Well the world is perplexed. How could this happen? Didnt the country, which is 15 yrs ahead of the world, saw this coming? What were the banks thinking before getting into this mess? ..... So many queries so many emotions came to the fore when Lehman Brothers AIG Washington Mutual collapsed. Well i think the Fed knew what was coming and when i pondered upon it for some time i thought what if the whole think was deliberate. I mean how can a country so advanced not see such a thing coming.
The oil was over 150$/barrel. OPEC was convinced to push it to 200$/barrel. The world would hv been in deep trouble had the oil reached that level. Inflation would have increased in many countries and apart from that the common man would have suffered no end. Well how does that relate to US recession. US is the biggest consumer of oil and a recession in US would trigger downfall of oil prices. Thats exaclty whats happening ... oil has come down below 100$/barrel. A recession in US would buy them some time to find alternate source of energy. Bush bill to give tax breaks to alternative sources of energy confirms that. A financial recession would not have caused the damage as much the price of oil would have caused. Moreover US reaffirms its position with OPEC nations who thought they were bigger than the most powerful nation in the world.
I think this recession has been positive for the world. I think we would have been in a bigger mess because of oil had there not been a US recession.
Sunday, October 05, 2008
Monday, September 15, 2008
Career Orientation
I am born into a typical south Indian family where a child has to be a doctor an engineer or a chartered accountant. I hardly remember other career options discussed in my family except the option to be a scientist. I don’t know if the door for my niche is still open and if open will I realize that till then.
I don’t blame my parents. They asked me to pursue a career which was incumbent to the Indian society. Frankly speaking 15 yrs back we could hardly see people getting good stable jobs in other career options. India in all ways is lagging behind the western world where career options are many.
Now when I give it a thought well there are a lot of things in which I had some initial skills. Speaking, sports, writing, poetry and some others too. Well maybe I didn’t have the strength to break free from the mould of the typical Indian society. I succumbed and went ahead with a career which is common i.e. becoming an engineer. Though I wanted to be a chemical engineer during the timing to choose a seat I choose telecom and today I am a software engineer. Sometimes I wonder if this were I wanted to be. Did I always want to be a software engineer .. I guess no. Though I am “happy” I however regard this as a fall back option for me till the time I find my niche. I don’t know if the door for my niche is still open and if open will I realize that till then.
If I find one will I leave all the comforts of my current job to pursue my niche? Well the answer honestly is “I don’t know”.
I don’t blame my parents. They asked me to pursue a career which was incumbent to the Indian society. Frankly speaking 15 yrs back we could hardly see people getting good stable jobs in other career options. India in all ways is lagging behind the western world where career options are many.
Now when I give it a thought well there are a lot of things in which I had some initial skills. Speaking, sports, writing, poetry and some others too. Well maybe I didn’t have the strength to break free from the mould of the typical Indian society. I succumbed and went ahead with a career which is common i.e. becoming an engineer. Though I wanted to be a chemical engineer during the timing to choose a seat I choose telecom and today I am a software engineer. Sometimes I wonder if this were I wanted to be. Did I always want to be a software engineer .. I guess no. Though I am “happy” I however regard this as a fall back option for me till the time I find my niche. I don’t know if the door for my niche is still open and if open will I realize that till then.
If I find one will I leave all the comforts of my current job to pursue my niche? Well the answer honestly is “I don’t know”.
God
Perhaps the most disputed word in the world. His existence is disputed and so are the things that follow it. Every religion has their own god and every religion wants to put forward its god as the best one. Wonder what “God” thinks about it. Does he even care by what name he is known? I guess not.
When I think about the human body and the human mind it entralls me as to how what an impeccable artist god must be. We as humans have still not been able to imitate that. One of my friends from the medical fraternity told me that we know just 30% of the human body. No wonder we see doctors in movies saying “Baaki sab bhagwan ke haath mein hain”. When I imagine how the body functions each part their co-ordination their functioning failure and recovery mechanism only thing I can say in software terms is that he is the perfect coder and must have been a perfect architect to develop a program called “Humans”.
