Saturday, July 31, 2010

Narendra Modi continue bashing of CBI for obvious reasons ..

http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/narendra-modi-slams-the-cbi-again-41104

Why is Narendra Modi like a rabid dog barking at everybody and everything that does not suit his cockeyed patriotism, especially when it is going to be shot at ?

Not difficult to understand such behaviour as we know it is for obvious reasons..

ge..

My other car ..



ge..

Friday, July 30, 2010

Net Promoter Score .. How is it useful ?

Net Promoter Score is a simple and effective method to evaluate a product or service. Introduced by Reichheld in 2003 thru an HBR article, it is very effective in determining customer perceptions of the product or service in question.

Here is what wikipedia says of the same http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Net_Promoter
All about Net Promoter Score ..

For example if you want your students to evaluate their faculty member, it suffices to ask just one question, instead of the myriad of questions which are often asked.

Will your student recommend you to a new student ?

On a scale from 0 to 10, with 0 being for not at all to 10 being highly recommended, score from 0 to 6 are the detractors, 7-8 are the passives and 9-10 are the promoters.

Your net promoter score is the difference between the percentage of promoters and the percentage of detractors. An NPS of 75% is considered very good. A negative score would mean that one has no moral authority to continue in the area one is operating presently.

This single question is often accompanied by an open ended question on what the customer thinks about the product or service and how it could be improved. The company thus has an opportunity to work on their weak areas and consolidate on the stronger areas.

ge..

Chenraj Jain, an educational entrepreneur of great potential, Jain Uty ..




Thursday, July 29, 2010

Exposing Pak and US double talk .. wikileaks ..


It was very interesting reading over the past two days of revelations from wikileaks.. It was also interesting to note the rebuttals from the US and Pak govts on these revelations.. ( as if the people of the world are fools !!)

These just go to prove that Pakistan where such press freedom cannot be dreamt of, will resort to such cheap, petty actions. US too, in spite of press freedom, will also resort to such dubious and devious actions.

The revelations go to prove beyond even an iota of doubt that both US and Pak are two sides of the same coin.. In one breath they talk of freedom, world peace and fight against terrorism and in the other, they encourage actions ( do not know whether they are helpless victims of their own devious actions, violent activities and banana regimes whom they have supported over the years, who are now hitting back at them.) detrimental to the same causes they espouse for.. 

President Obama now has nowhere to hide in his underwear. The double talk, double standards of the US establishment has been exposed beyond any reasonable sense of honour. Joint fight against terror has been the fight against their own soldiers and people. All the funding they have been giving and receiving have been to promote terrorism .. 

There is a famous verse from the Bible : As you sow, so shall you reap ..  Be prepared to reap what one has sown..!

After all what can we expect from birds of the same feather .. The civilised world will be having to see lot more dramas of rebuttals and denials coming from the Home Office in Washington and Pak foreign Office in the coming days.

The common man has to believe ( will be made to believe) that the revelations from wikileaks are all distorted and concocted.. That is the sense of honesty and integrity one can expect from these counties.. 

Await more drama and actions in the coming days..

In my honest and frank opinion, it is the basic sense of insecurity in their own systems and the fear of the being run over by the emerging economies from the East, which is prompting US to do all these petty actions, out of sync with its status in the present world.

ge..

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Reducing my carbon footprint .. a small step but a definite one !!


I was amazed to hear from my system admin that in the past three weeks since I had installed a energy saving/management program on my desktop machine which was working from 9 to 5.30 pm daily for 6 days, my energy consumption on the PC had dropped by 40%. 

Even more interesting, my carbon footprint had been reduced by 4.9 kgs of Carbon dioxide, ie. by using the energy saving program on my PC I had put 4.9 kgs less of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere..

Now I am looking at other ways to reduce my Carbon footprint, like giving my car for service ( not serviced for the past six months..)

The opportunities are unlimited..! Only thing is I need to find them and slowly start executing them.

ge..

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

K Dinesh, Infosys co-founder at T John College ..






A very good lecture which took us through Infosys' journey of Innovation over 30 years ..

The topping was the insistence on Quality, getting Baldridge Award and the Infosys Maturity Models (IMM) ....

