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Emotional payoff for wives : husband is surprisingly at home and does not need reminders to call up the gas agency:)
King of good times to your rescue:))
Articles on advertising,marketing, movies, music martial arts and issues that inspire me. You can contact me on natesanvinod@rediffmail.com
I used to love dogs when I was a kid. I was also afraid of them. In fact I was chased by dogs twice. Most books I read as a child always featured them as characters... Enid Blyton, and plenty of other authors. Even Mahabharata recounts Yuddhistir insisting on his pet dog following him during his final hours. When recent dog bite issues came up it struck me that possibly it is because strays are too many in number that they become wild and attack humans thinking them to be food or potential threats. The solution is to move them away from the streets and put them in some forest or wild life area. It has to be done fast. PETA and others could adopt and domesticate those that they can look after ... letting them loose on the streets is no answer. However before we begin to hate these creatures, a look at some aphorisms that have formed part of our folklore and talk about another relationship that these canines had with us. In fact one of the music companies has a dog as its logo given its acute and keen sense of hearing!!! I also find it strange that a dog is a derogatory term when the animal itself was a symbol of loyalty and unquestioning love.
P.S, Anyway I hated cats , unlike ALL my girl friends who for some strange reason were cat lovers!!!!
Dog Logic
The reason a dog has so many friends is that he wags his tail instead of his tongue. - Anonymous
A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself. - Josh Billings
The average dog is a nicer person than the average person. - Andy Rooney
Anybody who doesn't know what soap tastes like never washed a dog.- Franklin P. Jones
If your dog is fat, you aren't getting enough exercise- Unknown
My dog is worried about the economy because Alpo is up to $3.00 a can.That's almost $21.00 in dog money.- Joe Weinstein
If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you;that is the principal difference between a dog and a man. - Mark Twain
Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole. - Roger Caras
If you think dogs can't count, try putting three dog biscuits in your pocketand then give him only two of them. - Phil Pastoret
Once upon a time in a village, a man appeared and announced to the villagers that he would buy monkeys for Rs10.The villagers seeing that there were many monkeys around, went out to the forest and started catching them.
The man bought thousands at Rs10 and as supply started to diminish, the villagers stopped their effort. He further announced that he would now buy at Rs20.This renewed the efforts of the villagers and they started catching monkeys again. Soon the supply diminished even further and people started going back to their farms. The offer rate increased to Rs25 and the supply of monkeys became so little that it was an effort to even see a monkey, let alone catch it!
The man now announced that he would buy monkeys at Rs50! However, since he had to go to the city on some business, his assistant would now buy on behalf of him. In the absence of the man, the assistant told the villagers. Look at all these monkeys in the big cage that the man has collected. I will sell them to you at Rs35 and when the man returns from the city, you can sell it to him for Rs50."
The villagers squeezed up with all their savings and bought all the monkeys.
Then they never saw the man nor his assistant, only monkeys everywhere!! !
Welcome to the "Stock" Market!!!!!
Fourteen Years on the Inside: A Perspective on
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Now is
The World Economic Forum's Global Competitiveness Index ranks
Some argue that
Another example: every year
Globalization has been a key initiative for GE since 1992, when Jack Welch declared
But, I think globalization really does not describe what happened in GE and what is happening to company after company and country after country. I think interdependence is a better description. Globalization happened during colonization when a select group of countries and companies dominated other countries and trade tended to benefit only the colonizer. Today companies move beyond their borders for
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Governments more and more recognize the importance of interdependent markets. Consider all the free trade agreements signed or being discussed. There is not a successful economy today that got there by being an isolationist and practicing protectionism.
The trends are visible in
Hindalco and Sterlite bought iron ore mines abroad because they wanted secure access to raw materials. Tata Tea's acquisition of Tetley brought a leading brand and with it millions of customers and access to new, readymade markets. Tata's acquisition of Corus and Hindalco's takeover of Novalis immediately takes these companies to a size that would take 10 years or more to build organically.
