The Mystic Realm

Coke Studio - Punjabi Folk Music

2010-11-22T21:53:00.012+05:30

Listening to music and getting immersed in it has always been a cathartic experience for me. Having affinity towards sufi music, urdu poetry and punjabi folk music is quite natural to me considering that I was born and brought up in Punjab (India) though my last generation was from Punjab which is in Pakistan now. I can paint, write poetry, dance but sincerely I wish I could sing. Nevermind!! Whenever I listen to something extraordinary, I cannot stop raving about it. So, here are couple of videos which are just mind blowing and I am pretty sure that you'll love these irrespective of you know Punjabi or not.

Alif allah chambay di booti, tey meray murshid mann vich lai hoo
My master has planted the fragrant seed of love in my heart

Ho nafi uss baat da paani dey kay
Which flourished with modesty, piety and acceptance of his existence

[ Read here for full English translation]

Ae way mein chori chori teray naal laa layyan akhaan way
Without anyone knowing about it, I locked my eyes with you (and fell in love)

[ Read here for full English translation]

Just for the record, 'Yaara seeli seeli' by Lata ji from movie 'Lekin' is based on the same music. This song was originally sung by Reshma ji in 1990. Here is the original song:

[Coke studio: Coke Studio is a Pakistani television series featuring live music performances. The program focuses on a fusion of the diverse musical influences in Pakistan, including eastern classical, folk, and contemporary popular music. This show provides a platform for renowed as well as upcoming and less mainstream artists, from various genres and regions, to collaborate musically in live studio recording sessions.]

Jalsa, Bangalore

2010-09-12T18:48:00.009+05:30

"Awesome ambiance, awesome food and awesome music (if you enjoy old Hindi melodies)"

I have been to Jalsa twice and everytime I go there, it leaves me nostalgic. Obviously, it makes me long to visit my native land, Punjab. Coming to the point, Jalsa's ambiance is its USP. On the whole, it lets you relive the era of Mughals vicariously. And having a good food and good music makes it a fantastic place which you must visit if you happen to be in Bangalore. It's worth experiencing Jalsa. Apt case study for 'Experience Marketing'.

Well, for more reviews on Jalsa, visit - Tripadvisor forum

For more information and reservation - Jalsa, Bangalore

Difference between 'Presume' and 'Assume'

2010-09-01T04:49:00.007+05:30

Ages ago, I had asked my English faculty what was the difference between 'Assume' and 'Presume'. But I never got a satisfactory answer. Infact I consulted a dictionary also but both words had the same meanings. And we didn't have access to internet during that time. After that, it had skipped my mind for long. But I know the right answer now and I thought I should share it.

Presume comes from the Latin word "præsumere" meaning to 'anticipate taking up' where it moved to Old French "presumer" and then into Middle English with the meaning "to take upon oneself, to take liberty" in 1375. It now has the meaning of "to believe something true without proof of non-contrary evidence." It is used a lot less often than assume; It appears about 90% less often than assume in all media. It is more commonly used when discussing legal cases. Specificallly, it is used when talking about innocence: "Presumed innocent until proven guilty." (Presumed because there is no contrary evidence, yet) It is commonly used with innocence, debt, and information.

Assume comes directly from Latin and actual shares a root with presume, "sumere" means "to take" and "as-" or "ad-" means "to, or up." This gives us the meaning of "to take up" in Latin. This appeared in Middle English as "to take up into heaven" in 1436. Later it took on the meaning of "to suppose something true without checking or confirming it" or "to take up the responsibilities of." The word presume can not be used in the later sense. For example the sentence "Sparky presumed the role of Grand Commander of the Universe." is wrong. The word assume needs to be used instead. Overall, the word assume is used 10 times more than presume (in spoken and written English). Assume is usually used with (collocated with) responsibility(s), role(s), position(s), control, leadership and other words referring to power.

Hope this helps.

Source: English Spark

Stuck!!

2010-09-01T04:21:00.005+05:30

Okei. Let's face it. I am stuck and can't just help thinking. And obviously I don't know what I should do.

There is this person, Y. Probably it's a year and a half, I haven't talked to Y. No, I have no intention of getting back together with Y because there is just no future. But then what irks me is that we ended up on a bad note. Yes, it was my mistake but pretty much an unintentional one. Always thought of it but now it's troubling me a lot. On top of that, I do not have Y's no. Say, even if I get Y's no. somehow, I am scared to even call 'cause I've no clue how Y is gonna react. So, basically I am stuck. Huh!!

I hear voices!

2010-08-28T15:40:00.012+05:30

Read an article on wall street journal: Sweet talking your computer. Found it quite amusing.

Come to think of it, I guess no matter how open-minded we are, we are quite biased in certain matters. When I need a hair cut, I make sure my hair stylist is a guy. Not that I am saying, women are bad hair stylists but in my case, they have a habit of giving me weird styles. And when I see a bad driver on the road, my immediate comment is "You bet, it's a girl". But when it comes to my machines, I always preferred a girl's voice. Whenever I used to get a text message on my earlier handset, the tone (girl's voice) used to say, "you have got a message". Now the same has been replaced by man's voice. It's the same thing but I still miss the earlier tone. And for that matter, be it my laptop, car or any other machine, I prefer a woman's voice. I haven't used a GPS in my car, so I don't know how I'll react when a woman gives me the directions but for sure my first preference would be a woman's voice only (soothing to ears) as I get irritated pretty fast while driving when people don't follow rules which is pretty common sight in India.

Well, as far as my other machines are concerned, I play this game "Hangaroo" on my laptop and it has this very interactive Kangaroo who is on the verge of getting hanged (most of you know it, I guess.). Initially I used to play with sounds ON but this interactive creature used to irritate me like anything and even if I wanted to play further, I used to detest the idea. And now whenever I play it, I make sure I am playing with sounds OFF. As mentioned in WSJ article, I never found 'Clippy' useful. Infact, it was a big nuisance. Thank god, it is not there in XP onwards. And how can I forget alarm clocks!! Now that is one machine where I cannot use a woman's voice or for that matter, a man's voice; no matter how pleasant they sound. So, I have to get used to those horrendous sounding alarm tones, atleast they are effective no matter how much you loathe 'em.

