How the mighty have fallen.
The last of the untouchables has been caught with his pants down. A lot as been said about what actually happened and how Tiger managed to hit a fire hydrant and a tree all within metres of his driveway. None of that really concerns me. What does concern me is how all this came to pass. How did a guy who can get up and down from a garbage bin, get caught out like this? How did a person with so much to loose risk everything for a mulligan (or two, or three.....)?
The fact that Tiger was caught with somebody else does not surprise me. That's what the rich and the powerful do. What shocks me is that he was stupid enough to get caught! He with his unlimited resources, his private jets, his luxury yatchs and private islands, he with the savvy of a seasoned politician goes to Vegas for his hi-jinks???? Vegas? That's were the wannabes go. That's were the working class goes to live the life that they think the rich have. Imagine going to a club with your friends and bumping into T.W!!! What next? Barack and Michelle catching a performance of Cirque De Soleil?!
What I like is how T.W is handling the media madness. He has decided to hide. No interviews, no public apology (except on his website), no date with Barbara Walters tearfully begging the fans for forgiveness. The public has a short memory and in a few months some other joker will be caught with his hand in the cookie jar and then the hyenas will move on. Remember Kobe? He was accused of rape. A few years and a championship later all is forgotten.
One has to remember that Tiger has not had a normal childhood. When most teenagers are smoking behind the gym and talking about girls, he was winning the U.S Amateur (3 times). When most young men in their 20s are enjoying their new-found independence he was winning majors. He was married and had 2 children by the time he was 32. He has never had the opportunity to enjoy the fruits of being a successful, rich, world famous athlete (however forbidden they might be).
It will be interesting to see which Tiger shows up January for the first PGA tournament on his calender (Torrey Pines). Will we see a distracted Tiger? Will we see a Tiger who is suddenly vulnerable or will we see a Tiger with a sharper focus? If he does decide that the best way out of this is to win and win big then 2K10 might yet be the Year of Tiger. Remember that while he was in Australia having his alleged tryst with one of his mistresses, he trounced the field to win the tournament. Imagine what a hyper-focused Tiger will do.
Finally, it has been interesting hearing men talk about Tiger's misdeeds. Almost nobody I met talked about how they could not understand why he would cheat on his wife. All the talk was about how he was stupid enough to get caught! What does that say about all us married men?
I have written about why I think the rich and the powerful take such risks when they know that being caught would mean paying a high price indeed.
http://tinyurl.com/ycjtuv8
(have I finally "arrived" as blogger when I can refer to my own posts from the past?)
Friday, December 4, 2009
Saturday, November 21, 2009
My Inner Child.
My little two year old breaks into a dance the moment she hears music. I wonder why I cannot be so uninhibited.
She always announces exactly how she feels about anything. I cannot. It seems pointless to announce "I am sad!" or "I am happy". Which adult does that?
She says "I love you" with the ease that only a child can possess. I cannot. That's not something adults say.
She eats only when she is hungry. She does not feel the need to sit down and eat three times a day just because those have been designated as meal times.
When she does eat, she eats with all her senses. Every meal is an adventure, an orgy of smell, sight and touch. I eat mostly because its something I have to do. For adults most meals are brief punctuations in the daily routine.
She wears what she wants. She picks clothes in an instinctive way. She does not care if pink and yellow do not go well together. Adults dress for others. With us its more about how others think we look. A child will never ask you "How do I look Mommy?" because she is sure that she looks great. The Mommy on the other hand......
She is comfortable naked. Totally not self-conscious about her body. We adults on the other hand get nervous at the swimming pool wondering how are bodies are being perceived.
She moves on and never lingers on a past issues. She will never tell me two days later that she was hurt by my refusal to take her to the park. Adults on the other hand.......we will hang on to a perceived slight for days.
And then she will "grow up". Become more of an adult. Responsible, practical, calculating, the child in her gone forever.
I have posted a link to a talk on children's education. It talks about how we need to tap into our inner child to be creative and how our education system is built to kill that kind of creativity.
How schools kill creativity
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iG9CE55wbtY
She always announces exactly how she feels about anything. I cannot. It seems pointless to announce "I am sad!" or "I am happy". Which adult does that?
She says "I love you" with the ease that only a child can possess. I cannot. That's not something adults say.
She eats only when she is hungry. She does not feel the need to sit down and eat three times a day just because those have been designated as meal times.
When she does eat, she eats with all her senses. Every meal is an adventure, an orgy of smell, sight and touch. I eat mostly because its something I have to do. For adults most meals are brief punctuations in the daily routine.
She wears what she wants. She picks clothes in an instinctive way. She does not care if pink and yellow do not go well together. Adults dress for others. With us its more about how others think we look. A child will never ask you "How do I look Mommy?" because she is sure that she looks great. The Mommy on the other hand......
She is comfortable naked. Totally not self-conscious about her body. We adults on the other hand get nervous at the swimming pool wondering how are bodies are being perceived.
She moves on and never lingers on a past issues. She will never tell me two days later that she was hurt by my refusal to take her to the park. Adults on the other hand.......we will hang on to a perceived slight for days.
And then she will "grow up". Become more of an adult. Responsible, practical, calculating, the child in her gone forever.
