3 I’s for Success: Invention, Innovation and Insurance

Locks are considered as oldest invention in the history, much before we invented fire, wheel and other stuffs, we invented ways to secure the food. The form must have changed today but the concept remained the same.

Innovation came into picture to improvise to the extent of protect data using retina. This is because as the race was innovating to secure, another lot was busy ideating to decode. Term it lock picking or hacking. This was not enough to keep mind at rest, human needed assurance.

Origin of insurance is way back in history dated much Before Christ, The Babylonians developed a system which was recorded in the famous Code of Hammurabi, c. 1750 BC, and practiced by early Mediterranean sailing merchants. If a merchant received a loan to fund his shipment, he would pay the lender an additional sum in exchange for the lender's guarantee to cancel the loan should the shipment be stolen.

When I wrote about the invention of Locks, it was time when the human race was not enough human and the business was limited to hunting. Later invention was to find new place in form of new sources and new markets from where the goods can be purchased cheap and good can be sold expensive.

With entire planet been marred by race, humans are now innovating the places like moon and mars and ideating new ways to make life more comfortable and affordable. Irrespective of the irony that the race die out of hard work and stress to make life comfortable and affordable.

Race is inventing, innovative ways to insure, from spending small time from your day for Exercising or paying small amount from your income to a firm whose name, incidentally contains 3 I’s. If you are being lazy for workout, inventions like sauna belts are innovated to help.

In today’s world with abundance of variety, it’s a must to find what invention, innovation and Insurance are needed for your success.

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One Joke per post: A begger found a hundre rupee note. He went to a five star hotel and had full course meal. Bill 3000 Rs. Manager handed him over to police. He gave 100 Rs note to police and got free.

Atithi Devo Bhavo

Atithi Devo Bhavo commercials by aamir khan were reminded by Mr. Nagyya this afternoon.

A friend of mine had come to Hyderabad for a day for an interview. We went to a nearby shop for taking printouts of his resume. In the hurry to be on time he forgot to collect his USB drive from the cyber café. When, Mr. Nagyya, the owner of the cyber café  found that we left the pen drive in his shop. He took out the mobile number from the resume of my friend and SMSed him that he left his belonging in the shop and request him to kindly collect.

When I went to collect on behalf of my friend, he asked me my identity and handed over the small little pen drive with satisfaction.

I wish, our politicians also have heart like him, who instead of stashing the citizen’s money into foreign banks brought it back to country and distributed back to the society.

A day without Advertisements

I had a dream today, i was in a land where advertising was banned and it was such a wonderful experience before i got to know the truth.

I picked up and open the newspaper in the morning and there wasn’t any falling fliers. The all the pages had news only and first page was at the beginning and not after the advertisement page. There wasn’t any posters and banners in the street in the city landscape there were trees but not the billboards. Did not get to see any website name printed at the back of Auto Rickshaw and buses and trains will be cleaner and I could see the route map of the Local trains clearly as there was no stickers on top of it. Walls in the city was clean and painted with political party posters and rally slogans. No embarrassing undergarments drawing and secret disease cure on the railway track wall.

Prepaid to postpaid conversion call, Personal loan upto 15 lacks, Lifetime Club membership only for 99999 INR. Sale at central, lifestryle, peter England, Unlimited food offer at tasty buds, mozzerialla, Opening offer of Fashion and You. All day I didn’t got a SMS or phonel call regarding any of this. I surfed freely over internet, without any popup asking me if I am looking for a house, offering free screensavers nor letting me know the details of hot and single females near my area. No one send me any email regarding my winning million dollar lottery.

BUT just before I was about to enter my house thinking that I would get to see the complete episode without any commercial break on TV, they stopped me. Initially they were few. They were hungry they were jobless. Sooner there were many. There were marketers, there painters, there were artist, there were ad agencies, there were call center guys, models, hakims astrologers etc etc. They were young, old, working professional, homemakers, rich and poor all sorts. They were staring at me as if I have stolen all there money. One shouted from the crowd "hey, consumer, what will happen if you look at those wonderfull hoardings" then lots of voices "what harm, my SMS does to you". "we are in fact paying the bus, train, taxi to put ads on it and doing good to them". " we also will pay you for reading the SMS’s"

BEEP BEEP, i recvieved sms…I got up from sleep..but all the question still linger on my mind.

