Grownup digital

I found this extremely interesting view on the internet generation.

An article that i came across here talks about the positives of video gaming and googling. This is a total paradigm shift from what i sense is the popular opinion.

In my opinon, a good combination of book reading and net searching are needed. Former gives an opinion and substantiates it and the other helps you vet your apetite for information that will help you form an opinion.

I havent read this book and i am not too sure if i will pick this up one of these days...but then if you do read it then do me a favor and let me know on some of the details. I am certainly interested on the reasoning.

Book Review - Dispatches from the edge

CNN's current prime time hogger and a man with a very distinguished lineage, Anderson Cooper comes across as quite an intense character. Through his book "Dispatches from the edge", he explains various catastrophes he has been covering right from starvation in Somalia, war in Herzegovinia till hurricane in New Orleans.

Not only does he talk about the plight of the people under these extreme circumstances, but also the differences and similarities he sensed. It is from a people's angle and does not go into lengths with too much of facts and figures. Emotions ride high when he remembers loud of his secured past when his father was alive.

This book is more of a personal memoir than a complete account of the events that have been described. Infact to be fair, the disasters seemed to me not as mere backdrops, but more of characters who took part in the author's life. There were some sections that i was particularly engrossed in, especially the account on hurricane katrina - you shake in disbelief that even in a developed country such things could happen. Find out yourself by accompanying Anderson Cooper on his various adventures, those which you or i would otherwise not experience!!!

HBR Series - Bringing your whole self to work

I like the Harvard Business Review series even though it is a little expensive ;-) Recently during one of my travels i picked up this one titled 'Bringing your whole self to work'. It is a collection of eight articles falling under the umbrella of improving your effectiveness at work. Most of the concepts discussed apart from the scientific terminologies might seem like common knowledge, but then who said we follow our common sense ;)
I liked all the articles and especially the one on "Making of a corporate athlete" where the four layers - Physical, Mental, Emotional and Spiritual of a person is discussed. And i found the exercise of mapping this to the day to day proceedings extremely interesting. I think layering our activities on this basis and then carrying it out with discipline will make a lot of difference.
One of the other articles talks about ADT (Attention Deficit Trait) and ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder), their causes and symptoms. There are even some high level remedies that are offered. I do not mention the rest of topics simply for the reason that i dont have the patience now :) So do yourself a favor, add this one to your reading list - live life to your fullest!!

Shekar Kapur's story

I liked this content i read by/about film maker Shekar Kapur a lot.
Suggest you to read it. Also please go ahead and suggest me content
like these with philosophical tone.

<<http://www.shekharkapur.com/blog/archives/2005/11/about_myself.htm#more>>

Enjoy reading!!

No Solicitors Pleaseeeeeee!!

You might have heard of multi-level or network marketing. In case you havent then go through
this link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Network_marketing

Without beating around much, let me get to the heart of the matter.
This weekend i was at the walmart for you-know-what and i met this couple neatly dressed
and curious to know where they can find a smaller version of the utensil i had in my shopping cart. Once they know that, then they want to know since when i had been in the US. Well if i am still there wasting my time, then it is time to exchange the mobile numbers!!! And then it is time to receive a few calls and multiple educational sessions to help you make you some extra money!!

Well it is no wonder that places like Walmart and IKEA are happy hunting grounds for multilevel marketing. These are places where people go to save some money. So take my advice you will have to use more than your polite best if you have to save some irritation.

Book Review - Unaccustomed Earth

Jhumpa Lahiri through her "Unaccustomed Earth" again takes you through the nuances of human feelings. Even though there is a tinge of melancholy in all the stories, I enjoyed the candid expression of human feelings. Irrespective of whether it is a father and daughter relationship or it is the equation between room mates the distances are properly portrayed without any compromise. If i were to summarise "Everyone in this world are alone" ;-)
All the stories involve Bengali families - but that does not really mean that there are lots of references to Bengali customs. All of them have relocated to the US at some point - a context that i think the author is familiar and finds it easy to paint her characters on. I liked the structure of the book - it has a few standalone short stories and some that are connected, almost like a short novel.
Jhumpa Lahiri is a wonderful story teller whose characters appealed to me more than the setting of the story. There is just enough mention of the surroundings, weather etc without distracting the focus on the people involved. At the end, you have a feeling of having met these characters or having conversed with them sometime. They might even be one of your friends and it is this familiarity that will make them very endearing.
Try reading this book - and let me know if you dont agree with me. I can only learn from different perpectives.