One thing is for sure, what you hear can make a hell lot of difference in your productivity. ;)

Hangover for Lifetime - Cerebellar Ataxia (Part II)

2010-08-22T17:55:00.008+05:30

Finally the things look bright. But I am still under observation for couple o' months. Just want to leave this whole experience behind. It had been quite painful for my family and somewhere I am guilty that they have to go through all this because of me. I know, I am to blame. Well, I should have taken good care of myself. Now, I have to change my lifestyle a bit and make sure things are done on time and of course, need to monitor my eating habits.

It seems that mostly all the Vitamins are disastrously low in me. Not to mention which can lead to various cancers, depression, stroke, heart disease etc. Anyway, this Ataxia attack has brought me into my senses. Hope there is no relapse of Ataxia after the Vitamins levels are normal. Because if it is, then I need to have my genetic test. And if DNA tests come positive then it doesn't leave me with much choice. Well that's later. Let's deal with the current problem at hand.

Well, if you are Ataxic, kindly do below mentioned things for your own sake:

Join Ataxia forum: Ataxia Forum. This forum has been really helpful for me.
Please do get your Vitamin D checked along with your Vitamin B & E.
Please read as much as you can about Ataxia. Chances are you might not get enough help from doctors as the research is still going on for Ataxia and it happens to be very rare disorder so obviously proper funding is not there for the research.
Read my first post about Ataxia: Part I. If any of the symptoms are there, please don't hesitate to see a doctor.

Friends

2010-08-15T19:49:00.005+05:30

Why do things have to be so tough at times?

I am not emotional sort of person. Hmm.. Let me rephrase that. Actually I am emotional but it's kinda hard for me to show/express my emotions. Saying things like 'I miss you', 'I love you'... 'I am sorry' is a herculean task for me. And if I have to say these things, one thing you can easily deduce that it's one hell of an extreme situation. But one thing I have learnt over the period that never ever let go of your close friends. So it happens that I have a major fallout with this friend (Let's call it X) of mine. And after a month or so, this X calls me and talks to me but we don't discuss about why did things go bad? After that we did talk couple o' times. But I always gave a very 'indifferent' kinda response. And now it's been over a year.

Yesterday X called me again but deep down I was still carrying that grudge but then I am a very good listener and X feels relieved after talking to me. Actually so do I but it's not easy for me to open up. Anway, I had lot of things to share. The things which you can't share with your family or your better half (if there is one). I missed X terribly. Not that I missed X only at this time, but I did earlier too. So, I mustered some courage and called X today and I said, 'I am sorry. But the fact is I do miss you...'. Then I shared lots of things like how I played a prank on one of our common friends, how I like so and so person etc. Trust me, I felt so relieved.

I have one more friend to talk to. I guess it's been around one and half years, we haven't talked. Talk about clash of egos. I did take some initiatives but then all my efforts were futile. And now I am scared somewhere to even take the initiative. And and top of that I don't even know this person's contact no.

Anyway, one thing is for sure, life is pretty miserable without friends. And if you think the relationship is worthwhile and your efforts can save a relationship from falling apart, then please do save it even if you end up not saving it. Giving it a shot and failing is much better than not giving it and repenting it all your life. Because you never know what is going to happen. (Experience speaks)

Concordia Discors (Discordant Harmony)

2010-07-22T16:57:00.007+05:30

My eyes are deserted when confronted with pain,

All I can do is, write my tears.

Makes me scared to see my life in vain,

But all I can do is, write my fears.

Want to create an uproar against this injustice,

All I can do is, write my silence.

Rioter in me, want to break free of my cowardice,

but all I can do is, write my violence.

Deep down laughing at this life's irony,

All I can do is write my despair.

Ensconced in this discordant harmony,

All I can do is, write this wishful prayer.

Hangover for Lifetime - Cerebellar Ataxia (Part I)

2010-06-09T21:22:00.051+05:30

Couple o' days back, I have been diagnosed with Cerebellar Ataxia. Trust me, it is very annoying when you go and meet hell lot of doctors and still don’t get to know what is wrong with you. So, I am sort of relieved that finally I have my diagnosis in hand though I guess it’s scary (read it as 'excited' in my case) when you also get to know what you have will get worse with time and it is also supposed to be incurable. Before I was diagnosed, I used to joke with my friends that see I tend to enjoy all the effects of alcohol without shelling out a single penny.

The journey was quite boring. I had viral fever and I guess after 20-25 days the symptoms of Ataxia started (Anyway, I do have a history of head trauma.). The symptoms were very mild – imbalance, could not write (either my handwriting was very big or very small), slurred speech. Then later I had head cramps, short term memory loss and some judging problems. Initial couple of weeks I ignored it (Now I can say “Ignorance was bliss”. Isn’t it?? Considering it was Ataxia.). Then I gave it a serious thought and I fixed an appointment with a general physician and I was given medicine for Vertigo which obviously was of no use. After that I was referred to an ENT specialist and then to a neurologist. Then I had couple of tests – some blood tests and an MRI. Then I was on medicine (for Hypothyroidism though I was a borderline case only) again but I was not diagnosed. This medicine was also futile and after that I was suggested by my sister to meet this so and so expert neurosurgeon in Bangalore only. Met him and finally I was diagnosed – he (my neurosurgeon) showed me my cerebellum on one of my MRI films and told me it’s shrinking and he told me to accept the fact that it’s pretty much incurable. But he put me on new medicine saying that it will reduce the intensity of my symptoms and slow down the process and trust me, his medicine has been very helpful. But my family couldn’t let me live in peace (that’s the problem when you have doctors in your family) and I was summoned home (Punjab) so that they can have a second opinion. Again, I had to meet some neurologist and had to face the same diagnosis. Well, I am really fed up of meeting so many doctors so I decided to take treatment from my neurosurgeon. Anyway I am keeping spinal tap test (aka Lumbar puncture) for the last. I have seen some videos on you tube and it definitely looks scary and I will get it done only if necessary. Anyway I am planning to have my diet also gluten free. Though I drink very rarely, I still checked if Vodka was Gluten free. And thank God it was and it is!!