When we fight over trivial issue of religion we forget that the architect still remains the same. We forget that the variety god gives us in terms of religion. Instead of appreciating it we are fighting over it. Sad but true. Imagine a world where everyone was a Hindu or a Christian or a Muslim…..how does that sound … boring??? I guess god gave us all except “common sense” which is ironically not so common.
When I think about the human body and the human mind it entralls me as to how what an impeccable artist god must be. We as humans have still not been able to imitate that. One of my friends from the medical fraternity told me that we know just 30% of the human body. No wonder we see doctors in movies saying “Baaki sab bhagwan ke haath mein hain”. When I imagine how the body functions each part their co-ordination their functioning failure and recovery mechanism only thing I can say in software terms is that he is the perfect coder and must have been a perfect architect to develop a program called “Humans”.
When we fight over trivial issue of religion we forget that the architect still remains the same. We forget that the variety god gives us in terms of religion. Instead of appreciating it we are fighting over it. Sad but true. Imagine a world where everyone was a Hindu or a Christian or a Muslim…..how does that sound … boring??? I guess god gave us all except “common sense” which is ironically not so common.
Firangi’s and desis
“Atithi devo bavah”
No matter how hard we try I guess we as Indians were and always will be biased to this saying. A guest is a guest irrespective of his/her nationality. We are always fascinated by the westerners their skin color accent and sensibilities. When I travel abroad or even see these firangi’s at the airport I always wonder what makes us fancy so much about these westerners.
As a child I was made to believe that the westerners are perfect in every way. I believed it too. Spotting a westerner was like spotting god himself. But now during my trips abroad or even during my stay there what I found from my interaction with them was they r just like us. Similar imperfections, similar prejudices and similar thinking. I spot foreigners drinking shouting aloud peeing in public and using a similar foul language that we do. However they are glorified and imitated by us in India. Sad but true. We want to eat the way they do copy their accent color our hair and follow their tradition. Wonder what’s wrong with ours.
What we can learn from them is their positive attitude towards life and work. Unfortunately this comes only later.
No matter how hard we try I guess we as Indians were and always will be biased to this saying. A guest is a guest irrespective of his/her nationality. We are always fascinated by the westerners their skin color accent and sensibilities. When I travel abroad or even see these firangi’s at the airport I always wonder what makes us fancy so much about these westerners.
As a child I was made to believe that the westerners are perfect in every way. I believed it too. Spotting a westerner was like spotting god himself. But now during my trips abroad or even during my stay there what I found from my interaction with them was they r just like us. Similar imperfections, similar prejudices and similar thinking. I spot foreigners drinking shouting aloud peeing in public and using a similar foul language that we do. However they are glorified and imitated by us in India. Sad but true. We want to eat the way they do copy their accent color our hair and follow their tradition. Wonder what’s wrong with ours.
What we can learn from them is their positive attitude towards life and work. Unfortunately this comes only later.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Shanta Miss
I came across many teachers in school. Well not all teachers leave an indelible mark on u but some teachers do. I had a teacher in 4 std called Swati Basu Miss, she was first teacher for whom my heart skipped a beat. I was naive then but it took a lot of time to understand that she was indeed my first crush. Faith had some other plans she went to Middle East n never returned. I still remember her beautiful, petite, cherubic personality. She once touched me on my cheeks n I felt like an angel touched me.
I came across Shanta Miss wen i was in 7th. She was a typical Tamilian. She wore those typical South Indian sarees, a big 'beendi' and a bit of 'vibhuti' on her forehead. I won her confidence wen i did well in English wen i was in 7th. From that day onwards she treated me like her own child. She watched my every step. At times she used to warn me when i used to get naughty 'Vadiraj !!! u hv earned a good name, dont spoil it'. She taught us History, English n i guess even Geography. She had a unique way of teaching history. She never read the textbook, she just went on and on as if she were present there. I can never forget her immaculate skills.
Last time i met her was when i passes out of 12th n after that she passed away after prolonged illness. I wish i had seen her just one last time, i wish i had conveyed to her what she meant to me and how she changed my life in her own special way. God at times can be unfair to us by taking the very people you cherish so far away that the only thing that can reach them is your thoughts. Im sure wherever n however these special people are God must have surely treated them very well.