The growth from a $250 company of seven employees, who came out of Patni Computers in 1981 to $ 4.8 b in 2010 and a market cap of $ 35 billion, the Infosys journey is really impressive.. How an Indian company, with seven employees from middle class families, with just their educational background to support them and a pursuit for excellence, took on the world by storm !!

Sunday, July 25, 2010

India laptop at $35, will it work or not ??



Indian Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal unveils 'laptop' computer in New Delhi on July 22. India has come up with a 35-dollar touch-screen
"laptop" -- a computing prototype that it aims to make available to students from elementary schools to universities.

http://thenextweb.com/asia/2010/07/22/indian-government-working-on-35-tablet-hopes-to-get-it-as-low-as-10/

ge..

Saturday, July 24, 2010

Sad plight of BJP in Gujarat ..


Amit Shah

Hon Home Minister of Home in Gujarat charged for murder ?? SC is playing with the CBI ...

http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_builders-helped-nail-home-minister_1413829

How can this happen in a land where we have BJP hooligans who are ready for anything ?? Minorities can be attacked and killed anywhere.. ??

ge

Monday, July 19, 2010

Crybaby gets the milk !!


The failed state of Pakistan and the baby of US imperialistic desires, is the cry baby who depends on all such offerings from US ..

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/World/Pakistan/Clinton-unveils-500-mn-aid-projects-for-Pakistan/articleshow/6186752.cms

Let them put their house in oredre with all this aid ( that never will happen..)!!

ge.

Pak Foreign Minister Quereshi jumps the gun ??


I saw the live press conference given by the foreign ministers of India and Pakistan inn Pakistan three days back.

Unnatural in the press conference was the undue haste on the part of Quereshi to play down the Indian initiatives to better ties between the countries. He was quick to come to conclusions that Indians, especially S M Krishna, were being tutored by their Indian bosses sitting in Delhi, when actually nothing like that has happened. Quereshi has even refuted those in todays newspapers, after being prodded by the US Sec of State, Ms Clinton.

Let us hope better sense prevails and the two sides get to the brasstacks to settle their disputes and live happily together.

ge..

Meeting of Rockefeller habits training in BHM ..



15 July, 2010 ..Trainer Anil Haridas CEO, Enventure Technologies, second from right in the Rockefeller Habits training session with senior members from TJC in BHM Front Office.

(R to L) Yours truly on ext right, , Anil Haridas, Chairman Dr Thomas John and Campus Director Wing Cdr (Retd.) P Sambasivan

ge..

Friday, July 16, 2010

Is RSS and BJP showing their true colours ..?

RSS, BJP supporters are in total confusion and have been deseted by their supposedly honest leaders in the dark. RSS , branded alongwith LET and Indian Mujahideen as anti-national for its dubious role in terror blasts inside the country now has its sister in Karnataka plundering national wealth.

The Karnataka BJP is closing its eyes on the plunder of iron ore by Reddy brothers, until the governor and Lokayuktha who have been raising hue and cry and were ignored, had to finally meet the President to apprise her of this plunder. an action in this regard can be expected very soon. The Governor was open in ripping them apart. The Reddy brothers, the main reason behind this state of affairs, bachaas in Karnataka, sons of an ordinary driver, now have wealth in thousands of crores, ammased illegally raping the country. The only qualification they have is that they helped the ruling party at election time. CM should drop them just like that and see what happens but is very scared to do that. All the credit he gained for doing some good actions have now been ruined due to this.

Having proved themselves totally unsuitable for a glorious country ( and these same people have no shame in calling India their mother land), siding with anti-nationals, plunderers, rapists and murderers, these  persons still look to the people of the country to give them support and vote. The people know it better. They are getting ready to hit the final nail on the coffin soon.

ge..

Sunday, July 11, 2010

Bishop Cottons School song..

The School Song
On! Straight on!
On, Cottonians, On!
Muster on the side of right,
March like warriors to the fight,
Mark the foe, and strike with might,
Nec dextrosum Nec Sinistrorsum.

On! Straight on!
On, Cottonians, On!
Keen alike in work and play,
Keen right through the hottest day.
Keen until your hair turns grey.
Nec dextrosum Nec Sinistrorsum.

