tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56590051107432096152024-03-12T17:25:58.900-07:00Rakesh AryaOn Journey to LiveRakeshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07221038933152086230noreply@blogger.comBlogger28125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5659005110743209615.post-67522163024997238192017-07-02T04:56:00.001-07:002017-07-02T04:56:46.120-07:00Book Summary: Over-Diagnosis – Making People Sick In The Pursuit Of Health, by Dr. H Gilbert Welch<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik699aSsa6OdTv8OMF_cZKbCcbkldP98p5plPxTkFxaAriAG7HEjsg0GciDTCgAxvOup3pnn_G9LjWVY5x_UVzXmGq16AG3dJ8c1AkQucgjZ1hnE_E4pnJ9RuhIsQ7BcvghkJaRXE7wJc/s1600/Over+diagnosis+cover+Pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="300" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik699aSsa6OdTv8OMF_cZKbCcbkldP98p5plPxTkFxaAriAG7HEjsg0GciDTCgAxvOup3pnn_G9LjWVY5x_UVzXmGq16AG3dJ8c1AkQucgjZ1hnE_E4pnJ9RuhIsQ7BcvghkJaRXE7wJc/s200/Over+diagnosis+cover+Pic.jpg" width="133" /></a>Imagine one morning you don’t feel right and go in WebMD
(medical portal) to figure out what’s wrong, you browse around until you find
the illness that catches your eye, Swine-Flu.</div>
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As you read through the list of symptoms you realize that
you have all of them or in other words if you have all of the symptoms that you
would have if you have Swine-Flu. If we
talk in term of probability, 95% of the people with swine-Flu have these
symptoms. You began to freak-out and this is what happened to us most of the
time. <span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-align: left;">You
search about any small symptom on the internet, you are sure to meet disaster. </span>They
will lead you to the any form of cancer or any dangerous disease. But this is
not the truth sometimes, in fact, most of the times. Let us see how. If you know
about Bayes Theorem, (a concept in probability. Don’t worry we are not dealing this
in detail) you do further research and try to find out more facts to figure
out the probability if you have swine flu or not. So, with little more
googling you discover that the disease is extremely rare, only one in one
hundred thousand (1/100000).Now, about the symptoms, like headache and runny nose,
lots of people have those and google tell you one in a hundred (1/100). Putting
everything into the place, now probability (using Bayesian theorem) of have
Swine Flu is calculated as .00095, which is very-very small as compare to the
probability we saw in first stance i.e. 95%. If we revisit the statement once
again <b>“…95% of the people with swine-Flu
have these symptoms”, DOESN'T mean if you have these symptoms then 95% chances
of you having Swine Flu.</b></div>
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In the book, <i>Overdiagnosed: Making People Sick in
the Pursuit of Health</i> (Beacon Press), Welch and coauthors Lisa
Schwartz and Steven Woloshin write about the hazards of looking too hard for
illnesses in healthy people, including additional procedures that carry no
benefit, but may cause harm, higher health care costs, and psychological
detriments. “The biggest problem is that over diagnosis triggers over-treatment,
and all of these treatments carry some harm,” says Dr. Welch.<o:p></o:p></div>
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There is an assumption that sooner is always better but the hidden assumption states anything
found early required intervention. OVER-DIAGNOSIS can be defined as the
detection and treatment of an abnormality not destined to ever produce symptom
or death.<o:p></o:p></div>
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This book is divided into twelve thorough chapters that do
not only unveils the systematic conspiracy of the health care systems but also bursts
the hypes created by popular media that promotes the fear of disease and perpetuates
the myth that early and aggressive treatment is always better. Doctors have
begun to leave no test undone, no abnormality overlooked. Profits are being
made from screenings, medical procedure and pharmaceutical. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Chapter two; We change the Rules, highlights the clear
traces of conspiracy at the institutional level. It shows how numbers get
changed to give you diabetes, high cholesterol and osteoporosis. The author
provides the end-to-end research to prove that over-diagnosis or early
detection doesn’t help the population at large but only instills the fear of
being died with the disease. Let us see how-<o:p></o:p></div>
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Who is diabetic? Before 19997, if you had fasting sugar over
140, then you had diabetes. But in 1997 the Expert Committee on the Diagnosis
and Classification of Diabetes Mellitus redefines the disorder. Now if you have
fasting blood sugar over 126, you have diabetes. So everyone between 126 and
140 used to be normal but now has diabetes. That little change turned over 1.6
million people into patients. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Is that a problem? Maybe, or May not be. Because the rule
has been changed, doctors now have to treat more patients for diabetes. That MAY
mean that they have lowered the chances of diabetic complications for some of
these new patients. But because these people have milder diabetes, they are at
relatively at low risk of these complications to begin with. The author has
proved through the research that people with mild abnormal blood sugar have less to
gain from treatment. If patients are not getting benefited from the early
diagnosis then who is?<o:p></o:p></div>
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These changes substantially increased the market for
treatment and the money to be made from them. There are widespread concerns
about the independence of the experts who set the cutoffs for all the
conditions (whether it is diabetes, hypertension, osteoporosis or any other
disease). The head of the diabetes cutoff panel was a paid consultant to Aventis
Pharmaceuticals, Bristo-Myers Squibb, Eli Litty, GlaxoSmithKline, Novartis,
Merck and Pfizer – all of which make diabetes drugs. Nine of the eleven authors
of recent high blood pressure guidelines had some kind of financial ties – as paid
consultant, paid speaker, or grant – to drug companies that made high blood
pressure drugs. Similarly, eight of the nine experts who lowered the cholesterol
cutoff were paid consultants to drug companies making cholesterol drugs. <o:p></o:p></div>
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With over-diagnosis, a few may be helped but a lot more will
be over treated and some of them will be harmed. The conventional ethos of
medical is to focus of potential benefits for the few and to downplay the rest.
Dr. Welch proved via randomized trials that the treatment on ‘new’ patients (with
mild abnormality) does not improve the chances of not getting better. However,
over diagnosis will increases the chances of plethora of other diseases. <o:p></o:p></div>
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In the graph on the
left (fig. 1a), the rise in cancer diagnosis is accompanied by a rise in the
feared outcome of cancer - death. This suggests
that the new diagnoses are destined to be meaningful and that this is a true
increase in the underlying amount of cancer that matters.</div>
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But in the graph on the right, the rise in cancer diagnoses is
not accompanied by a rise in cancer death. This suggest that while there is
more diagnosis, there is no change in the underlying amount of cancer that
matters. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Over-Diagnosis can also be understood as an attempt to look
harder to find the abnormalities without any symptoms. This has been seen in
cases of prostate cancer, breast cancer and other abnormalities which required
scanning. Fear has taken place of understanding the disease. The simple rule of
thumb that can be deduced from the findings of the author is that - diagnosis is important but it should follow
the symptoms not the other way around. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Author cautions in the end that it’s tempting to conclude
that the solution is simply to avoid doctors. But that would be the wrong conclusion.
Medical care offers ill patients a great care. The question is about when you
are well. How hard doctors look for things to be wrong?<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
Rakeshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07221038933152086230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5659005110743209615.post-12460835451275438412017-04-04T07:34:00.004-07:002017-04-04T07:34:31.383-07:00Book Review: ‘I am a Troll: Inside the Secret World of the BJP’s Digital Army’ by Swati Chaturvedi<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4B6gKqqWx_8jUAC1s9r1_O9ayNYUMeB9ReDa7gSMhgMDOW9UOsvPk_M9Nmq3iQ3pm9Zk9RidvAxmQj4SIw0p7rNj2XAGFysdxs2MEAhmGyC8i0Cogmyio4qz71FYlZC726ryVzctlpYw/s1600/I+am+a+Troll+Pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4B6gKqqWx_8jUAC1s9r1_O9ayNYUMeB9ReDa7gSMhgMDOW9UOsvPk_M9Nmq3iQ3pm9Zk9RidvAxmQj4SIw0p7rNj2XAGFysdxs2MEAhmGyC8i0Cogmyio4qz71FYlZC726ryVzctlpYw/s1600/I+am+a+Troll+Pic.jpg" /></a>The name of this book made me understand more about the term
‘Troll’. A message that someone leaves on the internet that is intended
to annoy people is troll. Lacking logic and perhaps even decency, these most
often nameless, faceless but sometimes wholly visible people attack those they
don’t agree with.</div>
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I am a Troll: Inside the Secret World of the BJP’s Digital
Army is Swati Chaturvedi’s two year research. Her investigation as she calls
it, is ‘inspired’ by her own experiences and those of her ‘fellow citizens’ who
have been on the wrong side of trolling.<o:p></o:p></div>
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When any writer writes against the political party (BJP),
which is not only ruling the country but came into power with huge majority and
continuously spreading its presence in whole country, then, for sure, the writer
is very courageous. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The veteran journalist, in this quick-read, maps out how some
of the most venomous handles on Twitter are those that are ‘“Blessed to be
followed by PM Modi”. The PM follows them, they follow him, and they also
follow those who speak against him – attacking them at any given opportunity in
what looks like a fully organised, coordinated game plan. Through her conversations with BJP social
media volunteers and Sadhavi Khosla (a former BJP social media cell member),
the author takes us through how social media attacks are planned.<o:p></o:p></div>
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It reveals the BJP’s strong social media cell and its vast
online support. Sadhavi Khosla claims that the BJP’s media cell pressurize the
Snapdeal to drop Amir Khan is its brand ambassador after Amir’s strong comments
about intolerance in 2015. Another undercover story states that the same unit
trolled Shahrukh Khan and provoke its online support to boycott his movie
Dilwale.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Ms Charurvedi alleges BJP for carrying out organized
trolling on social media platforms to conveys a sense of the mood to the masses.<o:p></o:p></div>
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In her telling, the Bharatiya Janata Party (or the larger Sangh
Parivar) uses volunteers and paid employees to function in concert and to
execute centralised directives to “constantly peddle hate tweets and conspiracy
theories and slander journalists”. Worse still, she claims, the hate-filled
tweets are packed with communally volatile misinformation (a mythical exodus of
Hindus from <a href="http://www.business-standard.com/search?type=news&q=Kairana" target="_blank"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Kairana </span></a>in UP, for instance) and contain threats: Hire
so-and-so and we will boycott your company/paper/channel/product or even
worse.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Mr. Modi is followed some cyber bullies Twitter accounts (like
LutynInsider, which I could not find on twitter. May be it got deleted after
the row) that regularly tweet abusive language or obscenities, she claims. On
the same note, Derek O’ Briain raised Ms Chaturvedi’s claims in the
legislature, questioning why Mr Modi followed cyber-bullies.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Ankit Lal from AAP, who Chaturvedi says “tracks the ruling
party’s social media as part of his work”, presents information on the same,
casting doubts about how either the <i>“BJP social media control centres
have started using virtual private networks (VPNs) to hide their location and
identity… The other possible explanation is that the BJP has hired a marketing
agency in Thailand to do their online work.”</i><o:p></o:p></div>
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Moreover, this books gives the impression that BJP is the
only single party that is using social media power to influence the behavior of
the people which doesn’t seems a balanced view. Other parties and people are let go scot-free,
even when we know that everyone plays a dirty game – on Twitter and off it.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Huffington post calls
this book as a missed opportunity as of the seven short chapters that make up
Swati Chaturvedi's work, almost entirely devoted to the testimony of Sadhavi
Khosla, a former volunteer with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), who has been
responsible for the most explosive revelation in the book. ‘While her mission to expose these trolls --
an army of men and women who thrive on misogyny, Islamophobia, hatred and
bigotry -- is incredibly brave, urgent and necessary, the execution of the
project could have been much better.’ <o:p></o:p></div>
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On the factual front, I found little inconsistency in the
facts; One, it was told I the book the flesh from the Akhlak’s home was not
beef, which is incorrect. It was confirmed I the reports that the meat was
found to be beef. Secondly, the picture is not black and white when she claims
that Sadhavi Khosla is the former
volunteer with BJP as BJP denies the claim. Thirdly, with certainty, she says,
Mr. Modi is handing its twitter accounts. It is very hard (but not certain)
that the PM is so attached to his twitter account when he handles this by
himself. <o:p></o:p></div>
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This book is less about trolls in general and more about
what she claims is “the BJP’s digital army”. Chaturvedi has taken an
interesting look at a topic of growing relevance to India and other democracies
but should be researched without bias. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Rakeshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07221038933152086230noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5659005110743209615.post-12303165925345293562016-07-30T23:34:00.001-07:002016-07-30T23:36:42.430-07:00Winning Teams<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The complex organization structure
is the composition of small entities called ‘Teams’. An organization’s success is directly related
to the effectiveness of these teams. These team make up the culture of the
organization and their health is the reflection of the organization’s culture
health. To realize the high performance results, we have to understand the heath
of the team to make it highly collaborative. Winning teams come out from the
winning culture. The culture of the team emerges out from the individual’s
contribution to the culture. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Collective high morale of the
team is the greatest contributor to the habits of winning. Any team can’t think
of wining without the collective readiness for the winning. Creating great teamwork
is a challenging process. Referring to a collection of people as a team doesn’t
make any team winning. A group is typically a collection of people who are
collected headed by the leader where member works on their own most of the time
with little or no dependence on other member of the group. But the team shares
the leadership, people in the team are interdependent, they have collective
sense of responsibility not just ‘My Work or Your Work’. The goal of the team
is more prominent than their individual goals. Individualism is the prime
character of a group whereas a team plays on collaborations. <o:p></o:p></div>
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It is easier to decide on change
than to get people to change. People and teams are creature of habits and changing
habits are much harder than changing structures and systems. Whose responsibility
is it to create a good team; the leader or individuals? A leader is seen as the
owner a team but in this age of quick and exhaustive information, leaders can’t
only be considered as the full source of information to lead the team. Though,
there is a leader of each team but situational leadership is required where
each individual has to lead in different situations. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Positive team spirit and sportsmanship
attitude are required. A robust culture is the result of nurturing individual
and team spirit. There are numerous absolutes of team building but a few
are indispensable, they not only build the team spirit but also integrate the
individuals to pursue for a common goal. Some of the TeamSpiritBuilders are as
follows. <o:p></o:p></div>
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TeamSpiritBuilder #1, <b><i>Seamless Communication<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
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Communication is the blood of any
team, it carries the information and ideas to be shared with the team.