Book Review - Not without my daughter

This book is similar to some of the books that i have read in the past like "The Princess", "Iran Awakening", "Kite Runner" etc

Similarity is in the oppressive nature of the cultures that the stories are based on. But i liked this book for the simple fact that it has a happy ending. In short, it is a true story of an American lady who along with her daughter is taken hostage in Iran by her Iranian husband and how she struggles to get out of the country with her daughter.

Rest are details about their ways of life in Iran and what she goes through there amidst her husband's relatives. The fact that she could have fled the country leaving her daughter behind offers no consolation to her. So she decides to stick on until she finds a way to flee with her daughter. After repeated attempts and amidst huge uncertainity she becomes successful.

It is her courage and perseverance that makes this book an inspiring read. I think the happy ending makes it worthwhile. I havent seen the movie, but generally feel it is better to read than to see the movie version of subjects like these. But then if you are looking to get the essence in a couple of hours then the movie (by the same title) is definitely an option!

Once upon a time in Soviet Union - Book Review

I badly want to travel to Russia, mainly to see what the headquarter of communism is like. Now i certainly cannot time travel to see what it was like to be there during the cold war but i can read others experience of the times. I still want to visit Russia someday and hope that this is a practical desire.

Dominique Lapierre and Jean Pierre(with their wives) from 'paris Match' fortunately get permission from Krushchev to travel from one side of Soviet union to the other. Ofcourse there were many conditions that they had to comply with for this to happen. Least of which was to have a Russian journalist accompany them all the time and an itinerary approved by the government to be followed.

What all they go through during this remarkable journey and related incidents thereafter is what the book comprises of. Tales of Russian hospitality, the way the whole nation was shielded from any foriegn ideas or influences makes this book an extremely interesting read. This book is not an authority on the communist regime in Soviet Union but gives a good insight into the lives of the ordinary citizens and their living conditions. This one is a definite recommendation from my side. The fact that the book is extremely small can only help you zero in on this one as your next read!!

Aphrodite - Book Review

If you are below 18 years of age then please do not bother to read this blog.

Well now that i have caught your attention ;-) let me go into details on 'Aphrodite' by Isabel Allende real quick. Brought to notice by a friend of mine, i have been reading about/listening to Isabel for sometime now. So my first pick among her works was 'Aphrodite' named after the Greek goddess of Love. Well the fact that this was the only copy that was available in the library i am member of helped the selection. Nevertheless, the title is quite interesting and set me thinking on what really can be written on this subject that can result in a book of decent size!!
In this book, Isabel teams up with few friends of hers to present wisdom on aphrodisiacs from various parts of the world. Very honestly i could sustain till the end because of her sense of humour and the weirdness of some of the facts!!. May be there is no real need for an aphrodisiac in my life as of now!! Lets assume that there are lots of them who are dying to be enlightened on this subject. For them she also has come up with a collection of aprodisiacal recipes besides general gyan on the subject. Well in short, this book is about what to do, what to wear, what to eat, what to drink and how to smell if you are on an enticing spree!!
I dont feel like putting it in my recommendation list but then if you tend to be the curious variety like me - Enjoy the book!!!

A thousand Suns - book review

One of my favourite authors, Dominique Lapierre in "A thousand suns" shows why he is such a popular writer. An eye for detail, a heart for the poor and tales he learnt from his adventures - he has enough stories to write about. In this book he travels from one part of the world to the other with so much ease. He takes us along and shows us how fortunate we are and yet how less responsible we are to the suffering around us. It is a different fact that we probably dont hear the cries of the needy. We are ourselves sufferers of our own insecurites - though the need for it is highly debatale!!

