to keep up your commitments. You would never want to lose to your ego....would you?

Sometimes I've wondered "Isn't it good enough if I'm truthful to my conscience?" But only later did I always realize that the conscience' guilt can always be convinced. I can always tell my conscience "Ah Ah...I did not do it and I understand it is not right. I will do it tomorrow" and he will get pretty complacent.

It's sometimes good to catch the tiger by its tail - It Makes You Run!

And now, let me come back to My New Year Resolutions. Here is how they go - Really short list to begin with -

1. Run at least 35kms a week
2. Realize my Biggest dream
3. Quit the rat race. Join the real race
4. Cross-train with the 18 gear cycle I bought two years back
5. Get back into regular blogging - I've almost missed this for a good year now.

Wow...I've got 5 points on my New Year Resolution list! I know two of them are a little unclear - I assure you clarity very soon!

Stay Tuned, and wish you all a Happy New Year!

Identifying Hidden Talents

Here is an interesting read I came across on Harvard Business. Pasting it below as I may want to revisit this article sometime in the future..

In today's economy, finding external talent to fill your company's needs isn't always possible. Nor is it always necessary. By paying attention and asking the right questions, you will likely discover myriad hidden talents among your existing employees:

1. Turn a compliment into an interview. When congratulating an employee on a job well done, ask exactly what helped her succeed. By better understanding her process, you may uncover an unseen strength.
2. Ask why employees prefer certain tasks or projects. Preferences can be a view into someone's talents. An employee might enjoy a project because it involves a product she cares about or because it gave her a chance to design surveys. Knowing which will possibly uncover talents.
3. Inquire about dreams. Ask your employees what they would do if they had their career to do over again. Peoples' dreams often include an aspect of themselves they don't regularly share.

Back after a Six Month Holiday..

It's been six months since I last updated my web log, and a lot has changed since then....except the Chennai heat! I was a bachelor six months ago and now a happily married guy. My Geni family tree has grown two-fold since what it was six months ago...thanks to my wife! My blog subscribers have grown by 1/3rd without any active posts :-) (and received a lot of comments on some of my older postings). The Chandraayan-1 moon mission ended prematurely (though claimed to have completed it's primary mission).

There are a bunch of other changes that the world has seen in these six months. More importantly, the world seems to have gotten slightly better on the economic front and 'started' to head-out of one of the worst hit recessions of these times.

About these and more other interesting happenings that we are blessed to witness in the months to come, I'm looking forward to being active on my virtual space now on. See you soon with something to chew upon...

Technology & Infrastructure - Creating a "better" tomorrow?

From the stone age till date, man has made steady progress in the fields of science & technology. The invention of the wheel, numbers, aircraft, etc have played a big role in evolving mankind from what it was to what it is today. But, have we ever paused a single time and taken a glance back into the road we've walked? Have we asked the Whats, Whys, Wheres and Hows on whatever progress we've made? Still wondering what I'm trying to say? Read on...

Planet Earth is a part of the Solar System, and has taken thousands and millions of years to become what it is today. From a hot mass of burning matter, the planet has slowly cooled outwards-in. The formation of water and land bodies have been purely governed by the changes Earth has been subjected to. The influencing factors like the gravitational pull of the Sun, moon and other bodies in the Solar System have been some of the noticeable external stimuli due to which we see Earth the way it is - 2/3's of water and 1/3's of land.

The movement of the seismic plates below the surface of the Earth has taken the planet through different stages; from the Ice Age to the age of Information and Technology. As we learnt in Physics, there is a Newton's law that states that "An object at rest tends to stay at rest and an object in motion tends to stay in motion with the same speed and in the same direction unless acted upon by an unbalanced force". This applies well to our planet too. In the many years of mankind, apart from the external forces from the Solar System, our planet has increasingly seen yet another force - Force created by us Homo Sapiens.

Due to the technological advancements in the field of Civil Engineering, man built bridges and flyovers. Man has achieved extreme advancements in this field, that the world also saw the reclamation of land from natural water bodies (viz., seas, oceans and rivers) to create more land for human habitat. As a matter of fact, a good part of Mumbai (in Maharashtra, India) was claimed from the Arabian Sea. So is the Palm Jumeirah.

Due to natural equilibrium, the Earth has naturally been occupied by water for more than 2/3's it's surface area. As the first example, just imagine a pot of water that is filled to its brim. What will happen when you drop a stone into it? The water starts to overflow! This is precisely what we are forcing by claiming land from the natural water bodies!