Communication is not limited to mastering any language and usage of
contemporary phrases and expressions, it is an intention to let your ideas
flow. Good communication is all about inner readiness to share what you think.
The main objective of communication to put everyone of same page. Honest and transparent
mind-set allows good communication to happen. Aim toward two-way interaction,
exchange of ideas, and developing new insights in regular communication. <o:p></o:p></div>
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TeamSpiritBuilder #2, <b>Togetherness</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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All corporations, big or small,
are running many events in their organizations to promote inclusion at all
levels. It main objective is ‘Togetherness’. When people come together in an
informal arena their bonding grows, their understanding about each other grows,
truth strengthens and stress bursts. Create times for people to laugh together
and loosen up. This will also stimulate creativity. Consider some of these
ideas: start a meeting with a relevant joke or funny story, show a clip of a
comedy video tape that pertains to a current challenge. But, on the other side
when people do not participate with their wish and are forced to participate,
it works in other direction. This has to be ‘Very Intentional’. But what if
individuals are not ready to come for these activities? then we are picking the
wrong chord first. We need to fix another chord.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
TeamSpiritBuilder #3, <b>Empower for Ownership</b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Ownership provides confidence
among individuals. Control-obsessed culture often broods escapism. Giving
ownership does not means throwing the responsibilities to the individuals but
it should be supplemented by resources. Encourage opinions on important
decisions affecting the business. Give a voice to each individual so that
everyone shares the context that they are able to contribute to the success of
the team. When people feel like they’re being heard, it will go a long way
toward enriching relationships, fostering collaboration, and heightening
engagement. No team can grow when people
are afraid of taking the responsibility.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
TeamSpiritBuilder #4, <b>Higher Mood State</b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
The mood elevator; the higher
mood state or lower mood state determines the morale of the team. The higher
mood states are; curious, flexible, sense of humour, understanding, appreciative,
optimistic resourceful, creative, insightful and grateful. On the other hand,
the lower mood states are; impatient, irritated, worried, defensive, judgmental,
burned-out, angry and depressed. The feelings on mood elevator are nothing more
than product of our thinking. Inability to cope up with stress leads to lower
mood states. Stressed team cannot be a winner team. The leader should have a
sense to measure the stress of the team and take steps to de-stress the team. This
should be the first step in the journey to be a great team. In an atmosphere of
high expectation from the customer it is next to impossible to stop the stress from
the source but individuals should be made capable of managing the stress. And
this has to be taught. How? This can’t be done by repeatedly saying that ‘ you
should learn stress management’ but provide training to fight the situating.
They should learn how to prioritize, how to organize, how to seek help and most
importantly, how to negotiate. Healthy state of mind creates healthy culture.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
TeamSpiritBuilder #5, <b>Trust</b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Trust is the foundation of
healthy team and trust builds in an environment of transparency. Trust helps in
accepting deepening relationships and removes politics and silos from the work
place, creating an organization within which people feel safe. A team without
trust isn't really a team; they may not share information, they might battle
over rights and responsibilities, and they may not cooperate with one another. It
doesn't matter how capable or talented people are, they may never reach their
full potential if trust isn't present in the culture of the team. How to build trust? Trust can’t be built by
preaching about trust, that many organization does. Open communication is
essential for building trust. Everyone in the team should be talking to one
another in an honest, meaningful way. And that can be done when everybody is
clear about what he/she is doing and how it is contributing to the common goal.
Know each other by meet regularly, share personal stories or experiences and
respect differences. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
TeamSpiritBuilder #6, <b>Learning, not just preaching<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Fast changing dynamics of
businesses requires people to learn things quickly and implement them into the
job. The success of the team largely depends on how responsive the team is
towards change and readiness to learn. Leaders who only inflicts fear find it
difficult to motivate the team. Leader are facing a lot of problems when they
assume people should understand by themselves. Even the smallest issue may
require training. Training is about learning the new way of doing any job. Corporate
trainings are of two types; technical trainings and soft-skills trainings. It
is easy to get the people work on any new tool but often difficulty to convince
that their email response time is more than expected. Simplify the
process. Don’t exhaust employees through complexity and
buzz-words. People seek direction that is too the point. People are
inspired when given the opportunity to learn how to do new things.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
TeamSpiritBuilder #7, <b>Encourage Networking<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Ability to network with people
outside the team means to expand our orbit of resources. Not a single process
or skill can be excelled in isolation, we are required to work in
collaborations. To be comfortable among ‘not friends’ forces you to learn a lot
of new social skills. Networking is about people enjoying other
people, communicating passions and connecting with others who
share those passions. It’s about listening, figuring out what others
need and connecting them with people you think can help, without any designs
for personal gain. Each team members should understand the need of healthy
networking. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
TeamSpiritBuilder #8, <b>Measure performance<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
You can’t improve what you can’t
measure. Prepare team profile on the basis of above seven TeamSpiritBuilders and
rate your team from 1-10. Set realistic goals weeks by weeks. Prioritize needs.
Focus, where you require more development for ex. if your team is poor in
communicating ideas then it should be given top priority. Communicate the
performance result to the team and ask their suggestions for improvement for
the next cycle. Involve team in goal-setting and planning. Two-way
communication get the individuals connect with the requirement. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Winning culture creates winning
teams. Culture is defined and created from the top down, but it comes to life
from the bottom up. You really can’t change the culture without changing the
behaviour of the individuals in that culture. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
Rakeshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07221038933152086230noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5659005110743209615.post-46200143722663705992016-04-08T02:05:00.003-07:002016-04-08T05:00:20.090-07:00Book Revew: “The Third Curve” – by Mansoor Khan <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsmliINduoUDJBtzRn_IcQmhh3kKU60j2JR6uTNM48kKcVilSbElbXRkx-6aw9mhoH6NUCEmwITxuByXjNDPQYMSL5EfJz5PDpM3qhvGgq6N5PQoZ5tYkAkSMCoQJDsB9gMsc8C1SBb0Y/s1600/III+curve+2.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsmliINduoUDJBtzRn_IcQmhh3kKU60j2JR6uTNM48kKcVilSbElbXRkx-6aw9mhoH6NUCEmwITxuByXjNDPQYMSL5EfJz5PDpM3qhvGgq6N5PQoZ5tYkAkSMCoQJDsB9gMsc8C1SBb0Y/s200/III+curve+2.PNG" width="139" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">If you are below 40 years of age then you are likely to face this monstrous
problem in your lifetime. If not, no less than certainty our children will
surely see the day-with-no-oil.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Daily, we hear
thousands of statements about this phenomenon called ‘Growth’. We are now
conditioned to believe that growth is a natural reaction of society. When
growth becomes our religion, we choose governments, ideas and all notions that
support the concept of ‘never-ending growth' then the author shakes our
consciousness to portray the sustainability of the concept.</span></div>
<div style="float: right; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt; text-align: justify;">If ‘never-ending-growth’ concept is seen
as sustainable the question arises, for how long? Mr Mansoor Khan has tried to
provide us the lens to understand the inversion of economic reality. It
identifies the root cause of the malady by reminding us of forgotten
relationships between money and energy, capital and resources and reality.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Though ‘Oil-Peak’ has been discussed here
with great extent but the foundation of this book is laid on the
‘Unsustainable-Concept’ of exponential growth with exhausting natural
resources. In spite of using heavy graphs and big numbers, Mr Khan, very aptly
used an analogy to understand and realize the depth of the problem.<o:p></o:p></span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Part-1 states the story of ‘The Coach and
the Runner’. The coach has a concept which he claims can make you the runner,
run at the speed of sound in just 18 months.<o:p></o:p></span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">‘How is that possible’, you wonder.<o:p></o:p></span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He explains, ‘Can you run at 10km/hr?”<o:p></o:p></span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">‘Yes, of course, that is slightly faster
than walking’.<o:p></o:p></span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The logic game goes further. ‘Then you can
run 7% faster at 10.7 km/hr, right?’<o:p></o:p></span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">‘Sure’, you agree.<o:p></o:p></span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">‘After three weeks, you can run 7% faster
at 12.25 km/hr?’<o:p></o:p></span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">‘Sure’.<o:p></o:p></span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The coach promises that you can run 7%
faster than last week every week. In this way, it will take 18 months to break
the spead of sound. Awesome!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The coach approached the sponsors and
display encouraging charts, supported by descent logic. Picture is rosy so
sponsors are ready to pay money and training starts. In phase 1, you ran 7%
faster, sponsors are happy, and all is going well as per the plan.<o:p></o:p></span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5659005110743209615" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5659005110743209615" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5659005110743209615" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5659005110743209615" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5659005110743209615" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">In phase 2, you fail to run faster at same
growth then your coach puts you on steroids and you are able to run little
faster, say 3% or 4%. Bur in phase 3, you collapse.<o:p></o:p></span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5659005110743209615" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5659005110743209615" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5659005110743209615" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5659005110743209615" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5659005110743209615" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Here comes the explanations of the first
two curves; the first curve is the exponential curve, that is desired speed
(goes to infinity) and second curve is bell-shaped curve which is actual speed
(body). The concept (mind and desires) i.e exponential curve goes to infinity,
the same way we think about economic growth. We are convinced that our current
concept of infinite economic growth will keep the growth as it is. The reality
(body and resources) can be seen in bell-shaped curve which has start, rise,
peak, downfall and end. All natural resources including oil follow the
bell-shaped curve; we started using, increased production, reaches peak, slow
down production and finally finishes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTHD32B77_sD6tPstymPYzwL5aDEGJkZz0ETS1zv4eRfTiIEB9mgYE0oQ3gIkBDrq-kArv5Xp8ylUXgPYM_PMi277K8E4O8ZNzIAHgo9W3ASnb66jua9V4BFvo4oRktCqdxKNh_XFzB3I/s1600/III+curve+1.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTHD32B77_sD6tPstymPYzwL5aDEGJkZz0ETS1zv4eRfTiIEB9mgYE0oQ3gIkBDrq-kArv5Xp8ylUXgPYM_PMi277K8E4O8ZNzIAHgo9W3ASnb66jua9V4BFvo4oRktCqdxKNh_XFzB3I/s400/III+curve+1.PNG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5659005110743209615" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5659005110743209615" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5659005110743209615" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5659005110743209615" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5659005110743209615" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; text-align: justify;">Our demands from the nature follows the
exponential curve, isn’t it?. Can we afford to live without the idea of growth?
A big question for all of us.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We are positive people, sorry extremely
positive people filled with creativity so we find the alternatives, we think.
‘Oil Peak’ has always been the burning issue since early 90's but the truth of
the matter is oil production follow bell-shaped curve. Ever if the peak is
shifted, the decline is inevitable. Many of us or our children will face the
consequences of oil-depletion.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5659005110743209615" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5659005110743209615" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5659005110743209615" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5659005110743209615" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5659005110743209615" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">‘The third Curve’ nicely explains the
fragile financial system which sits on the idea of greed and desire of
ever-increasing economic growth. When historic money data is blended with oil
data then it clearly shows the exponential curve of money that all the
governments are producing. The historic oil data follows the half bell-shaped
curve. Experts say that we are at the Oil Peak and oil will be produced lesser and lesser in the coming future.<o:p></o:p></span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Just because to protect this economic
growth the current human generation has compromised everything; Natural Capital
(natural resources), Ecological Capital (forests, rivers and animal kingdom),
Social Capital (bond of family), Cultural Capital, Spiritual Capital (honesty,
trust and peace).<o:p></o:p></span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The third part of book check the
sustainability of the alternative sources of energy. Here alternative sources
are seen as ‘A Mirage of Hope’ which is elaborately explained with graphs and
ideas. All alternative sources (like wind, solar or nuclear) and ideas (like
technological advancement and energy conservation) have to be viewed in the
perspective that it is going to replace the oil, which is the backbone of the
current economic model. Alternates have to be very strong to take that place,
merely presenting the rosy picture of alternate ideas in some conferences do
not serve the purpose.<o:p></o:p></span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">For the same, the author tested all the
‘Hot Alternatives’ on five technical parameters which are called Energy Rules.
