Gopi Online

Latest proof that Mr. Manmohan Singh reacts to nothing.....

2012-02-16T19:53:00.001-08:00

Disclaimer:

This electronic message has been sent from within Agro Tech Foods Limited. The information contained in this electronic message and any attachments and hyperlinks to this message are intended for the exclusive use of the addressee(s) and may contain proprietary, confidential or legally privileged information. If you are not the intended recipient, you should not disseminate, distribute, print, disclose, use, copy or rely on this e-mail. Please notify the sender immediately by telephone or email and destroy all copies of this message and any attachments.

WARNING: Computer viruses can be transmitted via email. The recipient should check this email and any attachments for the presence of viruses. The company accepts no liability for any damage caused by any virus transmitted by this email. Any email that you send to us maybe monitored for the purposes of ascertaining whether the communication complies with the law and our policies.

Posted via email from musings's posterous

crib - Today's Word

2012-02-07T03:14:00.001-08:00

Did not know that CRIB had so many meanings and also not the one we are familiar with – to complain?

Gopi



crib \krib\, verb: 1. To pilfer or steal, especially to plagiarize. 2. To confine in or as if in a crib. 3. To provide with a crib or cribs. 4. To line with timber or planking. 5. Informal. A. To use a crib in examinations, homework, translating, etc. B. To steal; plagiarize. 6. (Of a horse) to practice cribbing. noun: 1. A child's bed with enclosed sides. 2. A stall or pen for cattle. 3. A rack or manger for fodder, as in a stable or barn. 4. A bin for storing grain, salt, etc. 5. Informal. A. A translation, list of correct answers, or other illicit aid used by students while reciting, taking exams, or the like; pony. B. Plagiarism. C. A petty theft. 6. A room, closet, etc., in a factory or the like, in which tools are kept and issued to workers. 7. A shallow, separate section of a bathing area, reserved for small children. 8. Any confined space. 9. Slang. A house, shop, etc., frequented by thieves or regarded by thieves as a likely place for burglarizing. 10. Building Trades, Civil Engineering. Any of various cellular frameworks of logs, squared timbers, or steel or concrete objects of similar form assembled in layers at right angles, often filled with earth and stones and used in the construction of foundations, dams, retaining walls, etc. 11. A barrier projecting part of the way into a river and then upward, acting to reduce the flow of water and as a storage place for logs being floated downstream. 12. A lining for a well or other shaft. 13. Slang. One's home; pad. 14. Cribbage. A set of cards made up by equal contributions from each player's hand, and belonging to the dealer. 15. A cheap, ill-kept brothel. 16. A wicker basket. 17. British, Australian. Lunch, especially a cold lunch carried from home to work and eaten by a laborer on the job; snack.

Disclaimer:

Posted via email from musings's posterous

Some Gyaan, Some Fun

2012-01-29T09:06:00.001-08:00

• To write with a broken pencil is . . . pointless.

• When fish are in schools they sometimes . . . take debate.

• A thief who stole a calendar . . . got twelve months.

• The professor discovered that her theory of earthquakes . . . was on shaky ground.

• The batteries were given out . . . free of charge.

• A dentist and a manicurist married. .. . . They fought tooth and nail.

• A will is a . . . dead giveaway.

• If you don't pay your exorcist . . . you can get repossessed.

• With her marriage, she got a new name . .. . and a dress.

• Show me a piano falling down a mineshaft and I'll show you . . . A-flat miner.

• You are stuck with your debt if . . . you can't budge it.

• Local Area Network in Australia : . . . The LAN down under.

• A boiled egg is . . . hard to beat.

• When you've seen one shopping center . . . you've seen a mall.

• Police were called to a day care where a three-year-old was . . . resisting a rest.

• Did you hear about the fellow whose whole left side was cut off? . . . He's all right now.

• If you take a laptop computer for a run you could . . .. jog your memory.

• A bicycle can't stand alone; . . . it is two tired.

• The guy who fell onto an upholstery machine . . . was fully recovered.

• He had a photographic memory . . . which was never developed.

• Those who get too big for their britches will be . .. . exposed in the end.

• When she saw her first strands of gray hair, . . . she thought she'd dye.

• Acupuncture: . . . a jab well done.

6 PRINCIPLES OF LIFE

1. No point using limited life to chase unlimited money.

2. No point earning so much money you cannot live to spend it.

3. Money is not yours until you spend it.

4. When you are young, you use your health to chase your wealth; when you are old, you use your wealth to buy back your health. Difference is that, it is too late.

5. How happy a man is, not how much he has but how little he needs.

6. No point working so hard to provide for the people you have no time to spend with.

Remember this:

We come to this world with nothing,

We leave this world with nothing!

This is the proof that you don't have to have money to be happy

With money one must have time too.

Both are most important in life

Without money you can't live

Without time you can't enjoy.

Disclaimer:

Posted via email from musings's posterous

Lieutenant you did not die in vain!

2012-01-25T22:26:00.001-08:00

Here is a column by Sarvar Bail where he saluted Lieutenant Navdeep Singh, 26, who died fighting terrorists in the Kashmir valley in August, 2011. Lt Singh will be awarded the Ashok Chakra, the highest peacetime gallantry award, by President Pratibha Patil, on Republic Day.

Lieutenant you did not die in vain!

You will not get the adulation from the government that a martyred soldier gets in the US.

Your name will not be read out in any obituary reference in Parliament, as is done in the UK for all soldiers who fall in combat in the line of duty.

Your name will not be etched on any national memorial because we do not have one.

I learnt about your demise from the ticker tape on one of the news channels. It was a big encounter and a very fierce one at that. A feeling of deep sadness enveloped me as I reflected on your youth which had been sacrificed in the Gurez sector in the line of duty.

What does your death mean?

You were too young to die, far too young! For whom and for what did you die then? This question haunted me last night and I will attempt to answer you.

You were probably from a village or a small town of India. You were perhaps the son of an army officer or JCO, or from an urban or rural civilian background. You could not be from one of the big cities where iron has entered the soul of our youth and where the only driving motivator is quest for money in the surreal environment of the corporate world.

Why did you join the army? Of course to get a job. But then that is over simplifying the question. You were possibly motivated by the traditions in your family and clan, you were probably enthused by the sight of your elder brothers, uncles or other men from your community in uniform, you were perhaps enchanted by the cantonment life where you may have spent your growing years.

On your last journey, you would not have got the adulation from the government that a martyred soldier gets in the US. Your name will not be read out in any obituary reference in Parliament, as is done in the UK for all soldiers who fall in combat in the line of duty. Your name will not be etched on any national memorial because we do not have one!

Symbolically you will become the Unknown Soldier for the nation, for whom the flame burns at India Gate, but your name will not be etched there. The names engraved on that monument are of the soldiers who died fighting for the British Indian Army and not those who have made the supreme sacrifice for Independent India! Can it get more ironic?

But do not despair, Lieutenant. Your comrades will do you proud! The senior-most officer would have led the homage that your brother officers will pay you before you left the Valley of Kashmir one last time. Your unit representatives must have escorted your body home. You would have been carried to the funeral pyre draped in the flag for which you died fighting.

The darkened and tearful eyes of your grief-stricken mother and the stoic figure of your father, benumbed by the enormity of this tragedy, will move even the most cynical.

I do not know Lieutenant at what stage of the encounter you fell, mortally wounded. But the fact that you were there on the lonely vigil across the Line of Control in Gurez, is enough to vouch for your valour. Your unit and formation commanders will see to it that you get the gallantry award which you so richly deserve. In due time your father or your mother will be presented the medal and parchment of your gallantry, which will be framed and find pride of place in your home.

Time will dull the bitterness of this tragic parting, which right now is the only feeling that engulfs your parents and siblings in its enormity.

Lieutenant you were lucky. You did not live long enough to get married and leave behind a grieving widow. You did not live long enough to have children. For when they would have come of age you would have seen in them a cynicism towards the army for which you died.

You will not see a young son who thinks his father is a hero and wants to follow his footsteps in joining the army only to be harshly dissuaded by his mother (or father) from following a profession which ranks so low for the youth of our country.

You were lucky not to serve long enough to see the army getting belittled. You did not live long enough to see the utter indifference and disdain for the army. Like you, a large number of valiant soldiers laid down their lives on the rocky heights of Kargil, fighting against self-imposed odds. Today it is not even felt fit to publicly commemorate the anniversary of that stupendous military victory in a befitting manner, a war won by the blood of young men.

But do not despair Lieutenant. Your name will be etched for posterity in the annals of your Unit and your Regiment. A silver trophy with your name inscribed on it, will grace the centre table of the Unit mess. You will also find your name in the unit Quarter Guard, where annual homage will also be paid to you. The war memorials at the Formation HQ where you served and your Regimental Centre will proudly display your name for eternity.

If you joined the Army through the NDA, your name will be written in the Hut of Remembrance through which each cadet will pass, paying homage before his Passing Out Parade.

There will be an obituary reference to you from your comrades in the papers, which will be flipped over by most but which will be read in detail by people who have a connect with those who wear or wore the uniform.

As your parents head into the evening of their life, memories of your valour will be their most precious possession. Whenever your mother will think of you her eyes will mist over but there will be more stars in them than you ever wore on your shoulders.

Your father may speak quietly about you but no one will miss the swell of pride in his chest. For your siblings you will always remain the real hero, and for that matter even for your community and village. A school or a road may well be named after you and you will become a part of the local folklore.

You died Lieutenant, because when the test came, you decided that you could not let down your family, your clan and your comrades, who always expected, without ever saying so, to do your duty. You, Lieutenant, have done more than your duty and made your memory their hallowed possession.

Lieutenant you did not die in vain!

Disclaimer:

Posted via email from musings's posterous

Some common English mistakes

2012-01-25T07:12:00.001-08:00

Cartons # Cartoons

Cartons = Boxes to hold stuff
Cartoons = Funny Images, Caricatures or Characters

Sort out # Shot out # Short out

Sort out = Solve
Shot out = Dismissed (as in cricket)
Short out = Have a short circuit

Lack # Lakh (Lac)

Lack = Shortage of
Lakh = A hundred thousand
Lac = An alternative spelling for LAKH or a short form of lacquer (a resin) or a short form of milk (lactose/lactating)

I suppose this helps

Gopi.

________________________________

Disclaimer:

Posted via email from musings's posterous

Linkedin Update - Height of Bad Luck

2012-01-25T01:59:00.001-08:00

Height of Bad Luck :-

Ek Aadmi Pepsi Samne Rakh Ke Udaas Baitha Tha

Dost Aaya Pepsi Ka Glass Pi Gaya

Aur Bola Yar kyu Udaas Hai?

Aadmi Bola Yaar Aaj ka To Din hi Bura hai ..

Subah Biwi Se Jhagda Ho gaya,

Raste Me Car Kharab Ho gayi ..

Office Late Pahuncha To Boss Ne Naukri Se Nikal Diya...

Ab Suicide Ke Liye Pepsi Me ZAHER Milaya Tha Wo Glass Bhi tu Pee Gaya

Disclaimer:

Posted via email from musings's posterous

All About Rajnikanth

2012-01-21T09:52:00.001-08:00

Guys: All about Rajnikanth !!

