FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Had gone to Delhi just last week for an interview. Though the interview was totally screwed up, I got a chance to visit some places I had long desired to see. Connaught place, India Gate, Pallika Bazaar etc. But the one thing which impressed me most about Delhi was the Delhi Metro.

The Delhi Metro is not only a technological marvel but is also unique in many other ways. Trains running underground, in some cases one on top of the other. The ticket system is totally automated-coupons are used which are automatically scanned by sensors, so no need for ticket checkers. Automated announcements in the train give the name of the incoming station.
But the most striking feature I observed was the general level of cleanliness in the stations and the train. No paan stains, no wafer packets, no cigarette stubs, everything spotlessly clean. Even the tracks were clean n clear. As one of my friends remarked, We were trying to find anything remotely resembling the real India in the metro. But we could not. It was as if we had entered a foreign country, where Indians were no longer Indians. They were law abiding, civil, cleanliness freaks.!!!!

This brings a peculiar trait of Indians to fore. Not that I am criticizing it or anything, but still. If a particular place is regularly maintained and cleaned, like a multiplex or the delhi metro, very few people will take the pains to make it dirty. Maybe the fear of being ridiculed by others, or their appreciation of the efforts put in keeping it clean stop them. Surely some FOOD FOR THOUGHT!!!!!

Memories

Remembering a trip to Vapi with some friends about a year ago. Very keen to go for such an outing again once I get free from my MBA Stuff. Here r some pics of that trip.

at first sight

Saw a part of a movie today called "At first Sight". It had a unique concept and some brilliant acting. It started Val Kilmer and Mira Sorvino.

We all are familiar with the famous Hindi Movie Scene, wherein the blind hero gets operated upon and then the doctor removes the bandages one by one and he is able to see all of a sudden.

Well , in this movie the hero has been blind all of his life and he could identify things only through touch. He did not know about anything outside his little sleepy village.
So when he is operated upon he could very well see physically but he was still mentally blind. Meaning he could very well see things but he could not know what they were until he touched them. He couldnt even recognise himself in the mirror until he touched himself. He did not have the ability to distinguish distance and depth. So the movie is about his struggle to cope up with his new life.

Well what if this had been a Hindi Movie??? The Hero would have gained full eyesight instantly, would have been off to the Alps with his sweetheart for a song or two and would have been bashing villains left, right and centre.

Goes to show where the Indian film industry is lagging way beyond Hollywood.

Also Saw the first two movies of the Bourne trilogy. Bourne Identity, Bourne Ultimatum. Awesome Movies. I would recommend both as must watch.

Something new

I have always believed that some people are born great, some have greatness thrust upon them and for people like me we always wait for it.

I met a person yesterday, who i can definitely say fell in the first category.
Have you met someone, after meeting whom you feel like you have wasted you whole life doing nothing, that there is much in the world u still dont know?? Well that was the experience I had.

I had gone for my interviews to Nirma University, where I met this guy. For starters, he was a BA English Literature honours which in itself is unique. He had a brand management company of his own whose clients included castrol, pogo etc.. His company earned about 4-5 lakhs from each project. He is currently doing his ICWAI to manage his company accounts. Taking his love for reading to another level, his hobby was to collect rare books. He recently had his collection appraised and it was worth - U will not believe this 25,000 dollars!!!!!.

Thats not all.. He is also into mushroom farming. Was speaking about the return of investment in such a business. He has about 14 people in his company, whom he regulary takes to goa for brainstorming!!!
I have believed that I have a decent enough knowledge about english movies. But the movies which this guy has seen, I have not even heard of..

Now comes the most surprising part. He is hardly 24!!!
On top of it he calls his girlfriend his chick and was one of the most confident guys I have ever seen.

Well what do we learn from this little experience?
No matter how great we consider ourselves, God will always show us some homo sapiens who will bring us down to earth and realise our true worth.
Any comments welcome..

PS: I am sure he was not bragging, He had written most of it in his resume..

Indian Premier league

Have been hearing many views about the Indian Premier League. The way it would cricket and many other points. Here is a totally different view which i found quite funny. Enjoy. Do leave your comments.


Whatever the purists might be saying, at least from the economists' point of view the auction of cricket players was the proper thing to do. Why? Because monetisation of their services has added to their marketable surplus, which must enhance our national income.

Then why is there so much heartburn? Well, partly because the whole affair was conducted in an exclusive manner. On one hand it deprived the common investor from an opportunity to acquire a share in the prized commodity and on the other it undermined perfect competition. The best way to remedy the situation is to allow the participation of general public in the trading of cricketers.

Question is, how? Well, one way to do that is to register individual cricketers as corporate entities, have their initial worth divided into large number of low-priced shares and offer these to the public by way of IPOs. Then, in due course, these shares can be listed in a cricketers' exchange and traded freely through authorised brokers. Corporatisation of cricketers would help in many ways.

When the fortunes of cricketers fluctuate as much as those of joint stock companies, it would be naive to take their price, or value if you will, as fixed. The proposed scheme of things would, on the other hand, ensure that it is determined on daily basis.

For the moneybhais among us, cricketer shares would be one more attractive investment option. Ditto for the mutual funds. In these fickle times, anything that adds to the diversification of holdings should be welcome. Moreover, imagine how colourful the portfolio would look when Dhonis and Pontings figure there! It would help cricketers too. For, the larger number of buyers, the higher their market price.
What is even more important is that people's personal stake in them would ensure a semblance of sobriety in their reaction to cricketers' poor performances. No need to burn their effigies or to attack their houses when they come up with another pathetic show. Just offload their shares and the message would hit home. That the proposal would spur a plethora of new financial activities like inter-cricketer investment, splits, mergers and what not, would be the icing on the cake.