P.S. : Recently I read somewhere that it is a terminal disease (indirectly though). From the onset of diesease till death, the patient lives for 15 years on average. Not that I am afraid of dying but 15 years, it is too small a time to do things I want to do. Anyway, I hope I last longer than 15 years. And also the prevalence of SCA's (Spinocerebellar Ataxia) is estimated to be about 1-4/100,000 (Well, my laptop wallpaper does say 'be unique').

[Cerebellar Ataxia : Ataxia is a neurological sign and symptom consisting of gross lack of coordination of muscle movements. Ataxia is a non-specific clinical manifestation implying dysfunction of parts of the nervous system that coordinate movement, such as the cerebellum. Several possible causes exist for these patterns of neurological dysfunction. The term "dystaxia" is rarely used as a synonym. The International Ataxia Awareness Day is observed on September 25 each year. The part of the cerebellum most affected by ataxia is the layer of Purkinje cells. Each fold or “folium” of the cerebellum can be separated into three layers, the middle of which is made up of large, flat neurons called Purkinje cells. These cells are essential for relaying information within the cerebellum. They have highly branched dendrites that receive hundreds of thousands of inhibitory and excitatory impulses to process. Their myelinated axons extend through the white matter to synapse with the central nuclei of the cerebellum, the only cortical neurons to do so. They are responsible for processing efferent impulses from the motor cortex. It is when these cells die or become damaged that the cerebellum is unable to function properly. Drug treatments do exist for ataxia, but they have been largely unsuccessful so far. A few forms of ataxia are linked to deficiencies of vitamin E and coenzyme Q10. Drug treatments have proven effective for these types, but such ataxias are very rare and less serious than the more prevalent ones. Amantadine has been shown to slow the progress of ataxia in some people and to increase energy levels, though the results do not appear to apply to the entire ataxia population. In addition, GABAergic agents may reduce cerebellar tremors, but are not effective for treating ataxia symptoms as a whole. You can also read about Cerebellar Ataxia here – Cerebellar Ataxia.]

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[Updated on 23 June 2010]

Well few of my symptoms are gone but new ones have also joined me. I am on permanent dose of anti-migraine (Trilol SR 40 - Beta-blocker - propranolol) medicines and Vitamin B supplements (Zenobal Plus/Matilda Forte). But my slurring in speech has gone though not completely and my headache is gone but momentarily head pains are still there. I get tired pretty soon now and I am also having a bout of short term memory losses (thank god, I have seen 'Memento' and now I know what I have to do.). Well I don't think I will ever take it seriously but I make sure I don't miss my medicine. Doc has also changed my medicine and put me on some antioxidants (Miraqule) but let's see how effective those are! Well I don't think spinal tap is necessary but for my family's satisfaction I might have it. But I do want to have genetic testing of my blood done, though in my case it is not hereditary yet (and I have a history of head trauma), I still want to see what are the % chances that I pass it onto my kids.

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[Updated on 22 July, 2010]

I think I should move on. Had so many tests for Vitamin B12, Vitamin D, Anti- gliadin, Complete BC, TSH, Stomach Scanning (just to rule out any other infection) but unluckily everything is normal. Had they been positive, I would have taken treatment but all my efforts are still in vain. My only concern is my LFT (Liver function test) because my bilirubin cerebral signs ie my SGOT and SGPT are inreasing. Well, externally I am fine as I am taking medicines for my symptoms. But internally I think my last hope is stem cell transplant (not effective though) which again will only delay things. Anyway as long I live, I have to take medicine and keep visiting doctor regularly. I think I should start working again and keep living a normal life.

Read the next Ataxia post at : Part II.

Goa, India

2010-04-15T23:20:00.004+05:30

Aguada Fort

View from Aguada Fort

Dona Paula Beach

Vagatoor Beach

View from Vagatoor Beach

View from Chapora Fort

Holy Spirit Church, Panjim

Green Vine Snake (Ahaetulla Nasuta) ~ Auroville, India

2010-01-18T21:03:00.009+05:30

Green Vine Snake (Ahaetulla Nasuta) ~ Auroville, India

(Taken on : 2 January 2010)

Auroville, India

2010-01-05T22:58:00.002+05:30

Auroville's Territory

Auroville Beach (aka Repos Beach)

Statue of Sri Aurobindo, Savitri Bhavan

Matri Mandir

My footprints, Auroville Beach

That's I, Auroville Beach

'The Lost Symbol' ~ Dan Brown

2009-09-26T16:24:00.017+05:30

Published by Doubleday Books

ISBN - 10: 0385504225

ISBN - 13: 978-0385504225

528 Pages

My Rating: (2.5/5)

Overhyped!!

The novel starts with the summoning of Robert Langdon to Washington D.C. where he embarks upon the journey to find the hidden ancient secrets of Masonic world. Rest is usual stuff... how he decodes different symbols and comes face to face with shocking truths with the assistance of so called heroine of the plot (in this case, it is 50 year old noetic scientist).

For sure, it is a display of hasty writing.. May be, Dan Brown felt pressurized by his previous successes. In between, I felt I was watching 'National Treasure' (movie). I wouldn't recommend this book to people who have already read 'Da Vinci Code' & 'Angels & Demons' as this novel is quite similar to the former one. But the beginner won't be disappointed and it will surely encourage him/her to read other works by Brown. "The Lost Symbol" is quite fast paced so finishing it won't be difficult at all but then it's pretty much predictable as I said it runs on the same lines of 'Da Vinci Code'. There were lots of 'Spare me the torture' moments ~ Tips by Sharapova, Twitter & How to measure the weight of soul? Heights!!... That's where I felt Brown is trying to drag the things or trying to fill in the pages.

Mr. Brown, please spare us the torture of Robert Langdon. Kindly, try something else!!

[ The movie adaptation of 'The Lost Symbol' will be releasing in 2012 (courtesy: Columbia Pictures).]