I have posted a link to a talk on children's education. It talks about how we need to tap into our inner child to be creative and how our education system is built to kill that kind of creativity.
How schools kill creativity
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iG9CE55wbtY
Friday, November 6, 2009
The Little Giants
Sachin Tendulkar is India's greatest sportsman. A living legend who has broken all batting records and at the age of 36 is still going strong. At 5'5", he is a small man and an anomaly in the sporting world where mutant giants are more commonly found now than ever before. The list of small men who have gone on to do great things in the sporting arena is a very small one. The lack of stature has to be compensated by a freakish talent and a scheming mind. Today a small person can all but forget about a career in sport.
Individual sports have become the domain of the big and strong. Only a team sport like soccer and basketball allow for a small person to contribute by playing a specific supporting role. Ussain Bolt and Juan Martin Del Potro are just the start of a new generation of sportsmen that are bigger than any we have seen before. Old thinking used to be that the big guys will never be able to move as well as the smaller guys but modern training methods and nutrition is resulting in big fellas who can move like cats!
Where does that leave the Indians and the Chinese? The average height of the Indian male is 5'4". How are we expected to compete in a world of giants? Maybe we need to be smart about which sports we choose to play. The reason why Indians have had success in cricket is because it is predominantly a skill-based game. Its also the reason why we produce many great batsmen and spin bowlers but not enough fast bowlers because that's when being big and strong is a prerequisite.
Soccer is one game where we might have a chance. Skill and speed on the soccer pitch can go some ways to compensate the lack of height. It would still be a huge challenge. Imagine trying to stop a rampaging Didier Drogba; all 6'2" of him! Baseball is another game where you would think that being big would not be too much of an advantage. But this is far from true: Fast pitching requires big strong bodies and so does hitting home runs off those pitches. I looked up the Yankees roster for height information and was shocked to find that Derek Jeter, who does not look too big on TV, is 6'3"!
And so I live out my sporting dreams vicariously by watching the real "giants". Nothing gives me more pleasure than watching SRT coming down the track and hitting Glenn Mcgrath (all 6'5" of him) back over his head for a six. Or watching Maradona hustle and hoodwink his way through a wall of massive defenders! It is the ultimate triumph of will over circumstance, of guile over brute force, a real-life David-v-Goliath: how can you not cheer for that?
Human height averages around the world
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_height
Individual sports have become the domain of the big and strong. Only a team sport like soccer and basketball allow for a small person to contribute by playing a specific supporting role. Ussain Bolt and Juan Martin Del Potro are just the start of a new generation of sportsmen that are bigger than any we have seen before. Old thinking used to be that the big guys will never be able to move as well as the smaller guys but modern training methods and nutrition is resulting in big fellas who can move like cats!
Where does that leave the Indians and the Chinese? The average height of the Indian male is 5'4". How are we expected to compete in a world of giants? Maybe we need to be smart about which sports we choose to play. The reason why Indians have had success in cricket is because it is predominantly a skill-based game. Its also the reason why we produce many great batsmen and spin bowlers but not enough fast bowlers because that's when being big and strong is a prerequisite.
Soccer is one game where we might have a chance. Skill and speed on the soccer pitch can go some ways to compensate the lack of height. It would still be a huge challenge. Imagine trying to stop a rampaging Didier Drogba; all 6'2" of him! Baseball is another game where you would think that being big would not be too much of an advantage. But this is far from true: Fast pitching requires big strong bodies and so does hitting home runs off those pitches. I looked up the Yankees roster for height information and was shocked to find that Derek Jeter, who does not look too big on TV, is 6'3"!
And so I live out my sporting dreams vicariously by watching the real "giants". Nothing gives me more pleasure than watching SRT coming down the track and hitting Glenn Mcgrath (all 6'5" of him) back over his head for a six. Or watching Maradona hustle and hoodwink his way through a wall of massive defenders! It is the ultimate triumph of will over circumstance, of guile over brute force, a real-life David-v-Goliath: how can you not cheer for that?
Human height averages around the world
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_height
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Head Scratchers.
1. Volume of ads on TV: Ever notice how the volume suddenly shoots up when a commercial starts playing on television? There I am watching my favourite show at a nice soft volume and all of a sudden the volume shoots up.......it feels like Billy Mays has suddenly walked into my living room. Why do they do this? Do they think that by shouting at me I will buy their product? What I do not understand is why my television's volume control does not attenuate the spikes in volume from the TV signal.
2. Junk mail from credit card companies: I get at least two offers from different banks asking me to sign up for a new credit card every week. Who is giving them my address? How do get I off this mailing list? Just how many credit cards does one man need anyway?
3. Designer Jeans: When you buy a 50,000 dollar car, you get something for that money: speed, luxury, safety, curb appeal. What exactly do a pair of jeans that cost 200$ do for you? They are just a pair of denim trousers! How different can they be than the ones in Costco?? What's the use of spending all that money when there is no easy way to tell them apart from the 20$ ones. I suggest that anybody wearing designer jeans has to wear them with a t-shirt that clearly states the maker and the cost. Something like "Denim Alert- 500$ Jeans below!"
4. Mattress ads on radio: Just what is up with those mattress ads on the radio? Sleep train/Sealy/That number bed.......I should not be knowing so much about mattresses! How often do people need to change mattresses anyway? Where I come from we never change mattresses; you use the same one till you die (or the flees asked you to leave). The mattresses in this country are built like tanks. What could possibly happen to a mattress like that? 800$ for a mattress!!! Are you kidding me?
