Khiani's Blog

3Years@SAP

2008-07-20T19:50:00.002+05:30

It is three years at SAP and 5 years of my life after college. There has been only a day where I was jobless, transition phase from ThoughtWorks to SAP Labs. I still remember my last day at ThoughtWorks, the place where I started my career. I was a bit emotional and during my exit interview wondered whether I was making the right decision. Nila, my colleague, told me that I am moving from a pond to an ocean.

I left after my farewell but Nila’s words kept me busy and I told myself it is a new place, a new beginning, and a bigger challenge. Is the cup half full or half empty? An optimist would say that the cup is half full and the pessimist would say half empty. So lets be optimistic and assume that moving from a pond to the ocean would mean bigger, better and challenging opportunities. A pessimistic view would be easier to stand out in a smaller company than a larger company.

I joined SAP as a Solution Management Specialist on 20th of July 2005. I was the second person in the team and was excited about my new team, friends and work. My batch mates (all the guys/gals who joined on the same day) turned out to be my great friends at SAP.

I visited the SAP Headquarters in Waldorf, Germany in January 2006. We (Somesh, Reneeth, Shiva, Preeti and Sijesh my manager) had a great time in Germany. It was my first trip to a foreign county. Swimming, driving, Spa, Cooking, Shopping and visiting the county side… lot of fun especially when it is snowing. A month’s stay was an experience of a life time. Working with Germans, French, Israelis, Americans, Indians and Asians was truly fascinating. SAP taught me the value of time and punctuality from trams, trains, busses to people, everyone on time every time.

Melbourne, Australia was my next destination. I had to pay a visit to Australia as I had my resident visa. Three weeks in the month of February 2006 was a lot of fun. Beaches, Australian women, old school friends, casinos, the weather… I stayed with my father’s brother in a suburb in Victoria. I did look for opportunities in Australia… and in those three weeks attended two interviews. Compared to Australia, opportunities in India were far better. So I decided to go where I belonged.

The year of 2006 I traveled to Europe again and again. I was fortunate to visit Germany in all seasons, winter, fall, summer and spring. All seasons had something different to offer. Europe is scenic in winter, fall and spring. I used to play tennis from 7PM to 10PM in the clay courts in Waldorf, SAP Campus. Sunset at 9, speed kills but trills in the German Autobahns and shopping in Hauptstrasse, Heidelberg. During my visit we were on critical projects (War Rooms). It was not just work but a lot of fun as well. We visited the Sex Capital of the world (Amsterdam). Amsterdam to me was walking on the streets of the red light area, visiting the sex museum, Casa Rosa and the amazing Tulip Gardens.

October 2006 was Tech-Ed in the EMEA region. I had the opportunity be part of this great event. I realized what it meant to be part of SAP. Innovation, business process, customers, independent consultants, software, partners, SDN, BPX… the list just grows. I helped in creating and conducting a workshop on composites. I also presented the same concept of composites in Tech-Ed in Bangalore.

November 2006 – March 2007 was time for innovation at SAP. The gang of four and also known as Blank Inc: Harsh, Chandu, Surabhi and I, my batch mates and good friends at SAP, won SAP Code Olympics 2006 for our innovative idea of integrating SAP CRM with Google Adwords. We then looked at something bigger… not just Google Adwords but also Google Checkout, Google Base, Google Analytics, osCommmerce (Shopping Cart) and Tiger Direct (comparison sites). It was not just advertisements but the complete cycle of e-selling, maintaining your catalogue, marketing products in your catalogue through Google Adwords, tracking using Google Analytics, payments using Google Checkout and courier services using FedEx. This led us to the innovation workshop organized by SAP Labs India in Sri Lanka.

We as a team moved out of Composites and our new focus area Business Analytics. During the transition period we conducted a training workshop for all colleagues at SAP Labs India. Preparing for an all hands workshop, training material was something totally different. Our work in Composites was part of the Discovery System on SDN. (Request for Quotation Approval, Store Specific Consumer Price, Production Order Rescheduling).

Business Analytics our new focus area was filled with all odds. We had new challenges with Business Intelligence: Data Warehousing (Querying, Reporting, Planning, Performance Management, Data Modeling, Global Risk Compliance, Predictive Analytics…), Web 2.0, Rich internet applications… and yes we were successful. It has been more than a year with Business Analytics and I guess there is a long way to go.