Anna and the casue: out of sight in Facebook

In my previous post, Lets Stop Pouring Water, I questioned the impact of Facebook in social movements. We saw abundance of messages requests and status updated in SNS (social networking sites). It died out as fast it started. Now can hardly see any such activities on these sites. I must say that FB can certainly be the fastest medium to unite large number of people across geography, BUT the faith and need should come from within or from suffering. There was no FB during national movement for independence, there wasn’t even telephones, but the momentum was huge. Let’s try to analyses the reasons behind it.

Something comes easily goes easily: the momentum was not deep rooted, majority of the people who were supporting the cause actually are seldom a victim of corruption, nepotism and red-tapism. Had they been a sufferer of any of these they would have stick to it. It was euphoria which majority felt and clicked the buttons. I cannot see any follow up.

Impact of health, wealth and ego: One need not have to suffer to protest, but to do so one has to be visionary and educated enough to realize the impact, direct or indirect, on health, wealth and our ego. Another way is to read and hear more from visionary leaders, this will also educate us. i guess we lack in this also.

Herd Mentality: Last week, I had been audience to this play "12 angry men" by Reginald Rose, in that the Jury’s opinion differed when voted in open ballot and in closed ballot. Same way any SNS is like an open ballot count, where people bound to follow the herd mentality. So we all did what is expected from a sincere citizens.

Non herd mentality: Herd or not, we are alike, this has been proven by many postulates of Behavioral Economics and Game Theory that we Indians choose easy way. majority choose to support by click.

 

Face Value: We take thing on face value, how many of us truly try to analyze the lokpal bill, we believed the bulleted points circulated in mails and links. To be honest how many of us were knowing exactly why anna was on fast. Was he fasting to get the bill passed or he was on satyagragh so that right set of people can come on board the committee who are finalizing the bill.

Conclusion: SNS's are enabler and not reformer, it helps us in achieving what we desire, but for that our desire has be strong.

Let's stop pouring water..

Anna hazare is on fast and rest of the army is on social networks. Post world cup this is the next new topic Netindians has got. I am afraid if IPL will get affected. Recently we all have observed a massive support activism over twitter and facebook about anti corruption lokpal bill. This has been most talked about tweet since world cup fever is down. It’s good that we know we have acute corruption in the country, that needs to be cleaned. But how is the question?

Recently I have put up a “what’s in your mind” status in FaceBook, whcih says "how does supporting any cause in FB helps?". I got good logical responses, saying FB is fastest and very popular and assumption that it helped overthrowing autocrats in countries. My answer is in that case Mark zuckerburg should get Noble peace prize.

If the speedy awareness will solve any cancerous issue like corruption, we should first ask for free 3G connectivity. Don’t get me wrong, I am not saying these things are not helpful, but what bothers me is that, people I know are corrupt have put there status like supporting Anna. What is making me nervous that what if our new generation will start believing that a click on support will solve this age old problem. Corruption is a mindset which is in all of us. One bigger chunk, who works for private sectors, who doesn’t get much opportunity for corrupt actions should not be allowed to so loudly criticize. Find me a single guy from any IT company who has not gotten a fake medical bills, rent receipts and possibly to an higher extent like fake salary slip and fake experience letter. People are corrupt to their capacity.

I reiterate that people like official and politicians do the bigger damage to the society but this does not allow the smaller corrupt guys to criticize them.

Bringing the change is easier said than done, even if the bill be passed, it can not cure the core of the concern, if the mindset is not changed. basically human beings are greedy by nature, and if there is lack of governence the greed will override the common snese. that means if lokpal bill is implemented even partially, there will be improvement and hence " I SUPPORT ANNA"  and i thank him or his effort for RTI (right to information). 

I would conclude this post with an story I read in a book titled “why we Indians are the way we are”. The story goes like this….

One year there was extreme drought, due to lack of rains in a village. The head of the village called a priest to solve the problem. The priest advised, that if villagers will provide offering for the god of rain then there will be rains. He suggested that night time all the villagers has to put one tumbler milk to the dry well inside temple. The village head has made announcement that tonight every villager will pour one tumbler milk in the well. Everyone came out that night to pour milk. But there wasn’t any sign of rains. So next mornign priest walked up to well to see what has happened, he couldn’t see a drop of milk but only water.

Why because everyone thought that if only he would pour a tumbler of water, there wont be any difference to so much of milk and with that mind no one pour milk everyone pour water only.

Only supporting anna will not help, Let’s stop pouring water….