Death Valley, Spain

2009-08-14T00:27:00.017+05:30

The Real Thrill - For all those who absolutely love living life on the edge!!

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El Caminito del Rey (The King's little pathway)

El Chorro, Málaga, Spain

Birthday Blues

2009-08-10T11:45:00.003+05:30

For my friend who just turned 30 today

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'The Deer Hunter' (1978)

2009-08-06T13:19:00.005+05:30

The Deer Hunter (1978)

My Rating: (3.5/5)

Director : Michael Cimino

Star Cast : Robert De Niro, Cristopher Walken, John Savage, Meryl Streep, John Cazale

Distributed by : Universal Pictures & EMI Films

Based on : Loosely inspired by "Three Comrades" by Erich Maria Remarque

A story of three friends and how their lives unfold post the tortures of Vietnam War. Torture in the form of Russian Roulette leaves the trio to deal with the moral and mental intricacies. The movie has the subtle shades of drug abuse, infidelity, suicide and mental illness. The movie won five academy awards including the best picture, best director and best supporting actor.The Deer Hunter has got some really nice music. You must listen to theme music 'Cavatina' and sub theme music 'Can't take my eyes off you' (one of my fave songs). Commendable performance by the cast. All in all, a good movie to watch.

[Russian Roulette : A stunt in which one spins the cylinder of a revolver loaded with only single bullet, aims the muzzle at one's head, and pulls the trigger. 'Russian' refers to the supposed country of origin of the game and 'Roulette' to the element of risk-taking and the spinning of revolver's cylinder being reminiscent of spinning a roulette wheel.]

Caffeine - My Shepherd

2009-07-17T02:30:00.011+05:30

Pledge for Coffee Freaks

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'Patton' (1970)

2009-07-01T23:08:00.022+05:30

Patton (1970)

My Rating: (4.5/5)

Diretor : Franklin J. Schaffner

Star Cast : George C. Scott, Karl Malden, Michael Bates

Distributed by : 20th Century Fox Film Corp.

Based on : "A Soldier's Story" by Omar N. Bradley and "Patton: Ordeal and Triumph" by Ladislas Fargo

One of the finest performances ever given in the history of cinema and for which George C. Scott (as General George Patton in the movie) was awarded with the Oscar for the best actor. Scott refused to accept his Oscar as for him ‘The Academy Awards’ was merely a ‘meat parade’. 'Patton' is a biographical war film based on the military life of US General George Patton during World War II. It is seen as mini history lesson of the war in Europe. The movie won seven Oscars including the best picture, best director. Patton is usually quoted for its opening monologue where Scott (as General Patton) gave an iconic speech with an American flag behind him. A fantastic portrayal of World War II.

The Opening Monologue from the Movie
________________________________________

‘Ruffles and Flourishes’ …………. Be seated.

Now, I want you to remember that no bastard ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country. Men, all this stuff you’ve heard about America not wanting to fight, wanting to stay out of the war Read More...

[Updated later on: Two hours after writing this post, I logged into BBC News. Karl Malden (check the star cast of Patton) has died of old age problems. Malden acted as General Omar Bradley in 'Patton'. He also won an Oscar for his performance in The Streetcar Named Desire in 1951. RIP Malden.]

Michael Jackson

2009-06-26T12:57:00.015+05:30

It’s a bloody unexpected sad day.

I literally got the shock of my life when I got up this morning. I switched on my laptop, logged into BBC news and there it was… I was left shattered. I am still not able to get over it. What a multi talented person he was!!...I grew up on his music and I always admired his singing, unique dancing, writing (lyrics) & composing skills. He was/is/will be simply irreplaceable.

The way he showed his gratitude towards public applause after every performance, it was very humble of him. After seeing his videos (interviews, live concerts), I always tagged him as one genuine soul. I remember reading his interview (which he gave in 1993) with Oprah in which he said he had been a victim of fame which led to his loneliness and how he missed out on his childhood years and still in the end, what media did to him made him a complete recluse once again. Quite a tough ride he had!!...

MJ, you’ll be remembered forever. Finally, peace be upon you!!

'Tora Tora Tora' (1970)

2009-06-24T17:51:00.008+05:30

Tora! Tora! Tora! (1970)

My Rating: (3.5/5)

Director : Richard Fleischer, Kinji Fukasau & Toshio Masuda

Star Cast : Martin Balsam, Tatsuya Mihashi

Distributed by : 20th Century Fox Film Corp.

Based on : Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour

Though low on entertainment value, this movie is far superior to ‘Pearl Harbor’ (movie) when it comes to facts and figures. Tora Tora Tora means the torpedo attack in Japanese. Under the Operation Z, it was used as the code word in the movie for initiating the surprise air attack on US Naval base at Pearl Harbour, Hawaii on Dec 7, 1941 by the Imperial Japanese Navy. The first half of the movie is quite dull (courtesy the sluggish performance by the actors) but the other half is quite interesting because of its terrific war scenes. This movie accurately portrayed the facts and was not biased towards any nation. Initially, the movie was not taken well in States as it clearly depicted the stupidity on US part but it went on to become a huge hit in Japan. A fantastic movie.

'Full Metal Jacket' (1987)

2009-06-20T03:58:00.010+05:30

Full Metal Jacket (1987)

My Rating: (4/5)

Director : Stanley Kubrick

Star Cast : R. Lee Ermey, Matthew Modine, A. Baldwin

Distributed by : Warner Bros. Pictures

Based on : "The Short Timers" by Gustav Hasford

When it comes to movies, I am a war junkie and I take pride in the fact that I have one of the best collections when it comes down to war flicks. But the compilation is not yet complete and I have many more left to watch. Nevertheless, recently I watched ‘Full Metal Jacket’. It was made in 1987 by Stanley Kubrick and it revolved around the squad of US Marines who participated in the military campaign (Tet Offensive) started by VietCong Army (A.k.a National Liberation Front) during the Vietnam war (1959-1975). Ironically, the movie was filmed in England. Though FMJ was nominated for one academy award, it could not win the Oscar. But till today it is considered as one of best war movies of all time. And even I advocate this fact by saying that this movie is worth watching.