What impresses me the most about his works is that there is joy in every struggle he sees because he finds them all heroic. He salutes the spirit of the poor and underprivileged who still manage to put up a smile despite adversities. He introduces us to many interesting and passionate men and women who bravely march ahead for the fulfilment of a herculean yet noble cause. Through his eyes we revel in the joy of having discovered things that are obvious and yet unnoticed.

The context just shifts from Bull fighting in Spain to the lepers in India to the Jewish sturggle in Jerusalem in a very beautiful manner. It seems that challenges are universal - we cannot thrive without them and we will not be able to improve without them. All it takes is a commitment to surpass the hurdles - to overlook the bad roads and proceed glefully towards the destination. To remember along the way the spirits of those brave men and women who have laid their lives for a cause. I was hooked on to this book and as usual felt humbled at the power of humanity!! There is so much we can do - There is so much that is being done already by someone!!

The shadow of the wind - Book review

With a lot of incidents happening in my personal life, my reading has taken a hitting. But then i still manage to do one now and then. The latest one is 'The shadow of the wind' by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. I got this book as a gift and as a recommendation from a good friend of mine. Although i picked this up with a neutral mind, the story, narration and the plot kept me hooked till the end.

The story starts with the character Daniel getting introduced to a book of a not so well known author Julian. When he encounters someone who tries to get all the remaining copies of it and burn them, he starts on a journey to find out more about the author and what happened to him. I liked the plot and the way it develops into a nice mystery solver. Even though towards the end you start smelling the conclusion, it still is racy and interesting anough to keep you hooked on to the book.

I liked the plot, the way the mystery unfolds and the narration by the author. A definite recommendation from me if you are looking for a book for a casual read. Enjoyyyyy..

Easiest way to buy and sell in US

There is no dearth of online marketplaces. Information super highway is one of the best routes to both sell and buy. The convenience it offers for anyone with just a credit card is truely incredible. For a capitalistic economy like US, it is important that people buy and sell and there is constant money rotation. Craigslist is one of them, though you cannot pay over the internet, but then checkout pictures/details and then contact the seller, visit him/her and buy it.

I came to know of the site through my friends and have now started taking it seriously. The amount of buying or selling that happens over this site is tremendous. Although there has been incidents involving wrong usage of the website. For example, prostitution, mugging after posting to sell a Porsche and things like that have happened in the past.

But what is fascinating is that you will find almost everything sold and bought over this website. If you want to have a good laugh then you must visit the 'free' section of the site. Last time i visited this section intially i was surprised how many things are given away as free stuff. Ofcourse lot of those are good enough to be trashed. Some of the funny ones that i saw are some one offering to give away an extra pack of milk he has bought, free hair cuts etc.,

But for that you will find good deals on used cars, rented houses, furniture etc. But the most important thing needed to make a good deal is the ability to understand good stuff and commit on it instantly. All good stuff including cars gets picked in a matter of hours!!! So if you are in the US(dont know elsewhere) and want to buy something quick and economical for short term needs hit off to craigslist - All the Best!!

Azim Premji in flesh and blood

Guess who visited our office - the one and only Mr.Premji. It is kind of a pattern now - considering the fact that i am either writing on books i read or people visiting my office. But then you know what, even birth and death is a pattern. So let me just go ahead with my notes for the day ;)

Jokes apart - i could not resist not attending the session where someone as experienced and accomplished as Premji would share his wisdom.

Everything said and done the start was not very impressive as he came a good half hour late. Dunno if he can blame it on the traffic here!! After that when he started talking, i must accept that i got completely hooked on to the session. He started of with some lessons to carry home and then continued into a Q&A session. Infact the lessons were nothing earth shaking - but to hear it from someone who has a big list of achievements against his name was impressive. Some of the work that his foundation does were quoted with some anecdotes which were pretty good. What swept the audience off the feet was his experience and dignity that he displayed. Well about dealing with business in India, he felt that there has to be a certain insensitivity that needs to be developed for the overall good.