FALTU Review

Yesterday, watched this inspirational movie FALTU, which is acronym of Fakirchand And Lakirchand Trust University. The theme of the movie is a question mark on our education system and on the future of those students who score less marks and stuggle to get admission to college. I particularly like the question protagonist pose to the education minister that "if the passing marks are 30% then why admissions cut offs are 60-70%?". Though the serious thought behind FALTU has been conveyed across audience but the presentation could have been more controlled. Humor was in perfect mix but mainly targeted to younger lot. Despite the flaws, I would recommend it as time worth spent.

We all know the answer to the question, it’s simply supply demand gap. With the current population growth rate colleges and facilities are not increasing. Think how many of us have thought of becoming the teacher. Parents will clap for the movies like tare jamin par and 3 idiots but forget the lesson themselves and brainwash the child to take the proven path only.

I have witnessed finest of artist, painter, writer and thinker doing job which doesn’t suit them. And in the rush to become rich and famous in what they don’t like they have long forgotten what they are passionate about. With few exceptions, the society at large does not encourage hobbies and extra curricular activities.

The new generation does have many formal courses which were unconventional in previous decade; they also have the choice to pick from various career options. But supply is too less in comparison of the bulk of talent we have. We need more colleges, institutions, forums and clubs to unleash unorthodox creativity.

All the students and professionals will write the hobbies in their CV’s but they don’t really mean it. Entry of realty shows like Dance India Dance, Indian Idol, 60 seconds of fame, Comedy circus etc has brought in some changes, but there are lots to be done.

I am intentionally ending this post without any solution/conclusion. Let the creativity rule.

What a Gentleman!

Do I need it?

Is it worth?

Wait for some more time before prices goes down further.

To buy or not to buy, I contemplated for long and researched every bit before I finally purchased the new touch screen android handset from Samsung, last week. I had not inserted my personal SIM card yet, and was using alternate SIM to get used to of the features. My nephews used it more as gaming screen than I used it as phone.

Yesterday, I found this mobile again before I realized I had actually lost it. The story goes like this…

I was travelling alone from Darbhanga to Kolkata. And as usual all belongings were kept inside the Laptop bag, decked under pillow. When the train reached penultimate station Bidhanangar Road, I woke up and hurriedly disembarked train as the stoppage is for 1 min only. Another 20 mins, i reached my friend’s place, where I was staying for the day. There, we talked about job openigns, career, friends and family before I mentioned about my recent purchase. I was telling him the advantages and disadvantages of inexpensive android OS. I finished tea and moved to show him the handset, and my phone rang, it was GV, she asked me if I have my new phone with me. I told " actually I had switched it off and kept it inside the bag pack". To my surprise she mentioned she received a call from that number asking if it is our’s. She was right, when i checked the bag it wasnt there. I called up immediately, but the phone was not reachable and then switched off. I knew for sure its gone. But to my surprise the guy called again.

This was Mr. B. Nandi, train A/C attendant of our coach. Who found this handset, he struggled to switch it on and called up last dialed number, with the help of someone who knew how to operate it. He waited for me at the station for about half an hour, escorted me to the shed where they retire after journey, checked my ticket and gave back my phone. I thanked him, wrote an appreciation letter, gave some token money and returned back with the questions in mind.

What dint he kept the phone with himself?

Did he knew about mobile tracker feature of Samsung phone?

What would have happened if I would have enabled password protection?

What if the terminating station would have far from the place I stayed?

This has happened once and may not happen again, so I promised to myself to activate the mobile tracker feature, learn more about theft insurance, which I bought for Rs 99 and last but not the least be more careful when GV not accompanying.

Gudgudiya sedi nedo (smoke the hukka)

"Gudgudiya sedi nedo" I heard this song first time in Raghu Dixit concert, he narrated the meanings of first two lines in English for those who dint know Kannada. I was transpired by those two line, minutes after I came back from the concert I was searching for the meaning of entire song and after reading it two times I downloaded the song in kannada. And I loved it. Since then I have individually shared this song with many so thought of putting it in my blog too.

English Translation of "Gudgudiya sedi nedo" poem by the great Kannada poet Sant Shishunaala Sharif, a 19th century spiritual poet of North Karnataka, who is also called KABIR of south India. The best part of his poems is they will take you inside the depth of life so easily that you don’t even realize. Raghu dixit version has meditating characteristics.

I am sure you would love this song certainly after reading the translation.