[Full Metal Jacket: It is a bullet encased in a steel jacket so that the bullet does not get fragmented within the target, therefore, it is used to injure the target rather than killing it. As it does not expand, it is more effective at piercing armor. The first FMJ bullet for military rifle was designed by Major Rubin, director of the Swiss Laboratory at Thunin 1883. To know more, you can visit the following link – Full Metal Jacket.]

'Paths of Glory' ~ Jeffrey Archer

2009-04-27T01:17:00.026+05:30

Published by Pan Macmillan, 2009

ISBN 978-0-330-50425-6

467 Pages

My Rating: (2.5/5)

" This is the story of a man who loved two women, and one of them killed him. Some people have dreams that are so outrageous that if they were to achieve them, their place in history would be guaranteed........"

For sure, good appetizing lines but don't raise your hopes while reading the back cover page of this book especially if you happen to be an Archer's fan. And if you are a beginner who is going to usher into Archer's works, then I must say this may not be the apt book to start with.

Well, a good read if you haven't heard of George Mallory already. Had I read/known about Mallory before, I would have found this book completely bland. Anyway, this novel went on to describe the life of George Mallory, a mountaineer who disappeared on Mount Everest back in 1924. It basically revolved around his two passions - his wife, Ruth and the mountains. Well, the factual part was quite insightful but the fictional part where Archer could have scored was totally lifeless. At some point while reading, I just felt that he coerced himself into writing this book probably because he was fascinated by the mystery of Mallory's historic climb which even left me also intrigued. Archer should have done more research on mountaineering to make this so called novel (it seems more or less a biography..) interesting and certainly should have worked more on fictional part to keep the reputation of brand Archer intact.

LAPCAT A2 - "Son of Concorde"

2009-04-18T04:31:00.022+05:30

From the last couple of years, I am following the LAPCAT (Long-Term Advanced Propulsion Concepts and Technologies) Project. And every time I read about this project, I just can’t stop raving about it. The ultimate aim of the LAPCAT project is to cut on long distance flights, say from 20 hours to 5 hours. Sounds absurd but very much possible and you never know you might be using such flight after 25 years but for that just make sure you are one cash rich soul.

A British company, Reaction Engines (based in Oxfordshire, England) has unveiled a design for A2 hypersonic aircraft that can carry 300 passengers. Also dubbed as “Son of Concorde”, A2 will fly at more than twice the speed of Concorde and five times the speed of sound (Mach 5). It will be 433ft long and will have no windows because of the heat produced at high speeds. But passengers might get to see the flat screen TVs/LCDs instead of windows and will get the same impression of seeing outside. Really, it will be a treat to one's eyes to see this aircraft in real time.

LAPCAT A2 - Facts & Figures

Design Mission

Brussels to Sydney (via North Pole and Bering straits to avoid supersonic overflight of Eurasian land mass)
Distance: 18700 km
Flight time: 4.6 hours (under realistic air traffic control conditions)
Reserve range: 5000 km @ Mach 0.9

Payload

300 Passengers (plus baggage)

Vehicle Parameters

Gross takeoff mass: 400 tonnes
Fuel mass: 198 tonnes (liquid hydrogen)
Fuselage length: 139 m
Fuselage diameter: 7.5 m
Wingspan: 41 mWing area: 900 m

Performance

Mach 0.9 cruise Lift/Drag 11.0 (5.9 km altitude) SFC 96.0 kN/kg/s
Mach 5.0 cruise Lift/Drag 5.9 (25-28 km altitude) SFC 40.9 kN/kg/s

To read more about this project, please refer to link below:

LAPCAT A2

"De Profundis"

2009-02-19T23:20:00.014+05:30

Each and everytime thou'll make me fall,

each and everytime I'll stand...

Enough relying on thou,

enough pinning faith on what's engraved in my hand.

Faced all thy wrath and tantrums,

thought one day thou'll show me ''The light"...

But the endless spells thou had cast,

I should have known, I am alone in my fight.

Thy cruelty is far beyond,

doesn't matter how evil am I!!

Thou led me on the path to perdition,

and thou mocked at my each cry.

O dear!! Listen to me now,

thy never-ending anathema has come to a halt...

Nomore damned am I!!

and thy name shall never be called.

“Cauchemar” - Sleep Paralysis

2009-01-15T21:55:00.015+05:30

Perhaps you've experienced the sensation-while awakening or falling asleep-of not being able to move. You discover that your body is paralyzed. Although you may try to call out, the sound remains locked in your throat. Meanwhile, your mind is clamoring to know what's going on.

"Sleep Paralysis" American Medical Association Guide to Better Sleep, l984.

Couple of weeks back, it happened again for the second time. I was having an afternoon nap and suddenly I felt the presence of some invisible force. I wanted to get up from my sleep but I could not. I could not even open my eyes and I was scared to death. The fact that I was not able to fight it made me all the more scared. Well this was a very mild form as I had experienced the worst. Around four years ago (in 2005), I became the victim of sleep paralysis. I was choked; could not open my eyes; I was thrown out of my bed (though in real I was still on the bed); and I felt the presence of some force. I knew it was not a dream but it was not the reality either. But it was so close to real. It was like I was trapped in my sleep and the only solution was to get up.

Anyway I did some research on it and I happened to bump into the word ‘Cauchemar’. It is a French word and it means ‘nightmare, bad dream’. Find the roots below:

“Where does the word nightmare come from? The English word for evil spirit or incubus is mare, a word that comes from the Sanskrit mara, meaning ‘crusher’. The French word for nightmare, cauchemar, also contains the root mare, while ‘caucher’ means to trample. At some time in history people started to confuse mare or merrie, which meant a female horse, with the other meaning of mare of an evil spirit. Maybe a further complication happened because of the existence of a Teutonic goddess Mara who would changed herself in a white merrie to visit a sleeping man at night.”