On! Straight on!
On, Cottonians, On!
Driving through the foaming main,
Buffetted by storm and rain,
Answering to the helm again,
Nec dextrosum Nec Sinistrorsum.

On! Straight on!
On, Cottonians, On!
When you leave the good old school
Be no coward, knave, nor fool;
Yours be still the grand olf rule,
Nec dextrosum Nec Sinistrorsum.

On! Straight on!
On, Cottonians, On!
See this motto on your scroll
Point you to a heavenly goal,
Seek it body, mind and soul,
Nec dextrosum Nec Sinistrorsum.

Words by : Rev. Herbert Pakenham-Walsh
Music by : N. M. Saunders, ESQ

700 million glued to TV from 12 midnight to 2 AM IST ?

Soccer city Stadium johannesburg ..

World over 700 million will watch the FIFA football world cup finals between Spain and Holland.

Will the vuvuzelas spoil the match today ?

ge..

India's biggest defence deal of INR 50,000 crores ..

The biggest military deal for India is the rs 50,000 crore submarine deal which has been overseen and signed by the Defence Minister of India, Mr A K Antony. Mr Clean as he is usually called, Mr Antony has kept aside all middle men in this defence deal, which has been plaguing Indian defence deals for almost sixty years and which has seen the likes of Bofors, Hindujas and other societal parasites living off the exchequers money illegally. Easily Rs 5000 to 10,000 crores of mine and your money could have been in the hands of such parasites if care was not taken in this deal.

The other beauty of this order is that five of these submarines will be manufactured within India, ie about 40,000 crores will be pumped back to the Indian financial system or some may go out for funding imports. But a small base for the technology is getting established in the country.


The other question is China has 62 submarines, of which 10 are nuclear  powered, India has 10 and with this order 16, none are nuclear powered and Pakistan has six, again none nuclear powered. Do we need to catch up or match up with China at the cost of educating and lifting our 300 million people from the clutches of poverty, illiteracy and backwardness ?

ge..

Encouraging, upwardly mobile Muslims on the increase .. TOI ..

MUMBAI: Last week, a group of Muslim NGOs organized a motivational talk in a city hall for aspiring engineers, doctors and other professionals. It was called 'Leap Talk' and had half-a-dozen achievers — academics, technocrats, businessmen and bureaucrats — sharing their mantra of success with aspirational young people. "The hall was packed and we were surprised by the enthusiasm the Muslim youth showed to join the job market," says Farid Khan, one of the organizers. Surprising though it may sound, Muslim youth is increasingly motivated and career-conscious, defying the 1990s stereotype of being an angry, uneducated, unemployable and unemployed bunch. The communal and polarized atmosphere of the 1990s is a thing of the past. Instead of picketing thanas and staging protests, Maharashtra's Muslim youth are joining others on the highway to cushy jobs and a comfy life. 

Imran Khan, 31, is managing director of the Rs 180-crore Western India Metal Processors Ltd. He recalls the jeers he and two Muslim classmates — actors Zayed Khan and Arif Khan — faced at a prestigious school in Mumbai. "Tum teen khan/Gadhe pe ho sawar aur jao Pakistan (You three Khans, ride an ass and go to Pakistan)," his classmates would say. When he finished school, Khan worked hard to turn the moribund family business into a multinational company. "Perhaps no Muslim child today has to suffer those humiliating remarks," he says, an unlikely victim in his smart clothes and with his swanky car. 

Khan's parents did not allow him to head to a US university because he was "the only male child in my family" but he says he has not suffered from it. "In retrospect, I think I was lucky to stay back in India and be part of the inclusive growth the country has witnessed in the past few years." Khan is the stereotypical Muppie and Muslim upwardly mobile professionals are pushing the boundaries like never before. A decade ago, it would have been unthinkable for a Muslim woman scientist to work alongside non-Muslim men at the prestigious Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC). Today, Meher Tabassum, a scientific officer with the Centre's research and development wing, is a role model for many. "Muslims, especially girls, are looking beyond home science courses and making careers in pure science and technology. Globalization has opened limitless opportunities and Muslims too are grabbing them," says 36-year-old Tabassum, who has a gross salary of Rs 85,000 per month. 