These are; Rule #1 Net Energy, Rule #2 Oil Dependency, Rule #3 Energy Density,
Rule #4 Scalability and Rule #5 Oil-by-Product.<o:p></o:p></span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Unfortunately none of the alternative
sources passed the test to replace oil. Let us understand with an example, if
we take Wind Energy, it fails Rule#2,4 and 5. Wind energy is intermittent, low
density, expensive, oil dependent, has limits of scalability and generates only
electricity. It is sorely dependent on Government subsidies for viability. It
can never keep the Modern Industrial World running the way it is on oil. Same is
with Nuclear energy, it fails Rule# 2 and 5.<o:p></o:p></span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">There is no escape unless we change the
concept of growth. This has been explained in the fourth part of the book which
is ‘The Third Curve’. The third curve is called ‘The Eternal Rhythm of the
Universe’. It synchronizes with the nature and its resources. It is not a
question of how much energy we can find and burn in an illusion of success and
progress, but is a question of how much we should.<o:p></o:p></span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The third curve of a living earth
faithfully follows the rhythm of our primary energy provider, the Sun. Reliably
it rises, peaks and ebbs only to rise again. Nothing going to the sky and
nothing going to the zero. We are reluctant to accept the truth, the author
says that we have two paths; denial or acceptance of Peak Oil.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The part through denial can certainly
extend our moment at the top but a chaotic collapse is certain. The path
through acceptance can immediately start a soother, longer and managed energy
descent, which involves re-alignment of our economic paradigm.<o:p></o:p></span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5659005110743209615" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5659005110743209615" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5659005110743209615" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5659005110743209615" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5659005110743209615" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Last and fifth part of the book focuses on
‘Rebuilding a post oil world’. In this modern industrial civilization, the
collective belief so far has been ‘big is beautiful, more is good,
individualism is prime etc.’ All this led to a particular kind of social
structure and lifestyle.<o:p></o:p></span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5659005110743209615" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5659005110743209615" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5659005110743209615" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5659005110743209615" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5659005110743209615" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Author urges that we now have to
believe personally that ‘small is beautiful, less is good, local is
important, community is strength and diversity is paramount.’ This amounts to a
huge shift in our cultural perspective. Not easy but then we are not talking
about ease, we are talking about what is likely to work in an energy declining
world.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The book is very inspiring and
captivating. You can certainly digest the heavy stuff with ease as author left
no stone unturned to keep its presentation precise. Coloured graphs, clear
diagrams and good quality pictures are augmenting the effect of the high
quality research work of Mansoor Khan.<o:p></o:p></span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5659005110743209615" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5659005110743209615" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5659005110743209615" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5659005110743209615" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5659005110743209615" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">By the way, Mansoor Khan is an alumni of
IIT Madras, Cornell University, and MIT, Boston. He started his career as
film-maker and made his directorial debut with Hindi film ‘<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qayamat_Se_Qayamat_Tak" title="Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak"><span style="color: black; text-decoration: none;">Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak</span></a>’ in 1988. His other
famous films are ‘Jo Jeeta Wahi Sikandar’, ‘Josh’ and ‘Akale Hum Akele Tum’. Hope you will enjoy reading this book.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><i>Key Words: False Money, Pseudo-Assets, Financial Jugglary and Proliferation effect.</i></span></div>
</div>
</div>
Rakeshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07221038933152086230noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5659005110743209615.post-84217394983814616652016-01-22T23:37:00.002-08:002016-01-23T00:31:28.949-08:00My 10-days in Vipassana Meditation Center<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG6nUEuM0vmhg2qJN673MKgT3_41h9TjUQsxVHVlT_ulr5z8aS9bimYU2qhXxmzWILy7GvUmwU2MWdG3GdkjixcTE-4MynD45G6FAPy1ueXJKpAc9q_dPypXFYtVDmqWz3QFSHvkDFT0w/s1600/Vipassana+Meditation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG6nUEuM0vmhg2qJN673MKgT3_41h9TjUQsxVHVlT_ulr5z8aS9bimYU2qhXxmzWILy7GvUmwU2MWdG3GdkjixcTE-4MynD45G6FAPy1ueXJKpAc9q_dPypXFYtVDmqWz3QFSHvkDFT0w/s1600/Vipassana+Meditation.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="text-align: justify;">We do claim to know many things, in fact everything, in our
life. Though, we know a lot many things we do not realize them. For example,
you can hear an advice on ‘how to invest in stocks’ form the one who never
invested a penny in stock market. Our most problems starts when we convince ourselves
that we know but in reality we don’t know, we never realize. One such thing is
meditation. There comes a time in everybody’s life when we want to move forward
from knowing and understanding to experiencing and realizing. ‘Focused-mind can
solve your problems of life and you can focus your mind through meditation’, I learned
from many masters in their fields. Motivated by some you-tube guided meditation
techniques, I decided to learn this art from Vipassana Meditation Center, which
is also called ‘</span><i style="text-align: justify;">Dhamma Khetta</i><span style="text-align: justify;">’. Best
things in this world are free or at very less cost. You can register online and
ten days stay is absolutely free including food.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
On the way to the center, I asked an old uncle the way to Dhamma
Center, he guided by giving directions and said ‘You are going to a great place
and All The Best’. Great place I am going, I knew that but why he said ‘All the
Best’. Did not bother. Reached the place, after registration, all are supposed
to be interviewed by the teacher. He asked me some simple questions like what I
do, medical history and all. ‘Do you have the will power to stay here for ten
days’ he continued asking. ‘Of course’, I said. ‘I came here after taking ten
days leave from my company; I dedicated these days to meditate to live a
peaceful life’, I thought. ‘All the best’, said the teacher and I move to my 8
feet by 10 feet room which I had to share with one person.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Life-At-Halt</span><o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
It was as your life was moving like high-speed train
suddenly stopped at rest. There were certain rules we had to follow. You are
not allowed to bring you phones, tabs, laptops, reading or writing material with
you in the room. You have to stay inside the boundaries where it is written ‘practitioners
are not allowed to move out of this boundary’. You cannot speak with anyone,
only on a rare occasion you can speak with the supporting staff, called
‘<i>Sevaks</i>’. No hand shakings, no
greetings and you cannot look into anybody’s eyes. They do all this to maintain
‘<i>Arya Maun’</i>, which means ‘complete
silence’; outside and inside environment.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
They serve breakfast at 6:30AM, lunch at 11:30AM and guess
what would be the timings for the dinner. There will be no dinner. Only evening
tea with pop-corns will be served at 5:00PM. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Sudden restrictions on the way I was living created a
feeling of anxiety. The statement ‘All the best’ flashed in my mind. This was the
first realization. On the name of freedom we become too dependent on the amenities of life. The way we discuss peace and meditation in cozy environment is very different
from the reality.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b>All Is In The Mind<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Doors are closed now, I can’t go outside, can’t share anything with anyone, can’t read or
write. It was first day and my mind was clouded with all the negative thoughts.
‘What will happen if I fell ill, will they provide medicine, how can I live
without dinner, food is the basic necessity, they should provide dinner, how
will my family members contact with me if they have any problem, Oh my god! my interview
call is scheduled next week and I did not intimate them…’. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Suddenly we were called for evening tea. I walked fast to be
first in the queue to get my share. As it was first day they decided to provide
<i>Upma</i> which made me very happy. I ate
double the quantity I normally eat as there would not be any dinner. Many times
our body compensates for the stupid and anxious thought of our mind, so did my
body. I had stomach upset that whole night. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
We got the schedule for the following days where we need to
meditate for ten hours per day for next nine days without fail. I need to get
up 4 o’clock in the morning, meditate in different stretches whole day until 9
o’clock in the night. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
With stomach upset and anxious feeling, I thought if I did
mistake coming here? I could bear many things but ‘no-dinner’ was highly
un-nerving thought which I never practiced earlier. I had no option but to go
with this. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
On day 2, there was only tea and pop-corn in the evening but
I did not eat much taking experience from the previous day. That night was
relaxing. On day 3, eating food in small quantity was normal to me. I had no
anxiety of not getting anything to eat at night. That was second realization, ‘Everything
is in the mind’. The same ‘me’ two days back was feeling all the troubles of the
world and the same ‘me’ in same conditions is calm now. Not sure what worked on
me but I felt, when all doors of alternatives are closed and you have only one
option, your mind will get convinced; you become peaceful.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b>Adhishtana – The Practice to Increase Will-Power<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
All are required to meditate for 10-hours per day but my
favourite practice session was ‘<i>Adhisthana’</i>
, the practice to increase will power. You need to sit in a position, without
any movement, for an-hour. Though you can sit for some-time without movement but
when you are told that you have to sit still, your mind starts to
struggle against your will. Even 15-minutes of a sitting becomes difficult. Our mind does not want to be controlled; it revolts when you ask him to work as per
your will. Enormous back pain, stopped blood circulation, itching everywhere in
body, headache etc. are some of the symptoms of inner revolt. That was most
difficult exercise throughout the course.<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
But you have no option, your teacher is observing, you have
to sit. All mental revolts come to an end when we persist with single objective
of the mind. There I realized the importance of teacher. If you have somebody
to teach and observe your activities you can master anything.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Everyone was able to perform this activity by the end of
course. It would not have been possible if there was no teacher to observe.
Forced-discipline is required for sufficient time before the mind is ready to
be ‘self-disciplined’.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b>My Pajamas was missing
<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
A funny and very insightful incidence happened on the fifth
day. If you are not washing your clothes by yourself you can give it to washer
man who returns them on the following day. But that morning I could not find my
pajamas at the place where we are supposed to get our clothes. There was no one
to ask. I searched it everywhere but could not find. I was angry. ‘How can they
do this, this is irresponsibility from their part, they should have told to bring
one extra pair… blah..blah..blah..’. My mind was constructing thoughts at the
highest speed possible. All inner-silence is gone now. The most urgent task for
my mind was to get my pajamas and find someone who I can make responsible for
this missing.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
After an hour of effort, I moved a step back and asked myself ‘has
this been so important that took all my peace’. Many times we give all our
mental energy to the least important thing in our life. The more you try to
forget the more it comes back. That is the favourite play of mind, ‘brooding
the disturbing thought’. And the solution is ‘to observe’. The thought ‘my
pajamas is missing’ kept coming whole that day but I started observing rather
that reacting. I kept asking myself ‘Pajamas or Peace’. The thought became
feeble at night. It was a day of great learning and realization. How deeply we
are attached with petty thing in our life and we are ready to give all our
energy to get them.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b>The Last Day<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
We were allowed to speak on the tenth day. There were people
from all walks of life; students, bureaucrats, professionals, executives, entrepreneurs
etc. Also, I found there were a few people who quit during the course, not sure
why. I cannot explain their teachings and philosophy but I can say that I learned
some hard lessons which would not have been possible in normal course of life.</div>
</div>
Rakeshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07221038933152086230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5659005110743209615.post-59243540117468273572015-11-13T05:38:00.003-08:002015-11-15T22:07:12.920-08:00Joined New Organization? Some Dos and Don’ts<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
The dynamic corporate world reduced the average staying
period of an employee in any organization. According to US Bureau of Labor
Statistics, the median number of years that an employee had been with their current
employer was 4.7 years in 2014. People need to switch companies, industries,
profiles due to a number of reasons. Dissatisfaction in current role (due to
“NOT GOOD” manager or politics in the team etc.), lesser growth opportunities
in present organization, better available profiles and compensation are most common professional reasons. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
For a period of a month or two, the time is very crucial for
every new joiner in the organization. It can be very stressful if not properly
managed. You saw all ‘the greens’ in this organization while accepting the
offer letter but now you may see it’s not that green. You can learn to adapt to
an unfamiliar work culture. Every action or move you make has a consequence,
especially when you are new. You can follow some dos and don’ts to make a
smooth transitioning.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b>Do: Create support
system<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Initial few days are very important to lay the foundation of
getting the things done you need. You need to understand how to get help from
HR, IT, Operation, transport and see how it works. How much time they usually
take to resolve any issue. May be, your previous company’s HR or IT are more
responsive than the current one. You need to observe and understand rather than
to frustrate and making a lot of escalation. If you don’t understand the
support system of the company, it will take a lot of energy to struggle with
them all. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b>Do: Accept change and
try to understand the culture</b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
You expect a lot of good things in the new organization, in
fact all the good things, but you may get many surprises. People are usually
averse to change. Some don’t even want to change their desk. Each company has
its own culture; some are conservative while others may be open. You can
approach senior leaders directly in some organizations whereas other may follow
strict hierarchical structure to approach leaders. You need to modulate your
current working style as per the new requirements. Accept change and understand
the values and culture by ‘Observation’ and avoiding reactions.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b>Don’t:</b> <b>Haste in understanding the business</b> <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Never haste in understanding the business, especially with the
big organization. Take time to understand the flow of business. Concentrate on
your specific deliverables first, later relate it with the business. People
join, try to swallow everything all of a sudden, fail and quit, and finally
satisfied with their due tasks. It’s most important to understand thoroughly
the business, the model of operations, your department connection with overall
model and how your process connects with the departmental goals. More
importantly, how products, services, projects and programs are translated into
data. And this does take time. Due to
the complexities of the processes, everything is not documented in most of the
organization. You should not surprise when you find things are much unorganized
as this is the nature of the dynamic business. One high level movement can
change the whole strategy. I do remember when it happened in one of my
organizations. Consequently, everything has to change. Keeping the track and
documentation of everything is the greatest challenge of every manager. Old SOP
(Standard Operating Procedure) documents hardly serve the purpose for the new
comer. So, BE PATIENT AND CONSISTENT in the process of understanding working
model.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b>Do: Networking <o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Create rich and wide network within and outside your department.
Go and meet the people, don’t wait for the people to come and greet you. Have
casual conversations with them. In time, you’ll see who’s trustworthy enough
for you to share more about yourself, your strategies and your future plans. Be
friendly and polite to everyone. People inside the company can tell you a lot about
the company that you will not find on your intranet portals. People are living
SOP’s, they know better than you do, they can guide you how things work here,
how to approach leaders if require. Join at least one company’s social group
that will help you in embracing the culture.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b>Don’t: Go with the
perception of the people<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Though networking is very important, you have to be very
cautious while listening to the people about the company. On the second day of
my joining in one of the big multinational, a highly dissatisfied person asked
me why I joined this company. He saw no growth but poor working environment
around, which was incorrect. Refrain from joining the rumour-monger crew before
you become a victim yourself. They try to teach you what they believe about the
leaders, departments, culture and growth opportunities. You have no option but
to listen everything during your initial days, though you can filter out the
good advises later on.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b>Don’t: Brag about
your old company. <o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
One of my old colleague used to say “… you know, this never
happened in my 5.4 years of experience in last company”. Grass is always
greener on other side. Avoid unfair comparisons.
That may be a big obstruction while networking with the people. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
You can manage if you plan. Keep an open mind and avoid
being judgmental. When you are new to the job, people have the tendency to
judge you based on the kind of behaviors you show at the initial stage. Reflect
what you are, what you like and what you dislike. Few initial proactive steps
can ensure the smooth ride where you can avoid a lot of energy-loss that is
most important to bring the innovation and creativity into the work.</div>
</div>
Rakeshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07221038933152086230noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5659005110743209615.post-49455515250444663312015-08-22T03:16:00.002-07:002015-08-22T03:32:17.342-07:00Micro-Management Kills<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
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Micro-Management is the signal saying 'you are incapable
of holding the responsibilities so we kept you held accountable for what you
do'. It kills innovation. Innovation, which is the key to creep-out from
competition. Control-obsessed managers ruin their colleagues' confidence, hurt
their performance, and frustrate them to the point where they quit. Respecting
individual’s thoughts are pre-requisite of inclusion and independence.<o:p></o:p></div>
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When companies proudly says their professional are extremely
talented, it’s better to believe in their talent. Professionals need to know
what to do, NOT how to do. Under micro management, often professional become
diffident, mechanical, unmotivated and possibly ever paralysed. Let the people
do what they are hired for. Effective managers don’t hire people who are cloned
to themselves. They hire people who are supplement to their skills to enhance
the quality of deliverables. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Varied numbers of situations where micro management is
preferred ranges from managers’ controlling mindset to employer’s inefficiency.