And this nightmare is often related to sleep paralysis. And I also checked the exact definition of sleep paralysis. This is what I have got from medicinenet.com –

Sleep paralysis: “A frightening form of paralysis that occurs when a person suddenly finds himself or herself unable to move for a few minutes, most often upon falling asleep or waking up. Sleep paralysis is due to an ill-timed disconnection between the brain and the body. The symptoms of sleep paralysis include sensations of noises, smells, levitation, paralysis, terror, and images of frightening intruders. Once considered very rare, about half of all people are now believed to experience sleep paralysis sometime during their life. Sleep paralysis strikes as a person is moving into or out of REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, the deepest part of sleep. During REM sleep the body is largely disconnected from the brain leaving the body paralyzed. Sleep paralysis is the result of premature (or persistent) mind-body disconnection as one is about to enter into (or exit from) REM sleep. Sleep paralysis occurs most often after jet lag or periods of sleeplessness that interrupt the normal REM patterns. It affects both sexes equally and occurs at all ages but is most common in teenagers. Sleep paralysis can be familial and may be genetic (inherited) in some cases. An attack of sleep paralysis is usually harmless and self-limited. It tends to be over in a minute or two as soon as the brain and body re-establish connections and the person is able to move again. However, the memory of the terrifying sensations felt during sleep paralysis can long endure. (Some scholars believe that sleep paralysis may account for some of the old claims of attacks by witches and the more recent "reports" of nocturnal abduction by space aliens.) A rare fatal form of sleep paralysis may, it is thought, underlie the cases of healthy teenagers, mainly in Southeast Asia, who die in their sleep, sometimes after fighting for breath but without thrashing around. Sleep paralysis goes by a number of names, including the "old hag" in Newfoundland (for an old witch thought to sit on the chest of the paralyzed sleeper), "kokma" in the West Indies (for a ghost baby who jumps on the sleeper's chest and attacks the throat), "kanashibari" in Japan and "gui ya" or ghost pressure in China (because a ghost is believed to sit on and assault the sleeper). Medically, sleep paralysis is sometimes called waking paralysis, predormital (before-sleep) paralysis, postdormital (after-sleep) paralysis, and REM sleep atonia.”

If I were to go by the above definitions, my paralysis was more of a waking paralysis or postdormital paralysis. In my case, it happened when my sleep was more in the lucid state as I was about to wake up. According to some sources (as you read in the last paragraph), it has a supernatural side to it too. There was a case study done on supernatural assault tradition in Southwest Louisana. You can read more about this supernatural narrations and witch riding experiences at this link:

Contemporary Cauchemar: Experience, Belief, Prevention by Katherine Roberts

All I know it was a very frightening experience. And now that I have experienced it twice, I really don’t find anything scientific about it but at the same time I don’t buy any witch riding justification also. Anyway, hoping not to go through it again….

If interested in knowing more, you can visit these sites:
Sleep Paralysis
Dream World
Sleep - A Dynamic Activity

Redefining Global Strategy ~ Pankaj Ghemawat

2009-01-04T15:36:00.008+05:30

Published by Harvard Business School Press, 2007
ISBN: 9780070260443
257 Pages

My Rating: (3/5)

Pankaj Ghemawat is the Anselmo Rubiralta Professor of Global Strategy at IESE Business School in Barcelona and the Jaime and Josefina Chua Tiampo Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School.

If you are one of those who think that the buzzword is ‘Globalization’ and it is here to stay for long then you might want to read this book. And it will make you realize that Globalization is far from arriving, let alone staying. What we have on the global stance is ‘Semi-globalization’. Rather than following the hype on market size, the book will help shifting our focus on the sustained differences between countries which in turn will help us in crafting and evaluating the strategies. As Mr. Ghemawat himself puts it, "The idea is to help business cross borders profitably by seeing the world as it really is, rather than in idealized terms."

So keeping that backdrop in mind, this book is basically classified into two parts. Part I talks about the value in a world of differences whereas part II delineates the strategies for global value creation. On the whole, the book comprises eight chapters.

Part I - The first part deals with the semi-globalization and strategy, differences across countries, and global value creation. The case of Coke is discussed in detail and how the apocalyptic vision can make an organization fallible even when it has global experience, presence, and success. Though in a hard way, Coke has finally learnt that it may not make sense to compete the same way in all markets. Growth fever, the norm of enormity, statelessness, ubiquity, and one size fits all strategy – These are some delusions from vision which companies do not have to worry about if they see from the perspective of semi-globalization. You will also learn about a CAGE framework where distance should be conceptualized as a multidimensional structure with four types of components, cultural, administrative, geographic, and economic. Then the emphasis is on analyzing why to globalize with the help of a tool, The Adding Value scorecard wherein value addition is discussed in the context of adding value, decreasing costs, differentiating, improving industry attractiveness, normalizing risks, and generating and deploying knowledge.

Part II: The second part of the book is focused on the AAA strategies mainly, adaptation, aggregation, and arbitrage. With the understanding of these strategies, you will learn how to adjust to differences across countries, overcome some differences among countries by grouping them based on similarities, and exploit selected differences across countries instead of treating them all as constraints.

On the whole this book is all about the strategic tools and step by step approach for making the most from the semi-global economy. Well I would not recommend this book to students nor would I do it for executives like me who are at such a nascent stage in their corporate journey. But this book should be the bible for business policymakers as it explores their needs and the limelight is strictly on value creation and capture.

Mindset Crossover!!

2008-11-23T21:00:00.015+05:30

I still remember the first day of induction of my first job at HO. We (a bunch of 30 MTs) were being preached by our HR...

‘You need to change yourself for the company but the company is not going to change for you. You are just a small fraction in the company and company can do without you…….’

Quite an encouraging speech. Isn’t it?? Huh!!...

Well after being an MBA grad, my outlook towards work life has changed a great deal. Not that I wanted to add one more degree in my bag but it counts. For sure a certain kind of maturity has set in. The feeling that I would want to bring in a change in my company (where I work) which I would have brought had it been my company makes me ponder over the approach adopted by my Indian company (now why am I emphasizing on Indian ‘cause more or less most of the Indian companies are trailing on the same path).

“Bring in the Change.” But as they say “It is easier said than done”. Agreed!! But ever thought why??