Read about it here before you enter the site in the second link: http://ibnlive.in.com/news/rajnikanth-website-really-runs-without-internet/222734-8.html

a new initiative – has nice graphics & some factual errors (like his famous dialog) – but still worth a visit: http://www.desimartini.com/allaboutrajni.htm

Disclaimer:

Posted via email from musings's posterous

Amazing Grace in the Colosseum

2012-01-18T08:36:00.001-08:00

This is one of the classics in Gospel music

The story of this song is here:

www.anointedlinks.com/amazing_grace.html

The same song performed recently in the Colosseum is here:

http://www.clarrissegill.com/videoclips/amazing_grace.php

If you are in a mood to listen to some Gospel songs presented in a big choir format, there is nothing better than this.

Gopi

Disclaimer:

Posted via email from musings's posterous

With due apologies to my atheist friends :)

2012-01-08T09:12:00.001-08:00

Disclaimer:

Posted via email from musings's posterous

Santa: Coca-Cola & Santa Claus - were you aware of this?

2011-12-22T21:43:00.001-08:00

http://www.thecoca-colacompany.com/heritage/cokelore_santa.html

________________________________

Disclaimer:

Posted via email from musings's posterous

Just for Laughs: No Idea

2011-12-19T00:07:00.001-08:00

NICE REPLY..

When Aishwarrya delivered a baby girl,
The doctor welcomed the baby, "You will be amazed to know which family you are born in. Do you know who your Grandfather is?"

The baby replied, "Yes, He happens to be the greatest actor of Bollywood."

The Doctor was shocked. Then he asked, "Do you know who your Mother is?"

The baby replied, "One of the most beautiful ladies in the world. Miss World."

The doctor then asked, "Do you know who your Father is?"

The baby replied, "NO IDEA"

LOL

________________________________

Disclaimer:

Posted via email from musings's posterous

A Blackberry shot of the lunar eclipse

2011-12-10T07:23:00.001-08:00

________________________________

Disclaimer:

Posted via email from musings's posterous

Dilbert and Leadership

2011-12-06T04:28:00.001-08:00

Disclaimer:

Posted via email from musings's posterous

Why McDonald's wins in any economy

2011-11-30T05:52:00.001-08:00

Thanks to Jim Skinner's no-nonsense leadership, the global restaurant juggernaut is doing better than ever.

By Beth Kowitt, writer-reporter

FORTUNE -- Jim Skinner, CEO of McDonald's, is inspecting the kitchen of one of his restaurants in Oak Brook, Ill., with the rigor many of his peers might reserve for financial reports. He examines the food-preparation area as he explains, in great detail, the "review of the hash browns" that McDonald's initiated a few years ago -- and admonishes me to not touch anything. "Unless you feel like you want to have a job," he adds. McDonald's, after all, is one of the few places hiring these days.

Skinner isn't a micromanager. He's simply intensely focused on the efficiency and performance of McDonald's (MCD) 33,000 restaurants worldwide and the enormous, complex infrastructure that supports them, a managerial trait that has resulted in nothing short of a Golden Age for the Golden Arches. Since Skinner, 66, became CEO in 2004, the company has delivered an annual growth rate of 5%, with revenue topping $24 billion last year. Same-store sales, a closely watched industry metric, have climbed each of the seven years of his tenure, and in that time the stock has returned more than 250% -- even after the early-August equities selloff -- vs. 16% for the S&P 500 (SPX).

If you haven't been in a McDonald's lately, you might assume that the company simply has been the beneficiary of the struggling economy in the U.S. and elsewhere in the world, and that cost-conscious consumers are flocking to fast-food eateries instead of sit-down restaurants. But to post the kind of impressive numbers McDonald's has -- and to weather the current turmoil -- Skinner has had to find ways to attract new diners while retaining the hard-core Big Mac-and-fries crowd. And so today, along with burgers and shakes, you can stroll into a McDonald's and pick up a snack wrap or a fruit smoothie or a decent latte (much to Starbucks' chagrin), all of which translates into higher sales per location. Last year average per-store sales jumped to $2.4 million, from $1.6 million in 2004.

Now think of all the things that have to go right to pull off that kind of global transformation: Test kitchens need to churn out winning recipes (no more McPizzas!), the company must line up suppliers who can handle big orders, the crews have to be trained to prepare new items, and marketers must figure out a way to sell them -- all while fending off the food police who, not without merit, dog the company about the nutritional value of its fare. Luckily for McDonald's, Skinner is an operations whiz who has turned the restaurant giant into a well-oiled machine, insisting on planning and accountability throughout the company -- even hash browns are subject to review. "McDonald's has been an execution wonder," says UBS analyst David Palmer. That's why Fortune has named Skinner to the starting lineup of our first Executive Dream Team, an all-star roster of top-performing executives.

Yet few at McDonald's ever expected the publicity-shy Midwesterner, who never graduated from college, to become CEO. "I've been a walk-on in everything; nobody was thinking, 'Get the little guy from Davenport, Iowa,'" says the 5-foot-6 Skinner, who rarely talks about himself in interviews. His transition from supporting player to team captain in November 2004 came under tragic circumstances: Former CEO Jim Cantalupo died of a heart attack that year, and Cantalupo's successor, Charlie Bell, resigned as he underwent treatment for cancer after just seven months on the job. He died in January 2005.

But Skinner's leadership has been utterly self-assured -- it is as though the walk-on had been quietly practicing for his big shot all along. Employees and analysts say he's guided by a zeal for satisfying customers, even if it comes at the expense of his own ideas and preferences. A few years ago the company did extensive testing on new coffee-cup lids and rolled out a version that consumers liked -- and that Skinner, who happens to drink a lot of coffee, really didn't. Rather than overrule the masses, Skinner came up with his own solution: He keeps a stash of the old lids on hand.

From the kitchen up

If Skinner seems as though he knows his way around a McDonald's kitchen, it is because he once worked in one, as did 40% of the company's executives. (Amazon (AMZN) CEO Jeff Bezos and Top Chef Richard Blais did too.) At age 16 he got a job at McDonald's in Davenport. "I was in a family where, if I wanted to have any spending money, I had to work," says Skinner, whose father was a bricklayer. It was 1962 and employees still peeled, blanched, and sliced potatoes for French fries.

Skinner visiting a McDonald's restaurant in Oak Brook, Ill.

After six months behind the counter, he left Iowa behind for the Navy, serving on the aircraft carriers Midway and Oriskany. (He briefly overlapped with Oriskany veteran John McCain.) The hallmarks that came with spending nearly a decade in a highly disciplined, execution-driven environment became classic Skinner. He met his future wife, Kathleen, during his last year in the service -- they're still married 42 years later -- and decided it was time to settle down. He landed at McDonald's as a restaurant manager trainee after a Navy buddy encouraged him to apply.

Skinner earned a reputation as a loyal McDonald's man, one who always did his homework but never felt the need to show it off. Denis Hennequin, who until 2010 served as the company's head of Europe, says the future McDonald's chief would eventually earn the nickname "Jim Skipsdinner" for his preference for having a quiet bite in the hotel once business was finished rather than attend an official meal for the sake of appearances. "Some people have an ego that makes them need to be seen even if it's not necessary," says Hennequin, now CEO of hotel operator Accor. "Jim is not like that." Several former executives described Skinner as having no tolerance for bureaucratic double talk, one noting that he has a "good crap detector." (None of this is to say he's humorless. In fact, he's rather funny. Ask him about one of his favorite shows, Two and a Half Men, and he'll offer his thoughts on how he would write Ashton Kutcher into the sitcom.)

He proved to be insightful too, backing his executives publicly even if he didn't always agree with their tactics. Claire Babrowski, who worked for McDonald's for almost 30 years, remembers, as a manager in the North Carolina region, running into a difficult franchisee who wasn't operating his store the way the company liked. (To this day, 80% of McDonald's restaurants are operated by independent owners.) To top it off, he would never wear a tie -- standard practice at the time for franchisees. Skinner was her boss, and during a visit all parties met to hash out their issues. "For some reason I got off on the tie thing, which was so the least of it," Babrowski says. Skinner didn't stop her, instead turning to the franchisee to ask him how hard it would be to put on a tie. "Later at night Jim took me out to dinner, and he's like, 'Really? The tie?'"

In 1992, McDonald's promoted Skinner to work in its international business, bringing Big Macs and fries to 60 new markets, including parts of Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. By the time he came back to domestic operations he had worked in every region of the world.

Skinner returned to the U.S. business in 2002 to a McDonald's that was floundering. The company was hooked on expansion; in 2001 it was opening more than three restaurants a day. The quality of the food and service had deteriorated as a result, along with the stock price and profits. Long-time McDonald's man Jim Cantalupo came out of retirement to run the company and elevated Skinner to vice chairman. The new executive team implemented a back-to-basics turnaround strategy -- the Plan to Win -- with a focus on growth through increasing sales at existing stores rather than by opening new locations.

In April 2004, Cantalupo and his management crew traveled down to Orlando for the company's owner-operator convention. In the early morning hours the day Cantalupo was to give his remarks, a victory speech of sorts, he had a heart attack and died in the room next to Skinner's. That same day the board named the young, charismatic Charlie Bell as the company's new leader. But less than a month later Bell was diagnosed with colorectal cancer. While he and the company were at first optimistic about a recovery, he stepped aside in November. "The bizarre paradoxical thing was that in the midst of first losing Jim [Cantalupo] and then Charlie being ill, we were performing better than ever," says former McDonald's executive Mats Lederhausen. "It was surreal."

The board looked to the 60-year-old Skinner to become the company's new CEO at one of the most delicate moments in its history. "The fact that it was Jim, at least from my point of view, was a comfort," Babrowski says. To the outside world, Skinner was relatively unknown, which he attributes to always being a good No. 2. "Good No. 2s don't usurp their boss's authority," he says. "They don't go around trying to take credit."

Rather than shake up the already unsettled company by implementing a new approach, the no-drama Skinner came in on a platform of continuity, stressing that leadership change doesn't mean strategy change. "He understood that he didn't need to rebrand the company in his own image," says Jeffrey Sonnenfeld of the Yale School of Management. "He didn't need to imprint his persona."

Keeping the streak going

Under Skinner, McDonald's has become so successful that it now has a challenge only a few companies, such as Wal-Mart (WMT), face. How do you continue to grow a behemoth? Every day 64 million people in 118 countries (Bosnia was just added to the list) eat at its restaurants, which generate revenue that trumps Starbucks (SBUX), KFC, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell (YUM) combined. From 2008 through 2010, McDonald's was responsible for 90% of the sales growth of the U.S. fast-food and fast-casual industry, according to research firm Technomic. Every month that the company ups its same-store-sales figures, which it has done for the past 99, the harder it is to lap its numbers year to year.

The fact that fast food is a somewhat cyclical business makes McDonald's sales streak all the more impressive. But Skinner doesn't think McDonald's should experience serious ups and downs based on seasons or swings in the economy. He's constantly telling shareholders and analysts that the company's success doesn't hinge on consumers trading down when times are tough; when customers have more to spend, they'll spend it at McDonald's, he says.

To entice consumers to buy more -- and more often -- McDonald's under Skinner has pursued what the fast-food industry calls "platforms" rather than one-hit wonders. (Chicken is a platform; McNuggets are the product.) McCafé, McDonald's beverage platform featuring coffee drinks and smoothies, has added about $125,000 in sales per store and is the company's biggest launch in 35 years. As McDonald's has put its major flops of the past far behind (ever try the McLean or the Arch Deluxe?), the company has gained permission from consumers to branch out into products you'd never expect to see on the menu board a decade ago -- oatmeal, for example. Geographical divisions have even gotten better at sharing ideas around the globe. McCafé originated in Australia, and now Chicken McBites, another Aussie staple, is being tested in the U.S.