Clearly, today's young Muslims are dreaming of lives far removed from the cloistered, ghetto existence of yesteryears. Their dreams are being nurtured by Muslim-managed institutions such as the Anjuman-e-Islam in Mumbai. With more than 1,00,000 students in its 100 institutions, including colleges of catering, pharmacy, engineering and polytechnic, the Anjuman symbolizes Muppiedom or Muslim aspiration for educational and economic advancement. 

The Anjuman's president Dr Zaheer Kazi is emphatic about the change. "This year one of our students topped the diploma engineering exams in Maharashtra while most of the toppers in various engineering branches are from our college." He adds, "Our engineering and catering students are getting 100% placement." 

Armed with good degrees, Muslim youth are now knocking on the doors of public sector enterprises such as the Indian Railways and banks. Salim Alware, member of the standing committee on National Monitoring Committee for Minority Education (an HRD wing), sees a definite surge in Muslim interest in public sector jobs. "The underworld used to fascinate Muslim youth three decades ago. Then came the Gulf boom and many Muslims went to the Gulf. But now, as the charm of the Gulf has waned, many Muslims have turned to opportunities in the railways, banks and bureaucracy," says Alware who writes a column on careers for the Urdu daily Inquilab. 

As education becomes a priority for young Muslims, more and more doors are opening to them. Shezan Ali Hemani, 18, cracked the IIT Joint Entrance Exam as well as MBBS entrance test this year. "I chose the latter as I always wanted to become a doctor," says Hemani whose father runs a successful shipping business. He wants to follow his own dreams. "My father turned stone into silver. I am trying to turn it into gold," he says. 

These individual success stories are good news for the entire community. Salil Bubere, an international student counsellor who holds a degree in computer science from the University of Wales, chose to counsel students rather than becoming a computer engineer because "I love to help others find avenues of knowledge." About his non-Muslim sounding first name, Bubere, 25, says, "My father named me Salil, a common name among Hindus and Muslims, because he was worried about the discrimination in Indian society. He was needlessly worried. Our society has changed. The job market evaluates you on the basis of your qualification, not your religion." 

This monsoon it's raining opportunities and Muslims too are grabbing them. if they need just a little push, career camps and sessions such as Leap Talk are steps in the right direction


ge ..

Saturday, July 10, 2010

Anil Kakodkar writes on nuclear future in general ..


We are entering a new era when nuclear energy is seen as part of the solution to growing energy needs, a solution required to bring about development in a climate-friendly manner. 

More than 60 countries have written to the International Atomic Energy Agency expressing their desire to develop nuclear power. In the US, the $8 billion provided for loan guarantees for new nuclear builds by the Bush administration have been augmented by the present administration by an additional $50 billion. The Nuclear Energy Agency of the OECD projects a growth of nuclear generation capacity from the present 370 GWe to between 600 and 1,400 GWe by the year 2050. (1 GWe=1,000 MWe). The World Nuclear Association has projected a nuclear capacity between 2,050 GWe and 11,000 GWe by the end of this century; 16-17 per cent of this is expected in countries that do not have any nuclear power programme at present. 

Major nuclear power technology holders as well as uranium-rich countries are aggressively moving forward to encash the emerging opportunity. New partnerships in nuclear business that transcend geographical boundaries are emerging to synergise capabilities for expanding rapidly and capturing as much market share as possible. These partnerships cover not only nuclear reactors but also a range of fuel cycle activities that include uranium production, enrichment and fuel fabrication. Canada, China, France, Kazakhstan and Russia appear to be especially active in this regard. 

A look at our long-term energy needs vis-a-vis indigenous energy resources would reveal that we are and will remain dependent on significant energy imports if we continue in business as usual mode. Since use of fossil energy is fast becoming a sustainability and climate stability concern, access to nuclear energy resources and engagement in global nuclear trade is crucial. Our advanced technological capability in three-stage nuclear programme development coupled with our integration in the global nuclear trade should enable us to bridge our energy deficit through growth in generation capacity with breeder reactors that do not need further energy imports. This would make us truly energy independent. 