Here is another example to explain another harsh action of mankind - Just imagine a pot filled with water till the brim and a piece of paper floating on the water surface. What will happen if you place a stone on top of this piece of paper? The paper sinks! This is what mankind is doing by building enormous buildings, skyscrapers, bridges and flyovers!

If we can treat the land (1/3rd of earth's surface) as a physical structure for a moment, we should also understand that this physical structure is also subjected to stresses and strains. Any physical structure has a point of failure / breakage. Applying strain above a certain limit is going to drive the physical structure (land) towards the point of breakage!

Having said that, here is my next question - "Can we make this better? Can we give Earth and mankind a little more time to exist? If so, How?" Here are my thoughts on how we can give ourselves and the generations to follow, a better and safer planet from an infrastructure perspective -

1. Reduce the number of tall skyscrapers - Build smaller structures and use more of the earth's surface to build structures. Start building satellite towns and start expanding away from main cities
2. Stop reclaming land from natural water bodies - Use what is available! Did you know that a very large part of Australia is uninhabited? Did you know that vast areas of land in India and China are uninhabited? This is the case in most countries!
3. Stop breaking mountains to create artificial structures (viz., man-made caves, rivers, etc)
4. Stop mass deforestation! There enough land available to build homes and offices - Let's leave the jungles to the flora and fauna
5. Stop building dams to obstruct the natural flow of water....unless or until its absolutely essential

All of this cannot be done without YOU. I urge you to THINK and ACT on it. If you can do your one bit towards this, I'm sure the generations to come will be more grateful to you than ever. Did you have more and better suggestions? Do let me (and the world) know!

Let us make the world a better and safer place to live. Peace..

Off Technology, People and Governance - Reckon a Change!

With a world that's fast changing, it's inevitable that one may have to do and undo things in an attempt to betterment. Today's world has seen lot more diversity than it was about a decade or two ago. With the technology making news every hour, every minute and every second, it is getting tougher to think of a world sans this wonder invention of mankind - Technology.

With the citizens of the world and the businesses across every street taking advantage of the technology wave, the world has definitely started to look better. From the age of the pin-hole camera to the age of the Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) televisions, mankind has gotten to see the world with an increasing touch of reality. From the days of Morse code to the day of the broadband internet and the T1/2/3 lines, mankind has gotten to know happenings across the globe in near-real time.

So, here comes my question - How have these inventions changed You and Your society? As I type this on my laptop, I do realize that in less than 5minutes from now, there are going to be a good number of readers across the globe reading my writing and commenting on the same. Such is the speed of communication. Technology and mankind have shared a very interesting relationship - A Love-Hate Relationship. Interesting? Read on...

When Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone, the whole world applauded and patronized the invention. Soon, telephones became a common product in every household. When the Global Positioning System (GPS) was invented, the world loved it and it soon became a common feature in most cars and homes. Countries laid down laws that took into account the different types of communication, technology, etc.

With the growth and evolution of technology, the world has become more closely tied to technology today than ever before. This calls for a basic understanding from the citizens of the world that we will need to start looking at technology as one of the key constituents of social and community life too.

For example, Google's Street View service has provoked a lot of citizens on the privacy front. When this first cropped up in August 2008, I thought it was handled appropriately. But then, I saw this happening again just a few days back. Has there been a real solution to this problem? While democracies have always stressed on freedom of speech, freedom of action, etc, it's also important to respect people's privacy.

How can these things be handled? The governments of the world need to revisit their constitution and amend some of these privacy related statements and clauses. It's also important for the governments to have a constant update on the technology progress and accordingly make amendments to the countries' laws to eventually help mankind enjoy the luxuries of technology while getting to have their share of privacy.

Why do I Run?

Every passionate long distance runner on earth would, some(many)time in his/her life, be asked this question-

Why do you have to run such long distances? What is in it for you?

I've been a victim of this kind of a question many a time till date. The most interesting came after my Singapore marathon...and it was-

Why did you have to go all the way to Singapore spending thousands of rupees to just run 42 and odd kilometers? You could have done it in the very place you reside, right?