Despite having more than 100 items on the menu, Skinner, perhaps more than anyone else at McDonald's, has never lost sight of the fact that the company's roots go back to the burger business. In the late 1990s and early 2000s McDonald's started acquiring stakes in brands like Chipotle (CMG). Those investments diversified the company but barely caused a blip in earnings. When Skinner became CEO, he sold them all off in their entirety in order to keep the focus on the core. "Because you're good with hamburgers, you think you can do pizzas or rental cars or an IT business or sell your know-how," says former executive Hennequin. McDonald's has been guilty of this too -- it once opened Golden Arch hotels in Switzerland. "Jim is always the guy that takes us back to 'What difference is this going to make for the hamburger business? Is that going to help? If that's not going to help, forget it.'"

Today McDonald's is better than ever at figuring out what will or won't work on the menu board, a testament to the discipline Skinner has instituted. Every new item that ends up on customers' trays has to have a strong business case that examines its profitability, the capital it requires, and how it can be built out nationally. McDonald's has about 40 products at different stages in the pipeline, and some, like the Angus Burger, can take over four years to hit the market. Products that meet the company's business-case requirements have a 90% chance of going national. During the testing phase, the company may even try out different prices by market to ensure a new launch is adding incremental sales rather than stealing share from an existing item.

McDonald's buying power

Take the snack wrap, which came about when restaurants started to see a plateau in sales volume of its Chicken Selects. McDonald's executive chef, suppliers, and franchisees got together at headquarters to figure out how to ramp up the turn of the crispy chicken strips. After chefs, food scientists, suppliers, and members of the menu-management team and advertising agency weighed in on how to define the product and pricing, the snack wrap had to pass muster with 150 to 200 consumers in focus groups. It then went into a four- to six-week operational test in a handful of restaurants to determine if changes needed to be made in crew positioning or equipment. McDonald's had mastered the bun, but with the snack wrap, the menu-development team had a lot of work to do operationally around tortillas: What was the right packaging? How do you get them at the right temperature for the customer? What's the right amount of flexibility in the tortilla?

Snack wraps made it to market in 2006, 18 months after executives began discussing them. One of the fastest launches the company has ever had, it accomplished what McDonald's has increasingly tried to do: hit another price point on the menu and offer some food news that gives customers a reason to go back into its stores. The process also helped McDonald's realize the potential of the snacking market -- the growing segment that wants to nibble between meals -- and the chance to increase traffic between mealtimes. An added bonus: The product team then took the same formula for the snack wrap and applied its tortilla know-how at breakfast to create the McSkillet Burrito. Both products use the same tortilla, so the kitchen isn't further complicated with another ingredient.

Skinner likes a new hit product as much as the next guy, but, he says, at this point in McDonald's history another breakout blockbuster is unlikely. Growth these days is about scaling and executing. Hence the operational zeal, which has evolved into a strategy that places a relentless focus on the stores. Whenever his people travel on business, he wants them checking out the local McDonald's. Robbie Hofmann, president of McDonald's supplier North Side Foods and a friend of Skinner's for 30 years, says that whenever they travel together, Skinner always coerces him into stopping for coffee at the nearest McDonald's, where he spends the next half hour chatting with the crew -- after he's secured one of his back-up lids for his drink, of course.

Skinner knows the restaurants are the only place the cash register rings. Headquarters can cook up any idea it wants, but if it overly complicates the kitchen, the product won't fly. This doesn't always endear him to his finance executives, to whom he's been known to say, "I want to remind you that it's a lot harder to make money than it is to count it!" At one time the company floated the idea of putting deli sandwiches on the menu. The deal killer? The crew couldn't get it done in 55 to 60 seconds. "We talk about hospitality, we talk about friendly relationships, but we live in a world of speed today," Skinner says. McDonald's customers at the drive-through don't want to be chatted with, and they don't want to wait two minutes for a turkey sandwich.

Don't be afraid of your No. 2

There was a time when the idea of "Hamburger U," McDonald's training facility, used to elicit titters, but to Skinner, who didn't graduate from college or earn an MBA, management training is no joke. He created a leadership institute a year after he became CEO. One nine-month leadership program brings together top-performing executives to work on addressing big issues for McDonald's. Funding for another program, for all new officers, comes out of Skinner's own budget.

Skinner in company garb in the mid-1970s

This push for talent development may be Skinner's greatest legacy at the company, which has 700,000 employees in the U.S. alone, thanks in part to its April "national hiring day" spree of 62,000 workers. He requires that all executives train at least two potential successors -- one who could do the job today, the "ready now," in McDonald's parlance, and one who could be a future replacement, the "ready future." One could speculate that this redundancy might have to do with the way Skinner came into his current position. Every year the executive team, including Skinner, reviews the top 200 positions in the company and the feeder pool, which means it ends up looking at about 400 people. "We talk about all of them," says HR chief Rich Floersch.

Skinner doesn't show much sympathy for employees who can't handle the thought of having a subordinate right behind them who's capable of tackling their job at any moment. "That's always a danger, and some people can't live with that," Skinner says. "I always like to say that my goal is to surround myself with people smarter than I am. I'm not afraid of it." And Skinner seems to practice what he preaches: At analyst meetings and on calls, he regularly defers to his No. 2, Don Thompson, who moved into his current job as chief operating officer in 2010.

Skinner isn't exempt from having a "ready now," and Thompson is widely believed by analysts to be his heir apparent. McDonald's doesn't have a mandatory retirement age, and the 66-year-old Skinner won't say when he plans to make the move. He does offer one lighthearted hint: "People always ask me when I'm going to retire," he tells me. "I say, 'When I run out of lids.'"

Disclaimer:

Posted via email from musings's posterous

Mera Bharat Mahaan

2011-11-25T23:39:00.001-08:00

Mera Bharat Mahaan.xlsx Download this file

Sure you got it earlier – but WTH, enjoy !!

Disclaimer:

Posted via email from musings's posterous

New way to look young

2011-11-25T04:56:00.001-08:00

Disclaimer:

Posted via email from musings's posterous

SUCCESS, THE HARD WAY: HOMELESS TO HARVARD

2011-11-24T13:39:00.001-08:00

http://www.knowledgeplex.org/news/2990551.html?p=1

At 28, Lalita Booth has been many things: chronic runaway, ninth-grade dropout, teen bride, single mother and -- twice -- homeless. But now, her life is like the answer to those standardized test questions that ask which of these is not like the other.

Now, she is headed to Harvard.

Late last month, Booth, who lives in Sanford, received her letter of acceptance from Harvard's prestigious Master's in Business Administration program. Next month she'll find out whether she is also accepted to Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government, though by all accounts she is a shoo-in. In three years, she plans to have graduate degrees from both.

Booth's intellectual-rags-to-riches tale is a journey from "sofa-surfing" rebel to one of the most acclaimed undergraduate students in the country. It is also, essentially, the story of a mother's devotion.

"At 20, I was single and homeless with a baby," she said. Already married and divorced, she moved to Colorado to be near her mother and get back on her feet -- a step she knew would not be possible while caring for a 2-year-old. Heartbroken, she sent her son to live with his paternal grandparents for seven months.

"It was the hardest choice I've ever had to make in my life," she said.

Each night, she cried herself to sleep clutching a tiny blue T-shirt her son had worn.

"My only option was to act," she said, "to do what I thought I couldn't."

Hardship and honors

How she climbed out of that hole is as unlikely as the rest of her life.

Consider her current undertakings.

She is seeking honors in both finance and accounting at the University of Central Florida, where she is a straight-A undergraduate at the Burnett Honors College. She also runs a nonprofit, Lighthouse for Dreams, to teach financial literacy to at-risk kids and adults. She is raising her now-9-year-old son, diagnosed with an autistic disorder that makes him brilliant but lacking in social skills. And she is married, though her husband -- Ben Brown, her former debate-team partner at Seminole Community College -- attends the University of South Florida in Tampa.

"We've never lived together, and we've been married about 14 months," Booth said. "It is very hard."

This week, she also started working part time at a Winter Park accounting firm. Going to Harvard will run up to $100,000 a year, just for the academic part. Booth is applying for scholarships and has won several already, but she'll need money just to cover moving and living expenses.

"As I've come to learn more about what she has overcome and what she is already achieving, I've come to see that . . . the sky's the limit," says Dr. Alvin Wang, the Burnett Honors College dean. "I also think she must have a secret clone."

Booth's eventual goal is to reform the welfare system, and Wang says she is entirely capable. The Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation agreed, naming Booth the first Truman Scholar in UCF's history and giving her $30,000 for graduate school.

"I understand she's going to try out for the Olympic rugby team next," joked her dad, Ian Booth, 63, a musician and producer in Asheville, N.C. "She's just wired differently -- and thank God."

A runaway rebel

The way his daughter tells it, she was "unduly headstrong" virtually from the moment she was born. Weary of bouncing between her divorced parents and, when her mother had cancer, living with her grandmother, Booth decided she wanted no one telling her what to do.

She ran away at 12, and by 14 she had a boyfriend in tow. Once, they hitchhiked from North Carolina to Washington, D.C., pausing periodically to call her parents via a runaway hotline.

She was a rebel, but a considerate one.

"It was obviously really tough," Ian Booth said. "But there comes a point when you realize there's only so much you can do, short of chaining someone to the wall. She made it very clear that, the first chance she had, she was outta here."

At 16, Lalita became legally emancipated from her parents and proceeded to live with friends, strangers and on the streets. By 17, she was married. Three months later, she found out she was pregnant.

"It was poor planning on my part," she said. "But I would never take it back because I have my son now."

When the marriage fizzled as quickly as it had begun, Booth wound up homeless once again. But this time, there was a child to consider.

'Great, positive energy'

She began cold-calling financial planners until she found one who would meet with her for free. He helped put her on a budget and calculate how much she would have to earn to support her son. She figured all she needed was a job that would pay $31,200 a year and that wouldn't require a college degree.

Studying day and night for several months, she earned a license to represent clients before the Internal Revenue Service. The four-part test takes two days and has a 4,000-page study guide, covering the entire code.

"There's this saying, 'The harder I work, the luckier I get,' " said Lana Corry, 22, who met Booth at Seminole Community College after Booth decided to return to school. "And she's the hardest-working person I've ever known . . . like this otherworldly being. In return, the universe just seems to give her what she needs because she has this great, positive energy."

Booth can hardly wait for her next adventure. She knows what people 10 years ago probably thought of her future, and she relishes having proved them, and herself, wrong.

"Self-defined boundaries are too easily incorporated into the fabric of reality and taken as truth," she wrote in an essay for National Public Radio. "Finding these boundaries, and crossing them, is one of the most powerful things you can do."

Disclaimer:

Posted via email from musings's posterous

Obama's Socialism - practical, simple yet profound

2011-11-23T09:55:00.001-08:00

An economics professor at a local college made a statement that he had never failed a single student before, but had recently failed an entire class. Prior to the failing, the class had insisted that Obama's socialism worked and that no one would be poor and no one would be rich, a great equalizer and all would be happy.