Smoke the hookah smoke the hookah
smoke out the disease inside you

Open your mind and throw out the daily feelings,

Burn the chillum called faith with help of burning coal called intelligence.
Smoke the hookah smoke the hookah

smoke out the disease inside you

feel good, open the small cloth bag called mind
take out the hash called lust and crush it

put it in a chillum called faith
light it up with burning coal called intelligence

Smoke the hookah smoke the hookah
smoke out the disease inside you

think brain as the body, shape as of chillum.

fill with water of lord shiva [varashishunala]

close this with cloth with regret/feelings...
Smoke the hookah smoke the hookah
smoke out the disease inside you

Only good thoughts(feelings) will raise up,
bad things will get burnt

your fumes will only bring intelligent people near you,
as your thoughts are good.

You will near to lord shiva [varashishunala]

Smoke the hookah smoke the hookah
smoke out the disease inside you.

Limit, Continuity and Loophole

It’s not about calculus, it’s about politicians and officials those who stash their money abroad. When I hear the money taken as bribe to the tune of hundreds of crores of rupees or the combined asset of some officials or politicians being to the tune of thousands of crores, all my fingers get used when counting zeros and still don’t understand the value of it. I wonder do they really know the worth of it.

In one of the similar article in TOI says : "Take 50 crore for a magnificent mansion. Add two lakh for food each month (the price of onions has gone up), five lakh for travel (petrol is getting dearer), two lakh for help (must treat the people right), one lakh for electronics (ironically, telecom prices are going up), another two lakh for education (you have to care for your future) and another four lakh for miscellaneous expenses. That adds up to 16 lakh a month or two crore a year. Take a normal lifespan of another 50 years and you get a 100 crore. Add another 100 crore for inflation. That's 250 crore: $60 million." Read full article

Does the politicians and corrupt officials gets down to that number and do they stop after achieving the goal. Biggest question is do they really able to utilize the money which is parked in some foreign bank. They are being able to enjoy only a percentage, in fact they don’t need more than that. In past, Various schemes by government has helped in recovery, like declaration of black money, retiring 1000 Rs note in 70s etc etc. but the practice has not stopped only. Because people might start taking bribe or illegal money for their need in the beginning but later they can’t stop it, also

1. They gets into vicious cycle and unable to get out of it.
2. Additionally, they become greedier by each passing day, without knowing the value and outcome.

We need this money, one because it’s our money and second we need it for developing our nation. The other side of story is we cannot stop this drain as this has become habit and from top to bottom in governance is part of it. What can be done is to retain this drainage in our own country. We should have some kind of judiciary and banking loopholes so that the people having black money can keep the money in India itself and do not resort to foreign banks abroad. By this loopholes I don’t mean to promote corruption, instead recycling the money into country’s economy.

One More Idiot

I read the poem again and could not believe that this was written by him in the examination hall, when everyone was trying to solve numerical of Strength of Material (popularly called as SOM). This guy was a friend of one of my batch mate. He attempted thrice before he could crack the prestigious entrance of IIT and joined our campus one year later than me. I won’t called this guy looked like a poet from romanticism in a navy cadet uniform, but his eyes were what I would call a pair of speaking eyes.

After completing two semesters, he quit. He quit something he got so hard. But seems he quit because he knew what he does not wanted. I heard from sources that that he started teaching IIT aspirants in Bokaro, and later he left that also to pursue graduation in English literature from Delhi University. Last I heard from my friend that he was pursuing masters from DU.

I little care of what he wanted and absolutely unaware of what is he doing now. But I am sure must not be doing something which he don’t like.

3 Femindiots

This post is about three females, who has done things they want despite being from very traditional Indian middle class families. I call them achievers and feel great to share classrooms with them. Since, I cannot rank their achievement so I am ranking them chronologically in the post.

1. Sonali : She was the first lady marine engineer of India. Her father was in pharmacy profession in Allahabad, Still sho chosen to take up IIT Joint entrance exam and finally joined Marine Engineering college. This college had never seen a girl cadet before. So all the arrangement had been done to accommodate her. The discipline was tough for a girl that too for four long years.
She not only completed the education and training successfully but also joined the Merchant Navy career, after serving on high seas for 4-5 years she has taken a shore job at Jamnagar with reliance group.
2. Capt. Poonam Joshi: She had served Indian army for 5 years for short service commissions, that not the point I was making. While at service she has joined the expedition team sailing on pacific ocean. In this expedition 4-5 member troop take head on to ride waves of ocean for 2-3 weeks and abode on the small boat all by themselves.
Post her service in Indian army, she did her MBA from IIT KGP and now working as SAP consultant in USA.
3. Saraswati : Few years ago in India it was very difficult for a girl to choose profession of her choice, even boys are not getting enough options to choose and get settled down. But Saraswati, first did Engineering from B’lore and worked for Infosys. This didn’t gave her a kick I suppose, so she pursued MBA from IIT KGP and landed job at MNC IBM. But this also appeared mundane, she quit IBM and started preparing for Civil services from Delhi.