The gap need to be filled between the managers of high experience and resources
with relatively low experience. Trust your employees and provide them resources
required to do their jobs quickly and efficiently.<o:p></o:p></div>
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A new manager received a challenging task from the top management
where deliverables needed to be sent to leadership. This task was once failed
from one of the professional who worked independently on this project. So
providing freedom to another professional was a matter of great risk. This
manager analysed the causes of failure. Though, the professional was skilful and
motivated there were lack of clear goals, improper communication with management
and ineffective interaction with the other stakeholders of the deliverable. Had
it been micro managed the project would be successful? No! If it had been
controlled by the delivery manager, who is incapable of understanding the technicalities
of the project, the professional won’t be able to stretch his skills. So
controlled environment was not the answer however focus was required. <o:p></o:p></div>
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With a handful of key notes and few results, the manager
decided run the project through a professional who is capable of delivering the
project with required quality. The <b>goals
were set clearly</b> with the feasible timelines after open discussion with the
professional. The project was started and it was the time to encourage the
employee. How this can be done? Open talk? Visiting his/her desk often? NO. <b>Listen </b>and encourage opinions. Opinions
may not be correct but direct rejection may obstruct the flow of creativity of
the employee. Employees are closest to a lot of the work being done, so
carefully consider their suggestions about how to run things. Ask question
positively. This will ensure the feeling of trust which is the best way to
build healthier relationship.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Second step the manager applied was to provide the necessary <b>Resources</b> required for the completion
of the project. Third and last tool was <b>Transparency
and Inclusion</b>, NOT just communication. Transparency is required to understand
the big picture of the department or organization at large. Help the employee
to understand this big picture. The idea is, there should not be more than one
versions of requirements from the stakeholders and what is shared with employee.
It’s only inspire inclusion but also it will induce the sense of responsibility
in the employees. Pushing employees to the activities in which they are not
good at, is not a good strategy of inclusion. But empower them in something
they are good at, is true inclusion.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Motivated employee and visionary manager can deliver any
project on time with superior quality, so did the above duo. <b><i>When micro-management is the answer to any question better rephrase the question.</i></b><o:p></o:p></div>
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Rakeshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07221038933152086230noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5659005110743209615.post-23893621235264196472015-05-05T12:06:00.002-07:002015-05-05T22:46:25.734-07:00Book Review: PROFILE OF THE PERFECT PERSON: Based on The Bhagavad Gita Chapter II<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Author: JAYA ROW<o:p></o:p></div>
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Publisher: JAICO<o:p></o:p></div>
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In an attempt to achieve excellence in all spheres of life
we rely on religious or spiritual scriptures which are based on undeniable natural
truths. The Bhagavad Gita is more about the proven guidelines to live
successfully and happily in modern world than a religious text. “PROFILE OF THE
PERFECT PERSON” explores verses 56 to verses 72 of Chapter II which outlines the
basis of a perfect person. Smt. Jaya
Row, a commentator of Vedic philosophy, demystifies the versus in common
language with perfect analogy and examples.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The Author asks why we are so bored with everything around
us. It is because the essential ingredient is missing from our life. Bhagavad Gita is the most important ingredient of life, SALT OF LIFE. Trying to live without
Gita teachings is like eating food without salt. The world today is like an
enormous ocean with daunting waves. If we wait for the waves to subside we will
be waiting forever. Instead we learn to surf them, the experience become
enjoyable. In fact the more formidable the waves, the greater the thrill! We
need to master the technique of riding the challenges, the world throws at us
instead of buckling under pressure. And the first step is knowing ourselves.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Our personality is composed of four entities. The body is
our outer layer which receives stimuli from the world and responds to them by
way of actions. The mind is the home of emotions and feelings it generates love
and hate, creates whims and fancies and function on impulses. Third parts is
intellect, which differentiates between pairs of opposites (good or bad, correct or incorrect), it is the abode of
rationality, analysis and judgement. Spirit is the fourth entity, referred to as
Atman – is your true self. It breathes life into lifeless body, mind and
intellect.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The mind is just a flow of
thoughts that grabs at instant joy. It is incapable of discerning what is in
our long-term interest and what is not. It is the intellect that can set aside
the lure of immediate joys and guide us to deferred gratification.<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
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Bhagavad Gita is about tapping the full potential of human
being and the source of unlimited happiness. This book elaborates the happiness
at 4 levels. Physical level or body level happiness can be achieved by
sense-gratification. Our senses (eye, ear, tongue, nose and touch) are attached
with their desires and we spend our whole life in satisfying our senses. Are we
happy by the satisfying our senses? It is momentary, it is a trap and lowest level
of existence. Second level of happiness, which is above the physical level, is
emotional level. We have no worth of physical pleasure when we pursue emotional
happiness. Strong emotional reasons overpowers the physical conditions. Many
sportsmen have proven this in different arenas where emotions played a vital
role. Intellectual level drive is the one level above emotional level. If you
are driven by an intellectual idea you have access to far greater reserve of
energy and vitality than you ever imagined. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The last and highest level of satisfaction is spirit level,
the state of realization. When you can touch or access the innermost source
then there is no desire left, everything is infinite at this stage. This is the highest goal of every human
being. Moving above the level is the gradual and systematic process which is
governed by Yoga. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Chapter II of Bhagavad Gita explains the highest level of
perfection in human being. The perfect person is said to be ‘<i>sthitaprajana’</i> means ‘one established in
wisdom’. In Verses 56-59, Lord Krishna expounds on the definition with greater
descriptive clarity. Verse 60 is about how the powerful senses attack the mind and
lead it astray. In verses 61 to 66 Krishna gives the pivotal role of the
intellect. In 67 it says that the mind which has been misled by the senses
drags the intellect away. Verse 68 says only the person who has controlled the
senses qualifies be a ‘<i>sthitaprajana’.</i><o:p></o:p></div>
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Second part of the book enlightens the path to be <i>sthitaprajana. </i>A person of steady wisdom
is one who totally abandons all desires from the mind which sounds frightening
to us. Desire is the function of mind. One can achieve the state of no desire
when one has access to his own infinite status, everything else pales into
insignificance. When you are captivated by a higher interest your previous
desires fade away. Spiritual evolution must be gradual. When you are full of
desires you cannot suddenly drop them. In fact you cannot drop desires at all. What
you can do is learn to appreciate something of greater values. Something more fulfilling
then you are engaged right now. Fear and anger are aberrations of desire. When you
are free from desire you are automatically free from fear and anger. The Gita
gives us the formula of happiness.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Happiness = Number of
Desires Actualized/Number of Desires Harboured<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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The happiness quotient can be increased either by increasing
the number of achievements or decrease in the number of unfulfilled desires.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The language is very simple, precise and honest. It is meant
to be thought-provoking and inspiring. The whole book is sprinkled with particle
ideas and is exhaustive on the subject. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Rakeshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07221038933152086230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5659005110743209615.post-23164024260032297192014-11-08T12:07:00.003-08:002015-09-01T07:22:14.072-07:00Book Review: Power Of The Best<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Authors: Peter Brown and John
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Publisher: Portfolio Penguin<o:p></o:p></div>
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“Canada’s ‘Best Managed Companies’
program began in early 1990’s, when plants closing and job losses were the order
of the day” writes John Hughes and Peter Brown, authors of this book. Peter
Brown National Co-Leader, Best Managed at Deloitte and John Hughes was leader in Greater Toronto Growth Enterprise practice for Deloitte. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Tough times crushes the majority
but paves the path for the ‘real toughs’ to show their character and stand
still and move forward. Best Managed Companies program is sponsored by
Deloitte, the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC), the National Post and
Queen’s school of Business. The program aims to build the network of
exceptional Canadian businesses so they could help one another succeed.
Candidates are evaluated each year on how they address key challenges which comes
under: Strategy, Capability & Commitment.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Peter Brown & John Hughes’s
first book ‘Building the Best’ was focused on growth, strategy, capability and
commitment. Power Of The Best deals with twelve themes, explained in twelve
chapters, the authors have seen over the past twenty years. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Strategies are not aliens to the
organization but some successful companies designs them not just the better way but
creates the ‘Blue Ocean’ (<i>Blue Ocean </i>states
<i>above the competition</i>) out of it, as shown by Great Western Breweries in chapter one
titled ‘Strategy: Brewing Up A Winning Formula For Marketplace Success. The
strategic plans do not always work out as planned. Companies that embark on
them need to be alert and nimble enough to recognize when market conditions
have changed. It’s the responsibility of the leadership to convey the need for
the commitment and to provide the tools and structures necessary to achieve it.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The second chapter deals with the
innovative concept of leadership. Leadership in business is seen as a purview
of individuals, charismatic personalities leading thousands of people.
Leadership in Canada’s Best Managed companies is dedicated to minimizing
hierarchy even to the inverting pyramid (often called Collective Leadership) so
that employees understood they have the power to lead without waiting senior
management to show the way. The author explains, economic uncertainties, new
technology, greater regulatory scrutiny and global competition are demanding
more responsive operations. It’s more gratifying and more profitable to lead a
group of collaborators rather than the group of followers. The companies in this chapter vary enormously in size, but trier essential leadership philosophy is
the same. Leaders do more than issue orders. They need to be supported by
talent in decision and that’s where ‘Collective Leadership’ lies.</div>
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You can’t step into reading the
third chapter without getting impressed with the title of the chapter, Branding
and Marketing: Making the product an experience, not a thing. A brand is more
than a logo, a trademark, or a bottle of pop on a supermarket shelf, speaks
author. A brand is not something that can be papered over by an organization with
clever slogans or advertising. It reflects the authentic value of the
enterprise to the clients. The clients perception of brand must align with the
company’s self-perception if the brand is to have true value. This chapter explores the brand strategy of
three B2C (business to customer) companies and one B2B (Business to Business) company. Fountain Tire,
Goodlife Fitness and Harley Davidson are associated directly with their
customers so they can check the quality
of experience of their customer at different levels. “We draw a direct line
between customer experience & profitability”, Harley Davidson says. While
operating B2C or B2B many of its strategies for marketing are different but
essential theories of building, maintaining & marketing a strong brand is
no different.</div>
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The chapters like funding growth
gives an insight into the innovative solution to feed fund requirements of the company’s
unique business model of OMERS private equity bridged the gap between pension fund
safe investment requirements and fund-deficit organizations.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Mergers & Acquisitions
(M&As) are required to increase capabilities, capacities and to expand in the
new areas of businesses. Niagara Group, providing mechanical contracting services
focused on plumbing and piping, acquires Golan Mechanical to provide total
mechanical package. Acquisitions are not the matters of spreadsheets but a lot
about integrating the cultures. Good culture match is important. Edmonton-based
Supreme Group shared ‘2011 Engineering Award’ from Canadian Institute of Steel
Construction (CISC) of ‘<i>The Bow</i>’, 58-storey tower. Supreme Group has not only
relied on acquisitions to increase its competitiveness, it undertook many
projects through Joint-Ventures.<o:p></o:p></div>
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When somebody speaks of
innovation in business we invariable think about technology, hardware, patents
and new product breakthrough. Seventh chapter not only talks about the
companies that have excelled through the introduction of innovative products
but also bring new ideas to market that require as much innovation as
innovation themselves.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Burnbrae Farms Ltd. is a
remarkable story of innovation which once was family business but today it
presides over largest integrated supplies in Canada, selling over 35% of the
shell eggs and over 80% of retail liquid egg products. More than 300 egg
producers reach the market through Burnbrae’s grading station. Cactus Club has
changed the casual dining experience and it has nothing to do with engineering
breakthrough. Technology can be an important aspect of innovation but it remains
a subject on its own, believes author.<o:p></o:p></div>
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To be the best is to do the best
and that’s where sustainability comes. Sustainability too often is seen as a
corporate luxury, a feel-good option located well beyond the business plan. But
the president of DIRTT (Do It Right This
Time) says ‘If being green or sustainable costs more money, then that solution
is not sustainable itself’. DIRTT founder, Mogens Smed, earned 2010 Product
Prize from American Society of Interior Design for his contribution to the
advancement of desing. Such out-of-the-box approach towards sustainability made
DIRTT to be listed in Best Managed list. Steam Whistle with Bullfrog Power
powered its Roundhouse brewery in Toronto with zero carbon emission, drawing electricity
only from wind farms and low impact hydro generation. For many companies that
are embracing sustainability, a “green” ethos is good business because
customers respond positively to it.<o:p></o:p></div>
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All local and global brands are
switching gears to attract and retain talent, suggests chapter ten, which depicts
the story of four of Best Managed companies that faced unique challenges in
attracting and retaining workforce talent and have applied their own solution
to great effect. Great Little Box company’s talent retaining strategy comes
down to <i>not how to attract but who to attract</i>. And then throwing plenty of
social events as employees spent their maximum awaking time with their colleagues.
A broad basket of compensation, fresh fruit every day, BMI (Body-Mass-Index)
contest, getting paid to quit smoking, 24X7 fitness centre where you can bring
a friend on weekends, own vegetable garden, take part in golf tournament and so
on won’t make anybody to think about changing the company. Another interesting
example is form Brock Solution from Ontario. The company embraces ‘Lattice
Model’ in which hierarchy into different assignments and challenges, developing
new skill sets along the way. Instead of strict vertical model of increasing
seniority, a lattice environment seeks to deliver growth for an employee with multi-directional
movement. One project, an employee might be a technical lead and on another
that person might be a project manager.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The companies profiling inspire all
entrepreneurs who resolve to turn challenges into opportunities. The book talks
about the success stories of the scores of companies and many Canadian Business
Leaders that make it an indispensable book-must-read for all entrepreneurs,
business leaders and those you aspires to become business leaders. </div>
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Rakeshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07221038933152086230noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5659005110743209615.post-4828899840651581342014-04-05T22:42:00.000-07:002014-04-06T02:52:10.348-07:00Who is at Fault?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<i>Fiction:<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
I could only see a textbox on my computer screen in which I
was typing my roll number. I was preparing for this day for last one year. I
was holding a storm of anxiety inside me; butterflies were flying in my
stomach. If I could not get through then my current life-at-halt would start
drifting backward. My life was at halt after I completed my engineering. My
college was among one of the colleges in the country that gives you the degree
and prepared you to stand in the never-ending queue of frustrated unemployed
youths. These colleges push students in some ‘Big-City’ of rat-race where
they learn, how difficult is to exist in this world.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
A year back I decided to achieve success on my terms and
choose to prepare for Master’s degree entrance test rather than to search job
in those ‘Big-Cities’. But it was not sufficient, I had to compete 20 million
engineers of the country and the probability to succeed was less than 1%. If I
study day and night then I could increase tsome probability but no surety. It was
a great risk, I did not have any alternate
but to choose that, as million do the same each year.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
I typed 3245263, which was my roll number, in the textbox
and pressed enter to see the result. I could hear my heart beat as I was
sitting on the mountain of expectations. I did not know what would I do if I do
not get selected. My two friends, Amar and Vaibhav, also decided to take the same risk as I did.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
We shared room in the college hostel and a common interest
that is, Love for Science. Amar’s father was a doctor in a government hospital
but he never asked Amar to follow the tradition and become the doctor. Vaibhav
had a family retail business and his family wanted Vaibhav to be a great engineer.