Software services companies such as Wipro, TCS, Infosys and Patni established operations in the
As I mentioned, I have been in
Sure, each has its own priorities or its own spin, but the general direction and the commitment has not changed.
Many were surprised at the last elections. On the heels of solid growth, attempts at accelerating reforms and "India Shinning", all the pundits predicted a BJP route. The Congress led victory sent one clear message, in my mind, to all politicians. The electorate is not anti-reforms. It wants to be included. Reforms must touch and benefit those outside the metro cities, those who live in villages and those less fortunate.
Over the past four years, I have seen what I describe as four big events.
First, the telecom revolution. When I arrived, you never knew if you would have a dial tone when you picked up the receiver. If you had a dial tone, there was a question of whether the connection would be made to the number dialled. If connected, you never knew how long you would stay connected. Today, Indian telecom approaches world-class standards. Cell phones are common, even in villages where landlines still do not exist. Between 2000 and 2005,
My second big event is the creation of a new class of consumers driven by the emergence and growth of software, backroom processing, technology and financial services industries. Employees in these industries are highly educated and relatively younger than the workers in other industries. Ten years ago, this group likely would have lived in their parents' homes and been under-employed or unemployed. Today, this group earns a good wage and has a propensity to spend. And, with the opening up of the economy, now has a wide choice of products and services to buy. For example, when I arrived in
The third big event is that Indian industrialists have gained confidence that they can compete on the global stage. At a Confederation of Indian Industry seminar on Manufacturing Competitiveness in April 2002, Chaired by My good friend Jamshyd Godrej, I said, and I quote, "Let me start by saying that Manufacturing is not
Well, I was wrong. I was dead wrong. Indian industrialists no longer worry about multinational companies; they are or want to be MNCs. They no longer talk of level playing fields. They argue for open markets, free trade and view the globe as their marketplace. Indian companies now think globally. The total value of takeover deals by Indian companies, which was less than $1 Billion in 2000, rose to $8 billion in 2006. January 2007 saw two mega deals - Hindalco / Novelis and Tata Steel / Corus. There have been 72 foreign takeovers by Indian companies, worth $24.4bn in the first four months of this year, according to the advisory firm Grant Thornton. In the same period, there were 38 foreign deals for Indian companies, worth $17bn.
Indian companies possess the self-confidence to believe, to know, they will be successful in global markets. They are confident they will improve the performance of acquired companies. Whether it is Videocon or Suzlon, Tata Tea or Bharat Forge, companies are talking of becoming one of the world's big two or three in their business, if not number 1.
Global trends also favour
Across
From fiscal 2001 to fiscal 2005, capital expenditures increased from 8.4 to 24.2 billion dollars. What is striking is that over this same time, government owned enterprises' share dropped from 33 to 25 percent; multinational companies' share decreased from 8 percent to 4 percent while local private sector share of capital expenditures increased from 59 percent to 71 percent.
The rise of manufacturing could have a profound effect for a vast number of
The fourth big event is Civil Aviation. On my first domestic flight in
think, what would have happened if the government had not allowed private air carriers.
Today, we are experiencing the benefits of open skies agreements with increased non-stop flights from more Indian cities to more cities around the world. Choice has brought competition and the consumer is benefiting.
Those of you who travel in
Here is something to think about.
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Obviously, this is a long-term scenario, but one companies and western governments must think about as they develop their global strategies.
Sometime back I was asked for a vision for
My vision includes an enhanced stature in the global community. Relationships with the
My vision requires bold actions by Government to stimulate the economy over time and to accelerate additional reforms. Ports, roads, airports and seaports are improved and expanded. The trend in telecom privatization and increased competition continues resulting in lower rates, improved service and universal availability across the country. Tax policy, Companies act, labour law and land use regulation are revised and modernized helping drive economic growth.