Anything that he would like to change from his past - yes, to have spent more time with the family. Well you dont get everything in life and when the wisdom arrives it is always late for you to react!!

Dabbawallahs

What do dabbawallahs do? Where do they do what they do? Why do they do whatever they do? What is it that shot them to fame? Why do management gurus, kings, leaders alike took notice of these quiet men of honor?

We had Dabbawallahs themselves answering these questions during the sessions they conducted inhouse. I went over with my friend to get a first hand feel of what they do and why they are considered with such regard. Leave alone the six sigma statistics thay they have bettered. What captured my attention was the confidence and the pride with which he spoke and the humbleness that he displayed, a rare combination. They take home food to the offices and then bring it back to the houses after the lunch for a meagre amount. Like the business itself the process is extremely simple and is not replicable as such - it caters to the Mumbai city's needs and depends entirely on the electric train. And more than this on the passion and commitment of the Dabbawallahs who are stakeholders in the business. To a large extent this hinges on their desperation for earning a livelihood and their belief that distributing food is a divine task.

What is also noteworthy is the time management and the fact that the process is kept as simple as possible to keep the costs low. Despite that it needs to be seen how many more decades they will sustain. May be their younger generation will reconsider how much more money they can make with so many opportunities around!!

Maximum City - My opinions

He just captivated me with his words, dragged me into the details, humbled me with the heroics of the under privileged and teased me with the tale of the mislead. Suketu Mehta's brilliant work on 'Mumbai' truely kept me hooked on to the book for the entire length. A definite recommendation from my side, 'Maximum City' deserves accolades for the neutral view of the city.

I am a big fan of leading a peaceful life in a country like setting. I dream of having a quiet home far away from the hussle and bussle of the big cities. And i hate the fact that in India we do not preserve our rivers or even take enough pain to control growth in cities. We grow inorganically and reach a point where our infrastructure breaks. All our rivers are mere dumpyards and we fail to look beyond the confines of our homes.

The author comes across as a global citizen who can see the whole world without the burden of his context. He skilfully describes every character and event they were part of. I loved the non-partisan view on even his friends, for example on how he describes Vidhu Vinod Chopra as someone who is confused between the western movie styles and the Indian public's likes. There are places in the book where the author reflects in a philosophical manner of why people go through what they do. There is no right or wrong, there is no one way of living life and the one who most enjoys life is certainly the one who can open mindedly take in every opinion and change himself to accomodate what appeals to him.

Iran Awakening - Book Review

I admire the strength and honesty of Shirin Ebadi whose book i read last. Similar i felt a long time ago when i read "Lajja" by Taslima Nasreen. But to be fair it is no way a comparison of two personalities but just a tribute to courage these women have shown under similar circumstances.

What i liked the most about this book is that it conveys quite lucidly what a woman went through under such tremendously trying conditions. She speaks to you as a mother, daughter and a wife. But above all, she speaks to you as a patriot who loves her country but despises only the fundamentalists - which is very noble. I dont find me even mustering half as much courage if i were to imagine myelf under similar conditions. All the attrocities commited in the name of religion was really unbelievable in the beginning. Time and again i kept telling "No... this cant be true!!". Such is the madness that the regime has unleashed on helpless people. What is striking is total lack of respect for women that shows how weak and insecured the men in power would have been.

Not only do i salute these brave women but also wish them all the luck in succeeding in their big fight for equality. Let men understand that by eliminating women from circle of decision making they simply lose out half their intellectual strength!! Let some sense prevail.

Sudha Murthy - Through her books!!

I am quite aware that i have not read all her books but still this benevolent lady has left such a strong impression on me that i cant help but write this blog!!
I recently read two of her books "Wise and Otherwise" and "The Old man and his God". I found them to be extremely simple yet honest account of her day to day experiences. To me she stood out from just being Mr.Narayan Murthy's wife. I felt a certain strength of character through the words she had for what we dismiss as everyday incidents.