The professor then said, "OK, we will have an experiment in this class on Obama's plan". All grades will be averaged and everyone will receive the same grade so no one will fail and no one will receive an A.... The class agreed, determined to prove the professor wrong.

After the first test, the grades were averaged and everyone got a B. The students who studied hard and put in extra effort were upset and the students who studied little were happy. As the second test rolled around, the students who studied little had studied even less as they couldn't care less and the ones who studied hard decided they wanted a free ride too so they studied little.

The second test average was a D! No one was happy, especially the ones who did put in some effort as by nature they were hard working.

When the 3rd test rolled around, the average was an F.

As the tests proceeded, the scores never increased as bickering, blame and name-calling all resulted in hard feelings and no one would study for the benefit of anyone else. The ones who were hard working became resentful as even the shirkers were getting the same grades and as a result, everyone stopped studying.

To their great surprise, ALL FAILED and the professor told them that socialism would also ultimately fail because when the reward is great, the effort to succeed is great, but when government takes all the reward away, no one will try or want to succeed.

It could not be any simpler than that. (Please pass this on)

These are possibly the 4 best sentences you'll ever read and all applicable to this experiment:

1. You cannot make the poor rich, just because you are upset that rich people are not poor. Many wealthy people have reached that status by tremendous effort. You have to be responsible for the creation of your own wealth, with hard work and efforts which are solely yours. No price can be put on the feeling of satisfaction and pride you then feel.

2. The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government had no right to first take from somebody else.

3. You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it! This happens only in dreams.

4. When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is going to take care of them, and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get what they work for, that is the beginning of the end of any nation.

Can you think of a reason for not sharing this? Neither could I.

Disclaimer:

Posted via email from musings's posterous

Ducks Quack, Eagles Soar

2011-11-23T09:49:00.001-08:00

http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles/ducks-quack-eagles-soar

No one can make you serve customers well....that's because great service is a choice. Harvey Mackay tells a wonderful story about a cab driver that proved this point. He was waiting in line for a ride at the airport. When a cab pulled up, the first thing Harvey noticed was that the taxi was polished to a bright shine. Smartly dressed in a white shirt, black tie, and freshly pressed black slacks, the cab driver jumped out and rounded the car to open the back passenger door for Harvey .

He handed my friend a laminated card and said: 'I'm Wally, your driver. While I'm loading your bags in the trunk I'd like you to read my mission statement.'
Taken aback, Harvey read the card. It said: Wally's Mission Statement: To get my customers to their destination in the quickest, safest and cheapest way possible in a friendly environment.

This blew Harvey away. Especially when he noticed that the inside of the cab matched the outside. Spotlessly clean! As he slid behind the wheel, Wally said, 'Would you like a cup of coffee? I have a thermos of regular and one of decaf.' My friend said jokingly, 'No, I'd prefer a soft drink.' Wally smiled and said, 'No problem. I have a cooler up front with regular and Diet Coke, water and orange juice..' Almost stuttering, Harvey said, 'I'll take a Diet Coke.'

Handing him his drink, Wally said, 'If you'd like something to read, I have The Wall Street Journal, Time, Sports Illustrated and USA Today..'As they were pulling away, Wally handed my friend another laminated card, 'These are the stations I get and the music they play, if you'd like to listen to the radio.' And as if that weren't enough, Wally told Harvey that he had the air conditioning on and asked if the temperature was comfortable for him. Then he advised Harvey of the best route to his destination for that time of day. He also let him know that he'd be happy to chat and tell him about some of the sights or, if Harvey preferred, to leave him with his own thoughts..
.
'Tell me, Wally,' my amazed friend asked the driver, 'have you always served customers like this?'

Wally smiled into the rear view mirror. 'No, not always. In fact, it's only been in the last two years. My first five years driving, I spent most of my time complaining like all the rest of the cabbies do. Then I heard the personal growth guru, Wayne Dyer, on the radio one day. He had just written a book called You'll See It When You Believe It. Dyer said that if you get up in the morning expecting to have a bad day, you'll rarely disappoint yourself. He said, 'Stop complaining! Differentiate yourself from your competition. Don't be a duck. Be an eagle. Ducks quack and complain. Eagles soar above the crowd.'

'That hit me right between the eyes,' said Wally. 'Dyer was really talking about me. I was always quacking and complaining, so I decided to change my attitude and become an eagle. I looked around at the other cabs and their drivers. The cabs were dirty, the drivers were unfriendly, and the customers were unhappy. So I decided to make some changes. I put in a few at a time. When my customers responded well, I did more.' 'I take it that has paid off for you,' Harvey said.

'It sure has,' Wally replied. 'My first year as an eagle, I doubled my income from the previous year. This year I'll probably quadruple it. You were lucky to get me today. I don't sit at cabstands anymore. My customers call me for appointments on my cell phone or leave a message on my answering machine. If I can't pick them up myself, I get a reliable cabbie friend to do it and I take a piece of the action.'

Wally was phenomenal. He was running a limo service out of a Yellow Cab. I've probably told that story to more than fifty cab drivers over the years, and only two took the idea and ran with it. Whenever I go to their cities, I give them a call. The rest of the drivers quacked like ducks and told me all the reasons they couldn't do any of what I was suggesting.

Wally the Cab Driver made a different choice. He decided to stop quacking like ducks and start soaring like eagles.

How about us? Smile, and the whole world smiles with you.

The ball is in our court!

A man reaps what he sows. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up... let us do good to all people.

Ducks Quack, Eagles Soar.

Ponder over this –

A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

Psalm 15:1

Disclaimer:

Posted via email from musings's posterous

Proverbs 15-1 - Why do we shout when we get angry?

2011-11-23T09:43:00.001-08:00

Why shout???****

A theology professor was teaching about Proverbs 15:1. He asked his students, *"Why do we shout in anger?* Why do people shout at each other
when they are upset?

The students thought for a while. One of them said, because we lose our calm, we shout for that. "But why shout when the other person is just next to you?" asked the professor.

"Isn't it possible to speak to him or her with a soft voice? Why do you shout at a person when you are angry?"

The students gave some other answers but none satisfied the professor. Finally he explained, *"When two people are angry at each other, their hearts psychologically distance themselves.* To cover the distance, they must shout to be able to hear each other. *The angrier they are, the stronger they will shout to hear each other through that great distance.*

Then the professor asked, *"What happens when two people fall in love? *They don't shout at each other but talk softly, why? *Because their hearts are
psychologically very close.* The distance between them is very small. The professor continued, "When they love each other even more, what happens?
They do not speak, only whisper and they even get even closer to each other in their love. Finally they even need not whisper, they only look at each
other and that's all....

*So next time you shout to a loved one, know that you are creating distance between your heart and that person's heart. *

MORAL : A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.*****

Disclaimer:

Posted via email from musings's posterous

Wonderful One-liners - risking my life while I post this ;)

2011-11-22T01:09:00.001-08:00

· The difference between in-laws and outlaws? Outlaws are wanted.

· Alcohol is a perfect solvent: It dissolves marriages, families and careers.

· A fine is a tax for doing wrong. A tax is a fine for doing well.

· Archeologist: someone whose career lies in ruins.

· An archaeologist is the best husband any woman can have: The older she gets, the more interested he is in her.

· There are two kinds of people who don't say much: those who are quiet and those who talk a lot.

· They say that alcohol kills slowly. So what? Who's in a hurry ?

· My girlfriend asked me, "Do You believe in love at first sight"? I said, "At the first sight of what"?

· Alcohol and calculus don't mix. Never drink and derive

· One nice thing about egotists: They don't talk about other people.

· There was a man who said, "I never knew what happiness was until I got married...and then it was too late

· Before marriage, a man yearns for the woman he loves. After marriage, the 'Y' becomes silent.

Disclaimer:

Posted via email from musings's posterous

Op-Ed: World first — Light created in vacuum, quantum theory at work

2011-11-20T16:29:00.001-08:00

http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/314722

Very interesting – very fascinating possibilities ahead.

Disclaimer:

Posted via email from musings's posterous

Parents pray, jets grounded, horns banned - for Korea college exam !!

2011-11-10T10:26:00.001-08:00

http://campus.yahoo.com/news/yeduyahooindia/parents-pray-jets-grounded-korea-college-exam-20111110

Disclaimer:

Posted via email from musings's posterous

Baap of all the Jugaads

2011-11-08T20:25:00.001-08:00

Disclaimer:

Posted via email from musings's posterous

In case you were struggling to choose the mobile OS platform, here is help

2011-11-08T08:48:00.001-08:00

To confuse you more !! J

Disclaimer:

Posted via email from musings's posterous

Awesome info-graphic on the effects of drinking cola on our system.

2011-11-06T23:50:00.001-08:00

http://en.ria.ru/infographics/20111106/168384287.html

Disclaimer:

Posted via email from musings's posterous

The Four Boyfriends

2011-11-03T00:37:00.001-07:00

Once upon a time there was a girl who had four boyfriends.

She loved the fourth boyfriend the most and adorned him with rich robes and treated him to the finest of delicacies. She gave him nothing but the best.

She also loved the third boyfriend very much and was always showing him off to neighboring kingdoms. However, she feared that one day he would leave her for another.

She also loved her second boyfriend. He was her confidant and was always kind, considerate and patient with her. Whenever this girl faced a problem, she could confide in him, and he would help her get through the difficult times.

The girls first boyfriend was a very loyal partner and had made great contributions in maintaining her wealth and kingdom. However, she did not love the first boyfriend . Although he loved her deeply, she hardly took notice of him!

One day, the girl fell ill and she knew her time was short.

She thought of her luxurious life and wondered, “I now have four boyfriends with me, but when I die, will I be a alone.”

Thus, she asked the fourth boyfriend, “I loved you the most, endowed you with the finest clothing and showered great care over you. Now that I’m dying, will you follow me and keep me company?” “No way!”, replied the fourth boyfriend, and he walked away without another word.

His answer cut like a sharp knife right into her heart.

The sad girl then asked the third boyfriend, “I loved you all my life. Now that I’m dying, will you follow me and keep me company?” “No!, replied the third boyfriend. “Life is too good! When you die, I’m going to marry someone else!” Her heart sank and turned cold .....

She then asked the second boyfriend, “I have always turned to you for help and you’ve always been there for me. When I die, will you follow me and keep me company?”

“I'm sorry, I can't help you out this time!,” replied the second boyfriend. “At the very most, I can only walk with you to your grave.”

His answer struck her like a bolt of lightning, and the girl was devastated ......

Then a voice called out: “I'll go with you. I'll follow you no matter where you go.” The girl looked up, and there was her first boyfriend. He was very skinny as he suffered from malnutrition and neglect.

Greatly grieved, the girl said, “I should have taken much better care of you when I had the chance!”

In truth, you have four boyfriends in your lives:

Your fourth boyfriend is your body! No matter how much time and effort you lavish in making it look good, it will leave you when you die.

Your third boyfriend is your possessions, status , and wealth. When you die, it will all go to others.

Your second boyfriend is your family and friends. No matter how much they have been there for you, the furthest they can stay by you is up to the grave.

And your first boyfriend is your soul. Often neglected in pursuit of wealth, power and pleasures of the world. However, your soul is the only thing that will follow you wherever you go. Cultivate, strengthen and cherish it now, for it is the only part of you that will follow you to the throne of God and continue with you throughout Eternity. In essence, it’s the REAL you......