5. License plate frames telling us which school you graduated from: Why do people have licence plate frames that have the names of their schools on them? Why, Sir, have you put that on your car? Is it to let us all know how smart and special you are that you went to this college? Are we supposed to assume that having a "Stanford Alum" frame means you are smarter than the rest of us? Do not tell me its out of pride for your Alma Mater. I do not see folks from Modesto Community College doing this. Are they not proud of the school they went to? Here's the rule: if you want to flaunt which "top-rated" school you went to, you need to be driving a S-class at the minimum. Makes no sense telling the world how special you are while you drive around in your 8 year old Honda Accord!
2. Junk mail from credit card companies: I get at least two offers from different banks asking me to sign up for a new credit card every week. Who is giving them my address? How do get I off this mailing list? Just how many credit cards does one man need anyway?
3. Designer Jeans: When you buy a 50,000 dollar car, you get something for that money: speed, luxury, safety, curb appeal. What exactly do a pair of jeans that cost 200$ do for you? They are just a pair of denim trousers! How different can they be than the ones in Costco?? What's the use of spending all that money when there is no easy way to tell them apart from the 20$ ones. I suggest that anybody wearing designer jeans has to wear them with a t-shirt that clearly states the maker and the cost. Something like "Denim Alert- 500$ Jeans below!"
4. Mattress ads on radio: Just what is up with those mattress ads on the radio? Sleep train/Sealy/That number bed.......I should not be knowing so much about mattresses! How often do people need to change mattresses anyway? Where I come from we never change mattresses; you use the same one till you die (or the flees asked you to leave). The mattresses in this country are built like tanks. What could possibly happen to a mattress like that? 800$ for a mattress!!! Are you kidding me?
5. License plate frames telling us which school you graduated from: Why do people have licence plate frames that have the names of their schools on them? Why, Sir, have you put that on your car? Is it to let us all know how smart and special you are that you went to this college? Are we supposed to assume that having a "Stanford Alum" frame means you are smarter than the rest of us? Do not tell me its out of pride for your Alma Mater. I do not see folks from Modesto Community College doing this. Are they not proud of the school they went to? Here's the rule: if you want to flaunt which "top-rated" school you went to, you need to be driving a S-class at the minimum. Makes no sense telling the world how special you are while you drive around in your 8 year old Honda Accord!
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Its all been done!
A couple of years ago a young author, Kavya Vishwanathan, had her book pulled from the shelves because it turned out that certain passages of her book were almost identical to passages from some other author's books. Unfortunately, being charged with plagiarism can spell the end of an author's career.
This begs the question: How does one define "original" work? What characteristics does this work need to have to be considered truly original? Can anything be truly original? Take a look around and you will see many examples of new work being done that has more than a trace of some earlier work. The music industry is littered with examples of hit songs that have had parts of other songs. I have yet to hear of a singer or a band having their career destroyed because they wrote a hit song that sounded like another hit song!
Show me your favorite piece of software and I guarantee you that it has parts that have been re-used from other software. Just a small portion of any software is the secret sauce; the rest is just standard plumbing that is re-used again and again.
It is acceptable in certain professions to have your influences clearly visible in your work. Painters, fashion designers, architects and composers have all borrowed ideas from their influences to create new work and we never accuse them of plagiarism. Why is it so different with books? If I used a word-processor to cut and paste from 50 books to come up with my own original story, would that be stealing? Yes, you would find similar sentences and phrases but would that take away from the fact that I have created something new?
The fact of the matter is that very little around us is totally new. Its all been done before albeit in a slightly different form.
There is a famous story of an artist who took another artist's painting and created his own work by erasing parts of the original. Would this qualify as new art? Would creating a dish with leftovers from last night qualify as a new dish? Would it make a difference if the leftovers were made by me or were from a restaurant?
I am not condoning passing of somebody else's work as your own. All I am saying is that if you look real closely, almost all new work will have traces of something from the past.
The link below is a YouTube video created by taking clips from other existing videos on YouTube and creating a new piece of music. Take a look!
http://tinyurl.com/c9b4th
This begs the question: How does one define "original" work? What characteristics does this work need to have to be considered truly original? Can anything be truly original? Take a look around and you will see many examples of new work being done that has more than a trace of some earlier work. The music industry is littered with examples of hit songs that have had parts of other songs. I have yet to hear of a singer or a band having their career destroyed because they wrote a hit song that sounded like another hit song!
Show me your favorite piece of software and I guarantee you that it has parts that have been re-used from other software. Just a small portion of any software is the secret sauce; the rest is just standard plumbing that is re-used again and again.
It is acceptable in certain professions to have your influences clearly visible in your work. Painters, fashion designers, architects and composers have all borrowed ideas from their influences to create new work and we never accuse them of plagiarism. Why is it so different with books? If I used a word-processor to cut and paste from 50 books to come up with my own original story, would that be stealing? Yes, you would find similar sentences and phrases but would that take away from the fact that I have created something new?
The fact of the matter is that very little around us is totally new. Its all been done before albeit in a slightly different form.