I could not resist a chuckle when people asked this question. Nevertheless, this question has always managed to set my thoughts reeling. Hence I thought of putting these recurring thoughts in black and white.
In today's fast moving world, one hardly gets time to think about day to day routines. More than often, we end up doing something because we are used to doing it that way. The reason for us doing this is predominantly the fact that the conscious mind concentrates on the main task while giving the subconscious mind the responsibility of doing these mundane tasks.
And because of various reasons, the conscious mind gets loaded with a whole slew of new tasks, that the older tasks get moved into the subconscious mind. This cycle of the mind's working has taken off the comfortable cushion space to think differently and be innovative.
This is the reason the mind starts to get dull and loses the enthusiasm to do anything. I had experienced such a state many a time in the past (before I took up running). That's when I was thinking and realized that -

We work so hard for name, fame and money to eventually be happy. But over a period in time we realize that we've done everything but being happy

Why does this happen? It's simply because the mind has become duller and has lost that glow. A mind that has continuously engaged itself in chasing goals, tends to miss out recognizing achievements. This tendency results in the lack of happiness (as, you always keep feeling "I've not accomplished anything").
Running is something that came by just in time for me. Though it sounds like just a physical activity, Running is a gift in different ways. Running is one single activity, doing which can give you the following benefits - all in one shot! -

• An excellent physical exercise - Shorter your Waistline, Longer your Lifeline!
• Rejuvenates the mind - More oxygen to the brain, more active it gets!
• Cleaner and Fresher skin - Sweat gets the darn dirt out of the skin pores! An increase in metabolism will result in fresh skin faster!
• Stronger legs and back - This greatly helps us stay fit (if your work is in front on a computer, you would appreciate the value of a strong back!)
• Staying closer to nature - What can be better than an early morning run? Hearing the birds chirp and smelling the fresh air...it's Bliss!
• Run your errands - I sometimes shop during my run...Yes! I'm not joking! Ain't it a healthy way to shop?
• Travel and see places - What better excuse can one get to travel to different places to run half or full marathons? It's fun!
  
• Meet people and network - Running on the roads around your place, you are sure to bump into many of your neighbors and exchange a casual HI! Joining running clubs can give you the best experience of networking!
• A feeling of achievement - Running past people with large waistlines, seeing your waistline reduce after some consistent running, finishing longer distances and marathons, etc can give you a sense of accomplishment. Doing two kilometers more or doing a distance faster than before, can fill you with great pride! You don't have to wait for a job promotion or a salary hike!
• Tunes the mind to fight longer battles - Running long distances can impact the mind to persevere and fight the long drawn battles at work and personal life. It fills you with grit and determination!

What more could I ask for? Would you say NO to a cartload of gifts packed in one neat package? Ain't this a good reason to run? So, to you, here is my advise - Step out and start running! Fuel your creativity and innovation....and you are sure to be a winner for life!

Happy Running! Stay Inspired!

Olympians and Brave Martyrs - Justice Please!

Who is greater - An Olympian or an Indian Army martyr? I'm not trying to put down my own conclusions here, but to put certain facts in black and white and make the world think, realize and elicit public opinion.

• When Abhinav Bindra won a Olympic Gold medal in the recently concluded Beijing Olympics, he was awarded Rs.1 crore by the Punjab Government. In the recent terror attach on Mumbai's Taj hotel, Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan lost his life while fighting the terrorists. His family was compensated with Rs.5 Lakh
• Abhinav Bindra is the only son to his parents, and so is Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan
• Both of them made India proud
• Incidently, both Bindra and Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan are shooters (though different purposes)
• Both are Indians

The only difference is that Abhinav Bindra is an Olympian while Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan was with the Indian Army. Infact, the latter did save the lives of many Indians and foreign visitors. When both have done India proud, shouldn't the compensation be 'atleast' comparable?

Even, the Kerela Chief Minister insulted this brave martyr. The exact words he said was "If not a Martyr, not even a dog would have visited him". See the ho for more details on this. Shame on you, Mr. Kerela Chief Minister!

My Take: I want both Olympic medal winners and brave martyrs of the Indian military forces to be treated equal. The latter's family needs to be compensated well. The awards given to Olympians will encourage more people to get into the sport and take it seriously. Similarly, I want the compensations given to martyrs of Indian military forces to be tantamount to that of the awards given to Olympians. Only then, will more young people in India (and their families) be motivated to serve the Indian military forces.

A Fresh look at the Mumbai Saga - Wake Up!

With hundreds of people dead and a large number injured, the Mumbai terror attack has been, by far, the most gruesome terror incidents the world has ever faced. With battalions of Police, National Security Guards (NSG), Indian Navy, Indian Airforce and Indian Army fighting in total unity, India's soldiers have been the real saviors of the country. They have made India proud and given the much needed confidence, that a country would need in times of such acute crisis.

We can definitely look back and take pride in a lot of achievements in this Mumbai episode. But in my view, this will again lead us to the spiral of failure. Every time India has been terrorized in the recent past, we citizens have given a lot of shoulder space for our politicians to give serpentine sermons and condolence speeches and also speeches that centered around bolstering their political/party profile.