It is, however, important that we do not get sidetracked while evolving global nuclear business partnerships. Such partnerships, given our technological capability, would not only eventually position us as a major global player, but also add a further degree of immunity against disruptions and vulnerabilities that are associated with this politically sensitive trade domain. We have already witnessed the doublespeak at the G8 as well as the NPT review conference when, after NSG exemption for India, we are being asked to join the NPT as a non-nuclear weapons state. Fortunately, at a time when several nuclear power projects are under negotiation, we have the advantage in working out nuclear business partnerships in our best interests. 

There is, however, another side to nuclear energy. We need to clearly understand the perception of risk in the public mind. While we can objectively say that with any evolving technology for example, the shift to air travel risks have actually decreased, the perception of risk has perhaps grown. This, to my mind, is related to the catastrophe syndrome that comes into play with the arrival of a new technology that is more intense. Beyond a particular level of consequence, we find it hard to accept a technology no matter how low the risk in objective terms. The evolution of new technologies has always faced such hurdles. Public acceptance eventually comes about as a result of enhanced familiarity and recognition of the far better benefit to risk ratio. 

With nuclear energy, the issue is even more complex. Mankind came to know of nuclear energy through the horrors of the nuclear bomb. The quantitative risk with nuclear electricity has always been shown to be significantly lower than other electricity production alternatives. Hopefully, negative impressions are slowly giving way to positive ones as a result of contributions made by safe and economically competitive nuclear power. Through the activities of the World Association of Nuclear Operators formed after Chernobyl, the nuclear industry has learnt its lesson and taken nuclear energy to a much higher safety level. Today, we not only talk of far lower maximum consequence in the public domain but are also evolving approaches to reduce risks arising out of safety, security and proliferation threats. 

We are currently witnessing an intense debate on the level of and responsibility for third-party nuclear liability coverage. While the legal framework must enable adequate protection of the public, we must also be aware of the importance of greater Indian involvement in international nuclear business partnerships. Today, the safety level of nuclear power technology is significantly enhanced. Trying to match in the early stage of a modest Indian programme the risk coverage that a large pool of nuclear power plants, such as in the US, can manage would only mean raising the barrier to growth of nuclear power and denying ourselves the opportunity to be a dominant player in the global nuclear energy market. It is important that, while we safeguard our interests, we do not miss out on opportunities that are available as a result of emotional illogic. 

The writer is former chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission.


The future is promising.Given the increased need for energy world over and dependence of countries world over on nuclear energy as a sure and safe source and for generation,  nuclear energy is going to stayon.. We need to be more vigilant and prevent rogue countries from diverting nuclear research for destructive purposes. As the article says 17 % of the roughly 20,000 GWe we need by the turn of the century will be generated the nuclear way.

The scenario is going to be one where countries will be forced to resort to nuclear energy to meet their energy needs, the only issue being it should not enter the wrong hands.

ge..

Oberoi Vanyavilas, Ranthanbore, best hotel in the world..


The Oberoi Vanyavilas, Ranthambore, has been ranked the best hotel in the world. The Oberoi Amarvilas, Agra, Rajvilas Jaipur and Udaivilas Udaipur have been ranked second, third and fourth respectively in Asia and positioned number five, 13 and 15 (in the same order) in world ranking, according to a readers' poll by 'Travel+Leisure' magazine. 

ge..

Thursday, July 08, 2010

Kudikayattathile thidukkam .. or the mad rush to Immigrate ..

My thinking on the matter of immigration has been necessitated by Joel Stein's article belittling Indians who have been immigrating in large numbers to US and other countries of less population and less competition. Though the article has invited harsh criticism from the Indian community for using the terms geniuses and and non-geniuses also passing thru, we all know it is vayattipizhappu ...

Why do we immigrate ( kudikayaruka or is this derogatory or is there any better word ) in such large numbers to other countries ? Are we fed up of life here in India ? Is it a healthy thing to do ? Are we looking at our immediate comforts / life  or do we really care for the future of our children too ? Or are social pressures preventing one from reversing this trend at the individual level ? Would a self respecting American citizen think of immigrating to another country ? They look to taking birth and dying in the same land , unlike we from India ..