There is a clear difference between how a poet sees a flower from how we see it and it is bringing in this fresh perspective that he/she gets applauded for. I felt the same awe reading Ms.Murthy's explanations on the events during her very meaningful work with the Infosys Foundation. I find also some passages where she has responded back to her critics - which i think is absolutely unnecessary. There are always people to criticise - only if they could help others with half that enthusiasm!!

Sensational overdose

If you ever have difficulty in explaining to your young son on what the word "sensational" means just allow him to watch news in any television news channels for 10 minutes!!! I cant believe that the media can stoop to such lower levels. I see a very disturbing trend in the media where quality is going down day-by-day for the sake of high TRPs or readership.

Not only is the content repeated infinite times, it is also overly sensationalised and hyped to suit the mass' apetite for emotional content. A Sunita Williams who probably recalls that she is of Indian origin is remembered by every household in India. Thanks to Kalpana Chawla and the high attention that media is providing for her!! I definitely dont mind this news being covered but i hate the fact that we dont care about the rest of the crew who are not originally from India.

Why are we always short of good news? Why is it not simple for folks in the media to understand that they have a much larger responsibility than cover the opening of the movie "Sivaji" in such a grandeur manner? I have been a big fan of the daily 'The Hindu' for the fact that they do a great job in playing down unwanted hype.

Freedom of expression is misunderstood as lack of responsibility. There are either skewed interpretations from the political mouthpieces or just attractive sizzle for the eyes and ears. The best one can do is to limit the viewing and take a nap or enjoy an activity with the family!

"The reluctant fundamentalist" - Book Review

This book is no amazing piece of literature, but then it has a slice of

author's soul and that is what i liked about it. This is an easy book to read - keep it for a sunday afternoon or a travel.

I recently read an article about the confusion that the muslim youth nowadays go through. Categorically listing the religion as anti-modern and illiberal faith it condemned the 9/11 attacks where only a fraction of lives were lost compared to Iraq or Kashmir. Does it require genius of Einstein to understand that no amount of security measure can save your lives after instigating violence for selfish reasons. Knowing this i can understand the amount of insecurity that has crept in. I am no advocate of violence in the west, but i am also no fan of considering that lives in the west are more valuable than the poorer nations. Newton's third law catches up - "Every action has a equal and opposite reaction". And remember like it is said that "life begets life", so does violence.

I was interested in knowing what a learned Pakistani feels like upon treated the way he is like he is in the airports of America. From the book though there is a commonness in the culture and the food and the description of streets in Pakistan and India. Also a feeling on either sides that the other one is hawkish. Thus i identify myself with my brother living in Pakistan. This book is just a narration of how the author searches for his identity and achieves it finally in Lahore. I dont think the book is loud and clear as far the exact sentiments go. Nevertheless it conveys how even a Princeton and Harvard educated Pakistani sitting in the safe confines of a well paid job can feel for his nation. Like Sashi Tharoor said, "There is no place under the sun like your own country that a man can feel comfortable standing". I cant agree enough.

High Performance Entrepreneur - Book Review

This book is a gold mine waiting to be discovered. This is a very honest narration of what Subroto Bagichi has gone through in setting up Mindtree. Right from expectation setting to various tips to increase sales this books gives a lot of information. Whats also impressive is that it focuses on sustaining business and not just on how to get started.

If you have questions on what all a business plan should contain or even if there has to be a business plan at all in frist place then read through the pages where the author tries to convince you on his opinions. Very honest and confident, he easily takes you along his journey of memoirs.

As can be expected there are a lot of behaviourial aspects discussed as well which insists how deeply he is involved with the subject of leadership. Only regret that i had was that he did not write much about his experiences having failed in sustaining starting up a company earlier in his career. An account of these learnings would have been extremely valuable. On the whole, a definite recommendation for anybody who is interested in becoming an entrepreneur or even an intrapreneur.