Power sector reform takes off and accelerates. The financial troubles of the State Electricity Boards are behind us, most likely through privatization and separation of generation, transmission and distribution. Both local and foreign developers and investors return and become willing to start new projects. Lack of reliable, affordable power ceases to be an issue for most of
My vision includes an economy that grows beyond the four to six percent experienced in the past few years to double this amount. Four to six precludes any real change in standard of living for many of
I hope to see real progress in privatization. Privatization doesn't necessarily mean government selling out but can be accomplished by divesting through the stock market to achieve broad ownership. Success in privatization results in government "getting out of the business of being in business" and into the business of being in government, where it can do more good for the country.
When my vision becomes reality, foreign investment in
Lastly,
Nine years ago at the US India Business Council, I made a talk about my perspectives of
Granted, not all is well and there are miles to travel. Pankaj Mishra described a number of challenges in a New York Times Article titled The Myth of the New India.
He points out that only a small minority of Indians will enjoy "Western standards of living and high consumption at least for the foreseeable future. The increasingly common, business-centric view of
Malnutrition affects half of all children in
Mr. Mishra further observes that to date,
During a question and answer session at an India Today Forum, I stood up to respond to similar examples of all that is wrong with India, to cries of "ain't it awful", to allegations that the government has failed the country and India has no chance. I made a point that Indians should stop beating themselves up so much. They should be proud or what has been accomplished. Indians should view the glass as half-full rather than half empty. I pointed to a number of examples such as:
India's GDP is accelerating: from 1.0 percent average annual growth between 1900 and 1950 to 3.5 between 1950 and 1980 to 6.0 between 1980 and 2002 to 8.0 between 2002 and 2006. Wealth must be created before it can be redistributed.
To date,
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As manufacturing continues to expand to serve both domestic and global customers, it will create jobs.
I don't dispute the fact that the country must tackle huge social issues as pointed out in the Mishra article. I also don't dispute that more could have been done and more needs to be done. However, there is progress. The incidence of poverty has declined from 44% in the 1980s to 36% in the 1990s to 26% in 2000. Literacy rates improved from 44% in the 1980s to 52% in the 1990s to 65% in 2000. In addition, over this same period, life expectancy increased from 56 years to 60 to 69.
In
In my 14 years, I learned one big lesson.
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‡{ There are 1.3 Billion people living in a land one-third the size of the
‡{ There are 5600 daily newspapers, 15,000 weeklies and 20,000 periodicals published in 21 languages with a combined circulation of 142 million. Moreover, as those of you who read some of them know, each has a very strong bias on every issue.
I argue the glass is half-full and filling; not half-empty and running out.
Headline:Lemon
The Volkswagen missed the boat.
The chrome strip on the glove compartment is blemished and must be replaced. Chances are you wouldn't have noticed it; Inspector Kurt Kroner did.
There are 3,389 men of our
Final inspection is really something! VW inspectors run each car off the line onto the Funktionsprüfstand (car test stand), tote up 189 check points, gun ahead to the automatic brake stand and say "no" to one VW out of fifty.
This preoccupation with detail means the VW lasts longer and requires less maintenance, by and large, than other cars. (It also means a used VW depreciates less than any other car.)
We pluck the lemons; you get the plums.
Vinod: One of my all time favouritesThe attached video shows this incredible machine that was built as a collaborative effort between the Robert M. Trammell Music Conservatory and the Sharon Wick School of Engineering at the
Amazingly, 97% of the machines components came from John Deere Industries and Irrigation Equipment of Bancroft
Ever since I shifted here in 1991 with a suitcase and nearly 20 xeroxes of my CV , I had a sense of destiny about Mumbai. It has given me a home, an identity and self worth. There are some places where you feel immediately at home and things work out for you. For me, Maharashtra and Mumbai were just that. Though I was born and brought up in Trivandrum, I have never felt at ease there and still don't. Mumbai however, brought out the best in me.