Vaibhav and Amar were also from a small town like me where ‘First-Class-First’
was never less than to be like great engineers like Abdul Kalam. Amar was always
excited to do anything and his excitement was his greatest strength and enemy
as well. He was called as the calculator of the class as he played with numbers
like toys. Vaibhav was calm and composed, he had his own world. He could design
the most complex circuits in our Labs. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
None of us could get the campus-placement. In fact, only
five students got placed out of a batch of one hundred and twenty. Some
self-acclaimed ‘Experts’ says that these students got other skills with technical skills but I would say that only one student can be selected out of every twenty four students or four students in hundred students. Other have to
join the rat-race in some form or other. We heard that IIT’s have 100%
placements so we thought to prepare for IIT’s. Later we came to know that the
probability of getting into the IIT’s is less than 1%. Filled with motivation
or perhaps we did not have any choice, we resolve to crack the GATE exam.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Today, we are going to get the result of our decision that
we took a year back. The display was delayed on the computer screed due to the
heavy traffic at that time. With every second I could visualize all the
hard-work I put last year. All work could go in vain. I was not powerful even
after being an engineer, I was feeling helpless. I failed to understand ‘Whose
Fault Is was?’<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Whether I am a good engineer or bad engineer does not depends
on if I am a good engineer or not, but all depends on the performance of other
candidates. I was told to do competition with yourself but life is showing
everything is relative. If you are getting 90% marks in the class, which you
have never got in past, and the average marks of class is 92% then you are not
good. Hell with the creativity and all forms of education that does not
guarantee more marks. My main objective was not to get good marks but more
marks than other students. And I got the best strategy for that; suck more and
more days and nights and vomit on the answer sheet as much as you can. Try to
use the slip to vomit more that I prepared last night. In a nutshell, I had to
get more marks than others. My question remains same ‘Who Is At Fault?’<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
The screen refreshed this time and could read two numbers,
253 and 74. First numbers was my all India rank and other was my score. There
were all darkness of happiness in front of my eyes and I could not understand
that how could I express my happiness. I picked-up my phone and called my
brother, his works were encouraging, as always. I informed mom, dad and my
sister about this great success. But nothing was greater than
‘First-Class-First’ for my mom. She only said her favorite line ‘The one who
works hard never get defeated’. There were two more persons who did the hard
work; my two friends. After an hour of celebrations, I phoned Vaibhv. The phone
ranged five to six times and I disconnected it as I was impatient to know their
results quickly. I called Amar, he picked up the phone, in the dull voice he
said “My rank is 2500, buddy”. It meant that admission in IIT’s was extremely difficult,
if not impossible. As a newly-turned-expert I said “ Don’t worry brother, many
students don’t take admissions as they choose to go for PSU’s, you will get the
admission, I am sure”. Inside I knew that it was impossible. I was just lucky
if I compare myself with my both friends. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
“What about Vaibhav?” I asked. “I’ll let you know when I reach
the flat” he said. “He must be sleeping, as he watched movies last night”.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
I got three messaged in a row from Ankita, Anubhav and
Priya, all were my classmates. Same message in different words “Congratulations”.
I was so excited that I wanted to take the admission at this moment only. I
will be getting IIT Kanpur at this rank as per the last year’s records.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
My phone beeped again. “Some congrats message”, I thought.
But this time the message was from Amar. I read the three-words message and I felt
like somebody pushed me back very hard. I fell down on the nearby sofa. Those
three words were “He hanged himself”. I struggled to find out his roll number
which I wrote in some of my notebook. It was written with pencil at the end and
I got it.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
I inserted the number in my computer and saw Vaibhav’s rank
was 22,000 and score was 32. “It is impossible”, I said to myself. But the
truth is in front of me. And again the question came “Who is at Fault?.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
Rakeshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07221038933152086230noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5659005110743209615.post-12156393396608921692014-02-24T22:48:00.000-08:002014-02-24T23:11:46.044-08:00Book Review: Talent Is Overrated: What Really Separates World-Class Performers from Everybody Else<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Author: Geoff Colvin<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Publisher: The Penguin Group<o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="text-align: justify;">MyRating: 5/5</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjORYW801U8acw8bGK0tc9hTgCKu5oJhfr4lbrjNNeThTG-R18NGxaAmoKa9m8NPS_sn7DWq62fAQd5sE3v6vY_2rhmqBklxzKwVRbEOKTYJ7e1mLi9zJGTp1L2DkoN8FYiaHk5n9NwvTk/s1600/Talent+is+overrated.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjORYW801U8acw8bGK0tc9hTgCKu5oJhfr4lbrjNNeThTG-R18NGxaAmoKa9m8NPS_sn7DWq62fAQd5sE3v6vY_2rhmqBklxzKwVRbEOKTYJ7e1mLi9zJGTp1L2DkoN8FYiaHk5n9NwvTk/s1600/Talent+is+overrated.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
‘Talent Is Overrated’ is not another book in the volumes of ‘Performance
Improvement Tips’ that fills you with motivation while reading and then pushes
you into the black-hole of repentance when facing real life situations.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
It would not be exaggeration if I call this book as ‘research
paper’ aiming to present the available facts in easiest words possible. This
book is an inside story of all the great achievers of the world; be it an
organization or an individual.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The world often mesmerizes with the great shots of Tiger
Woods in golf arena. They praises it as god’s gift or hard work without
realizing that fact that his father made him to sit and watch him hitting shots
hours after hours when he was only seven months old. The author claims that
there is nothing like ‘natural talent’ or ‘hard work’ that makes any performer
as best performer but it is the ‘Deliberate Practice’.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
The author, Geoff Colvin, is the senior editor at Fortune.
He is the lead moderator for the Fortune Global Forum and he co-anchored ‘Wall
Street Week’ on PBS for three years. According to the author, both the hard
work and natural talent camps are wrong. What really makes all the difference
is a highly specific kind of effort that few of us pursue when we are
practicing golf, pianos or stockpiling. This book shares the secret of
extraordinary performances and how to apply these principles to our lives and
work.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
The book is divided into eleven chapters breaking the
all-prevailing myths. And explain the steps to deliberate practice. I fail to
find any assertion in the book that is not supported by any research and
example. Colvin explains deliberate practice is a large concept. It’s about: what
exactly need to be presented? Precisely how? Which specific skills or other
assets must be acquired?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Deliberate practice is very hard and in most cases it is ‘not
inherently enjoyable’, then why do some people put themselves through it day
after day for decades, while most do not? Where does the necessary passion come
from? The question has been answered in the last chapter ‘Where Does the
Passion Come From?’<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
The passion to put oneself into the deliberate practice
comes from intrinsic motivation. The intrinsically motivated state is conducive
to creativity, whereas extrinsically motivated state is detrimental. To explain
this author has used may illustrations, one of them is: ‘For most of the
mathematicians, the joy of discovering a new way of solving problem was more
important than a high test score or receiving good grade’.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
But not all the time extrinsic motivations that do not work.
It has been observed in many cases that extrinsic motivation stimulated
intrinsic motivation. Like, “if you don’t do your piano practice we’ll
sell the piano” or “If you do not go to swimming practice we’ll take you off
the team”. If the child truly didn't care about the piano or swimming these
threat wouldn't work but if he cares about them these threat will work for him.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Chapter five and six explains about what deliberate practice
is and isn't and how deliberate practice works. How can we apply it in our
lives and in organizations is addressed by section seven and eight in the book.
There are three models of practice; the music model, the chess model and the
sports model which can be applied in different arenas of practice. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
No question is left unanswered by the end of this book. It
is not that book that is entirely read in one deep breath. It is serious
intervention in the personal and organizational performance set-up. The book is
written in easy and racy (exciting and interesting) style. I recommend this
book to everyone who struggled to perform well and to those who are in the
field of training and development. <o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
Rakeshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07221038933152086230noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5659005110743209615.post-63773788594399875062014-02-05T23:25:00.002-08:002014-02-10T00:10:04.738-08:00Book Review: The Heart of Change<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Author: John P. Kotter <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Publisher: Harvard Business Review Press</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxWFBJIWURU0LbfgtRf_tnbZ1VbHfcyo2qp-vMhPxr2WQjm5vEz9VhBKRc2aLs_nLnrV7w_eSoP79wR_iKshfFhaoN8Z91Q55j4GCrX4raJ2gCMTJdVy0KdfPhyyAM_cwj5lqsBKjMc58/s1600/the-heart-of-change-book-cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxWFBJIWURU0LbfgtRf_tnbZ1VbHfcyo2qp-vMhPxr2WQjm5vEz9VhBKRc2aLs_nLnrV7w_eSoP79wR_iKshfFhaoN8Z91Q55j4GCrX4raJ2gCMTJdVy0KdfPhyyAM_cwj5lqsBKjMc58/s1600/the-heart-of-change-book-cover.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">MyRating: 4.8/5</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
Significantly changing the behavior of a single person can
be exceptionally difficult task. Changing 101, or 10,001 people can be a
herculean task. Yet organizations that are leaping into the future succeed at
doing just that.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Turbulence will never cease but winning organizations will
continue to deal with this fact by following certain steps of transformation.
The transformation means the adoption of new technologies, major strategic
shifts, process engineering, mergers and acquisitions, restructuring into
different sorts of business units, attempts to significantly improve innovation
and cultural change. To understand why some organizations are leaping into the
future more successfully than others, one need to see the flow if effective
large-scale change efforts. And this flow is often a set of eight steps that
few people handle well.</div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
The story of ‘The Heart of Change’ starts with the Author’s
first book ‘Leading Change’. Leading Change describes the eight steps people
follow to handle large-scale change for any transformation in the organization.
According to the author, a few questions were unanswered, especially about how
more specifically achieved what was described in that book. John Kotter, author
of this book, got the invitation from Deloitte Consulting to work on a
follow-up project by massive interviewing and to collect stories that could
help people me deeply understanding the eight-step formula. The Heart of Change
digs out the core problem people face in all of those steps and to successfully
deal with that problem.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
John Kotter is internationally regarded as the foremost
authority on the topic of leadership and change. Kotter is the Konosuke
Matsushita professor of Leadership, Emeritus at the Harvard Business School and
a graduate of MIT and Harvard. Most recently Kotter was involved in the
creation and co-founding of Kotter International. He has authored eighteen books,
twelve of them are bestsellers. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
This book is extending the scope of eight-step process by
explaining how they can be implemented using various case-studies from different
industries. Kotter’s main finding is that the core of matter is always about
changing the behavior of people and behavior change happens in highly
successful situations mostly by speaking to people’s feelings. So, See-Feel-Change
mechanism is more powerful than Analyse-Think-Change, asserts Kotter. The
pattern of Seeing-Feeling-Changing is applied in all steps to steer the emotions
of the people. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
The book is divided into eight chapters, each explaining the
proceeding steps of change, supported by convincing conclusion. The book has
been written in easy and racy style, full of zest and strong quality that would
make even a lay reader to sit-up and think. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
The first step contributes to the idea of creating <i>urgency</i> among relevant people. Too much complacency,
fear, anger, or all three can undermine change. A sense of urgency gets people off
the couch and ready to move which is succinctly explained though ‘The Videotape
of the Angry Customer’, a case. When employees watch the video of angry
customer, most employee were surprised, some became fearful, many find false
pride dropping a notch and a sense of urgency growing within them and they
start listening to the customer and management. Now they talked about the need
of change. When urgency turned up, in step two, the most successful change
agents pull together a <i>guiding team</i>
with the credibility, skills, connections, reputations, and formal authority
required to provide change leadership. This group learns to operate with trust
and emotional commitment. In the best cases, the guiding team creates sensible,
clear, simple uplifting <i>visions</i> and
set of strategies, this comes under step three. Detailed plans and budgets,
although necessary, are insufficient in large-scale change. A <i>vision</i> shows an end state where all the
plans and strategies will eventually take you. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Step four narrates the importance <i>Communication</i> of the vision and strategy, which is simple,
heartfelt messages sent through many unclogged channels. The goal is to induce
understanding, develop a gut-level commitment, and liberate more energy from a
critical mass of people. Step five is all about removing the key obstacles that
stop people from acting on the vision. People are <i>Empowered</i> with information and self-confidence to work for the
vision. In less successful situations, people are often left to fend for
themselves despite impediments all around. So frustration grows, and change is undermined.
Obstacles in the form of system barrier, barriers of the mind and information
barrier disempower people. The author cautions trying to remove all the
barriers at once. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
The most interesting and important step is <i>short-term wins</i>, which is step # six.