• Every time the terror struck an Indian city, we citizens (other than the families and friends of the bereaved) have just felt the momentary pain and forget by observing silence and offering some prayers (and probably donating some money)
• Every time the terror struck an Indian city, a security investigation sets in which eventually gets into the hands of politicians...and lose its very essence
• Every time the terror struck an Indian city, we spend a couple of days watching the new media channels and totally forget the episode when the next movie blockbuster gets released
• Every time the terror struck an Indian city, a film director/producer gets an idea and starts capitalizing on the painful act by making a movie on it
• Every time the terror struck an Indian city, the state governments start collecting funds from public servants by deducting money from their salaries
• Every time the terror struck an Indian city,....this list can be written to cover many A4 pages and many walls

Why does this happen Every Single Time? On one side, we call ourselves a democracy and on the other side, we indulge in religious conflicts? Why do we play the blame game?

It's time we STOPPED PLAYING THE BLAME GAME! Time has come to TAKE RESPONSIBILITY! We say that India is "my country", but when she is in a problem, without any hesitation we start to point fingers at others! During the elections, political parties woo the citizens with lofty promises. But when it comes to actual D-Day, the same parties start to point fingers at the opposition parties. Even worse, these political parties play the dirty games of using the religion and cast systems to divide the same citizens whom they once wooed for a vote!

So, what does this culminate to? We do understand that India is a Democratic Republic, and it's HIGH TIME we started to adhere to the very notion of Democracy. We need to change our outlook towards terrorism and the way of life! Our political system needs to CHANGE the way they handle the country.

Here is what, I think, can bring about the much needed CHANGE-

• We citizens need to STOP getting lazy and should STOP finding shortcuts to processes laid down by the government
• The media (television, newspaper and radio) should become more "people-centric" and not fall into the clasps of the political parties or politicians
• It's high time that the politicians STARTED TO BE LEADERS and STOPPED BEING BUSINESSMEN
  
• The government should INCREASE the salary (and other perks) for military forces personnel. The military forces SHOULD be paid NO LESS THAN any IT (Information Technology) personnel.
• The entire security framework SHOULD BE REDRAWN by taking the advancements in technology and defense tactics into consideration. Lessons from the United States Department of Homeland Security is a good place to start with!
• The nation's coastline (including all the major and minor ports) needs to be completely handed over to the Indian Navy to guard

Let's take a vow to stay united and fight this ugly monster called Terror. We just need to do our one bit towards protecting our nation in every possible way. Let's STOP BLAMING EACH OTHER and let's NOT ALLOW ANY FORCE TO DIVIDE US BASED ON CAST OR RELIGION!

Let's Stay United! Let's Stay Inspired!

Michael Crichton - We miss You...

Michael Crichton, one of my favorite sci-fi authors bid adieu to the world yesterday (Nov 4th) at Los Angeles. Known to have been battling with cancer for a long time, his battle with life finally has ended. He had just completed 66. I've been a great fan of his books like Congo, Jurassic Park, The Lost World and the State of Fear (though I didn't completely read this one).

His exemplary skills of portraying the bizzaire effects of scientific experiments is something that has keep me gaping everytime I read his book or see his movies. Michael, you will stay in my heart (and the hearts of many other readers and fans of yours) forever! May God bless your soul!

What My Mentor Taught Me

Kim Nash has written very well on this topic at CIO.com. Based on my personal experience with my two mentors, I'd like to add two more points to this list -

1. Be bold in letting the world know what you think: "One of my mentors taught me that if you think something is right, and have the right reasoning behind it, you should let the world know. Critisisms are always bound to be there. But always use your experience and judgement to take the decision you feel is right". I've realized that people love to work with leaders who are bold enough to voice their thoughts, than with leaders who take things as they come by.
2. Select the right set of people and give them smaller chunks of the larger work you are assigned with: "Another mentor of mine gave this piece of advise to me. I used to do everything myself...however big the work was. This piece of advise impacted me in a very big way. Its taught me how to select the right people to assign work. Its taught me to trust people and has hence given me the time to focus on larger challenges.

Affirmations - Works Wonders!

Do you want to wake up every morning with a certainty of a bright and colorful day? Wrap yourself with the positive vibes of nature. Affirmations are the key to achieving this. Here is how you do it -

Sit in one corner of room (preferably a silent place). Close your eyes and breath heavily 5 times. Continue normal breathing and try to concentrate. Visualize a peaceful and serene lake and the sun rising on the horizon. Many thoughts will come and go. Don't resist them. After a few minutes, you will experience the perfect silence.