Thought for the day: Remember, when the world pushes you to your knees, you’re in the perfect position to pray.

Pass this on to someone you care about - I just did.

Being happy doesn’t mean everything’s perfect. It means you’ve decided to see beyond the imperfections. PRAISE HIM!

Disclaimer:

Posted via email from musings's posterous

Examination - in which class would you like to pass?

2011-10-16T07:50:00.001-07:00

FIRST CLASS, Very bright and top ranking students get Technical seats and become Doctors and Engineers.

The SECOND CLASS, pass their exam, study MBA and become Administrators and Control the FIRST Class.

The THIRD CLASS, just pass the exam (by some means, fair or foul) , enter into PS: Pl e Politics and become Ministers and control both the First class and the Second class passed ones.

The last but not the least, the FAILURES, join the underworld and control ALL THE ABOVE.

P.S: Do not ask me which is my preference.

Disclaimer:

Posted via email from musings's posterous

Dilbert Today - Working Late and Work-from-Home

2011-10-11T22:16:00.001-07:00

Disclaimer:

Posted via email from musings's posterous

The Buzzard, the Bat & the Bumblebee

2011-10-10T22:34:00.001-07:00

GOD is good all the the time!

Thought for the Day !!

THE BUZZARD:

If you put a buzzard in a pen that is 6 feet by 8 feet and is entirely open at the top, the bird, in spite of its ability to fly, will be an absolute prisoner. The reason is that a buzzard always begins a flight from the ground with a Run of 10 to 12 feet. Without space to run, as is its habit, It will not even attempt to fly, but will remain a prisoner for life in a small jail with no top.

THE BAT:

The ordinary bat that flies around at night, a remarkable nimble creature in the air, cannot take off from a level place. If it is placed on the floor or flat ground, all it can do is shuffle about helplessly and, no doubt, painfully, until it reaches some slight elevation from which it can throw itself into the air. Then, at once, it takes off like a flash.
THE BUMBLEBEE:

A bumblebee, if dropped into an open tumbler, will be there until it dies, unless it is taken out. It never sees the means of escape at the top, but persists in trying to find some way out through the sides near the bottom.. It will seek a way where none exists, until it completely destroys itself..
PEOPLE:

In many ways, we are like the buzzard, the bat, and the bumblebee. We struggle about with all our problems and frustrations, never realizing that all we have to do is look up! That's the answer, the escape route and the solution to any problem! Just look up.

Sorrow looks back, Worry looks around, But faith looks up !!

Live simply, love generously, care deeply, speak kindly and trust in our Creator who loves us.

SEND THIS TO A FRIEND ... I just did.

God is Good All The Time!

Disclaimer:

Posted via email from musings's posterous

Don't MESS with MOM !!!

2011-10-10T22:26:00.001-07:00

DON'T MESS WITH MOM :D

My son came home from school one day,
with a smirk upon his face.
He decided he was smart enough,
to put me in my place.

"Guess what I learned in Civics Two,
that's taught by Mr. Wright?
It's all about the laws today,
The 'Children's Bill of Rights.'

It says I need not clean my room,
don't have to cut my hair.
No one can tell me what to think,
or speak, or what to wear.

I have freedom from religion,
and regardless what you say,
I don't have to bow my head,
and I sure don't have to pray.

I can wear earrings if I want,
and pierce my tongue & nose.
I can read & watch just what I like,
get tattoos from head to toe.

And if you ever spank me,
I'll charge you with a crime.
I'll back up all my charges,
with the marks on my behind.

Don't you ever touch me,
my body's only for my use,
not for your hugs and kisses,
that's just more child abuse.

Don't preach about your morals
like your Mama did to you.
That's nothing more than mind control,
And it's illegal too!

Mom, I have these children's rights,
so you can't influence me,
or I'll call Children's Services Division,
better known as C.S.D."

Of course my first instinct was
to toss him out the door.
But the chance to teach him a lesson
made me think a little more.

I mulled it over carefully,
I couldn't let this go.
A smile crept upon my face;
he's messing with a pro.

Next day I took him shopping
at the local Goodwill Store.
I told him, "Pick out all you want,
there's shirts & pants galore.

I've called and checked with C.S.D.
who said they didn't care
if I bought you D-Mart shoes
instead of those Nike Airs.

I've canceled that appointment
to take your driver's test.
The C.S.D. is unconcerned
so I'll decide what's best."

I said "No time to stop and eat,
or pick up stuff to munch.
And tomorrow you can start to learn
to make your own sack lunch.

Just save the raging appetite,
and wait till dinner time.
We're having liver and onions,
a favorite dish of mine."

He asked "Can I please rent a movie,
to watch on my VCR?"
"Sorry, but I sold your TV,
for new tires on my car.

I also rented out your room;
you'll take the couch instead.
The C.S.D. requires
just a roof over your head.

Your clothing won't be trendy now;
I'll choose what we eat.
That allowance that you used to get,
will buy me something neat.

I'm selling off your jet ski,
dirt-bike & roller blades.
Check out the 'Parents Bill of Rights',
It's in effect today!!!

Hey hot shot, are you crying,
Why are you on your knees?
Are you asking God to help you out,
instead of C.S.D..?"

Send to all people that have teenagers or have already raised teenagers, or have children who will soon be teenagers or those who will be parents someday OR ANYONE WHO'D JUST GET A LAUGH ...I love this One!!!

From
a MOM
(Mean Old Mother.)

Disclaimer:

Posted via email from musings's posterous

Leave from Office by 6p - lighter and serious vein

2011-10-03T18:56:00.001-07:00

Leave from office by 6PM

1. Work is a never ending process. You can never finish the works. Whatever you didn’t finish today, you can still finish tomorrow.

2. Interest of a client is not more important than your family.

3.If you fail in your life your boss or client will not be the person to offer a helping hand but your family and friends will do.

4. Life does not mean coming to office, going home and sleeping. There is more to a life. You need time to socialize, entertainment, exercise and relaxation. Don't make your life meaningless.

5. A person who sits in office late is not a hardworking person. He is a fool who does not know how to manage works within stipulated time. Besides, he is a loser in life who does not have personal or social life.

6. You did not study hard and struggle in life to be a machine and live a meaningless life.

7. If your boss forces you to work late, just forward him this mail. He will try to make his life meaningful too.

If u are Leaving office on time -> more productivity + good social life + good family relationship.
If you are Leaving office late -> just close this mail and get back to your machinery work.

ISSUED IN PUBLIC INTEREST !!

Disclaimer:

Posted via email from musings's posterous

Four Squares - a simple but conditioning algorithm based problem

2011-09-30T12:12:00.001-07:00

FOUR_SQUARES.PPS Download this file

Disclaimer:

Posted via email from musings's posterous

Not Djoking - http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/article2450480.ece (Emphasis mine)

2011-09-14T06:32:00.001-07:00

The stunning feat of winning at least three of the four Grand Slam titles in a calendar year has now been accomplished five times in eight years; it was achieved only thrice in men's tennis during the first 36 years of the Open Era. It was fitting that Novak Djokovic, who won his maiden U.S. Open title on Monday to complete the deed, defeated, in succession, the men who had preceded him: Roger Federer (2004, 2006, and 2007) and Rafael Nadal (2010). Djokovic's magical 2011, in which he has lost only two of 66 matches, has seen him rise to the top of men's tennis and set up a three-way dynamic. Federer, who was widely considered the best ever, has a clear problem against Nadal; and just as Nadal began to fashion a case for his being considered for the honour instead of the Swiss master, along came Djokovic. In the course of six straight victories over Rafa this year, the Serb has found his way into the Spaniard's head. Sport evolves in iteration. But perhaps never before in men's tennis have three of the finest, most dominant champions succeeded each other with such rapidity.

It's now apparent that Djokovic has elevated his game to a level only a few in the history of the sport, Federer and Nadal among them, have reached. Asked about his transformation from being a very good tennis player into one of the greats of the game, the 24-year-old said a change in attitude was key. He said he didn't believe he could consistently defeat Federer and Nadal in the past. But the loss in last year's U.S. Open final to Nadal and Serbia's subsequent triumph in the Davis Cup liberated him from the cares of failure. He also realised that a more aggressive style was needed to scale these heights. He made significant advancements in technique and fitness; the early success confirmed that the enhancements were working: the physical and mental aspects of his game drew from each other, creating the perfect storm. He knew he could stay with Nadal in the long rally: not only could he cover court as well, he could also hit with similar intensity in the later stages of the point. This protected him against the pressure to do too much too soon — a pressure every opponent of Nadal feels severely. Djokovic's relatively flat strokes, when compared with the topspin prevalent on courts around the world, have furthered his cause: they are not so much a unique challenge as a different one, but in a game of wafer-thin margins, change is often a determinant. Djokovic might have first come to attention as a prankster and a joker, but he has shown this year that his commitment to the business of winning is dead serious

Disclaimer:

Posted via email from musings's posterous

Dilbert's advice on what to say when your boss confronts you of being non-responsive

2011-09-12T22:37:00.001-07:00

Disclaimer:

See the full gallery on Posterous

Posted via email from musings's posterous

Dilbert and forced decision-making by the PH-Boss

2011-09-12T01:17:00.001-07:00

Disclaimer:

See the full gallery on Posterous

Posted via email from musings's posterous

The Sabbath Day Lesson from the Noah's Ark

2011-09-11T01:04:00.001-07:00

The woodpecker might have to go!

Everything I need to know about life, I learned from Noah's Ark .

One: Don't miss the boat.

Two: Remember that we are all in the same boat.

Three: Plan ahead. It wasn't raining when Noah built the Ark.

Four: Stay fit. When you're 600 years old, someone may ask you to do something really big.

Five: Don't listen to critics; just get on with the job that needs to be done.

Six: Build your future on high ground.

Seven: For safety's sake, travel in pairs.

Eight: Speed isn't always an advantage. The snails were on board with the cheetahs.

Nine: When you're stressed, float a while.

Ten: Remember, the Ark was built by amateurs; the Titanic by professionals.

Eleven: No matter the storm, when you are with God, there's always a rainbow waiting.

NOW, wasn't that nice? Pass it along and make someone else smile, too.

Disclaimer:

Posted via email from musings's posterous

http://cricket.yahoo.com/photos/cricket-s-most-iconic-moments_13155717112680#bd

2011-09-10T00:33:00.001-07:00

Lovely, nostalgic stuff !!

Disclaimer:

Posted via email from musings's posterous

A tribute to the bosses!!! Har boss zaroori hota hai

2011-09-05T02:52:00.001-07:00

Chai k Liye jaise Toast hota hai,

Waise har ek BOSS zaruri hota hai.

Koi friday evening review par bulaye

Koi saturday ko office bulaye

Ek teri idea ko apna bataye,

Aur Ek tera target har month badhaye

Koi nature se gentle,

koi bura hota hai,

Par har ek boss zaruri hota hai.

Ek ghadi ghadi review kare par kabhi kabhi advice de

Ek kabhi kabhi review kare aur ghadi ghadi advice de

Koi Gyan ka ghoomta phirta satellite,

Koi din raat rakhe team ko tight;

Koi welcomed hai, koi forced hota hai

Par har ek boss zaruri hota hai

Koi bossy boss,

koi friendly boss

Koi Data crazy excel boss.