There is a famous story of an artist who took another artist's painting and created his own work by erasing parts of the original. Would this qualify as new art? Would creating a dish with leftovers from last night qualify as a new dish? Would it make a difference if the leftovers were made by me or were from a restaurant?
I am not condoning passing of somebody else's work as your own. All I am saying is that if you look real closely, almost all new work will have traces of something from the past.
The link below is a YouTube video created by taking clips from other existing videos on YouTube and creating a new piece of music. Take a look!
http://tinyurl.com/c9b4th
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Practice! Practice! Practice!
I recently read an article about Jerry Rice (the legendary NFL wide receiver) which talks about how he has re-dedicated his life to trying to become a full-time professional golfer. He will be playing in a Nationwide tour event next year and hopes to make the cut.
Studies have shown that to be really great at something, a person has to spend close to 10,000 hours perfecting it. This means that if somebody were to practice 2 hours a day, every day of the week, it would take close to 14 years to reach their goal! Please keep in mind that all that this means is that you will get really good at something. It does not guarantee fame and fortune.
We all have a list of things we would like to take up. Somebody wants to learn the guitar while somebody else wants to paint. Some of us might even make an effort to join a class or two for a few months only to quit. Sometimes we quit because life intervenes( kids/job/career....) and sometimes we quit because we realise that this new activity actually requires a certain amount of dedication and practice! Take up any new activity and after the honeymoon period is over comes a time when things get tough. This first uphill climb is where most people question if this is really what they want to do. Some actually make it through only to encounter the next climb which is steeper!
Most of us will not be able to give 10,000 hours to something but the fact of the matter is that if you want to be good at anything, it requires dedication and hard work. Keep in mind that many of us have already been in our respective fields for over 14 years. How many of us can truly say that we are world class in our respective fields?
We live in an age where everybody expects instant gratification. Many of us have seen commercials on television describing a product that will give instant results. Exercise equipment manufactures will claim that you will see results within a couple of weeks. A software product will claim to teach a new language in weeks and a book will claim to be able to teach you a computer language in 21 days!
I was once told by a well known drummer that if I treated music like a mistress all I would get in return would be some decent sex but if I treated music like a lover then I would get a relationship that will last a lifetime. Never having had a mistress, I cannot confirm his theory but his point is well taken: We get back from our endeavours what we put in.
So while I sit around making up excuses as to why I cannot make time to practice, I will be watching Mr. Rice closely over the next few months and rooting for him.
Studies have shown that to be really great at something, a person has to spend close to 10,000 hours perfecting it. This means that if somebody were to practice 2 hours a day, every day of the week, it would take close to 14 years to reach their goal! Please keep in mind that all that this means is that you will get really good at something. It does not guarantee fame and fortune.
We all have a list of things we would like to take up. Somebody wants to learn the guitar while somebody else wants to paint. Some of us might even make an effort to join a class or two for a few months only to quit. Sometimes we quit because life intervenes( kids/job/career....) and sometimes we quit because we realise that this new activity actually requires a certain amount of dedication and practice! Take up any new activity and after the honeymoon period is over comes a time when things get tough. This first uphill climb is where most people question if this is really what they want to do. Some actually make it through only to encounter the next climb which is steeper!
Most of us will not be able to give 10,000 hours to something but the fact of the matter is that if you want to be good at anything, it requires dedication and hard work. Keep in mind that many of us have already been in our respective fields for over 14 years. How many of us can truly say that we are world class in our respective fields?
We live in an age where everybody expects instant gratification. Many of us have seen commercials on television describing a product that will give instant results. Exercise equipment manufactures will claim that you will see results within a couple of weeks. A software product will claim to teach a new language in weeks and a book will claim to be able to teach you a computer language in 21 days!
I was once told by a well known drummer that if I treated music like a mistress all I would get in return would be some decent sex but if I treated music like a lover then I would get a relationship that will last a lifetime. Never having had a mistress, I cannot confirm his theory but his point is well taken: We get back from our endeavours what we put in.
So while I sit around making up excuses as to why I cannot make time to practice, I will be watching Mr. Rice closely over the next few months and rooting for him.
Monday, September 21, 2009
The Walking Billboard.
Watching Nadal and Del Potro slug it out, I almost wondered if both men shared a wardrobe. They both wore near identical clothes with the Nike logo splashed on every inch of available real-estate.
I am getting a little tired of this "logo overload". Not a moment goes by when I am not being bombarded by the signage of some company or the other. Sachin's bat, Tigers glove, LeBron's shoes.......
The reason is obvious: Companies think that you will buy a product because your favorite star is using it. It’s the oldest trick in the advertiser's handbook. What the marketers are doing is not so much selling a product as they are an entry into an exclusive club. If you wear Jordan's shoes then he and you will have something in common. Nobody ever pauses to wonder if there might be a cheaper or better alternative in the market.
We are absolutely surrounded by Ads 24/7. There will be times when you will not know that you are seeing/hearing an Ad! Ads are being disguised as news reports, as magazine articles and some as official research papers. You will see Ads in the movies (subtle product placements), Ads in your email (spam) and Ads in your mailbox (junk mail). Ads will target your hidden fears and your insecurities. They will make you buy stuff to make you feel good about yourself, to keep up with the Joneses, to fit in with the "In" crowd. They will make you buy creams to look fair and pills to loose weight.