I have a healthy regard and respect for Maharashtra, is people its cuisine, music, theatre, language and its militant, no- nonsense attitude. It is this fearlessness and the stoic understanding, that you have to do what you have to do, which makes the Maharashtrian different from the rest. I don't think a Maratha would tolerate injustice or insults, without retaliating. There is an emotional honesty, of being true to the moment, that makes them likable, as far as I am concerned. They are invariably straightforward and there is no guile, cunning or back stabbing, which is in their nature. What you see is what you get. Not surprisingly, the marauding Mughals in historical times, had to face unyielding resistance from the Marathas , even when surprisingly, most of the Northern Indian plains buckled down before them, with very little resistance to speak of.
Mumbai is therefore one place were they use violence were it is required and no apologies !! A season in the suburban trains teach you a lot about this tough life style. A tight slap has a way of putting things in perspective and finalizes disputes, arguments and is almost used like a full stop after a sentence. I have seen people use it without flinching and it hardly raises eyebrows. Civic sense therefore is high here. Eve teasers routinely get slapped or given the treatment by the ladies themselves or passers by.Sadly though, this fearlessness and tough practicality seems to have become a rarity if one were to go by newspaper reports. Organised crime is also a feature of Mumbai and its methods have been a staple of the Hindi film industry. There is however no evidence of it visible to the common man, especially a white collar executive like me. This trend however seems to be changing for the worse. The middle class seems to be bearing the brunt of a crime wave largely to do with economic reasons. This is if one goes by media reports.
Mumbai is the most permissive city in India. Women enjoy more freedom here than anywhere else in India. Women are used to working late and use suburban trains and taxis without fear. The ubiquitous Mumbai taxi was disciplined, helpful and rarely a cheat. In fact working women were plenty in Mumbai and quite bold.
As a young executive in the early 90's, I learned to understand and work out an equation with the army who carried the tag of "personal secretary" in offices. In wrap around skirts/frocks and invariably Goan Catholic, or from Mangalore, they controlled access to the big bosses in most offices. Mario caricatured them in his cartoons. Sometimes I thought that he was bang on!! Some of them became very good friends and people I developed a lot of regard for. Flora was my boss's secy and also the group secretary. She was a great help and a lovely person. Bernie was another secy who everyone thought was cute and I thought was extremely efficient and competent. Dora, Afra are two more names that came to mind. Excellent and committed. Most successful managers learn to retain good secretarial help. Crucial, since they also need to be trustworthy and can enhance your effectiveness dramatically. I realized how important it was, when I went to the Middle East. (Good secretarial help in UAE is a premium/luxury and is often in the form of a Malayali male! )
Thanks to my Goan colleagues, I took to Latin American dancing which I learned at J.J.Rodrigues, who himself was a "personal secretary" initially before he took up dancing full time. I did end up at the Catholic gymkhana on Christmas and saw an awesome display of ballroom dancing there. Never knew that Mumbai had such abundance of ball room and latin american dancing talent.
Ballroom dancing also opened up friendships with many unique people and Sonali was one such. She was metropolitan in every sense with a Muslim father and Hindu mother. A divorcee, she runs her own interior decor consultancy and to me is a great example of the modern day woman. Positive, easy going, well read and sophisticated without being snooty and with a great sense of values. Good looking too, with hiking as her hobby. The hills near Mumbai offer hiking enthuthiasts like her a variety of options to spend their weekends.
Mumbai provides support and security to Sonali and similar single women. Probably unthinkable in other parts of the country. They work and party hard without being labeled as loose and immoral. I personally believe it is because Mumbai had a liberal attitude.
Prithvi , NCPA are weekend haunts were there is a vibrant theatre culture. From Vijay Tendulkar's "Sakharam Binder" a play that I read and loved (though in English) to VS Khandekar's "Yayati" to Bharat Dhabolkars vaudeville 'Bottoms Up' to the sublime 'Tumahri Amritha','Vagina Monolgues', 'Dear Liar', I saw them all in Mumbai.
Siddhi Vinayak temple at Prabhadevi, has replaced the Pazhavangadi temples of Trivandrum.