Moody boss, koi gloomy boss

Early morning office aane wala Boss,

Koi late night jaane wala Boss

Koi promote na kare aur appraisal me tarsaye

Koi good suggestion ko bhi thukhraye

Koi best friend aur, koi aloof hota hai

Par har ek boss Zaruri hota hai!!!

Disclaimer:

Posted via email from musings's posterous

Chennai - 372 years young

2011-08-30T00:05:00.003-07:00

http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Chennai/article2393338.ece

Disclaimer:

Posted via email from musings's posterous

Chennai - 372 years young

2011-08-30T00:05:00.001-07:00

http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Chennai/article2393338.ece

Disclaimer:

Posted via email from musings's posterous

Dilbert and Logic

2011-08-29T22:50:00.003-07:00

Why does Dilbert remind me so much of myself here? J

Best Regards

Gyaan To Ponder – Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life – Steve Jobs

Disclaimer:

See the full gallery on Posterous

Posted via email from musings's posterous

Dilbert and Logic

2011-08-29T22:50:00.001-07:00

Why does Dilbert remind me so much of myself here? J

Best Regards

Gyaan To Ponder – Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life – Steve Jobs

Disclaimer:

See the full gallery on Posterous

Posted via email from musings's posterous

GK Test

2011-08-29T06:04:00.001-07:00

The inspector of Schools visited on the Independence Day , the various classes in a school.
The smart Teacher of the VIII Standard,proudly remarked that her students are the best in General Knowledge in the school.

The Inspector asked one of the Students : We are proud to be Indians. On this Great day(the Independence Day ) can you name some of the Indians who struggled against the British.?
Pat came the reply from the student : Virendra Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Harbhajan Singh, Suresh Raina and Sreeshanth.

Disclaimer:

Posted via email from musings's posterous

Lovely Satirical Take on the Events of the Last Few Weeks/Months/Years in India

2011-08-28T02:25:00.001-07:00

http://www.fakingnews.com/2011/06/microsoft-releases-new-os-rahul-gandhi-becomes-an-icon/

Disclaimer:

Posted via email from musings's posterous

When time permits, read this address by Steve Jobs

2011-08-25T22:53:00.001-07:00

http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/stevejobsstanfordcommencement.htm

Best Regards

Gyaan To Ponder – Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life – Steve Jobs

Disclaimer:

Posted via email from musings's posterous

Dilbert and Murder

2011-08-25T22:38:00.001-07:00

Am reminded of my fixation of not reading attachments !! J

Disclaimer:

Posted via email from musings's posterous

Breaking News - Steve Jobs leaves AAPL as its CEO

2011-08-25T02:20:00.001-07:00

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/steve-jobs/8721506/Steve-Jobs-Apple-career-in-pictures.html

Disclaimer:

Posted via email from musings's posterous

Scathing indictment of all that has "suddenly" been found wrong with Indian cricket

2011-08-20T01:08:00.001-07:00

http://cricket.yahoo.com/blogs/article-to-the-moon-and-back_15039

http://www.hindustantimes.com/News-Feed/cricketnews/Kumble-scripts-vision-for-Team-India/Article1-276355.aspx

Disclaimer:

Posted via email from musings's posterous

Line of Fire - sent earlier - but worth reading a second time, any number of times

2011-08-19T05:06:00.001-07:00

A gossip between a passenger and Software Engineer in
Shatabdi Train ...........An interesting and a must read!

Vivek Pradhan was not a happy man.. Even the plush comfort of the
air-conditioned compartment of the Shatabdi express could not cool his
frayed nerves. He was the Project Manager and still not entitled to
air travel. It was not the prestige he sought, he had tried to reason
with the admin person, it was the savings in time. As PM, he had so
many things to do!!

He opened his case and took out the laptop, determined to put the time
to some good use.

'Are you from the software industry sir?' the man beside him was
staring appreciatively at the laptop. Vivek glanced briefly and
mumbled in affirmation, handling the laptop now with exaggerated care
and importance as if it were an expensive car.

'You people have brought so much advancement to the country, Sir.
Today everything is getting computerized.'

'Thanks,' smiled Vivek, turning around to give the man a look. He
always found it difficult to resist appreciation. The man was young
and stockily built like a sportsman..... He looked simple and
strangely out of place in that little lap of luxury like a small town
boy in a prep school. He probably was a railway sportsman making the
most of his free traveling pass.

'You people always amaze me,' the man continued, 'You sit in an office
and write something on a computer and it does so many big things
outside.'

Vivek smiled deprecatingly. Naiveness demanded reasoning not anger.
'It is not as simple as that my friend. It is not just a question of
writing a few lines. There is a lot of process that goes behind it.'

For a moment, he was tempted to explain the entire Software
Development Lifecycle but restrained himself to a single statement.
'It is complex, very complex.'

'It has to be. No wonder you people are so highly paid,' came the reply.

This was not turning out as Vivek had thought. A hint of belligerence
crept into his so far affable, persuasive tone.

'Everyone just sees the money. No one sees the amount of hard work we
have to put in. Indians have such a narrow concept of hard work. Just
because we sit in an air-conditioned office, does not mean our brows
do not sweat. You exercise the muscle; we exercise the mind and
believe me that is no less taxing.'

He could see, he had the man where he wanted, and it was time to drive
home the point.

'Let me give you an example. Take this train. The entire railway
reservation system is computerized. You can book a train ticket
between any two stations from any of the hundreds of computerized
booking centers across the country.
Thousands of transactions accessing a single database, at a time
concurrently; data integrity, locking, data security. Do you
understand the complexity in designing and coding such a system?'

The man was awestruck; quite like a child at a planetarium. This was
something big and beyond his imagination.

'You design and code such things?'

'I used to,' Vivek paused for effect, 'but now I am the Project Manager.'

'Oh!' sighed the man, as if the storm had passed over,

'so your life is easy now.'

This was like the last straw for Vivek. He retorted, 'Oh come on, does
life ever get easy as you go up the ladder. Responsibility only brings
more work. Design and coding! That is the easier part. Now I do not do
it, but I am responsible for it and believe me, that is far more stressful. My
job is to get the work done in time and with the highest quality.
To tell you about the pressures, there is the customer at one end,
always changing his requirements, the user at the other, wanting
something else, and your boss, always expecting you to have finished
it yesterday.'

Vivek paused in his diatribe, his belligerence fading with
self-realization. What he had said, was not merely the outburst of a
wronged man, it was the truth. And one need not get angry while
defending the truth.

'My friend,' he concluded triumphantly, 'you don't know what it is to
be in the Line of Fire'.

The man sat back in his chair, his eyes closed as if in realization.
When he spoke after sometime, it was with a calm certainty that
surprised Vivek.

'I know sir,..... I know what it is to be in the Line of Fire......'

He was staring blankly, as if no passenger, no train existed, just a
vast expanse of time.

'There were 30 of us when we were ordered to capture Point 4875 in the
cover of the night.
The enemy was firing from the top.
There was no knowing where the next bullet was going to come from and for whom.
In the morning when we finally hoisted the tri-colour at the top only
4 of us were alive.'

'You are a...?'

'I am Subedar Sushant from the 13 J&K Rifles on duty at Peak 4875 in
Kargil. They tell me I have completed my term and can opt for a soft
assignment.
But, tell me sir, can one give up duty just because it makes life easier?
On the dawn of that capture, one of my colleagues lay injured in the
snow, open to enemy fire while we were hiding behind a bunker.
It was my job to go and fetch that soldier to safety. But my captain
sahib refused me permission and went ahead himself.
He said that the first pledge he had taken as a Gentleman Cadet was to
put the safety and welfare of the nation foremost followed by the
safety and welfare of the men he commanded... ....his own personal
safety came last, always and every time.'

'He was killed as he shielded and brought that injured soldier into
the bunker.. Every morning thereafter, as we stood guard, I could see
him taking all those bullets, which were actually meant for me . I
know sir....I know, what it is to be in the Line of Fire.'

Vivek looked at him in disbelief not sure of how to respond. Abruptly,
he switched off the laptop.

It seemed trivial, even insulting to edit a Word document in the
presence of a man for whom valour and duty was a daily part of life;
valour and sense of duty which he had so far attributed only to epical
heroes.

The train slowed down as it pulled into the station, and Subedar
Sushant picked up his bags to alight.

'It was nice meeting you sir.'

Vivek fumbled with the handshake.

This hand... had climbed mountains, pressed the trigger, and hoisted
the tri-colour. Suddenly, as if by impulse, he stood up at attention
and his right hand went up in an impromptu salute....

It was the least he felt he could do for the country.

PS: The incident he narrated during the capture of Peak 4875 is a
true-life incident during the Kargil war. Capt. Batra sacrificed his
life while trying to save one of the men he commanded, as victory was
within sight. For this and various other acts of bravery, he was
awarded the Param Vir Chakra, the nation's highest military award.

Live humbly, there are great people around us, let us learn!

BE POLITE… EVERYONE YOU MEET IS FIGHTING A HARD BATTLE !

Disclaimer:

Posted via email from musings's posterous

Dilbert and Objection Handling

2011-08-18T22:34:00.001-07:00

Disclaimer:

See the full gallery on Posterous

Posted via email from musings's posterous

Dilbert and the Art of Conducting Meetings

2011-08-18T11:41:00.001-07:00

Disclaimer:

See the full gallery on Posterous

Posted via email from musings's posterous

Dilbert and Meeting Alignments

2011-08-16T08:04:00.001-07:00

Disclaimer:

Posted via email from musings's posterous

Work From Home and Dilbert

2011-08-15T09:46:00.001-07:00

Disclaimer:

See the full gallery on Posterous

Posted via email from musings's posterous

Two interesting takes on the US Debt Crisis

2011-08-10T09:36:00.001-07:00

COMICAL ONE:

‎It is the month of August, on the shores of the Black Sea... It is raining, and the little town looks totally deserted.

It is tough times, everybody is in debt, and everybody lives on credit.

Suddenly, a rich tourist comes to town. He enters the only hotel, lays a 100 Euro note on the reception counter, and goes to inspect the rooms upstairs in order to choose one.

The hotel proprietor takes the 100 Euro note and runs to pay his debt to the butcher. T

The butcher takes the 100 Euro note, and runs to pay his debt to the pig grower.

The pig grower takes the 100 Euro note, and runs to pay his debt to the supplier of his feed and fuel.

The supplier of feed and fuel takes the 100 Euro note and runs to pay his debt to the town's prostitute that in these hard times, gave her "services" on credit.

The hooker runs to the hotel, and pays off her debt with the 100 Euro note to the hotel proprietor to pay for the rooms that she rented when she brought her clients there.

The hotel proprietor then lays the 100 Euro note back on the counter so that the rich tourist will not suspect anything.

At that moment, the tourist comes down after inspecting the rooms, and takes his 100 Euro note, after saying that he did not like any of the rooms, and leaves town.