I recently saw an Ad for a brand of diapers on TV. The mother is being told by the Dr. that her baby has a cold because the cloth diapers she has been using result in the baby staying wet and cold! Can you imagine the guilt that mothers who are watching will feel when they are told that they are not doing the most for their children? It’s been shown that using cloth diapers will mean your child is potty-trained much faster. Also, cloth diapers are way more environmentally friendly than the chemical-filled ones.
It will not be long before everything around us is one big advertisement. You will find Ads on your phone, Ads at the gas station while you wait to fill up. Our kids’ schools will have Ads in the form of sponsorships, books will be subsidized with Ads in the margins....there is no escape.
I see a glimmer of hope in the form of services like Yelp! and other review sites on the internet. That seems like the right way to find products and services: you talk to people who have similar needs/budgets and hear what their experience has been with a particular product.
In the mad rush to rent out every available inch of real-estate to the advertisers, it was refreshing to see two examples where people did not sell out.
Barcelona Football Club is one of the biggest soccer clubs in the world with a world-wide fan following. They could have sold space on their jerseys for millions. Instead their jersey sports the logo of Unicef and they donate almost 2 million dollars per year to Unicef!
Golfer Ryan Moore plays without looking like a walking billboard. He has no logo on his bag, on his shoes or on his hat. It is the most refreshing thing to see! He claims that he wants the freedom to use any product without being tied to a certain brand. He is loosing out on some big money by going the logo-free route. Let’s see how long he can resist the temptation of big bucks.
Here’s a link to a Wikipedia entry that talks about the origins and the history of advertising.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advertising
I am getting a little tired of this "logo overload". Not a moment goes by when I am not being bombarded by the signage of some company or the other. Sachin's bat, Tigers glove, LeBron's shoes.......
The reason is obvious: Companies think that you will buy a product because your favorite star is using it. It’s the oldest trick in the advertiser's handbook. What the marketers are doing is not so much selling a product as they are an entry into an exclusive club. If you wear Jordan's shoes then he and you will have something in common. Nobody ever pauses to wonder if there might be a cheaper or better alternative in the market.
We are absolutely surrounded by Ads 24/7. There will be times when you will not know that you are seeing/hearing an Ad! Ads are being disguised as news reports, as magazine articles and some as official research papers. You will see Ads in the movies (subtle product placements), Ads in your email (spam) and Ads in your mailbox (junk mail). Ads will target your hidden fears and your insecurities. They will make you buy stuff to make you feel good about yourself, to keep up with the Joneses, to fit in with the "In" crowd. They will make you buy creams to look fair and pills to loose weight.
I recently saw an Ad for a brand of diapers on TV. The mother is being told by the Dr. that her baby has a cold because the cloth diapers she has been using result in the baby staying wet and cold! Can you imagine the guilt that mothers who are watching will feel when they are told that they are not doing the most for their children? It’s been shown that using cloth diapers will mean your child is potty-trained much faster. Also, cloth diapers are way more environmentally friendly than the chemical-filled ones.
It will not be long before everything around us is one big advertisement. You will find Ads on your phone, Ads at the gas station while you wait to fill up. Our kids’ schools will have Ads in the form of sponsorships, books will be subsidized with Ads in the margins....there is no escape.
I see a glimmer of hope in the form of services like Yelp! and other review sites on the internet. That seems like the right way to find products and services: you talk to people who have similar needs/budgets and hear what their experience has been with a particular product.
In the mad rush to rent out every available inch of real-estate to the advertisers, it was refreshing to see two examples where people did not sell out.
Barcelona Football Club is one of the biggest soccer clubs in the world with a world-wide fan following. They could have sold space on their jerseys for millions. Instead their jersey sports the logo of Unicef and they donate almost 2 million dollars per year to Unicef!
Golfer Ryan Moore plays without looking like a walking billboard. He has no logo on his bag, on his shoes or on his hat. It is the most refreshing thing to see! He claims that he wants the freedom to use any product without being tied to a certain brand. He is loosing out on some big money by going the logo-free route. Let’s see how long he can resist the temptation of big bucks.
Here’s a link to a Wikipedia entry that talks about the origins and the history of advertising.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advertising
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Say something I want to hear!
There is no easier way to generate conflict then by just telling the truth. When it comes to dealing with people and relationships the rule is very clear: Always lie!
Now I do not mean big lies like:
"I was going to use the money to start an orphanage"
or
"I was holding the knife when he suddenly fell on it!"
No, I am talking about all the little half lies that any person with half a brain will say just to keep the status quo. We all have this skill and use it to great effect.For example.....
Q. "How do I look in this new dress, honey?"
What you really think is :
A:"Err....Like a color blind hooker who for some reason thinks that orange is the new black!"
What you end up saying:
A. Whoa! That looks killer on you!
Q. "How was the food, sir?"
What you really think:
A."Excellent! I am waiting for the heart attack from the oil....or I could just end it now by slitting my wrists with this hard piece of naan"
What you end up saying:
A. "Excellent! We will definitely come back again!"
These lies do not make us bad people. In fact, these lies are the glue that hold any relationship together. Think about it for a second: If you told your spouse EXACTLY what you felt, the moment you felt it, you wouldn't have a spouse. The same goes for your colleagues, your manager, your friends.....even your parents.