We are told to set examples for others in the company because we are MBAs. But at the name of asking support, all we get is unprofessionalism, favouritism, resistance to change and not to mention the so called “Freedom” which they beautifully attribute as “We provide Entrepreneurial platform for our employees”. And when we question the approach of the company, we get to hear this from the higher authority “Well this is how our company works and you need to get used to it.”

Well that’s quite a paradox here - “To get used to the system and to set the examples by changing the system.” Unfortunately, most of us are getting used to it. No, I am not cribbing but for sure as hell, I am frustrated. And it is high time even I have to look at my options.

Voice my opinion in my company & lose my job/or may be i'll be thrown to some remote location.
Change my job and work in some foreign company.
Let go of my principles and values, find a godfather and grow in the company. (certainly not my option)

Let's see which option i go for but no matter which option I choose, the problem still persists. The practices, the mindset of the management... Nothing is going to change. Why the hell they are so reluctant to change?? It has already taken three decades for them to reach here and don’t know how many more they need to be termed as a respectable company in the market.

All they need is a mindset crossover!!

'Discount Business Strategy' ~ Michael Moesgaard Anderson & Fleming Poulfelt

2008-06-27T10:32:00.007+05:30

Published by Wiley India Pvt. Ltd., 2007
ISBN 10: 81-265-1316-0
ISBN 13: 978-81-265-1316-1
306 Pages

My Rating: (3.5/5)

We must have tried umpteen times to explore the answers to why some companies are more successful than others, why and how some companies have bridged the gap between differentiator and cost leader strategies to emerge as winners in hypercompetitive markets and what this entails in terms of value destruction and creation. The answer lies in the core of this book wherein you’ll explore how discount business strategy assists creating uniqueness and how it helps in destroying value for incumbents.

Discount Business Strategy: How the New Market Leaders are Redefining Business Strategy explores the underlying philosophies beneath the success of new market leaders, bringing together aspects of different, and apparently conflicting strategies in a single market-conquering package.

To throw some light on the structure of this book, it has been divided into thirteen chapters which will give you insights into the hottest practice in strategy today and cutting edge of new ideas in strategic thinking. Using the in-depth case studies of the businesses such as Ryan Air, CBB and Lidl, the authors have tried to canvass how these companies have risen to prominence in densely populated and highly competitive marketplaces. This book also talks about the discount strategy used by companies such as IKEA, Dell.

To get a more detailed picture of this book, let me throw some light on the chapters which deals with the different aspects of the discount strategy. The very first chapter will give you the fundamentals of discount strategy wherein the authors unveil the secret of some companies being more successful than others. The very next chapter deals with the oxymoron of existing strategies wherein the focus is on conventional strategic thinking and generic strategy framework. Then the three case studies give us in-depth analysis as mentioned above. And in the later chapters the building blocks of discount business strategy have been discussed followed by the concepts of value creation and value destruction.

On the whole, it’s a must read if you intend to learn about corporate survival. This book will live up to the expectations of people who want to make a mark in manufacturing and distribution areas. As rightly reviewed by Peter Lorange, President, IMD, Switzerland as “This book is very timely, dealing with today’s most critical strategic issue: how to provide more value to the customer through aggressive discounting. Those players in manufacturing and distribution who master this will be the winners; many established firms will fall by the wayside. A similar set of issues are facing many nations today – Europe vs. Asia!” I thoroughly enjoyed the case of Ryanair which initially experienced difficulties in flying the giant flag carriers but in time emerged as a market leader. And because of the adoption of ‘No frills, Low cost’ business model by Ryanair in Europe, the aviation industry has been hit with huge impact by the discount strategy, causing the leaders of the industry to feel the heat and in certain cases to lose out completely. And now the Ryanair has all the hallmarks needed to take share in the future. I must say it’s worth having this book and in a nutshell I’d say it’s a very timely book, dealing with contemporary strategic issues.

"Born to fight"

2007-08-04T17:51:00.002+05:30

Those eyes… once looked up at me for hope, for fruition of their dreams… now, same old eyes… but helpless eyes… staring at me (sympathetically)… watching the hollowness of my soul…

Those eyes… sullen eyes…

watching “the soul with the suit of hauteur”
returned from the abattoir of dignity…
the one who is his own saboteur…

Me still brooding over my gone moments… still holding on to the clutches of affliction… gradually touching down the depths of darkness… fear started creeping up!!... Was I dying? Yes, I was! And all I could see… the blackness around me…

Fretting over the dead past…

lost in the serifs of his love dossier…
slipping into an abysmal chasm…
screaming for help… but no one to hear…

Couldn’t even behold the trace of my shadow… lost my true inner self… but I wanted to break free (wishful thinking)… on the contrary, I was giving up… cessioning to the obscurity…

Striving for his individuality,

annoyed with the flair of confutation…
wanted to breach the strings of melancholy…
wanted to leave the times behind, sated with humiliation…

And there came ‘The Courage’… (My saviour)… came closer… held my hand to leave me for never!

There comes ‘The Bravura’

to hold him on the pathways of life…
going to fight for his survival till the end…
being his strength… in the spells of strife…

[If not for thyself… think of all the people who love you… let them show thee how beautiful this life is… so that one fine day, you’d be there to enlighten others who have surrendered to this darkness… Fight for those helpless souls… and make them realize how beautiful this life is!!...]

Honeybunch

2007-07-06T03:03:00.005+05:30

You're my Honeybunch, Sugarplum

Pumpy-umpy-umpkin, You're my Sweetie Pie

You're my Cuppycake, Gumdrop

Snoogums-Boogums, You're the Apple of my Eye

And I love you so and I want you to know

That I'll always be right here

And I love to sing sweet songs to you

Because you are so dear

Well off lately, this is how I am being addressed by somebody… somebody who was so oblivious to my existence for years….. And before she could appreciate the verity of this God’s fact, she found herself at war with me….

Recently I was sent this video… a sign that somebody wished for a truce…..
And after watching this cute little angel Amy…

I am speechless
All I can say…. I miss ya’ so much Archie deeds….
Love ya’

Honeybunch

(P.S.: Well this surely calls for a TRUCE... Cheers!!)