The wins are critical. They provide credibility, resources, and momentum to the
overall effort. Without sufficient wins that are visible, timely, unambiguous,
and meaningful to others, change efforts inevitably run into serious problems. Initial
wins consolidate early changes and that should not declare victory prematurely,
warns author in chapter seven. The most common problem at this stage is change
efforts is sagging urgency. Success becomes an albatross. “We’ve won”, people
say and you have problems reminiscent of those in step one. Finally, step eight
concludes the change process my <i>making
the change stick</i>. Change leader make change stick by nurturing a new
culture. A new change - develops through consistency of successful action over
a sufficient period of time. Appropriate promotions, skillful new employee
orientation, and events that engage the emotions can make a big difference.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Because the world is complex, some cases do not rigidly
follow the eight step flow, but the eight steps are basic pattern associated
with significant useful change. This book is not a textbook of management school
but a handbook for professional manager. It is the outcome of industrious
research and insightful results to make any large-scale-change a real and long
term success. <o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
Rakeshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07221038933152086230noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5659005110743209615.post-29153423707180112442014-01-18T20:43:00.001-08:002014-01-18T23:23:58.247-08:00Book Review: SUPERPOWER? The Amazing Race Between China’s Hare and India’s Tortoise<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6fXdkMScp-PK8pBAKW5EYT95NfEjvApgvbJtqYw7nW6JpvCaICObBhyphenhyphen-c9l4Q6Oi8KCHxljPwiTpAyB1u1s5-_qYuS7r0_RhjEnLNuH3CPqPMRwjHfJJjgLGC_zp6eBVdvQ9Je4Hgp0Y/s1600/Superpower+Raghav+bahl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6fXdkMScp-PK8pBAKW5EYT95NfEjvApgvbJtqYw7nW6JpvCaICObBhyphenhyphen-c9l4Q6Oi8KCHxljPwiTpAyB1u1s5-_qYuS7r0_RhjEnLNuH3CPqPMRwjHfJJjgLGC_zp6eBVdvQ9Je4Hgp0Y/s1600/Superpower+Raghav+bahl.jpg" /></a><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Author: Raghav Bahl<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Publisher: Penguin Group<o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">MyRating: 4.5/5</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span>
China’s growth story has always
been the fuel of discussion for opposition parties in India and for everyone
who chooses to criticize India’s way of growth. Undoubtedly, China’s hare is
far away than Indian tortoise when we compare the gigantic Chinese GDP with
India’s GDP. But comparing two countries on the basis of only one parameter
i.e. economic fundamentals is not quite apt when we are comparing these
contenders for the next superpower. The emergence of these two potential
neighboring superpowers came out from the ironic different paths of history
explains Raghav Bahl, the author of this book; “<i>SUPER POWER? The Amazing Race Between China’s Hare and India’s Tortoise</i>”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Raghav Bahl is the founder and
Editor-in-Chief of Network 18. He was hailed as the Global Leader of Tomorrow
by the World Economic Forum and selected by Ernest & Young as Entrepreneur
of the year for Business Transformation in 2007. The book starts with the
notion of doubt that prevailed long among the western countries about the
survival of India as the world’s largest democracy. But with the existence of universal
adult franchise (It is the right of all adult citizens to vote without any
discrimination), equal fundamental rights, a daringly free press, a genuinely
autonomous judiciary, a bustling entertainment and information society, a
strong English-speaking middle class, a high quality technological and
education infrastructure and the culture of liberal thoughts; the west could not
discount the contender-ship of India, like China, as a future super power.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
The book is comparing India and China on five parameters which are explained in five parts of the book; the race begins, geo-politics, entrepreneurs, consumers and English speakers, urbanization and infrastructure and social infrastructure. In the epilogue section, the author bets fifty-fifty on India and China stating the reasons for not underestimating India’s potential of growth and overestimating China’s capabilities. The book ends with answering the questions related with the future of India and China, which is supported by the experience of the author, not with any forecasting model. It makes this book more comprehensible and easy-to-read for anyone who wants to know the history and growth model of both the countries, without any technicality.<br />
<br />
Both India and China were giants
in the seventeenth and eighteenth century and accounted for 50 per cent of
world GDP in 1600. But two hundred years of colonial domination shrunk their
economies and political space on the globe. The British describe their rule as
one which ‘civilized’ India whereas China’s colonial history was far more turbulent
several rulers without a similar ‘institutional osmosis’. India attained
freedom in 1947 and Mao Zedong founded the People’s Republic of China at a
massive rally in Beijing. India became a parliamentary democracy and China became
a totalitarian state. Till 1978, both the hare and the tortoise were at the
starting line but hare had started it reforms at this time while tortoise didn’t
realize this till 1991, a decade later after China stared to leap in the race. Nearly
two and a half decades after hare has become a $5.9 trillion gorilla while tortoise
is a 1.6 trillion cub.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The robustness of the two models
was tested in 2008 during Leyman Brothers collapse. When whole world got panic India’s
stock market reacted the other way allowed its investor to short the stocks
while China, whose stock markets had not even been introduced the concept until
then, chose to go ahead with a trial experiment in short selling just a month
later. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When religion is the main force
behind geopolitics played by America, Britain, Saudi Arabia, Iran and other countries,
it is clearly not driving the geopolitical reflexes of India or China. But economic
ambition is. Raghav Bahl equalizes both India and China on geo-political
parameter. I think, he should also mention the effect of China’s ‘veto’ power
in United Nations in world’s geopolitics. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When George Soros (a well-known
investor) visited India in 2006, he said in his interview that the one word
that makes India far ahead of China is ‘Entrepreneurship’. China has over 2,000
listed companies and more than 80 percent of these are state-owned and India
has over 6,000 listed companies and over 95 percent are privately owned. The
demography of India is far more conducive to the India’s growth as compare to
China. By 2020, US could be short of 17 million people of working age, China 10
million, Japan 9 million and Russia 6 million. Only India will have a surplus
of 47 million people in the working age. If India can harness this population
then it could become the job exchange of the world. But if it fails to do that,
India could become the job graveyard, explains Raghav Bahl.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The sector where China made progress
by leaps and bounce is urbanization and infrastructure. China has become the
standard for India can be seen in the PM’s statement when he wishes to transform
Mumbai as the Shinghai of India. The author keenly studied the basis of this difference
which lies in the approach of both the governments. While Chinese mayors may be
accused of overreach, Indian Municipal leaders lacks ambition. China has added
20,000 km of railways tracks in last two decades and India done a 860 km in
same period. China’s rail investment was $133 billion in 2010, fourteen times
that of Indian railways. China has 18,000 km of coastline against India’s 7,500
km. China also has 1300 ports against India’s 200 making China a bigger
seafaring nation. In 2010 China has 960 GW of installed capacity, five times
more than India.<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
The race between China’s hare and
Indian tortoise will depend on the China’s not-yet-fully tested model of ‘escape
velocity’ and India’s classical and sustainable model of development. When
China is investing nearly half of its GDP in its factories and creating infrastructure,
India is struggling to hit the meagre targets in investment. Paul Krugman, a
Noble Laureate, explains that the answer will not be quite as simple as who is
investing more and growing faster today but a lot will depend on who has superior
innovation? Who has more entrepreneurship savvy? Who is expanding in intensely
competitive conditions?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
The growth potentials of the two
countries are measured on tangible and intangible abilities of India and China
but, I feel, Raghav Bahl should also have covered the available natural
resources in both the countries and their approach in acquiring the world’s
resources. The growth model of United States resides on its huge natural resource
base and their strategies in acquiring resources in other parts of the world.
If any country wants to achieve and maintain double digit or close to double
digit growth rate then the sustainability will largely depends on the fulfillment
of its energy requirements.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p> </o:p>The book has been praised by Anand Mahindra (VC & MD,
Mahindra and Mahindra), N.R Naraina Murthy (Chairman, Infosys), Mukesh Ambani (Chairman
and MD, Reliance Industries), Bimal Jalan (former governor RBI), K.V Kamath (Chairman,
ICICI) and many more authors, policy makers and entrepreneurs. I found the
complements from Mr. N.R Naraina Murthy are most apt in the description of this
book. He says ‘In his inimitable way, Raghav Bahl has painted very insightful
and highly data-rich perspective on the history and potential of India and
China. His powerful story-telling, backed with analytical research………..’.<br />
<br />
<span style="text-align: justify;">The author disclaims that he is not writing this book as academician or economist or policy maker so he recommends reading this book as a work of instruct, intuition and his experience. But I didn’t find any arguments or statement, given in the book, that is not supported by any data or available fact. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
Rakeshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07221038933152086230noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5659005110743209615.post-34418368489482860612014-01-12T21:34:00.003-08:002014-01-12T21:38:09.859-08:00Phones become smarter, people get dumber<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Big data, unfettered information, the ability to be in constant contact, and our growing reliance on technology are all conspiring to create a noisy traffic jam between us and our place of insight and peace. Call it an iParadox; our smartphones are actually blocking our path to wisdom.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Read Complete Article: </span><a href="http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/phones-become-smarter-people-get-dumber/article5571750.ece" style="background-color: white;">http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/phones-become-smarter-people-get-dumber/article5571750.ece</a></div>
</div>
Rakeshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07221038933152086230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5659005110743209615.post-38064802756892489082014-01-09T08:04:00.004-08:002014-01-09T23:37:20.643-08:00Election 2014: What Is There For A Common Man?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Year 2014 came with the promise of giving the chance to
choose the government for the next five years. People from all over the country
are more active and excited this time as compare to last election in 2009,
atleast on social media, as many of them wants to exercise their voting right.
The conventional political fight has become more interesting with the entry of
AAP and activation of some regional parties. People are joining some party or
other in an attempt to make an impact in the development of the country which
is not bad. Couple of months ago, I failed to understand when Kiran Bedi said
that people too can work a lot from the outside. Is there anything for the
common man to do in the current politics? Can he/she participate from outside?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
There are three types of people in the elections; one,
political parties and their leaders who will be the direct beneficiary for
victory in the election, two, volunteers of these political parties, which are
seen as supporters, are the indirect beneficiary of these election as they <i>KNOW</i> <i>SOMEBODY</i>
who is in the power, third, the common man, who is always at the at the mercy
of their leaders for whom they voted for. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Let us see what common people are doing right now; they have
some preferences for some political party like BJP, Congress, AAP or any other
region party. They think these parties can do something good for them, which is
not wrong. They post everything for the support of these parties on Facebook
and tweets in the favour of this party, they want to win every discussion which
is related with the party of their interest. People are searching and
researching material to post on their wall and if any one comments anything
against it then there are exchanges of news articles, youtube links, reports
and anything and everything which is in favour of his/her party or against the
other party. Isn’t it happening right now? <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
“Whatever is good, it is for me, whoever says”, may be the another
strategy of this common man but when they commit to some political parties, they
have to prove everything right, inside he may be feeling it wrong. Do they have
any obligation to prove their leaders correct in all respect? No political
party can be envisaged as free-from-doubt and has the magical stick that will
change everything. Biasedness is our greatest enemy. All political leaders are
delivering their speeches, although it’s political, and one can judge it
correctly if he/she is unbiased. Our leaders, most of them if not all, are very
good students of marketing and they know the power of positive and negative
branding. They give us the spectacles of negative brand from which we </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
see our
opponent leader with. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Time and again we blame them for their arrogance, autocracy,
nepotism and cronyism but we have also contributed in some way or another to
make them powerful, we prefer to defend them by giving the examples of
opponents that they are more wrong-doers than mine. Let negative criticism
leave onto these leader and their paid-agents we need to adopt positive criticism
from all the depths of our wisdom, which is the required most at this time.<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
Rakeshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07221038933152086230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5659005110743209615.post-21402104342739481162014-01-08T23:14:00.003-08:002014-01-09T08:07:11.816-08:00Kashmir: Not a Black and White Problem<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
In the cozy living rooms of
middle class India news from Kashmir excites the people and gives them the
chance to prove themselves as the great lover of the country by saying few line
about it like ‘<i>Dooth Mangoge to Kheer
Dange, Kashmir mangogay to cheer dange</i>’ (we will give you anything you
want but if you want Kashmir then we will tear you), ‘Why don’t we attack Pakistan
to solve the problem of Kashmir’, ‘The people of Kashmir don’t want to be in
India and army is teaching them nice lesson’, ‘When we are giving them so
special rights like article 370 then what else they want’. ‘Those who are
helping the terrorists should be killed’ so on and so forth’. These casual comments
on Kashmir try to make the issue black and white which hints that the solution
is very easy and why not the Government of India is showing its intention to
solve the issue. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Time and again the hue and cry
for Plebiscite is asked by the people from some parts of the society
considering that it will solve their problem. There are three sections of the
people in J&K, one, who wants to remain with India, second, who want to go
with Pakistan and third, who wants them to be independent and not to be ruled
by India or Pakistan. We can sense that the majority of them don’t want to be
with Pakistan but skewness of the graph tilted toward India and Independent
Kashmir from time to time. Let us say, majority of the people want to be
Independent, what answer do we have? Before jumping in to the conclusion and
imagined-theories we first understand how this segment of the people looks
towards India.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
This section of Kashmiris never
likes India, because they always have seen India with guns in CRPF jawans or in
army men. Outside they are been treated as terrorist and in Kashmir they think they have
been treated as slave. The history has created their memory the way it is and
Pakistan continued fueling the issues to create a hostile environment against
India.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Parveena Ahangar achieved
international attention in 1994 when she formed Association of Parents of
Disappeared People (APDP). On 18 August 1990, Javed Ahmad Ahangar, then a
17-year-old student, was allegedly picked up by the army for a militant. She
started an agonising search for her son. She informed the local police station
about his arrest and staged a sit-in on the road for a full day. After a six-
month search for her son, she finally approached the court which ordered an
inquiry into her missing son's case. For four years nothing substantial
happened in her case. The state government's request for sanction to prosecute
the accused Army officers was not granted by the central government. In 1994, determined
to continue her struggle, Parveena formed the Association of Parents of
Disappeared People (APDP). The APDP believes 8,000 to10,000 people are missing.