Personally and professionally it has been truly satisfying working with SAP. I have had my great moments of success with projects, innovation, competitions and promotions. I am now an Associate Manager (Level D) at SAP. The Journey from a Software Engineer (Level A) to an Associate Manager has been a great learning experience and a beginning of something new.

Sparsh, Make a Difference...

2006-11-04T08:43:00.000+05:30

I am part of SAPPORT and mostly involved in activities concerning Janodaya.

I had a personal motive (b-school admission) to join SAPPORT but when I first visited the Child Care Center I was touched.

Can you imagine 130 children, staying together, having fun, studying and all they want is to be treated as equals and time from us (representing Secular India). I was amazed at their enthusiasm and ambitions (some want to be doctors others engineers, pilots… and the list is never ending). Imran, the eldest has set a good example. He is now in 12th and has been a good performer for a long time. He will be appearing for CET and is looking forward to do Engineering in R.V.C.E (Karnataka’s No.1 Engineering College).

We as volunteers organize picnics, events (Diwali, Christmas, Family Day, and Charity Week) for the children at the Child Care Center. We also visit the child care center every month to teach, play and understand them better. Spending time with them makes me happier.

This year I will be involved in the week of service. Where we have numerous projects and we can be involved in a few. I am looking forward to the week of service focusing on physically challenged children.

Sparsh, Make a difference… The theme of the Charity Week ’06.

Janodaya, The Childcare Center, Karnataka

SAP Labs India supports a Child Care Center in the state of Karnataka in India that is home to children from disadvantaged sections of society.

A large proportion of these children belong to parents who are awaiting trial in a court of law for alleged criminal offences. The other children are either orphans, those of single mothers - belonging to the 'temple prostitutes' community - or from very poor economic backgrounds.

At the center which is run by the NGO Janodaya, children are provided with a place to stay, meals, schooling, medical care and counseling.

The ultimate aim, however, is their overall development. Labs India is, therefore, committed to engaging with these children beyond their educational needs. Children who will be completing their 10th standard will be assisted in taking up college education or given professional training that would equip them to become self-reliant.

SAPPORT : CSR Initiative at SAP Labs India

2006-11-04T08:30:00.000+05:30

In line with SAP’s commitment to the communities in which we live and work, Labs India has been actively driving and participating in various projects that focus on education and children. We also support disaster relief and rehabilitation projects, while engaging in community building with an aim towards all round development of the community and its people.

Employees at SAP Labs India are also enthusiastic about corporate giving, whenever the need arises.

Our role as a concerned corporate citizen is largely driven by SAPPORT, the corporate social responsibility initiative at Labs India.

SAPPORT Projects/Initiatives:

Rehabilitation of Tharangambadi, Tamilnadu
The Childcare Center, Karnataka

Commute Easy - Lets make a better Bangalore

2006-09-23T09:15:00.000+05:30

Hey guys!

As you are all aware, the traffic scene is Bangalore is going from bad to worse. To help alleviate this problem, a friend of mine has recently launched a website to help commuters across Bangalore find potential partners for carpooling.

It’s a free service.

For this to really work and make a difference, it is important that more and more people are aware of it. It will be great if you can help in spreading the word by passing on this message to people you know.

A little something about Commute Easy!

What is Commute Easy?

Commute Easy is a pooling initiative that aims to make your daily commute easier by connecting you to commuters across Bangalore who share your route. By opting to go the commute easy way, you can
· Help decongest traffic in Bangalore.
· Lower your own travel costs and stress levels.
· Bring about a reduction in pollution levels.
· Broaden your social network.

The URL for the site is www.commuteeasy.com .This is a free service.

KANK - 'Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna'

2006-08-27T16:56:00.000+05:30

A story of relationships, love, extra-marital affairs and life. The characters in the movie could have played a more intense role to make the movie a must watch. KANK deals with infidelity after marriage.
Dev Saran (Shah Rukh Khan) is a rising soccer star in the US, married to fashion executive Rhea (Preity Zinta). Rhea works hard at her career, spending less time applauding sourpuss hubby for every goal he makes, than he would like. Dev met with an accident and lost his only dream and passion, soccer on the other had Rhea became successful.

This is not a review of the movie but how this movie is applicable to ones own life. It resembles to circumstances that we can closely relate to ones own life.

In today’s generation both men and women are serious about their respective careers and ambitious.