The fact of the matter is that people already know what they want to hear when they ask the question. So why not give it to them? The trick is to not ask a question that will force a person to lie. Do you really want to know what your friends think about you? Or what your wife finds most irritating about your behaviour?
Trust me , you are happier not knowing some of these answers!
Now I do not mean big lies like:
"I was going to use the money to start an orphanage"
or
"I was holding the knife when he suddenly fell on it!"
No, I am talking about all the little half lies that any person with half a brain will say just to keep the status quo. We all have this skill and use it to great effect.For example.....
Q. "How do I look in this new dress, honey?"
What you really think is :
A:"Err....Like a color blind hooker who for some reason thinks that orange is the new black!"
What you end up saying:
A. Whoa! That looks killer on you!
Q. "How was the food, sir?"
What you really think:
A."Excellent! I am waiting for the heart attack from the oil....or I could just end it now by slitting my wrists with this hard piece of naan"
What you end up saying:
A. "Excellent! We will definitely come back again!"
These lies do not make us bad people. In fact, these lies are the glue that hold any relationship together. Think about it for a second: If you told your spouse EXACTLY what you felt, the moment you felt it, you wouldn't have a spouse. The same goes for your colleagues, your manager, your friends.....even your parents.
The fact of the matter is that people already know what they want to hear when they ask the question. So why not give it to them? The trick is to not ask a question that will force a person to lie. Do you really want to know what your friends think about you? Or what your wife finds most irritating about your behaviour?
Trust me , you are happier not knowing some of these answers!
Monday, September 7, 2009
Let the games begin!
I am gobsmacked by what Usain Bolt has done on the track this year. He has obliterated the world records in both the 100m and 200m races and set times that seemed unreachable till he came along. To put things in perspective, Ben Johnson's run at the Seoul Olympics in 88 set a mark of 9.79 seconds. Since then in the last 20 years the record had dropped to 9.72 before Bolt destroyed it last month by running a 9.58!!!
Now the question being asked is - does he runs clean? A long history of exposed sprint stars has cast a shadow of doubt over Bolt's accomplishments. The adverse effects these PEDs (Performance Enhancing Drugs) can have on a person's body have been well documented yet the demand to succeed in an ultra-competitive environment means that there will always be people who will risk bodily harm and humiliation to achieve fame and glory.
Why the big hangup against PEDs? The thought is that any competition should be fair and the winner should have no unfair advantage over his or her fellow competitors. Add to that the fact that consuming PEDs can have harmful side-effects. Also mentioned is the risk of young people turning to PEDs to try and emulate their idols.
This brings me to my question: Will you stop watching if you knew somebody was taking a PED? Would you not watch a Federer showcase his exquisite skills if he was known to be taking something? Would you not watch Ronaldo play if it turned out that he was a coke head?
I for one would keep watching! In fact here is what I suggest: Lets have a world championship where the athletes can take whatever drug they want. Then there will be no whispers of athletes being tainted. Lets see how fast a human can run, jump or throw a javelin if he or she can use any means available. I don't care if someone shows up with two horns and hooves for feet!!! The fact of the matter is that everybody loves a freak show...... The TV rating will go through the roof!
Let the games begin!
P.S. - The issue of PEDs in sport is a hotly debated one. There are those that believe that PEDs should be legalized while others feel that users should be caught and penalised. I have posted a link below that sums up the arguments on both sides. The one aspect that is not talked about in any of the articles I have read is that sport today is a multi-billion dollar business that relies on the top players playing and producing their best. I do not think that potential advertisers will walk away from an event if it has players who are on PEDs but they certainly will stay away if the marque players are absent. The bottom line is that there will always be a viewership for events which have the best players and for events which have drama and great competition.
Pros and Cons of using and allowing PEDs
http://tinyurl.com/c7cv3q
Now the question being asked is - does he runs clean? A long history of exposed sprint stars has cast a shadow of doubt over Bolt's accomplishments. The adverse effects these PEDs (Performance Enhancing Drugs) can have on a person's body have been well documented yet the demand to succeed in an ultra-competitive environment means that there will always be people who will risk bodily harm and humiliation to achieve fame and glory.
Why the big hangup against PEDs? The thought is that any competition should be fair and the winner should have no unfair advantage over his or her fellow competitors. Add to that the fact that consuming PEDs can have harmful side-effects. Also mentioned is the risk of young people turning to PEDs to try and emulate their idols.
This brings me to my question: Will you stop watching if you knew somebody was taking a PED? Would you not watch a Federer showcase his exquisite skills if he was known to be taking something? Would you not watch Ronaldo play if it turned out that he was a coke head?
I for one would keep watching! In fact here is what I suggest: Lets have a world championship where the athletes can take whatever drug they want. Then there will be no whispers of athletes being tainted. Lets see how fast a human can run, jump or throw a javelin if he or she can use any means available. I don't care if someone shows up with two horns and hooves for feet!!! The fact of the matter is that everybody loves a freak show...... The TV rating will go through the roof!
Let the games begin!