No one earned anything. However, the whole town is now without debt, and looks to the future with a lot of optimism.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how the United States is doing business today

JUG SURAIYA’s COLUMN in TOI – Debt do us part (http://blogs.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/jugglebandhi/entry/debt-do-us-part):

When i was a child in Calcutta, i got four annas a day as pocket money. Enough to buy a packet of toffees or a bar of chocolate. One day, being greedier than usual, i wanted both the toffees and the chocolate, which involved an outlay of eight annas. I asked Richhabhai, the owner of the corner store, if i could pay him the extra four annas the next day. Richhabhai, a shrewd Kutchi businessman, knew that my mother's credit, if not mine, was good. So he gave me four annas worth of credit. As a precaution against possible default, however, he telephoned my mother and told her about the transaction. My mother immediately sent a domestic with four annas to Richhabhai to clear the debt. Then she gave me a talking to about taking udhaar. Udhaar, living on money one does not have, was a bad habit - like not brushing one's teeth regularly - which if unchecked would lead to ruin. From then on i've been fearful of udhaar and its consequences.

The downgrading of America's credit rating - which threatens to send the economy of the entire world into yet another tailspin - has shown that my fears were justified. Shorn of jargon, what the US has been doing is living on udhaar. Like a greedy child whose stomach is too big for its pocket, it has been consuming today and deferring payment to a tomorrow that never comes. The US long ago stopped making material goods, like cars and clothes and TV sets. It bought all these things from other countries, like China. Instead of material goods, the US produced and exported ideas, which it believed were more valuable than physical products. And the most potent and profitable idea - some would call it a mirage - the US produced was the idea of the almighty dollar, the currency in which all the world's trade is conducted.

While countries like China kept the US well supplied with goods, the US in return supplied the world with more and more udhaar in the form of US treasury bonds. China alone reportedly has more than one trillion dollars worth. What can China, or any other country, buy with these dollar bonds? Only more dollars, which the US will print. In other words, more udhaar for America.

How does America's udhaar affect you and me? The sensex, along with markets worldwide, has fallen; if you are an investor you will have lost money. Even if you're not invested in the stock market, you will be affected. Economic uncertainties make individuals and governments take funds out of the market and put them into supposedly safe investments like gold. This means there is less money available for people who want to make goods - like clothes and cars and TV sets, or cement and steel, or fertilisers and pesticides - so the prices of all such goods will go up, leading to even more inflation than is currently besetting us. In worst-case scenarios, companies making such goods may become unprofitable and be forced out of business, causing unemployment. This in turn will conjure up that evil, nine-letter bogey that economists love to scare us with: recession.

It's not just the US that's been living on udhaar, building up debt until it has reached unpayable-back proportions. In the eurozone, countries like Greece have been doing much the same. The euro, which was supposed to be a counterbalance to the dollar in the global economy, is as undermined as Uncle Sam's greenback.

The western world in general has for too long been living beyond its means, and now everyone has to pay the price for its profligacy. Indian economists assure us that India won't be hit too hard because, unlike China, our economy is not predominantly export-driven but is powered by domestic demand. This, however, will not insulate us from a global tightening of purse strings which will affect investments in our industry and agriculture. There will be fewer things - roti, kapda, makaan - and they will cost more.

We'll all have to foot the bill run up at a globalised Richhabhai's store by an irresponsible brat called the USA - the Udhaar State of America.

Disclaimer:

Posted via email from musings's posterous

The comical result of cutting down too many trees.

2011-08-09T22:01:00.001-07:00

Disclaimer:

Posted via email from musings's posterous

Art of appraisal - on a lighter note

2011-08-07T23:27:00.001-07:00

Art of Appraisal …

Big Boss: This year your performance was good, excellent and outstanding. So, your rating is "average".

UMA: What? How come 'average'?

Big Boss: Because...err...uhh...you lack domain knowledge.

UMA: But last year you said I am a domain expert and you put me in this project as a domain consultant.

Big Boss: Oh is it? Well, in that case, I think your domain knowledge has eroded this year.

UMA: What???

Big Boss: Yes, I didn't see you sharing knowledge on Purchasing domain.

UMA: Why would I? Because I am not in Purchasing, I am in Manufacturing.

Big Boss: This is what I don't like about you. You give excuse for everything.

UMA: Huh? *Confused*

Big Boss: Next, you need to improve your communication skills.

UMA: Like what? I am the one who trained the team on "Business Communication", you sat in the audience and took notes, you remember?

Big Boss: Oh is it? Errr...well..I mean, you need to improve your Social Pragmatic Affirmative Communication.

UMA: Huh? What the hell is that? *Confused*

Big Boss: See! That's why you need to learn about it.

UMA: *head spinning*

Big Boss: Next, you need to sharpen your recruiting skills. All the guys you recruited left within 2 months.

UMA: Well, not my mistake. You told them you will sit beside them and review their code, and most resigned the next day itself. Couple of them even attempted suicide.

Big Boss:*stunned* (recovers from shock) Err...anyway, I tried to give you a better rating, but our Normalization process gave you only 'average'.

UMA: Last year that process gave me 'excellent'. This year just 'average'? Why is this process pushing me up and down every year?

Big Boss: That's a complicated process. You don't want to hear.

UMA: I'll try to understand. Go ahead.

Big Boss: Well, we gather in a large room, write down the names of sub-ordinates in bits of paper, and throw them up in the air. Whichever lands on the floor gets 'average', whichever lands on table gets 'good', whichever we manage to catch gets 'excellent' and whichever gets stuck to ceiling gets 'outstanding'.

UMA: (eyes popping out) What? Ridiculous! So who gets 'poor' rating?

Big Boss: Those are the ones we forget to write down.

UMA: What the hell! And how can paper bits stick to ceiling for 'outstanding'?

Big Boss: Oh no, now you have started questioning our 20 year old organizational process!

UMA: *faints*

Note: U M A = U, Me or Anyone

Disclaimer:

Posted via email from musings's posterous

Vada Machine

2011-08-03T19:53:00.001-07:00

Vada Machine.avi Watch on Posterous

A smart concept of vada making……

Disclaimer:

Posted via email from musings's posterous

Gyaan - HBR Why Spotify will kill iTunes

2011-08-02T17:32:00.001-07:00

Gyaan - HBR Why Spotify will kill iTunes.pdf Download this file

This is an amazing article – how high-sounding jargon can make a simple price-warrior’s proposition sound so profound and make you feel “WTH” or “Duh” depending on which side of the MBA spectrum you are on … all said, I had good fun reading and feeling both these words.

The first comment is telling !!! Enjoy as you read it. And yes, do check out Spotify !!!

Gopi

Disclaimer:

Posted via email from musings's posterous

Gyaan - HBR Why Fair People Fall Behind

2011-08-02T03:40:00.001-07:00

Gyaan - HBR Why Fair People Fall Behind.pdf Download this file

This article is available @ http://hbr.org/2011/07/why-fair-bosses-fall-behind/ar/1?cm_sp=most_widget-_-h...

I personally don’t subscribe to this article’s presumptions – being fair is not about being spineless, but being able to stand up for one’s conviction.

The article does not seem to be considering that !!

Unfortunately, being fair is perceived (IMHO) as being soft, accommodative, not very demanding, egalitarian and in many cases subjective.

Being rude is perceived (again IMHO) as demanding, deadline oriented, driven, pushy, objective, sometimes rule-bound too.

Fair managers too can be demanding and pushy, deadline-oriented and driven.

Rude managers could also be spineless cowards covering up by being so.

The jury is out – but nevertheless, thought should share this interesting article with you.

And the discussion beneath the article in the website is all the more interesting.

Gopi

Disclaimer:

Posted via email from musings's posterous

Do you know your Couple Type?

2011-08-02T01:50:00.001-07:00

Lovely ad from McD - brilliantly executed

2011-07-31T20:29:00.001-07:00

Disclaimer:

Mc D - BabySwing.wmv Watch on Posterous

Posted via email from musings's posterous

US Debt Problem - Pictorially Depicted

2011-07-31T20:18:00.001-07:00

Beautiful one: http://usdebt.kleptocracy.us/

Disclaimer:

Posted via email from musings's posterous

HBR Article - Turning Stress into an Asset

2011-07-28T16:58:00.001-07:00

Gyaan - HBR Turning Stress into an Asset.pdf Download this file

A good article – good read and good set of lessons

Gopi

Disclaimer:

Posted via email from musings's posterous

"The World's first 111 Giga Pixel Picture".!!!!

2011-07-28T00:57:00.001-07:00

Simply fabulous one – do try it – works on all browsers – no software to be downloaded.

Go to Below Link click upon the pictures you see at the bottom, and feel it.

World's first 111 Giga Pixel Picture.

http://www.sevilla111.com/default_en.htm

The picture was made with the Canon 5D mark II and a 400mm-lens. It consists of 1.665 full format pictures with 21.4 mega pixel, which was Recorded by a photo-robot in 172 minutes. The converting of 102 GB raw Data by a computer with a main memory cache of 48 GB and 16 processors took 94 hours. The picture is the largest in the world.

Zoom in to see any particular building/object. Also click the little pictures below

Disclaimer:

Posted via email from musings's posterous

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2084441-1,00.html

2011-07-27T12:16:00.001-07:00

Interesting article about Indian CEO’s in global organizations.

Disclaimer:

Posted via email from musings's posterous

Good Lines From the Legends..!!!!!

2011-07-26T22:04:00.001-07:00

Disclaimer:

See the full gallery on Posterous

Posted via email from musings's posterous

HOW THE JEWS GOT THE TEN COMMANDMENTS

2011-07-25T10:57:00.001-07:00

God went to the Arabs and said, "I have Commandments for you that will make your lives better."
The Arabs asked, " What are Commandments? Can you give us an example?"
God said, " For example ................ Thou shall not murder"
The Arabs were shocked, "What? Not kill? No way! Killing and massacring innocent people is our birth-right and the only reason for our existence.. No, we are not interested. "

So God went to the Africans and said, " I have Commandments. "
The Africans wanted an example.
God said, "For example ........... Honor thy Father and Mother."
The Africans were dismayed. They said, " Father? Yo maan! Can't tell for sure who our fathers are, maan!"

So God went to the Mexicans and said, "I have Commandments. "
The Mexicans wanted an example.
God said, " For example ........... Thou shall not steal."
The Mexicans were flabbergasted. They said, " No steal? No steal?? Hey Senor, we no steal then how we live, huh? Gracias, but no! "

So God went to the French and said, "I have Commandments. "
The French wanted an example.
God said, "For example ............. Thou shall not commit adultery."
The French were stunned. They said, "What? Not commit ze adultery ....... ? Non, non, non. Non Monsieur. Pardonnez nous. We, ze French, must have ze romance. "

So God went to the Indians and said, "I have Commandments. "
The Indians wanted an example.
God said, "For example ............. Thou shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything"
The Indians were stupefied. They said, "What? Not have idols ....... ? No way, Sir !! Unless we see our idols, we can’t see our gods”

So God went to the Pakistanis and said, "I have Commandments. "
The Pakistanis wanted an example.
God said, "For example ............. Thou shall not covet anything that belongs to your neighbour"
The Pakistanis almost fainted - They said, "How come, God !! If we quench our desire for Kashmir and Afghanistan, why do we exist?”

So God went to the Chinese and said, "I have Commandments. "
The Chinese wanted an example.
God said, "For example ............. Thou shall not have no other gods before me "
The Chinese almost choked - They said, "What !! Who else is God except Mao?”

So God went to the British and said, "I have Commandments. "
The British wanted an example.
God said, "For example ............. Thou shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain"
The British acted bewildered - They said, "Holy God’s Beard !! How can we at all talk or transact if we are not allowed that?”