Ganesha is everyone's favourite God and their are many who collect Ganesha's. Rendering Ganesha in abstract form in various media is an art form in itself!! To understand the intensity and depth of this devotion one has to drive by the Sidhivinayak temple on any Tuesday morning! Queues that wind from the temple to Dadar which is 2.5 kms long is what you see!!! People wait from 3 in the morning for hours in this serpentine queue ,to get a darshan of the lord!!
Another feature of Mumbai used to be the mujra girls. These are dancers who entertain people in bars by performing Bollywood dance steps .Topaz which featured the best dancers was famous even among businessmen from the Middle East!While the mujra girls have been put temprarily out of business, the lavni and the koli song and dance are visible in some function or the other and it certainly is appealing.
Madhuri Dixit is an example of a marathi mulgi and among all the Hindi stars was the only actress after Madhubala I had a crush on. Sonali Bendre and Tabu were also in the race but nothing to beat this Marathi lady!!
Shobha De was one writer whom I loved to read because she had a caustic sense of humour and was very spicy. In her earlier days, she could also make heads turn and one such head was mine!! Vijay Tendulkar's plays like 'Sakharam Binder' and 'Ghasiram Kotwal' intrigued me and V.S. Khandekar's 'Yayati' was another thought provoking piece of literature.
Lots of little ways in which people of this land has made my life richer come to mind. Cricket, which is my favourite game would never the same without Tendulkar. While I did play the game with passion, the motivation to watch a match came from the little Mumbaikar.
During my bachelor days when home food was rare, I was treated by Sanju and Raju Hinge to delicious Marathi cuisine which were mouth watering. Rice and chappatis formed part of the three course meal and I simply relished it. Street food is also great and pav bhaji immediately comes to mind. Sardars in Nana chowk was a great place for pavbhajis. Kebabs were a speciality at BadeMiya's in Colaba . Leopold and Mondegar, about whom Robertson(if my memory is right) has written in "Shantharam", were popular haunts for beer and biriyani. Mahesh Lunch Home prided itself and rightly so on its seafood and at Haji Ali the juice centre gave you the best fruit juice!Delhi Durbar had its delectable rotis and butter chicken and Kobes had its sizzlers!! Ah weekends were more busy for a bachelor like me in the nineties and for a boy from trivandrum, it was overwhelming, the sheer freedom and the variety of things to do!!
Mumbai has its rituals and I too have it now on my calendar. Ganesh Chaturthi and the poojas followed by immersion is something you do with your neighbours. Dandiya Raas is also big in Mumbai with its strong Gujju community. It is a carnival with girls and boys dressed in their best and music makes everyone sway to it. Phalguni Pathak is a rage and the androgynous singer is good. 'Pari hoon mein' is an anthem during garba. I was familiar with this thanks to my stint in Anand and the dancing is delightful!!
Govinda and gokuasthami is another Mumbaiyah feature with butter pots kept at high altitudes and prozes for teams who can reach it. This has taken a shape and style that is uniquely mumbaiyah. Holi too happens here and the Punjabis make it an event to remember with ganja spiced bhang making everyone debauched.
My boss in Leo Burnett Mumbai was a certain Anand Tendolkar. A Maharashtrian from the old world. A thorough gentleman and one person I enjoyed working with. I would rate him as one of my favourite bosses. He is running a reiki and personnel development centre. In advertising he was a rarity. A person with a sense of ethics and heart. Not surprisingly, he had a heart attack while at O&M Mumbai. Well, you have to have a heart to get an attack. Anand introduced me and our team to the best restaurants and the oldest gymkhanas in Mumbai. Mostly South Mumbai, based since he was from Peddar Road. I believe he is doing well with a personal growth and counselling centre and is doing corporate training programs.Anand represented the Mumbai that I loved. No nonsense, supportive of all positive initiatives and non interfering. There was an old world charm mixed with an acceptance of the modern. An interest in getting on with it.
My
As they say, Jai Maharasthra and Mumbai Salaam. It is now my home and its my 10th Diwali since I moved into my own flat here in Mahindra Park.