I came across Shanta Miss wen i was in 7th. She was a typical Tamilian. She wore those typical South Indian sarees, a big 'beendi' and a bit of 'vibhuti' on her forehead. I won her confidence wen i did well in English wen i was in 7th. From that day onwards she treated me like her own child. She watched my every step. At times she used to warn me when i used to get naughty 'Vadiraj !!! u hv earned a good name, dont spoil it'. She taught us History, English n i guess even Geography. She had a unique way of teaching history. She never read the textbook, she just went on and on as if she were present there. I can never forget her immaculate skills.
Last time i met her was when i passes out of 12th n after that she passed away after prolonged illness. I wish i had seen her just one last time, i wish i had conveyed to her what she meant to me and how she changed my life in her own special way. God at times can be unfair to us by taking the very people you cherish so far away that the only thing that can reach them is your thoughts. Im sure wherever n however these special people are God must have surely treated them very well.
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Writing after a long hiatus
Boyyyy !!!! im writing after a very very very long time, close to 2 yrs now. What stopped me frm writing ? Well work n other things in life that took priority. Maybe i just forgot to express myself but hey im back. So much has happened in these 2 yrs. I got bugged by my previous employer, i joined top 5 IT consultancy firm (in the world), i found love, i found new frndz, i went to one of the romantic places on earth, Paris, i was paid for that, so on n so forth. With every new day each one of us goes a new experience. Some of them are cathartic some r not. The more people you meet the more you find yourself because every person we meet helps us find the qualities in ourselves which we were not aware of.
In the past two yrs i have managed to connect to the people that i was disconnected from for so long but at the same time i have also lost touch with other friends. I do know why but we just stopped talking. My college mates, my library friend Neha D, some of my NIIT frndz,etc. Even though i know that loosing frndz is not a good thing im just unable to contact them mayb my ego stops me frm doing this but it just aint right. When i was in school i just did not make frndz 'coz i was under some heavy influence which repuled me frm them n even today i regret not having made good frndz in school. At times i feel that i shd break that ice but hey its too late and I fear getting a cold shoulder frm them. Mayb some things shd b left the way they r.
I love travelling n meeting new people, learning abt new cultures and spreading cheer. When i look back on my trip 2 Paris i chuckle with delight about the times i spent in the Louvre museum, i used to follow nice chicks, i photographed some stupid places, did some aberrant activities and walked for 16 hrs to see Paris but Paris is a big city.
After coming back frm Paris i realized that i need to study further, do something that i longed to do for 3yrs, my Masters degree in US. This time there is not looking back, there r so many sacrifices to be made n this ofcourse is a tough road ahead, i hv already sacrificed my trip to Germany n Finland. Letz hope i reach where i want to.
In the past two yrs i have managed to connect to the people that i was disconnected from for so long but at the same time i have also lost touch with other friends. I do know why but we just stopped talking. My college mates, my library friend Neha D, some of my NIIT frndz,etc. Even though i know that loosing frndz is not a good thing im just unable to contact them mayb my ego stops me frm doing this but it just aint right. When i was in school i just did not make frndz 'coz i was under some heavy influence which repuled me frm them n even today i regret not having made good frndz in school. At times i feel that i shd break that ice but hey its too late and I fear getting a cold shoulder frm them. Mayb some things shd b left the way they r.
I love travelling n meeting new people, learning abt new cultures and spreading cheer. When i look back on my trip 2 Paris i chuckle with delight about the times i spent in the Louvre museum, i used to follow nice chicks, i photographed some stupid places, did some aberrant activities and walked for 16 hrs to see Paris but Paris is a big city.
After coming back frm Paris i realized that i need to study further, do something that i longed to do for 3yrs, my Masters degree in US. This time there is not looking back, there r so many sacrifices to be made n this ofcourse is a tough road ahead, i hv already sacrificed my trip to Germany n Finland. Letz hope i reach where i want to.
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