KANK has raised some important questions about today’s men and women.
Can men tolerate their wife’s/girl friends success? When women can why can't men is the most common question asked. I do not have an answer to that perhaps a psychologist can.

Men love a lot of attention and care, to feel that they are the provider (financially) and to believe that they are better than there counter part but it is time to change and look at things differently.

Is it not good that women are more independent (financially and emotionally)? Lets look at the some benefits (The benefits model :) )

No cribbing that we are not spending time together. Lets you concentrate on your career
Double income for the family means more luxuries, holidays and also a means to provide better education to children
The female child will gain more importance and will be responsible for taking care of their parents
You can meet your dreams faster
Less stress and tensions (at least monetary)

Let us be happy and happy for our girl friends/wifes. Marriage/Relationship is about compatibility, love and adaptability. Not that I am married :).

Driving in Germany on foreign soil

2006-07-11T20:33:00.000+05:30

Finally in my third trip to Germany I decided to drive. I guess it is because I was alone not with my team. With an Indian license I am eligible to drive here but SAP requires one to take driving lessons to become familiar with the rules, accustomed to left the hand drive and familiar with the speed with which one should drive.

I arrived in Heidelberg on 8th of July and on the same day took my driving lessons. I met Thomas who was my instructor/coach. He was an English speaking German with a lot of patience and good understating of rules and regulations both in India and Germany. I drove for around 80 minutes, in the city, on the country roads and on the autobahn.

When I first thought of driving in Germany I was scared. There is a lot of difference between a left hand drive and a right hand drive but I guess when we start driving everything falls in place. It is a great experience.10th of July is my last lesson after which I will start driving my company car.J How I wish it is a BMW/Audi/Volkswagen but unfortunately I will have to manage with a FORD.

It feels great to drive on the Autobahn @180KM/HR that’s the max my ford can touch.

Make hay when the sun shines but can you Predict

2006-07-11T20:32:00.001+05:30

This could be said about the Indian Stock Market. When I started trading the BSE (Bombay Stock Exchange) was at 6000 levels. I experienced good returns as the index doubled to 12500 levels.

I usually sell shares if my margin is around 20% but as the index was rising I decided to hold shares for a longer period. Everyday you see your shares increasing and the virtual profit made me fly high. I was lucky I sold all the shares I was holding when I was in Germany (just before the stock market crashed). If I had not sold my shares I would have lost all the money I had made in the last 12 months. Did I know the stock market would crash? I had no idea… just being lucky.

When the BSE fell by around 1000 points I decided to re-enter the market and bought Mutual Funds and some selected shares but lost a lot of money because of investing in an extremely volatile market with a bearish outlook. I guess my biggest mistake was to sell them after a month at a considerable loss.

Share trading is similar to gambling but we can make hay when the sun shines but can we predict when it will fall? It is time to make systematic investments and buy in small amounts every month. (Mutual funds or shares)

One night @ the call center - Chetan Bhagat

2006-07-11T20:32:00.000+05:30

Five Point Someone and now One Night @ The Call Center and both of them are interesting stories and a must read.

One Night at the call center is a story about colleagues (Shyam, Priyanka, Varoom, Esha, Radhika and Military Uncle) at a call center and there boss Bakshi.

Some background:
Shyam's ex-girlfriend was Priyanka and he is still madly in love with her. Shyam lacks self belief/confidence and believes that he is not good enough for Priayanka. He is just an employee at the call center hoping to be promoted but will Priyanka’s mom feel that he is worth it?

Priyanka is all set to be married to Ganesh (a software geek with Microsoft, US). Ganesh and Priyanka have never met and have just spoken a few times. Ganesh is growing bald but he is rich and has a good/secure future.

Esha is 5'4" and extremely beautiful... hmm... HOT. She aspires to be a model and can do anything to be on the ramp. Had applied for Miss. India but 5'4" is just not good enough. L

Varoom likes Esha and has feelings for her. Varoom is this guy who loves to live his life... pizzas, junk food, bars and discos has had to earn to live a life style.