P.S. - The issue of PEDs in sport is a hotly debated one. There are those that believe that PEDs should be legalized while others feel that users should be caught and penalised. I have posted a link below that sums up the arguments on both sides. The one aspect that is not talked about in any of the articles I have read is that sport today is a multi-billion dollar business that relies on the top players playing and producing their best. I do not think that potential advertisers will walk away from an event if it has players who are on PEDs but they certainly will stay away if the marque players are absent. The bottom line is that there will always be a viewership for events which have the best players and for events which have drama and great competition.
Pros and Cons of using and allowing PEDs
http://tinyurl.com/c7cv3q
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
A Few Good Men.
Have you ever been inspired by a single person to the point where you are willing to follow this person to the end of the earth? Ever been so influenced by this person's vision and philosophy that it has changed your life? This power to inspire and move a large group of people is very rare and never has there been a time when we need an inspirational figure to rally around as there is now.
Where are the Gandhis, the MLKs, the Mandelas......leaders who could mobilize an entire nation.
Could it be that we have become a cynical bunch who would never believe anybody who stood up on a soapbox and offered us deliverance from all that ails us? Could it be that we have it so good that we do not need a great leader to rise and lead us? Could it be that it is only when things get really bad that the great leaders amongst us arise? Surely that cannot be true. India and its poor are in dire straits and she could do with a leader with an inspirational message that rings true for people from all across the country. Or could it be that the Mayavatis and the Lalloos are thought of as exactly these types of leaders?! Scary thought!!
The fact is that people like to be led. They want someone to believe in and pin their hopes on. There are numerous examples of movie stars having success in politics because people believe that their on-screen persona (brave, honest) is how they really are! That's the same reason why Oprah Winfrey has such a wide following amongst women (black and white). That's the same reason why Diego Maradona can come to Calcutta and bring the city to a screeching halt and why Rajanikant can decide an election just by uttering a few words of support for a particular candidate.
Speaking of leaders, Obama is being thought of as "The One". He has the captured the collective consciousness of the country and he could rise and be great if he wanted to. Or he could end up being just your typical politician.
I once asked a friend if he had ever been inspired by anybody and he mentioned Jesus Christ. I envy those that can put their trust in a religion and expect to be shown the light. Personally, I prefer my leaders to walk the earth in my time.
Where are the Gandhis, the MLKs, the Mandelas......leaders who could mobilize an entire nation.
Could it be that we have become a cynical bunch who would never believe anybody who stood up on a soapbox and offered us deliverance from all that ails us? Could it be that we have it so good that we do not need a great leader to rise and lead us? Could it be that it is only when things get really bad that the great leaders amongst us arise? Surely that cannot be true. India and its poor are in dire straits and she could do with a leader with an inspirational message that rings true for people from all across the country. Or could it be that the Mayavatis and the Lalloos are thought of as exactly these types of leaders?! Scary thought!!
The fact is that people like to be led. They want someone to believe in and pin their hopes on. There are numerous examples of movie stars having success in politics because people believe that their on-screen persona (brave, honest) is how they really are! That's the same reason why Oprah Winfrey has such a wide following amongst women (black and white). That's the same reason why Diego Maradona can come to Calcutta and bring the city to a screeching halt and why Rajanikant can decide an election just by uttering a few words of support for a particular candidate.
Speaking of leaders, Obama is being thought of as "The One". He has the captured the collective consciousness of the country and he could rise and be great if he wanted to. Or he could end up being just your typical politician.
I once asked a friend if he had ever been inspired by anybody and he mentioned Jesus Christ. I envy those that can put their trust in a religion and expect to be shown the light. Personally, I prefer my leaders to walk the earth in my time.
Friday, August 28, 2009
Aquas Bottumus Cleanus!
All you Paper People out there, remember that travelling to India might mean having to resurrect you long forgotten skills! Don't remember how? Tch Tch....bloody phirangi!
We Water People are all being discriminated upon by the Paper People! As we speak my fellow Indians are abandoning years of refined skills to go the paper route. Shame Shame! Now I totally understand that (unlike designed handicapped parking spots) there are no designated restrooms for Water People. This is nothing but a ploy to convert every one of us WP (Water People) to the dark side.
You PP (Paper People) have no case. Do you really believe that your deviant ways will leave no tell-tale signs?? H20 Baby!! Whats that you say? Its unhygienic? Really? Ever heard of soap?
Here's something to try at home for all you PP: Rub some peanut butter into your carpet and then try and clean it off with paper. I rest my case.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
When are you coming back to India?
I get asked this question every time I am in India on vacation. Most of my friends wonder why I am still living in the USA when I could be working in India, making lots of money and be part of the economic boom that India has been enjoying. "Is life really that much better there?" they ask.
My stock answer to this last question is that its not a question of better or worse. Life in the USA is different. I give up some aspects of life found in India for some other aspects that I can only get in the USA. Every trip to India brings this tradeoff into sharp focus.
Its been two days since I have returned and the one thing I miss the most is the people. I do not mean just family/friends but just the random hub hub of people everywhere. Strangers walking in and out of the house, people on the streets, in the restaurants. My suburban street in the USA is dead by comparison!
There are enough aspects to life in India that I do not miss but I have learned better than to point out these flaws to my friends living there. They do not need to hear this from me; somebody who in their opinion has escaped for a better life! After all nobody likes an outsider to pass judgement on their condition, however dire it might be.
