Post MBA blues...

I wrote my last exam on last Friday (04/25). I am 'officially' an MBA.

Weekend went by quickly playing with my son. However, today I had nothing to do and I felt really restless. I did some stuff around house but really don't know what to do. I am enjoying this feeling which will last until June 1st.

I'll start blogging regularly from now on.

Longest Day in the MBA experience

Last Wednesday, 04/09/2008, was the longest day in my MBA experience. It started at 6:45 am and ended at 11:45 pm, 10 mins. before 04/10 - roughly, 17 hours! It beat the previous record of 15 hours!

Anyway, MBA is done today

You can find answers for anything now a days..

.. after a bit of 'ego surfing' I found the following,

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/30589863.cms.

One of my contributions to the 'The times of INdia' - Endgame section was published.

An Incident worth discussing...

OK, so, here goes - I witnessed the following on the metro the other day.

I was on my home from school on a relatively empty metro (enough space for one person to occupy a one whole row). A man was sitting, well sleeping, in the row front of me. He had the row to himself. The metro stopped at one of stations and a large (obese) man climbed into the train. Without looking around for any empty seats, he squeezed himself next to the sleeping man. As soon as the large man sat down, the sleeping man woke up, and looked at the man next to him and pointed to an empty row in the car. In short, the large man was rudely (or at least I thought so) asked to move. The large man did move but kept throwing the sleeping man dirty looks throughout the journey. This happened in less than 3 minutes.

OK, now the question - A decade or so a back, I would have clearly thought that the sleeping man was rude and should have been admonished. However, in today's world where obesity is frowned on and where airlines try to charge large people extra money for tickets, I wonder if it was the obese man who was rude. Granted that the large man didn't see the empty row, but should he have looked around atleast?

I still think that the sleeping man behaved rudely. Would it have been correct protocol for the sleeping man to get up and move to an empty row?. I wonder if the large man would have simply sat in an empty row had he seen one....

Sehwag's Triple Ton.

Virender Sehwag's un-beaten on 309 in the first test against SA. 91 runs behind Lara's world record of 400*. Can he do it tomorrow? I surely hope so. To be honest, I was a slighly disappointed Sachin Tendulkar didn't get a chance to bat. Oh well, he'll get a chance in the next test.

Anyway, here's wishing Sehwag the best of luck. I hope both of Lara's records get broken soon (400* and 11953)

Wikipedia...

I am amazed at what can be found on Wikipedia. More importantly, I am impressed that people take time out of their busy schedules and lives to contribute. I have used this site innumerable number of times to search for information ranging from Accounting examples to Bollywood movie plots - two extremes, really. The reason for making this entry is because I realized that I visit this site atleast twice a day. After so much use, I now blindly trust information found on the website. And, so far, I have never been disappointed with the quality of information.

I was lamenting, a few days back, that people (especially kids) in the age of internet spend less time reading books (history, fiction, science, whatever subject..) and more time surfing the internet. However, Wikipedia has restored some of my faith. I am certain that a lot people who contribute to this website are not only young but simply motivated to learn and share.

Instead of beaming (and sending) simple messages (or article), why not simply beam http://www.wikipedia.org/ into the outer space and let intelligent life (if it exists) learn more about Earth and it's inhabitants :)?

Anyway, to end this post, I do hope I can contribute in maintaining and expanding this excellent and vast source of information

Tendulkar getting close to a landmark...

Tendulkar has score 11782 runs so far. He's 171 runs behind Brian Lara (11953). Getting mighty close to the landmark of being the highest run scorer.

I hope he passes this landmark when India plays SA in March. I am keeping my fingers crossed!

20/20 Cricket

I don't know - Somehow, I just don't subscribe to the concept of 20/20 cricket. I saw the world cup and I saw India winning it etc. etc.
But then, right now we are losing 4-1 to the mighty Australia. Considering our victory at the 20/20 world cup, what happened? I don't accept the argument that the 'troika' (Dravid, Tendulkar and Ganguly) are too blame. We have to face the fact; 20/20 is MATKA; you go out and hit; whoever is lucky wins.
50 overs atleast provides somes leeway for the captain to control the game - make strategic bowliing and fielding changes, choose either batting or bowling based on the pitch etc.
20/20 does allow some strategic element to it but not a whole lot. The philosophy is hitout or get out. I just can't subscribe to that. But then, 20/20 is designed to entertain the masses and not appeal to the intellectuals (of cricket). THis is perhaps the last step in commercializing the game.