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
On 21 August 2011, the State Human
Rights Commission (SHRC) confirms that 2,156 unidentified bodies lay in
unmarked graves in 30 locations in north Kashmir. The SHRC had ordered the
investigation after taking cognisance of a December 2009 report on mass graves
titled “Buried Evidence” by the International People's Tribunal on Human Rights
and Justice in Kashmir (IPTK).<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Now there are two versions of
truths; one version says that these are the bodies of militants who were killed
by armed forced and another version says that these bodies are from 10,000
missing people. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
The incident that further
strengthened the memory of this section of the people is Kunan Poshspora incident occurred on
February 23, 1991. An army unit launched a search and interrogation operation
in Kunan Poshspora, Kupwara district and 53 women were allegedly gang raped by
soldiers that night. Villagers claimed that a police investigation never took
place in the region. Wajahat Habibullah, former DC, asked why not the incident
was first reported and answer was not easy. Some women don’t want them to be publicize
as the raped victim in the conservative society and others who wanted to come
up were not heard. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
After much criticism Press
Council of India investigate the incident and medical examination conducted on
32 women nearly one month after incident, confirmed that the women had wounds
on their chests and abdomens, and that the hymens of three of the unmarried women
had been torn. But the team claimed that that such delayed examination proved
nothing.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Once again there are two versions
of statements; one states that the charges against army were bundle of
fabricated lies and a massive hoax orchestrated by militant groups and all allegations
are grossly exaggerated or invented. Another version, from Asia Watch, in its
1991 stated, ‘The alacrity with which military and government authorities in
Kashmir discredited the allegations of rape and their failure to follow through
with procedures that would provide critical evidence for any prosecution’.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
The plight of soldier fighting in
the Kashmir valley is not less critical than the people of Kashmir. If he is
asked to kill the enemy in battlefield, he doesn’t have to give the second
thought but to shoot. But if he is landed in the place where he is surrounded
by his own people but some of them can be his enemy whom he has to kill to save
him and his country. Thousands of the solders have given their lives in the
valley. Nearly 4,000 soldiers have been
killed in the country after the Kargil operations in 1999 while more than 390
Army troops have committed suicide in the last three years, Lok Sabha was
informed on 25 November 2012.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Minority
hindu and majority muslims believed and created ‘Kashmiriyat’ in the long past was
ruined by the crackdown in 1990’s, when a number of forces started playing
together; ISI’s role in Kashmir, Political right of Kashmiris, Mujahideen
Influence, religion and human rights violation by militants and by armed
forces. The people in Kashmir, whether participated with any force or not,
remain the only victim.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
Rakeshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07221038933152086230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5659005110743209615.post-84884473098171062602013-12-29T07:40:00.001-08:002013-12-29T07:43:49.612-08:00Happiness Simplified<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #444444; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">The more we fool
ourselves the more unhappy we are, isn’t it? Happiness is something we search
most in an attempt to make us happy. The place where happiness is searched most
these days is ‘Google’. We try different keywords to find it out; ‘what is
happiness’, ‘how to get happiness’, ‘why happiness’, ‘how to remove boredom’ so
on and so forth. And finally ended up in bundling some notes, taking some
printouts, pin it on our desk, bedroom, study table, computer desktop, forcing
us to believe that we have found the key to happiness but does it give us
happiness? Second source of collecting the fooling material is self-help books
(many of them if not all) where we want to improve us to be happy. Some
self-acclaimed ‘Bestseller Book’ burdened us with a long list of to-do-steps
which fills us with the feeling of guilt when we can’t practice them and we
fall back into the auto-pilot mode where circumstances decides our way of
action. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #444444; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #444444; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Furthermore, we are
taught by ‘<i>Smart People</i>’ to behave in
the certain way to be happy; one such attempt to show ourselves more and more
happy to others, irrespective of we are or we are not. We try to be happier by
showcasing our Happy-Personality to others, does it make us happy? Sources of
gratification make us feel that we are happy but in reality we are not.
Happiness is something which is permanent; gratification is temporary. Any
action which gives us life (not only happiness) all the time we do, is real
source of happiness, how?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #444444; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #444444; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Some friends of mine have
helped me in understanding that. Varun, a computer programmer, is not one of
the programmers who write codes for a paycheck from his company but programming
is in his DNA. He can write codes through days and nights and that is
happiness. Unlike many other programmers, he looks for the opportunities to
write computer codes. My another friend is Vishal, a driller by profession but
poet by heart, who has found his happiness in writing the poems. Recently, I
came to know that he is going to write for some international publisher. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #444444; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #444444; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">We have understood that
how happiness has influenced our life but still we need to decode the secret of
happiness. “<b><i>When we are able to channelize
our creativity in our action, there comes happiness</i></b>”. Creativity is not
confined to create a beautiful design, write poems, create computer app and so
on. Creativity comes out when we <b><i>connect</i></b>
with something and engrossed into it. To be connected is not to be influenced. We
influenced with programming when we see somebody is earning a handsome amount
of money in it. On the same time we influenced with an actor when we see a lot
of people hangs around him/her. ‘I too can do that or I can do even better’ is
connection and ‘I should do that’ is influence. The moment we find out the ‘<i>Something’</i> we can connect with is the
beginning of happiness. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">We cannot connect
with everything or anything but we can connect with something which is in-sync
with our true nature. When we connect, creativity flows into it and happiness
follows.</span></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
Rakeshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07221038933152086230noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5659005110743209615.post-91971024720817632072013-12-21T22:50:00.003-08:002013-12-22T23:07:08.393-08:00An Experiment With Democracy<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #444444; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;">The
democratic power of India creates its distinction and many countries approach India to study democracy and how it works. India is not only the world’s
largest democracy but has shown its robustness in unifying the countless
differentiation that exists in the country in the name of religion, caste,
language, region, beliefs and idiosyncrasies.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 13.5pt;">A
successful democracy needs to weed out the archaic concepts and introduce the
new to fulfill the demands of the people. The system that has been created in
the long time needs an overhauling to benefit its stakeholders. People are the
owner of the country and of its resources and they choose some people amongst
them for its governance which constitutes a ruling party or the government. All
is well so far, the ideal version of democracy is in place and people are happy
as they are ruling their own country. But the satisfaction goes to an end when
the representatives become the owner of the country and people, helplessly,
have to look at them for their shares. People, through the constitution of
India, give power to their representatives to work effectively for them but
distribution of resources are based on favouratism and cronyism and this is
called ‘Corruption’.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 13.5pt;">Such
type of system is all prevalent in the country where people are not
participating in the decision-making for the country and they are left with
agitations. When people are reminded of their responsibility in casting their
vote and sit back to see the drama in the parliament, they feel cheated on the
name of democracy.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #444444; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
<!--[endif]--></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #444444; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Something
needs to be change, people have to be asked their wishes from time to time; direct democracy is required where people’s participation is encouraged.
Atleast something is to be experimented. For a big country like India, direct
democracy seems impossible but it can be encouraged and experimented in small
parts and find out the ways that how it can be organized. It is easy to say, if
people don’t cast vote then they don’t have the right to ask any question but
when they feel themselves participative they surely come forward. In direct democracy
citizens can oppose any law legislated by their representatives or ask for a
referendum to be hold.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #444444; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
<!--[endif]--></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #444444; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Countries,
like Switzerland, can be studied where direct democracy exists and working
successfully and what we can adopt from them to make it applicable in India. It
is first time in the history of India when people are asked their opinion after
the elections are over. The step AAP (Aam Admi Party) has taken can be seen
with the spectacles of doubt and which is not wrong; it may be their drama for
the already accepted decision of forming the government or they are showing
that they are different from the current political parties. Democracy gives the
right to its citizens to doubt the intentions of any political party but that
doubt should not block our vision so that we would not see something that is
good for them.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #444444; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;">India’s
position at 94 in the world’s corruption index means that there are 93
countries in the world that have less corruption than us, we need to find out
where they are good at and some political parties have to take the initiative
and experiment in India to maintain the sanctity of the Indian democracy.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
Rakeshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07221038933152086230noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5659005110743209615.post-65072509783750840082013-12-15T00:00:00.002-08:002013-12-15T20:32:07.879-08:00Book Review: Numbersense<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3hdAutvW16Yv_0qHRqJliA0DFT4D-qZ5lob0HUnhUjbncy-lHP87LmZRqulaEkdM4g6DjA7905fCJs3wK-9qLc10-MeDvp15jFPRabwm5KLswowV24T8A6G40mu81CqyydzIn6jhtJIE/s1600/NumberSense+Coverpage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3hdAutvW16Yv_0qHRqJliA0DFT4D-qZ5lob0HUnhUjbncy-lHP87LmZRqulaEkdM4g6DjA7905fCJs3wK-9qLc10-MeDvp15jFPRabwm5KLswowV24T8A6G40mu81CqyydzIn6jhtJIE/s200/NumberSense+Coverpage.jpg" width="134" /></a><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Author:
Kaiser Fung<span style="background: white; color: #444444;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Publisher:
Mcgraw Hill Education<span style="background: white; color: #444444;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">MyRating:
4/5</span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<em><span style="background: white; color: #444444; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-style: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></em></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<em><span style="background: white; color: #444444; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; font-style: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">‘</span></em><em><span style="background: white; color: #444444; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Numbersense: How to Use Big Data to Your
Advantage</span></em><em><span style="background: white; color: #444444; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; font-style: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">’ is not such
type of book that we often grab to read. Especially when the book is published
by Mcgraw Hill Education, that reminds us of our old college days, make even
more difficult to hold the book. When we were told that we are born with five
senses (seeing, hearing, touch, taste and smelling) and suddenly somebody says
about the other sense (number sense), it is difficult to ignore the author’s
intention.</span></em><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #444444; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Kaiser Fung, who is a professor at New York
University teaches practical statistics, is the author of this book who also
wrote ‘Numbers Rule the World’. He claims that<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Numbersense</i><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>gives you the insight how big data
interpretations works and how it too often doesn’t work.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<i><span style="background: white; color: #444444; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Numbersense</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: white; color: #444444; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></span><span style="background: white; color: #444444; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">is not another book of statistics or data
analysis that tell about how to manage, represent and analyze data but it
shows, using many examples, how to develop the sense to recognize ‘<i>misleading
behaviour</i>’ of big data. Number sense is the noise in your head when you see
big data or bad analysis. It is the desire and persistence to get close to the
truth.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #444444; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The book is divided into four sections; social
data, marketing data, economic data and sporting data. In these four sections
author has shown that how the data has been used to manipulate the results in
the society.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #444444; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Measuring anything subjective like; aptitude of
students, quality of teacher, employee performance etc always carries a pinch
of doubt as they don’t carry intrinsic value. How much amount of fat in the
body can be find out using several diagnostic methods but how obese a person is
a matter of perception supporting by specific measuring tool. As shown in the
book, the percentage of obese population gets change when DXA (Dual-energy
X-ray absorptiometry) is used in place of BMI (Body-Mass Index).</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #444444; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The most elaborative and interesting section is
‘marketing data’ section which unveils the strategies and business model of
Groupon, an online business that sells deals. One set of data favours Groupon
in benefiting the local merchants whereas another set of data claims that
Groupon is hurting the business of local merchants. When such confusion arises
then there comes number sense which differentiates the objectives of data.
Another element of Groupon under study in the book is ‘Target market’. Groupon
communicates with its clients through Emails, which they send to their target
market. The success rate of their targeting model is 0.06% ie for every 10000
emails they get deals from 6 clients. Many targeting strategies are recommended
on the basis of different sets of data.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #444444; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The author raises questions on how economic
data is far away from the truth. The inflation and employment data are adjusted
using the <i>adjustment factor</i> and assumptions which make it
hard-to-believe for any data analyst. In the epilogue of this book, the author
expects from the readers that they won’t take data at its face value ever again and
they look it under the hood.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<span style="background: white; color: #444444; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><u2:p></u2:p>In all the sections of the book the
author comprehensively explained with examples that what is shown is not always
true. The examples are quite apt with the topics and easily understood as they
are explained in simple language without using the statistical jargons. It’s a
good-read for those who are interested in behind-the-scene-theories and like to
crunch numbers to find out the truth. But obviously it’s not a casual read.</span></div>
</div>
</div>
Rakeshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07221038933152086230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5659005110743209615.post-83258783972041158782013-12-11T22:26:00.000-08:002014-01-03T03:26:43.879-08:00Dogma of Homosexuality<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigHKfT9PvrvrO3vxX5_a274a7n86EpIPUBR-cLH6UMUHPvq-g3X4IIVLzxQXiLJQWcUeFJ0THagDZ6muraE6tTNZzVeZutI-yUchUzbaLgHRoMlU4eq2sflbP7kAL0Lf-yQ06_FrKwGgs/s1600/BornThisWay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigHKfT9PvrvrO3vxX5_a274a7n86EpIPUBR-cLH6UMUHPvq-g3X4IIVLzxQXiLJQWcUeFJ0THagDZ6muraE6tTNZzVeZutI-yUchUzbaLgHRoMlU4eq2sflbP7kAL0Lf-yQ06_FrKwGgs/s320/BornThisWay.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">The SC’s
verdict on article 377 provoke hue and cry from all sections of the society
where some welcome and others consider it as the violation of fundamental right.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">However,
the dubious decision shoved in the court of parliament stating that
parliamentarians are free to consider the desirability and proprietary of deleting
or amending section 377 from constitution.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Before
going into the perception of the denial to these people, we must understand the
anatomy of ‘Sexual Orientation’ on which all perception depends. Sexual
Orientation refers to the identity of the individual that endures the pattern
of emotional, romantic and sexual attraction to men, women or both sexes. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Is homosexuality a mental disorder?<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Researches
have shown that there is no association between any of these sexual orientation
and psychopathology. All mainstream organization long ago abandoned classification
of homosexuality as a mental disorder. Some self-acclaimed medical wizard
claims it to be as mental disorder but to date, there has been no
scientifically adequate research to show that therapy aimed at changing sexual
orientation. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Is it unnatural?<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Whatever
follows the principles of the nature and does not harm anybody is natural. But
our awareness about anything also makes us to feel what is natural and what is
unnatural. Couple of years back surrogacy, in-vitro fertilization, cloning,
genetic fertilization were considered as unnatural whereas after long studies
it is now considered as natural and lawful. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">As of
date, no study has proved homosexuality as unnatural and cause any harm to anybody.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Is it anti-religion?<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">I can’t
say what all religious scriptures say about the notion of homosexuality but I do
know that all religions spread the message of love in the mankind and eliminate
the differences if there is any. There are 2.5 million gays/lesbians known in
India and many estimates if there
includes unknown the number goes to 5 million. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">If
people are born in this way and homosexuality has become their identity then no
religion can ignore what god has given, only the prejudiced custodian of the
religion can deny the existence of such people’s identity.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Will it harm the society?<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Social
prejudice about homosexuality has closed all the doors of thinking and already
made the decision that it will create imbalance in the society. Is it really?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br />We
accept it or not but sexual orientation is the part of personality but society demands
it to be changed via various means. In India, that means is marriage ‘<i>Iski Shadi Karwa do Sab Theek Ho Jayega</i>”
(get him/her married everything will be alright), but does that really happen?