Breath consciously and relax. Imagine a golden white ball of light entering your body from above your head, and visualize this passing through your throat, chest, hands, stomach and through your legs. With each breath, try to push this ball of light from top to bottom.

Now, once you are done, utter the following affirmations in your thoughts. Utter these affirmations in your thoughts each time you inhale. Here they go -

• "Just for today I will live in an attitude of gratitude."
• "Just for today I will not worry."
• "Just for today I will not anger."
• "Just for today I shall do my work honestly."
• "Just for today I will show love and respect to all living beings."

You can do this every morning. I picked these affirmations from Reiki. Apart from these affirmations, you can use other specific affirmations to do something specific. Here is an example for those of you who've been trying to stop taking beer - "Just for today, I will not drink beer!"

Remember - "You Are What You Think". Thinking makes a man; so be careful about what you think!

Brick Walls in Life

In life, there are times when we are subjected to 'real' challenges. Challenges that make us sulk and sink into our couches. Challenges that make us search for the nearest possible 'exit'. Challenges that really test our earnestness.
At such times, its Randy Pausch's words that should reverberate within our thoughts. In his Last Lecture, he said -

The brick walls are there for a reason. Right? The brick walls are not there to keep us out, the brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something. Because the brick walls are there to stop the people who don't want it badly enough

If you are truthful to yourself and to the world, stand by your doings. Take full ownership of what you've done. Don't give into criticisms. Even when your own people lose hope, stay on. Don't give up. After all, it's your dream. You did it for a reason, a noble cause. Look into the eyes of criticisms and nay-sayers. Challenge their pessimism, run towards your goal. The brick walls would now seem to slowly disintegrate and give way to your persistent attempts.
- Yours Truely

Never Give Up

I've really liked this advertisement. This is an advertisement of a newspaper named Dainik Bhaskar, which features the Indian one-day cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni. It sends out a strong message - Never Give Up! Whatever may come.

Here is a translation of this Hindi advertisement -

We are taught from childhood - "Don't be adamant. Forget what you don't get, and stay happy with what you get". And, the whole life, this keeps going on. When the road is bad, we drive our vehicle slower. When eve teasers trouble us, we look out for a new route. Let go of what is happening. If the electricity is shutdown for half a day - "We'll but an electricity generator, don't stay adamant".
But I say "Stay adamant! Stay so adamant that the whole world is forced to listen to you. Stay so adamant that closed doors open up. Stay so adamant that you get total control of your goals and destiny. Just stay on. Stay so adamant that every minute of life is filled with happiness. And when your kids become adamant, tell them - Not now, grow up and then be adamant"

Yet another milestone - Yet another birthday

I am what I am, not because of my actions
I am what I am, because of the faith people have had in me
I am what I am, because of some special people in my life, who've inspired, cajoled and loved me
I am what I am, because I believe in myself and the world around

May I be blessed to do the good deeds and embrace truth as I was able to do so far. May my actions result in happiness and bliss to the world around. May the people I love be blessed with eternal happiness.

Today, as I complete yet another year on earth, I would like to thank God, all my loved ones, mentors and people who've supported me, for all that you've given to me. I could not ask for more. Thank You!

Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening

This poem composed by Robert Frost has been one of my favorites. The last four lines are those that always remind me of a greater purpose in doing things whenever my mind feels satiated.

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

Stay Inspired...

The Inventor and the Hunter

An Inventor's life is like that of a Hunter in many ways. The one that stands out is the fact that the Inventor lives in a world of wild ideas and the Hunter lives in a world of wild animals.

• You never know when a wild idea (animal) is going to come by
  
• The more alert you are, the better is your chance of capturing (shooting) the idea (animal)
• The slightest of carelessness can make the Inventor (Hunter) to miss a passing idea (animal)
• There are always plenty of ideas (animals)
• The Inventor takes pride in the list of inventions under his name, and the Hunter takes pride in walking his visitors through his "Hunters Hall of Fame"
• The more experienced the Inventor (Hunter) is, the easier he is able to capture (shoot) an idea (animal)

The only difference is that the Inventor's bowl of ideas has no boundaries - The universe (or more?) is the limit; whereas the Hunter is restricted by hunting zones and boundaries and the man made governances. Thats why Inventors take the pride!

The Last Lecture

Randy Pausch has been an inspiration to many in the world of engineering. Here is a video of his Last Lecture at the CMU in September this year. He will surely be remembered for many generations to come.