W.G. Grace would not have been happy!

Yellow Journalism and India....

I have always been fond of reading news papers/magazines such as the TimesofIndia, The Hindu, Indian Express etc. and perhaps, that is why I am very sensitive to the radical change these newspapers have gone through during the last few years.
The website of the Times of India, now resembles a tabloid, usually containing gossip columns on bollywood stars, their sex-lives and routinely posting on it half-naked pictures of models - both, men and women. The HindustanTimes, on it's website, now proudly publishes a special section called 'HTTabloid'. Just today (04/04), the web edition of the 'Times of India', has posted a picture of three women in bikinis entitled 'Girls wanna have fun'.
What has journalism in India been reduced to? Over-sensationalizing trivial stories and giving those more importance that real news worthy items. Disgusting, is the only word I can sum those up with. India-today, a respected news magazine, has fallen into the same category regulary publishing populist stories - tap into the public mood, write what they want to see/read/hear in order to sell the news paper.
I was reading just the other day that over the last few years a dozen or so new publications have sprung up in Mumbai. The aim is not journalism but yellow journalism. Perhaps, the target audience is not the educated but targeting the vast mediocre audience that has suddenly become cash rich due to the the outsourcing boom. It is true that money cannot raise the intellectual IQ of people. The King of England was once asked by a man to make him a gentleman, the king replied, 'Sir, I can make you a Lord or an Earl, but a gentleman, I cannot'. The gentleman is a metaphor for someone who appreciates intelligent content and not mindless drivel that is what seems to be demanded by the public. We should stop complaining about America and it's press and take a look at our own house. We aren't much different from the American press. But, hey if this is what we demand, then this what we deserve.
After as the REVERED 'Times of India' proclaims, 'Girls just wanna have fun'.

Rohit Brijnath on Sachin Tendulkar.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4711292.stm

We sorely lack columnists of such quality.

Mr.Brijnath, Kudos.

'Ten'-'End'-'When'dulkar?

Well, India lost the test match against England - from 75/3 to 100 all out. 7 'recognised' batsman got out for 25 runs.
Tendulkar scored 34 and was the highest scorer. This season has been tough on the poor fellow. Age has been a major factor but mainly, playing for 16 years has left him prone to injuries. He is going to miss the one-day international series due to a shoulder injury. News papers all over the country have already started questioning whether the stellar career of this towering player is coming to an end. But, newspapers are as fickle as the public they publish for - printing masala about this great man.
One day they make him God, the next day he is a mere mortal. Can't we simply accept the fact that man is human? Ordinary Indians see themselves succeed in this cricketing genius. It gives them sense of pride to identify themselves with him and perhaps, forget about their own miseries and unfulfilled ambitions. Perhaps, carrying expecations of these billion Indians on his shoulders has made him more susceptible to frequent injuries

Rohit Brijnath summed it up well at the end of his excellent article -

"For now let's lock away the cheap criticism and the sweeping judgements, and enjoy the final chapters of a decent man and superior batsman. The season of Tendulkar is not yet over"

I hope, in his last test match, he, like Bradman, scores duck because his eyes were so filled with tears that he can't see the ball. That would be the making of Tendulkar's legend.

More flying peeves..

according to dictionary.com, peeve = grievance.

Anyway, I fly around the country a lot for work and when I write a lot, I don't kid around. Here are some examples

a) Washington Dulles - Los Angeles, 6 Months.
b) Washington Reagan - Portland, 1 week.
c) Washingto Dulles - Dallas, 3 weeks.
d) Washington Dulles - Denver, 5 months.
e) Washington Dulles - Chicago, 1 week
------------------------------------------------
Total Number of Miles (United): 135,000 (Priceless).


So, after flying for over a 100,000 miles, the best looking person next to me has been an empty seat.

I have been blessed with having sometimes fat, really fat and simply too large to fit on the plane people, arrogant men, obnoxious old middle-aged women but most of the times, nice middle-aged men occupy the sit next to me.

Why, I ask, for once can't a good-looking, petite, 110 pound woman sit next to me? Not that I would or could do anything but still, if I turn my head, I would have someone nice to look at. It would be like looking at a picture of a beautiful woman, thus, making my journey pleasant.

I am married, and mind you, I love my wife very much and she loves me too. So, don't get any wrong impressions. But still, no luck - no good looking woman next to me.