Are we "kudikayarunnathu" (immigrating) thinking of the better "bhaavi" (future) of our children or we want them to lose their identity and merge in the mosaic of cultures and become non-entities ? Kudikayattam (immigration) to some countries is looked upto while to some others is looked down on (though the process by itself is an expression of the basic insecurity and non-confidence in oneself and the existing setup) .. Is it a conscious activity or something forced by the social setup to which we belong ?

If all good law abiding citizens kudikayaruka (immigrate) to different countries, what will happen to this land of our forefathers ? Is my response going to be indifferent and ignorant like, " who cares or why should I bother " or "everyone is doing, why not myself?"

Even within India when we move from one state to another, our children are denied the luxury of the rich and cultural upbringing which we enjoyed as children. For example my wife and myself enjoy each and every episode and song of Asianet Star Singer, while our children think it boring and want to switch channels .. If within India the gap is so open, one can imagine the condition in a different land ..We are critically aware of the identity crisis they are passing through in their day to day activities and mingling with friends.

Man as a social being wants to elevate his standard of living and hence is looking to be laterally and upwardly mobile all the time ..Is there any guarantee that lateral mobility ( kudikayattam) will essentially bring upward mobility. On the contrary, can no kudikayattam maintain status quo or halt any downward mobility ?

Does a community look down upon immigrants from another country or do they look up to them ?

Some pressing questions for which I wish to seek answers from thinking and willing individuals.. 

ge..

Wednesday, July 07, 2010

Racist anti-indian article , Time magazine..

" For a while, we assumed all Indians were geniuses. Then, in the 1980s, the doctors and engineers brought over their merchant cousins, and we were no longer so sure about the genius thing. In the 1990s, the not-as-brilliant merchants brought their even-less-bright cousins, and we started to understand why India is so damn poor .." Joel Stein, Time magazine, July 05, 2010.

The passage which has enraged the Indian American community in US. 

Is it not a fact ?? Why should anybody object to such bare statements of truth .. we have seen incidents where people have been taking their immediate relatives, far relatives and so on in the name of immigration, especially around New Jersey area .. Geniuses, semi-geniuses and non-geniuses ..

Looking at the other side of the coin, does John Stein forget the fact that once upon a  time he too, or his forefathers, were immigrants like anybody else on American soil ? The irony is that the original owners of the land have been killed, sidelined, cheated and pushed to the outskirts by the immigrants to exploit the land and its resources for centuries .. And they call July 4 as the day of independence from the British !!

ge..

Monday, July 05, 2010

Among the world's best airports ..

IGI term 3 is the world's eighth largest passenger terminal in the world after Dubai T3, Beijing, HongKong, Bangkok, Mexico, Barcelona and Dubai T1

http://www.hindu.com/2010/07/05/stories/2010070551840800.htm

With a capacity to handle 38 million passengers annually and 78 aerobridges, this terminal was completed in just 37 months by the GMR group. GMR requires to be lauded for the speed whith which they have completed this terminal just before the Common Wealth Games in October as PPP initiative.

when Emirates sends it A 380 to land here on July 14 after an Air India lands, the IGI term 3 will be operational for the public.

Dr Manmohan Singh summed it all up in this short messIt would signal the arrival of a new India, committed to join the ranks of the modern industrialised nations of the world. :



Sunday, July 04, 2010

Lokayuktha in Karnataka withdraws resignation ..


Justice Hegde , Lokayuktha in Karnataka yesterday withdrew his resignation, and will now be given a free hand to rein in the mining mafia in the Karnataka cabinet.

The Governor, Lokayuktha, Supreme Court and the common man on one side and CM BSY, BJP leadership on the side of the mining mafia, we will finally have to wait and see who will win ..

ge..

Saturday, July 03, 2010

Thursday, July 01, 2010

Sharad Pawar as ICC President ..

Sharad Pawar as ICC President ..What are his credentials, other than being an Indian and President of the richest cricket body in the world ??

Hope he works for the better administration of the game than playing politics in ICC.

ge..

Top Environmental Sustainability issues globally

Based on the information from sources across the world, here are the top 10 interesting issues in environmental sustainability that are pr...

My popular posts over the last month ..