'Winning' ~ Jack Welch with Suzy Welch

2007-05-15T10:51:00.004+05:30

Published by Harper Collins, 2005
ISBN 0-00-719767-5
372 Pages

My Rating : (4/5)

With couple of fizzles in his hoard, Jack Welch has finally managed to emancipate a fair deal of privities to the budding corporates. One of the outstanding coeval corporate leaders, this former CEO of General Electric is here to dole out his insight into management philosophies. According to my understanding of this book, I believe ‘Winning’ is worth the price of getting placed on the top shelf in your library. Though the ideas canvassed in this book might appear banal, it’s the fashion in which the concepts have been crafted that assists you to understand the underlying principles.

Split into four parts, Welch has tried to cover the topics which fall under the realms of career development and organizational leadership. This book will appeal to all the genres as the Chairman of Microsoft Corporation, Bill Gates reviewed it as ‘A candid and comprehensive look at how to succeed in business – for everyone from college graduates to CEOs.’

Faced with different queries from coping with Chinese competition to implementing six sigma, Welch has narrowed down to one question: what does it take to win? To answer this, Welch has initiated by explicating the mission statement and thereby defining its values. That’s where the first part of the book comes into the vista where he unveils the biggest dirty little secret in business. He states that when an organization has an exalted measure of candor, everything functions at fast pace with an enhanced quality. The next section of the book deals with the heading ‘Your Company’ which basically outlines how you give rise to strategic advantages, devise meaningful budgets and cultivate the idea of growing organically. He also hits at the age old practices like favouritism and cronyism. In this fraction of the tome, he throws light on the quality program Six Sigma that never dies down to demystify people.

Come to think of career management, the part is played by the third section wherein Welch emphasizes on ‘Your Career’. This chapter is all about managing the arc and the quality of your professional life. He also talks about the infamous 20-70-10 rule wherein he argues that managers need to assess their employees and treat the top 20% like stars. The middle 70% should be motivated and given adequate training and assistance. The bottom 10% should be let go. Whereas last section is called ‘Tying up the loose ends’ wherein you’ll get the answers to most of your queries whether it is concerned with ‘China threat’ or diversity. In the end I believe this book will give you the essence of 40 years of the managerial experience which is not often seen in other books. On the whole I enjoyed reading his hiring frameworks and 8 leadership principles which bring stability between character traits and soft skills. In a nutshell I’d say that Welch lays out a comprehensible, candid and accessible plan that anybody can tread on to emerge as a winner.

"Je ne sais quoi??"

2007-04-10T20:33:00.005+05:30

Long lost…

in the welkin of my reveries…

..a succinct tryst

was there to happen…

Once n' for all

there was an end

to my incessant quest…

my ecstasy knew no confines…

Impure was I

yet felt so pure…

under the breath of my divinity…

never felt so content

as it was now…

in this ‘eternal now’

under the caress of my divinity

…

But I was fazed!!

shredded were my eyes!!...

for how could I behold this ‘now’ forever??

for sure acquainted I was!!...

…

Desires leadth to apprehensions…

apprehensions leadth to perdition…

giveth rise to nothing…

but affliction.

Still my heart abides no rules!!

Ravished was my heart

again n’ again

scathed am I!!

but true it is…I need thee…

I need thee in my realm…

n’ I descried

our souls were dwelling

unto incessance…

…

But fazed I was!! (Still)

shredded were my eyes!!...

for how could I transcend this ‘incessance’ forever??

for sure acquainted I was!!...

…

As everything will pass…

…as a dream, they befall

n' bequeath nothing…

but a lifetime of anguish...

…(sigh)

Still my heart abides no rules!!

" Frangar non flectar "

2007-02-20T17:05:00.002+05:30

So what if I am.....

hunted by loneliness...

Melancholy is my 'mere' acquaintance..

frazzled I am...

abandoned of all my persistence.

So what if I am.....

mulcted of hearing, "Honey, you can do it"....

Bereft of success..

my way only failures drift.

So what if these once danced eyes..

are deserted by tears..this heart is congealed..

A shattered soul...

whose wounds shall never be healed.....

So what!!!

Dammit!!....for I know

I'll stem the torrent of these serrated drops...

and 'You'....

who is listening to me..

know one thing for sure

I am broken,

I am not deflected.....

"How far??..."

2007-01-14T16:00:00.004+05:30

Run away Honey.....

for they are coming...

to immure you with the shackles of emotions...

those shambles are not far yet..

where thy soul will be tormented apart

and step by step...

you will be reduced to nothing....

but dust in their lives.....

................

Don't dare look back into those eyes...

for there lays a snare for you.....

for you to be ravelled in there,

till you are done with your last breath....

....

Just run....for there is no place to lurk in

so run away!!....somewhere far.....

.....

(sigh)...but how far??

"Shalom Aleichem"

2007-01-11T15:05:00.004+05:30

There they go......

final exodus was there....

of my unseen confreres..

thought these parched eyes'll

look on me in mercy.....

but no!...my fidus achates'

were nowhere to be seen....

but how could i let them go.....

wasn't I supposed to stop them??

....

still no word was spoken!

for i know...senile are these words...

cloyed with infirmities.....

and gradually...this unheard silence of mine

became nothing

....but a grave

of my emotions........

Albeit... I was surviving....(wasn't I?)

but that mysterious gravity of anonymity

was alluring me.....far from life

where laughter was a sin......

n' crying was a misdemeanour...

but why?..... why was I confined?

wasn't I supposed to rebel against them?

....

still no word was spoken!

for i know.... senile are these words...

cloyed with infirmities...

...and gradually...this unheard silence of mine....

became nothing

...but a grave...

of my emotions.....

To every whit I was broken....

but this invincible silence

overwhelms me into nothing....

but a frozen soul....

n' look at me

here I am...

beyond all the sufferance n'

mirth which leadth to the sufferance of mine.....

....

May my emotions resideth

in peace......

within the veil of my silence............Amen!