Perhaps, it's my destiny to fly sit next to fat, obnoxious people and perhaps, this destiny is due to my love for my wife, or her's for me.

How I usually start my Monday Morning..

Wow! It's been almost 7 months since my last entry.

Being a consultant, I fly out everyday and I thought why not, after catching a 6:00 am flight to Denver, share my experience through a blog.

a) Wake up at 3:30 am
b) go back to sleep at 3:31 am
c) Wake up, reluctantly, at 3:45 am.
d) Get ready and Get Dressed and wait for my cab.
e) Cab Arrives at 4:30 am
f) Enter into a healthy discussion with the cab driver who emphasized his Republican leanings throughout the conversation. I gained enough knowledge about Virginia's traffic problems and how the Democrats screwed the whole thing up in the first place. Tim Kaine - if only you had caught this cab. (4:35 am - 5:00 am)
g) Arrive bleary eyed at the airport and go through security. It's amazing to see how many non-business people travel at such an early time. Always makes me wonder where these folks are travelling to(5:00 am)
f) Get in to the People Mover (For the ignorant, it's a inter-terminal shuttle). Watch the driver struggle to align it in it's slot at Terminal C. (5:15 am)
h) Walk up to the gate and try to change my seat from 32 C to anywhere in the front, finally settle on 11C (5:20 am)
i) Enter the plane, sit on someone else's seat only to be politely reminded that I am in the wrong seat. Turn red, apologise profusely, and change seats.
j) Watch as an oversize man put this oversize bag into the overhead compartment and overstuff himself in the middleseat next to me. Luckily, I had a window seat.
k) At around 6:20 am, after the was at 35K feet, the oversize man complained vociferously to the purser because they had forgotten to change the movie from last week. Why on the earth, at 6:30 am, would you want to watch a movie when 90% of the plane was asleep.
l) Tried to sleep on the plane but Mr.TooManyFriesFromMcD's oversize palm kept prodding me. (6:00 am to 7:45 am Mountain Time)
m) FInally, land in Denver, only to find thatDenver is as cold as Cheney's mechanically kept alive heart. (7:45 am)
n) Stand in the line at the Car Rental (Hertz). Every person in front of me seemed to be involved in a deep discussion with the Car Rental advisors. Felt like shouting, for goodness sake's people, you are just renting the car and not deciding the fate of the world. Leave that to Messrs. Bush and Blair. (8:15- 8:45 am)
i) Drive in to work only to find there was no need for me to fly in that day (9:30 am).

Exciting stuff eh!

Traffic!

It took me 40 mins. to drive a distance of 18 miles to get to work today. Can you believe it? Approximately, 1.5 hours of my working day is spent sitting in traffic. A recent study indicates that commuters spend on average 69 hours (in DC) a year in traffic and there is no respite in sight
As long as cars are on the road, the traffic problems will continue. Hence, I decided to utilise my western eductation to come up with number of novel ideas to ease our commute.
a) Adopt a one car per family policy akin to the one child policy enforced by China.
b) Instead having electronic boards indicate traffic conditions, the authorities should broadcast television shows on them. With that, people won't miss their favorite shows while stuck in traffic. The commute will be more pleasant if people are see 'pleasing' images from shows such as 'MTV Grind'. The remote control might pose a problem.
c) Cram more people in the cars. C'mon, look at the example set by the third world countries. We have a lesser cars on the road that probably any developed country but we end up transporting more people, don't we? After all, what else are the SUVs useful for?
d) Simply walk - walking can be fun and reduces the overall girth of this nation's population.

Of course, none of these novel ideas will be adopted let alone taken seriously but migration into areas which have seen job growth should forecasted by the local governments. The other day I was reading about how car manufacturers are designing cars to be more comfortable taking into account the amount of time people spend in their cars. As this trend continues, we will see more gadgets like microwaves, DVD players (already available in minivans), phone (already available), TVs (maybe) etc.

Cars supposed to be simply means of transport in which the driver spends the smallest portion of his day. However, we spend more time in our cars than in our house. Our cars are turning into our homes where as our homes are turning into cars.

Test Blog

Here I am posting my first 'blog'. Honestly, I feel like a toddler taking baby steps, some one who has just entered this world and is treading wearily as he or she (I have to use he and she nowaadays lest I invoke the ire of the feminists) gets accustomed to something new. Well, with that said and thinking 'Shree' and 'Om Ganeshaya Namaha', I hit the 'Post' Button.