My stock answer to this last question is that its not a question of better or worse. Life in the USA is different. I give up some aspects of life found in India for some other aspects that I can only get in the USA. Every trip to India brings this tradeoff into sharp focus.
Its been two days since I have returned and the one thing I miss the most is the people. I do not mean just family/friends but just the random hub hub of people everywhere. Strangers walking in and out of the house, people on the streets, in the restaurants. My suburban street in the USA is dead by comparison!
City life in India reminds me of a jazz concert. There is a framework within which the musician has to stay but the rest is made up as the band moves along. That's exactly how I feel about living in India. You can make all the plans you want but you must be flexible. Improvisation is the order of the day! In contrast life in the USA seems like a classical concert. Beethoven's 5th is going to play out in exactly the same way every time you hear it!
There are enough aspects to life in India that I do not miss but I have learned better than to point out these flaws to my friends living there. They do not need to hear this from me; somebody who in their opinion has escaped for a better life! After all nobody likes an outsider to pass judgement on their condition, however dire it might be.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Where is India's Y.E?
Y.E Yang did what nobody had been able to do for the last many years. He took down El Tigre in the last round with Tiger holding a 2 shot lead. I have been reading how this victory will be a shot in the arm for golf and golfers in Asia. Unfortunately just inspiration is not enough to produce a champion. Its going to take nothing short of a miracle for an Indian to win a major. If anybody does do it, it will be in spite of the system and not because of it.
Golf in India is an elitist sport, a pastime for the rich and famous. Hang out at a clubhouse on any indian course and you will hear talk of what the stock market is doing, where somebody is going on vacation and how the new 7 Series is better then the S class.
The best players in the last 20 years have been either former caddies who honed their skills while working at some course or players who came from privileged families which permitted their children to indulge in the sport. It is virtually impossible for a child to be introduced to the game by his father with limited means. There are no driving ranges where those curious about the game can get a taste for the game. There are no public courses where a man can walk off the street, rent some clubs and play without having to pay a month's salary.
Unfortunately this lack of accessible infrastructure can be used to describe the condition of almost any sport in India. Things seem to be changing albeit slowly. The new professional soccer league seems to be a small step in the right direction. The local political bigwig from my hometown has practically run the Indian Olympic Committee for the last many years. We have nothing to show for it. Nothing. As long as these appointments are being filled by politicians, nothing is going to change. India's Y.E Yang will have to come from left field, having snuck through the broken system by sheer hard work and a huge dose of good fortune.
Monday, August 3, 2009
Beam me up, Scotty!
21 hours. Trapped in a metal tube, strapped to a seat. That's international air travel for you. If only the Wright Brothers knew what they would be unleashing. If only somebody had shown them the future of air travel: long flights, crappy food and full body searches.
I admit I hate air travel. The thought of being trapped in a metal can while I am forced to breathe the collective farts of a couple of hundred fellow inmates does not excite me. Add a couple of cranky kids to this potent mix and the nightmare is complete. Now, I understand all the benefits of air travel and I understand that there is no better alternative to travelling half way round the world but in my view the airline industry is taking me for granted.
Would it really hurt them to take out 6/7 rows of seats to give me 6/7 inches of extra legroom? Does the food have to be something that NASA would send up to the space station with the shuttle? What about those damn faucets in the restrooms? Can they not stay on while I have both my hands free? Do all these flights have to depart at 2 in the morning?
I am into the second week of my vacation and the one lingering thought, the gorilla in the room that I just cannot ignore, is the thought of the flight back home.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Its Wrong. But only if you get caught........
How far would you go if you could get away with it?
Would an otherwise honest person steal if it was guaranteed that he or she would not be caught?
Would you cheat on your spouse if nobody would ever know?
I truly believe that a large part of our morality would go out of the window if there were no consequences to our actions.
Think Las Vegas. Through a brilliant marketing campaign ("What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas"), the folks in Vegas promise you that what you do within the confines of Sin City will stay there......and more importantly its OK to let your guard down once in a while. Its OK to have a stripper grind her ass in your face. Its OK to down a couple of shots while you lick salt off her ample bosom. It does not mean you are a bad person!
Think how many politicians get caught with their pants down every year. What were they thinking??? Why would somebody with so much to lose not pause and think of the consequences?
Maybe because they thought they would never be found out?
Its the oldest rule in the male handbook- Never let your other head do the thinking for you!
As for me, I would never indulge in such mindless pleasure. My strong moral compass will not permit me to..........Unless of course I happen to be invited to a bachelor's party in Vegas. It would be rude to refuse!
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Gentlemen, Tighten your Langots!
I have finally taken the plunge. I am not sure what I will blog about. It is most likely that this blog will start off with all the enthusiasm of an adolescent boy discovering girls and then die a slow death!
The name of the blog is the result of a conversation I once had with a friend. We were discussing how people bought web domain names and then made money off the banner ads being displayed on an otherwise totally useless website. That's when I suggested starting a website called TightLangot.com! I wondered if having a curious name would be enough for people to show up.
I guess we will find out with this blog :)
Finally, for those of you adventurous enough to try and incorporate the words "Tight Langot" into your everyday vocabulary, I have a suggestion.
The next time you want to tell someone to "pull up their socks" and work harder, just say "tighten your langot"! You might be surprised with the results.
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