So God went to the Jews and said, "I have Commandments. ... "
The Jews asked, "Commandments? How much do they cost?"
God replied, "Nothing. They are free."
The Jews answered, "GREAT! Give us Ten! "

Disclaimer:

Posted via email from musings's posterous

A Wife's Poem

2011-07-01T21:13:00.001-07:00

Disclaimer:

See the full gallery on Posterous

Posted via email from musings's posterous

Birbal's Value Engineering

2011-06-29T03:14:00.001-07:00

VE by Birbal.PPS Download this file

________________________________

Disclaimer:

Posted via email from musings's posterous

Hotel California in the Punjab- by Santa

2011-06-26T05:16:00.001-07:00

ON the dark GT highway , Big Pagdi on my hair
Warm smell from some dhabas , Rising up in the air
Up ahead in the distance ,I saw a thharra joint
My head grew heavy and my sight grew dim ,I must have drunk over a pint

There he stood in the drive way ,I heard a truck driver yell
And I was thinking to myself ,This had to be Devinder Singh Behl
Then he belched and scratched his head, Standing on the highway
And the drivers leaning from their truck car doors , I thought I heard
them say.....
Welcome to the hotel Karnal-afonia , Vaddi changi place (vaddi changi
place) Vaddi changi place ,

Massage, manicure, pedicure at Karnal-afonia,
Any kind of ear (any kind of ear), You can clean it here

His car's grill was definitely twisted ,His Maruti's got some bends
He's got a lot of really petty MLAs , Whom he calls friends
Dancing bhangra in the courtyard , See surdie sweat Some dancer is
this Devinder , Keeps dancing till he's wet

Daler on the ceiling, And on the walls in every guise
Waitresses dressed like actresses, From flicks of Subhash Ghai's
And in the downstairs canteen, I sat down for my meal
Butter chicken, and sarson da saag, the scene was very surreal

Looking for help I saw Devinder, Dancing wildly on the floor
I had to find my hostess back, Oh where was Manpreet Kaur?
Relax said Milkha Singh, Play golf with my son Jeev
Tu ban gaya Punjab da puttar , Now you cant ever leave

So here I am,

Wasting life at the Hotel Karnal-afonia
Vaddi changi place (vaddi changi place)Vaddi changi place
Now I'm a member of Hotel Karnal-afonia
Whoever arrives (whoever arrives)
Stays till he dies !!!

So I told the bell captain, I made a reservation online
And he said, oye khoteya our internet hasnt worked at all Since 1969,

And still those drivers were calling from the driiiive way
Woke me in the middle of the night, I know I heard them say
Welcome to the hotel Karnal-afonia,
Itthey karlo rest (itthey karlo rest)Itthey karlo rest,
Aish karo at the hotel Karnal-afonia
Kudi umar baeeis (kudi umar baeeis) , Will serve you rice

Disclaimer:

Posted via email from musings's posterous

The Necklace

2011-06-20T05:02:00.001-07:00

The cheerful little girl with bouncy golden curls was almost five. Waiting with her mother at the checkout stand, she saw them, a circle of glistening white pearls in a pink foil box.

"Oh mommy please, Mommy. Can I have them? Please, Mommy, please?"

Quickly the mother checked the back of the little foil box and then looked back into the pleading blue eyes of her little girl's upturned face.

"A dollar ninety-five. That's almost $2.00. If you really want them, I'll think of some extra chores for you and in no time you can save enough money to buy them for yourself.. Your birthday's only a week away and you might get another crisp dollar bill from Grandma."

As soon as Jenny got home, she emptied her penny bank and counted out 17 pennies. After dinner, she did more than her share of chores and she went to the neighbour and asked Mrs. McJames if she could pick dandelions for ten cents. On her birthday, Grandma did give her another new dollar bill and at last she had enough money to buy the necklace.

Jenny loved her pearls. They made her feel dressed up and grown up. She wore them everywhere, Sunday school, kindergarten, even to bed. The only time she took them off was when she went swimming or had a bubble bath. Mother said if they got wet, they might turn her neck green.

Jenny had a very loving daddy and every night when she was ready for bed, he would stop whatever he was doing and come upstairs to read her a story. One night as he finished the story, he asked Jenny, "Do you love me?"

"Oh yes, daddy. You know that I love you."
"Then give me your pearls."

"Oh, daddy, not my pearls. But you can have Princess, the white horse from my collection, the one with the pink tail. Remember, daddy? The one you gave me. She's my very favourite."

"That's okay, Honey, daddy loves you. Good night." And he brushed her cheek with a kiss.

About a week later, after the story time, Jenny's daddy asked again, "Do you love me?"

"Daddy, you know I love you."

"Then give me your pearls."

"Oh Daddy, not my pearls. But you can have my baby doll. The brand new one I got for my birthday. She is beautiful and you can have the yellow blanket that matches her sleeper."

"That's okay. Sleep well. God bless you, little one. Daddy loves you."

And as always, he brushed her cheek with a gentle kiss.

A few nights later when her daddy came in, Jenny was sitting on her bed with her legs crossed Indian style.

As he came close, he noticed her chin was trembling and one silent tear rolled down her cheek.

"What is it, Jenny? What's the matter?"

Jenny didn't say anything but lifted her little hand up to her daddy. And when he opened it, there was her little pearl necklace. With a little quiver, she finally said, "Here, daddy; this is for you."

With tears gathering in his own eyes, Jenny's daddy reached out with one hand to take the dime store necklace, and with the other hand he reached into his pocket and pulled out a blue velvet case with a strand of genuine pearls and gave them to Jenny...

He had them all the time. He was just waiting for her to give up the dime-store stuff so he could give her the genuine treasure. So it is, with God our Heavenly Father. He is waiting for us to give up the cheap things in our lives so that he can give us beautiful treasures.

God will never take away something without giving you something better in its place.
The greatest gifts happen when you share love and touch others.

Disclaimer:

Posted via email from musings's posterous

Word for the day - eisegesis - so true, ain't it, particularly our News Channels

2011-06-18T06:42:00.001-07:00

Word of the Day for Saturday, June 18, 2011

eisegesis \ahy-si-JEE-sis\, noun:

An interpretation that expresses the interpreter's own ideas, bias, or the like, rather than the meaning of the text.

Disclaimer:

Posted via email from musings's posterous

Infosys' Farewell to NRN

2011-06-13T00:33:00.001-07:00

http://www.moneycontrol.com/news/features/infosys-agm-jaded-farewell-for-murthy-moving-exit-for-pai_556695.html

What is important is the last paragraph in the page, excerpted for your quick perusal:

It left me reflecting on how much we give up for our work, how much importance we give to our jobs and organisations. How much we sweat and toil for the glory that comes with our jobs. But in the end, when it is all over, no matter what our stature, we are alone. And at that time it is only our families that hold us together.

Disclaimer:

Posted via email from musings's posterous

Lenovo Ad - Grandma Proof

2011-06-12T10:02:00.001-07:00

Grandma.wmv Watch on Posterous

Disclaimer:

Posted via email from musings's posterous

30 Things That Will Make You Feel Old

2011-06-12T09:59:00.001-07:00

30 Things That Will Make You Feel Old –

1. Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge was released 16 years ago.

2. Windows XP was released TEN years ago, in 2001.

3. The “new” Millennium is more than a decade old.

4. Chetan Bhagat’s antics have been around for the past 7 years!

5. Pierce Brosnan last acted as James Bond 9 years ago.

6. The Delhi Metro has been running for 9 Years now.

7. It’s been 10 years since 9/11

8. The Matrix came out 12 years ago, Keanu Reeves is 46 today

9. Mother Theresa and Lady Diana have been dead for 14 years.

10. This happened a whopping 17 years ago.

Yes, they are old, too!

11. Remember Jungle Book on Doordarshan? That was more than 15 years ago.

12. Macaulay Culkin is 30 today. “Home Alone” came out over 20 years ago.

13. Terminator 2 is 20 years old. Edward Furlong who portrayed kid John Connor is 33 now.

14. Sean Connery is 80 years old and retired.

15. The youngest Spice Girl is 35, the oldest Backstreet Boy 39, Gwen Stefani is 41, Madonna 52

16. The first Harry Potter book came out when I was in High School. 14 years ago!

17. The first season of F.R.I.E.N.D.S was aired 17 years ago! Age of the cast:

18. Remember these Guys?

19. Akshay Kumar is older than the moon landing – He was born in 1967

20. Arnold Schwarzenegger is older than India. He was born in June 1947

21. ‘Kids’ born in 1993 can legally drive, drink and vote this year.

Where are my car keys, bob?

22. Jurassic Park is older than Justin Bieber.

23. Justin Bieber. Rebecca Black. Miley Cyrus.

24. Rajiv Gandhi has been dead for 20 years.

25. Bryan Adams’ cult song “Summer of 69″ was released 26 years ago.

26. Kids whom you remember in their diapers posting their pics on Facebook

Not like this, though.

27. Facebook has been around for 7 years. Orkut for 9.

Fraandshipping since 2002

28. Remember the little girl from Kuch Kuch Hota Hai? She is 23 now.

29. The Maruti Zen was first introduced 18 years ago.

30. And of course, the Rasna Girl. She is all grown up as well!

Disclaimer:

Posted via email from musings's posterous

Bring a smile to your face - good to start the day with a smile !!!

2011-06-07T20:33:00.001-07:00

A taxi passenger tapped the driver on the shoulder to ask him a question.

The driver screamed, lost control of the car, nearly hit a bus, went up on the footpath, and stopped centimeters from a shop window. For a second everything went quiet in the cab.

Then the driver said: Look mate, don't ever do that again. You scared the hell out of me!
The passenger apologized & said, "I didn't realize that a little tap would scare you so much.

The driver replied," Sorry it is not your fault. Today is my first day as a taxi driver - I've been driving a van carrying dead bodies for the last 25 years..... !!!

Disclaimer:

Posted via email from musings's posterous

Interesting Gyaan from the Economist Magazine

2011-06-07T04:55:00.001-07:00

________________________________

Disclaimer:

Gyaan - SouthWest Airlines (Smiles and Peanuts).pdf Download this file

Gyaan - Economist on India-Pakistan Border.pdf Download this file

Posted via email from musings's posterous

Humor - Dumb Quotes.ppsx

2011-05-25T13:20:00.001-07:00

Humor - Dumb Quotes.ppsx Download this file

________________________________

Disclaimer:

Posted via email from musings's posterous

Deepest step well in the world - Jaipur- India

2011-05-23T20:51:00.001-07:00

Are you aware of this marvel?

Here is bit of information that you would love to know !

1000 years old...... Deepest step well in the world - Jaipur- India .....still in immaculate condition....... this is engineering wonder.....with mathematical precision & without modern day instruments.

Chand Baori - The Deepest Stepwell in the World!

Chand Baori is a famous stepwell situated in the village Abhaneri near Jaipur in Indian state of Rajasthan. The Chand Baori, a vast well with flights of steps on three sides, is a 10th century monument situated in Abhaneri. It is a fine example of the architectural excellence prevalent in the past. This impressive step well is as deep as a seven storeyed building.

The famous Harshat Mata temple situated opposite to this well shows that there must have been a religious connection with the step-well. The well is 35 m on each side with steps leading down from each side and water can be drawn from any level. It has so many steps to make it impossible for someone to retrieve a coin once it ' s been dropped in the well.