She got selected for prestigious IPS (Indian Police Service). She hailed from lesser known village tumkur in karnataka, which has earned her nickname "Tumkur ki maharani" & also "Tumkur ka Terror". We never knew what she was destined to.

My expectation from this post is to inspire younger lot to chase their dream. There are times when we don’t choose right career options in our life, there is nothing wrong is correcting ourselves and changing path. Instead of cribbing about sacrifices lifelong, go ahead and follow your heart and do something you are good at. I am working on a post on tips to choose right career path will be back soon. Until then watch movies like "Patiala House" and "Social network"

PS: Femindiot is combination of Female+Indian+ Idiot, this is an extension of Indiot (Indian+Idiot)

Sensex, Valentine & You

Stock market is just not letting bear go away. almost since last one 10-15 days market has cling on to bear and not allowing anyone to get bear for their dear one. Last year you could afford a nice furry pink color bear for your valentine, but this year the lost love of market has come and hit all of us from the back. Two days to go for valentine day, we are praying to the bull to return to his love and roam in dalal street happily with BSE and add some basis points. 

It was observed that bull was serving valentine market, and enjoying guarding all the bears inside glass cages, well lit and decorated, This market is happy to release all the bears, red, pink and yellow, to whoever dare to cross the bull-guard. Bull for all, now know that his term with this valentine market will get over this Monday so moved towards the dalal street and from Friday noon the bear has moved 265 steps. Valentine market after knowing that bull will move out of her market soon, resorted to a scam release 2 come 65 steps near to teddy bears, a flat 32.5% scam. The other part of the scam is overnight they move all the Glass cages of colorful bears up by 32.5% and disillusioned You.

You, who was eagerly waiting for this day when you will bring colorful bear to your valentine so that she will forget all your bull (shit) and start loving you, still doing a circus with bull and bears of two market. 

Facts:

1. Florists and gift shop inflate the prices by 30-40% during valentine season and no discount.

2. In 2009, 90% of all the online orders with Ferns and Petals, happened for valentine day.and 10% for remaining 364 days. 

Two states: One car

A friend of mine, who has relocated to Hyderabad 2months ago from Pune and bring along his  car, brand new i20, which bears Maharashtra registration. Two days ago his vehicle was seized by a vigilance team and he had to pay, life time tax in Andhra Pradesh. The tax which is 12% for new car is an heavy penalty.

Since the  seizure was done by senior vigilance officer, nothing could be done by the RTO officials. Otherwise he could have paid one year road tax along with some penalty, he could have saved lot of money.

Now as he has already paid lifetime road tax to AP, he can claim refund from Maharashtra by registering the vehicle in AP and surrendering the RC of Pune. There are lots of technicalities and nuances of these rules which are not available in any of the RTI portals. One can get some info from less reliable sources over Internet but can not be guaranteed.

State Governments of AP and Maharashtra and likes are claiming to implement e-governance, but fail to provide even basic of information to the user. and we suffer from this inability of government. we can be taken for a ride under exclusive rules which are not made available to mass.

If you are in Hyderabad: Vigilance team appears to be very active in Hyderabad since a week, seem they are running sort of revenues and out for collections. Keep your papers ready and reviewed.

Try searching for any such rules you will realize yourself.

If you spend time to read this blog. do a favor to yourself send feedback to RTI portals if you dont get information.

I will compile the information and place them in next post.

When is the right time..

This question comes in everyones mind for numerous things..WHEN IS THE RIGHT TIME
....to start business
....to start investment
....to get married
....to have kids
....to look for dream job (translate change job for higher salary)
....to go to dream destination
etc etc.

the answers is now, the moment such thought comes to mind anytime from now is the right time for all these...infact the question should not be when but it should be what????

what should one chase in the momnet called now..to do that we need to understand the power of now, the most livable moment all saints and gurus talked about it. No amount of  quantitative and qualitative analysis about this WHAT calculations of the returns would help. analysis and calculations are not futile that helps but only when we add it with inner calling.

If one hear to inner calling he/she gets the most powerful WHAT for NOW.