When such people are forced to marry, it not only destroys the life of this
person but also the life of the one who is now enslaved with this person.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Societies
within society emerge out with time and all societies have to be respected. For
eg. If we take India as a big society then hindu-society or muslim-society etc
are the societies within India-society. And the laws are not made on the basis
of society in majority and ignoring the minority.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Gay/Lesbians
also form a society, although very small, that depends on the mercy of large
societies. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Ours
is the pluralist society and non-acceptance of homosexuals in the society is
the denial of fundamental right to the people.</span></div>
Rakeshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07221038933152086230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5659005110743209615.post-56892723447078798712013-12-06T10:18:00.001-08:002013-12-29T07:47:42.777-08:00Sachin - The God of Cricket<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMgxTCq3HnSaSYhi9B9UC86yHjUEXfrgW1__HTwjlxgRjoGJS0d_3SpA9VuqHV12OYttF6zkU-bRDNN6klbFutl5qK0D8WTjCNmReuH8EgIBWxIPxr7iE-JuO8wvfNrSnLo3g-io3cmxw/s1600/Sachin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMgxTCq3HnSaSYhi9B9UC86yHjUEXfrgW1__HTwjlxgRjoGJS0d_3SpA9VuqHV12OYttF6zkU-bRDNN6klbFutl5qK0D8WTjCNmReuH8EgIBWxIPxr7iE-JuO8wvfNrSnLo3g-io3cmxw/s1600/Sachin.jpg" /></a>Although a handful, but there are some who question the legendary
contribution of Sachin R. Tendulkar in Indian cricket. I understand, emotions
speak more than our words when it comes to Sachin Tendulkar. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
The adulation of
the people from all over the world, not only from India, stamps the great work
of the Little Master to the Cricket as a game. He has been the institution for
many, those who are currently playing cricket for Indian Cricket Team. </div>
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Critics have every right to put their say but when somebody hears
that Sachin is playing for his own records, doesn’t contribute much to the
Indian team, he is privileged from BCCI, his century is never fruitful for
India, so on and so forth.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I don’t want to throw back my emotion to enchant the noble
qualities of the Sachin Tendulkar but I would like to put forward some numbers
that unbiasedly unfolds the secret of his greatness.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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Few myths about Sachin:-<o:p></o:p></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Myth 1: Sachin’s
century is not helpful to India</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></i></div>
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Since 1974-2013 (till Nov 30), India played 841 ODI matches out of
which it won in 423 matches with success rate is 52.9%, but when Sachin hit
century, the success rate goes up to 67%, when he score more than 50 and less
than 100 the success rate is 61%.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm1re-QcNFZbm-_-6fszKuvx7wdolLSLDY-R7fq6Lf-qIwZM4zQVuOhc_C5MfKHJPVzjcISC8LBYACkKIMFRu4wtenATx65nF7D61cxhoB-4MV0hvPb6MC31ZU-ODSM4ux7dDFZsnA-qo/s1600/Sachin+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="325" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm1re-QcNFZbm-_-6fszKuvx7wdolLSLDY-R7fq6Lf-qIwZM4zQVuOhc_C5MfKHJPVzjcISC8LBYACkKIMFRu4wtenATx65nF7D61cxhoB-4MV0hvPb6MC31ZU-ODSM4ux7dDFZsnA-qo/s1600/Sachin+1.jpg" width="525" /></a></div>
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</div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; text-align: left;">To link the India’s rate of winning when Sachin
score less than 20, the graph depicts that only the success rate is 41%. In
simple words when Sachin score less than 20 runs there are only 41% of the
matches where India won.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; text-align: left;"><i>Myth 2: </i></span><i style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Sachin’s
maximum centuries are against weak countries.</span></i></div>
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<i style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Sachin score centuries against all the opponents
(not considering some countries like UAE, Bermuda etc.) and to the surprise
maximum centuries had been scored against the world’s strongest team i.e
Australia and success rate is close to 80%.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdjzDVdHUekKSWaDzckfn1MpnGhAzwnKt98bpkW0Znw_now9V5Vr2YBZs4TsjwrZ0aKYHiw29wsXWs0X1u6CveBbSRosSDwYneypOxXNL0WgR-sgN_kxIUdhyphenhyphenGrcVQXxQfdqIJiay0N24/s1600/sachin+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdjzDVdHUekKSWaDzckfn1MpnGhAzwnKt98bpkW0Znw_now9V5Vr2YBZs4TsjwrZ0aKYHiw29wsXWs0X1u6CveBbSRosSDwYneypOxXNL0WgR-sgN_kxIUdhyphenhyphenGrcVQXxQfdqIJiay0N24/s1600/sachin+5.jpg" width="525" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div>
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He scored 38 centuries against strong opponents whereas only 11
centuries against weak opponents. When I say <i>weak </i>opponents or <i>strong </i>opponents,
this is only my understanding of cricket played by these countries, if you want
to change some countries, still it does not make much difference in the result. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>Myth 3: He
plays good on home pitches than outside.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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Of his total 463 matches, he played 164 in India and 299 matches
Not in India (147 away and 152 neutral). Sachin hit 20 centuries in India and
rest 29 outside India.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBg3pdlH9QSeS-VkkEQDR_zLY0THQHygR4Y7vMYJYgaZf7c9iuVajXejLcvXozhLi4E59FnCggC1pxFRgGYZxol8NmyJbHrM2p2l5XHJ61ntr0eM8QViIIrNOztVCW7uRP0myAzttXRzM/s1600/Sachin+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="75" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBg3pdlH9QSeS-VkkEQDR_zLY0THQHygR4Y7vMYJYgaZf7c9iuVajXejLcvXozhLi4E59FnCggC1pxFRgGYZxol8NmyJbHrM2p2l5XHJ61ntr0eM8QViIIrNOztVCW7uRP0myAzttXRzM/s1600/Sachin+3.jpg" width="525" /></a></div>
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<i>Myth 4: He
is not useful in chasing or in second innings.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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Sachin scored fewer numbers of centuries while chasing as compare
to batting in the first innings but here the catch is when he score century in
the second innings there are 82% matches where India wins.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXrzJvce1iZbcIo9ZK-2EU1hjYNPIX-7fe-c2pGwV-h0_jO3_G2WFsEgjAeWgZLMUW7aaj4LsBXaERQP0RefjgYBE-hWD4wz9hhdQUPj9iXQGWDVTKcwItsv8ctdCGuBYI-XJeUe_KXNk/s1600/Sachin+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="57" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXrzJvce1iZbcIo9ZK-2EU1hjYNPIX-7fe-c2pGwV-h0_jO3_G2WFsEgjAeWgZLMUW7aaj4LsBXaERQP0RefjgYBE-hWD4wz9hhdQUPj9iXQGWDVTKcwItsv8ctdCGuBYI-XJeUe_KXNk/s1600/Sachin+4.jpg" width="525" /></a></div>
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Besides these numbers, Sachin’s indomitable spirit with humble
smile disarms the opponent. He devoted himself to give his best not only in his
batting but there has been occasions where he has bowled an outstanding spell
and has even surprised the world with his master fielding. There were times when he got injured and it
was nearly impossible for him to continue his cricket career but he defeated
the luck with his integrity towards cricket and the nation at large.<o:p></o:p></div>
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And that’s why even opponents honour him as follows:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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<i>“If there
is a better batsman than Sachin then he hasn’t arrived yet”</i> - <b>Viv Richards (June 2011)</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>“There are
boxers with better records than Muhammad Ali, but if you mention the word
boxing, you have to mention Muhammad Ali. When you talk of basketball, you have
to mention Michael Jordan. When you speak about cricket, I’d speak of Tendulkar
“</i>–
<b>Brian Lara (Nov. 2013).</b><o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; line-height: 17px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">“I have seen God. He bats at no. 4 in India in
Tests</span></i><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">” – <b>Mathew Hayden (1998)</b></span></div>
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---------------------------------------------------</div>
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Rakeshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07221038933152086230noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5659005110743209615.post-64104855742536458452013-12-03T05:14:00.000-08:002013-12-03T05:23:58.887-08:00Corruption Index<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Hover the mouse over he chart to know the Rank and Points of any country.<br />
<i>Source: Transparency International.</i></div>
<iframe frameborder="0" height="520" width="600" src="http://media.transparency.org/maps/cpi2013-640.html"></iframe>Rakeshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07221038933152086230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5659005110743209615.post-34829326022718405032013-12-01T01:31:00.002-08:002013-12-01T01:31:10.954-08:00AAP: One of the alternate?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">India
is blessed with the multiparty system which makes everybody to keep their views
in front of the people and can form the political party.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">There
is a portion of people who don’t want any change in the political system in
India and continue to be the fanatic of any one of the political party. But
there is a large chunk of people, who thinks themselves as <i>the ideal common men,</i> want the current system to be improved and
get the issues resolves irrespective of who does that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Most
alternate parties are way apart from the issues that caters large segment of
the people of the county, they hovers around the small/specific issues and fail
to represent the people at large. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">We’ve
given chance to currently-dominant political parties and a lot have been done
in the country. But those <i>ideal common men</i>
feel that more could be done if they compare themselves with other developing
countries like China.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">In
that scenario, when AAP (Aam Aadmi Party) is claiming to represent the <i>ideal common man</i> of the country and, they
are standing on the high mountain of tall promises, people are not apprehensive
about that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Experts
says that they are far behind from the practicality of the county’s present
situation and only miracles can have this possible still ‘those people’ would
like to give chance to miracles when it is the only alternate.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">There
prevails the possibility that AAP leaders will become corrupt too but they
still have an edge over the current political environment. When we have given
many chances to the current political parties for sixty years then we can
afford to give chance to this ‘alternate’ for five years who shows (although in
the air) a light of hope to change or upgrade the present system.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">If
the alternate will be tested, depends on the number of these <i>ideal common men</i>.</span></div>
Rakeshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07221038933152086230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5659005110743209615.post-31773780772317023432013-11-27T23:16:00.003-08:002013-11-27T23:28:28.070-08:00Now its corporates who refuses to disclose the political party whom they fund<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Indian
corporates refuses to disclose the name of political party whom they refund
stating the reason that it may lead to backlash from political parties that
feel relatively less-generously funded. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Section
182 (3) of the new Companies Act says that corporates must disclose names of
political parties they give money to in their profit and loss account. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5659005110743209615" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Confederation
of Indian Industries (CII) requested the government to change the act as it is
uncomfortable for them to name the political party.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5659005110743209615" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-align: left;">Association
of Democratic Reforms on Income Tax returns and statements filed by six
national political parties revealed 75% (Rs. 3,675 crore) of the their income came
from the unknown sources. The political parties are not obliged the source of
these unknown finds as they fall under the donations that are below 20,000.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5659005110743209615" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5659005110743209615" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4D20gA_iNRfwni1PhfbowKheM09NhrJSQuH9PQIM9tp133lyOGI5xLt8KQWMnRGygu_Y0InL0RnA59noozfN4p3VIhdrlsrKDwy_3iPOjk7zYfRl0KhME6pZCWmIJE_8cFIdRDHDLJ2k/s1600/Unknown+sources+of+fund.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4D20gA_iNRfwni1PhfbowKheM09NhrJSQuH9PQIM9tp133lyOGI5xLt8KQWMnRGygu_Y0InL0RnA59noozfN4p3VIhdrlsrKDwy_3iPOjk7zYfRl0KhME6pZCWmIJE_8cFIdRDHDLJ2k/s1600/Unknown+sources+of+fund.png" height="300" width="530" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Source of Data: ADR</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5659005110743209615" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">To
ensure that there is financial transparency and accountability on the part of
the political parties, there must be a strict mechanism with respect to
reporting of financial information. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">In Forty
counties including France, Italy, Nepal, Bhutan it is required by the law to
disclose source of income to the people of the country. In countries like
Sweden and Turkey political parties have a voluntary arrangement to open up
their records to the people. Countries like Austria, Bhutan, Brazil, Bulgaria,
France, Ghana, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kenya and Kyrgystan have a
system by law for political parties to pro-actively disclose their financial
information to people.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">However,
in India the political parties are not obliged to submit details to the
authorities and to the people.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5659005110743209615" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">The
nexus of corporates and political parties is the main source of black money and
corruptions that leads to encouragement of opaque system.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Financial
transparency in the funding of political party reveals the motive of donations
and also help the auditing authorities to check the biasedness in allocation in
allocating the precious national resources by the ruling party.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">But
the question is who is going to do that? Political parties and corporates will
not cut their own arm with their own sword.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
</div>
Rakeshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07221038933152086230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5659005110743209615.post-83218405330482892452013-11-25T23:17:00.000-08:002013-11-27T07:20:49.808-08:00Has ‘dropout’ become the pre-requisite for success?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Steve Jobs, Brad Pitt,
Ted Turner, Subhash Chandra, Sandeep Maheshwari are dropouts from formal education
and made their mark in their fields. But does it mean that ‘dropout’ has become
the pre-requisite for success?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I, recently, looked at the cover page of the Robert
Kiyosaki’s new book which is telling ‘If You Want to Be Rich and Happy, Don't
Go to School?’ It made me curious to study more about the ‘Dropout Theory’ and
know the fact.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">While researching on the relationship between the
success and dropouts, I landed on the research of <i>The Atlantic</i> newspapers which
tells that the majority of America’s 30 million dropouts are more likely than graduates
to be unemployed, poor, and in deficit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Names like Jobs, Gates, Dell, and others spreads the
myth about the relationship between a successful entrepreneurs and dropout from
the college. These are exceptional individuals whose hard work, determination,
and intelligence make up for the lack of a college degree.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Those who are able to achieve such success often
rely on a set of skills already developed before they get to college. They know
how to educate themselves, get a bank loan, and manage their time and their
money. They may benefit from a network of family, friends and acquaintances who
open doors and provide a safety net.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">But what happens to young people without access to
these important resources? For them, skipping college to pursue business
success is like investing their savings in lottery tickets in the hopes they
will be a multimillion-dollar winner.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The reality is that the next college dropout will
not be Bill Gates, James Cameron, or Mark Zuckerberg. He will likely belong to
the millions of college drop-outs who struggled to earn his livelihood. Nearly
as large as the state of California, this group is 71 percent more likely to be
unemployed and four times more likely to default on student loans. Far from
being millionaires, they earn 32 percent less than college graduates, on
average.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The vast majority of students, especially from
disadvantaged family, need formal education to know the way that how to avail
the available resources for their upliftment. For them, college is not a choice
but a necessary and vital stepping-stone toward a future of opportunity. It is
the platform from which whole families can be lifted to better prospects.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Irrespective of any education system, schools and
colleges provide intellectual capital to succeed and the social capital to help
them make connections, build networks, and establish life-long relationships. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It provides them with skills in analysis and
reasoning combined with confidence that will lead them boldly to articulate and
embrace new ideas. It transforms their perspectives, opening them up to
different cultures, different world views, and different ways of seeing -- and
solving -- some of the world's most complex problems.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">‘Dropout by choice’
having necessary skills to succeed can never be generalized to the weak general
mass of people who are not born with talents or resources, their only hope is
to get enlightened through education and schools and colleges are one of the
ideal places to achieve that.</span></div>
</div>
Rakeshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07221038933152086230noreply@blogger.com0