Radhika is married and she is a working woman. Family melodrama (the usual mother-in-law - daughter-in-law drama) Husband is working elsewhere and on his own trip.
Military uncle fought with his daughter-in-law and son... well... wants his daughter-in-law to stay at home and be a housewife. He now repents and wants to get back. Late realization L

Varoom and Shyam have created this website to help customers of Western Customers to solve most of there problems on the internet rather than calling the call center agents. Because of this site Connexion (the call center) has lost a lot of business. Varoom and Shyam are on a high and hope that this would give them a break that they deserve.
Bakshi, the boss only manages his career but is responsible for Connexion.

The most memorable Night
Priyanka spilled the news that she is getting married to Ganesh, a software engineer from Microsoft (US). Everyone was excited except our very own Shyam. He made arrangements to tap all calls from the emergency landline where Ganesh called Priyanka.

Every now and then Shyam would dream about his past dates with Priyanka. Could he compete with Mr. Microsoft? Is he good enough? All thoughts would trouble never left him alone.

Varoom planned to play the role of an RJ, called Radhika’s husband and asked him to dedicate a song and flowers to the one he loves. Radhika’s husband said he wanted to dedicate this bouquet and a song to his girlfriend Payal. This shocked Radhika… and she did not know what to do? Anuj had been cheating on her.

Varoom proposed to Esha but to his vain Esha was more interested in her modeling career. When Varoom got to know that Esha had slept with an agent to get a break in a major fashion show he called her a slut and abused her. (The agent spent the night with her and said she was too shot to be selected to walk on the ramp. Did he not know that before he slept with her? Esha was furious and felt extremely guilty)

Bakshi took credit for the website that Varoom and Shyam built. He was moving to Boston and decided to cut 40-50% of the staff.

The word of GOD and life changed since then.
Know what you want to do
Self belief/confidence
Just do it attitude and God will always be with you
Failure is the stepping stone to success

Varoom and Shyam decided to quit and start there on Web Design business, Priyanka decided that Shyam was the one she knew and loves and wants to spend the rest of her life with him, Radhika decided to divorce her husband and start her new life, Esha started to do social service in the mornings and work at the call center in the night and Military Uncle got to the US with his family. Esha and Varoom were dating.

Bakshi was screwed. Varoom and Esha sent out a mail from his computer to Esha… asking for sexual favor to promote her. They blackmailed Bakshi and got their revenge… “POOR” Bakshi had to do everything that these guys asked for. J.

Brighter Side of things

2005-12-21T05:47:00.000+05:30

The IT Capital of India, the Drunken Town, and the Garden City.... are we talking about Bangalore? Yes we are. Bangalore has a cosmopolitan culture and is a great place to live. "Nama Benguluru"

Today, Bangalore is know for traffic jams, horrible infrastructure and to top it all the Congress led government is not interested in improving the situation.

Can/Should we rate Bangalore only on just two parameters 'Traffic and Infrastructure'? Should we look at the brighter side of things? I think we should.

It was early in the morning in Mahatma Gandhi Park on MG Road... I was on my way for a morning walk. An elderly lady in her late 70's said it is such a beautiful morning and that she is blessed to be in a place as beautiful as Bangalore.

This incident made me realize that there is lots to Bangalore that we ignore and just crib about what is not good but we should realize that 'The cup is half full not half empty'. We should also look at the brighter side of things.

Women on top

2005-11-01T16:10:00.000+05:30

'Women on top', we find more and more women financially independant ,self reliant and brimming with confidence.

Is it then wrong or a sin to be a homemaker? I have seen my mom. She has always been a homemaker, made a lot of sacrifices for her kids and family. Her family was and still is her world.
She used to spend a lot of time teaching and taking care of my sister and me but as we grew up things changed. My sister and I could handle things on our own and mom would provide us with moral and emotional support.

Today my sister is married and I am working... we are busy in our own world. I work five days a week and spend time with my friends, mom and dad on weekends. My mom feels really bored during the weekdays... although she helps my dad in the shop she feels that if she had worked after she got married she would have been busy and financially independant. I can sometimes see that she repents... does not mean that she is not happy but a thought that is always on her mind what if...?

I want to spread this message to all the women in this world. Work and make a career for yourselves and also be a homemaker. Its good to take care of the family but then its more important to keep yourself occoupied and busy.

Don't know how to swim...Just Jump into the pool.

2005-09-23T16:35:00.000+05:30

Its just not about swimming. Its about anything and everything in life. There are so many times I have thought I want to do something and I end up not doing anything about it. Once I see someone I know do it I then start... its a late start and does it say something about my personality.

I wonder what stops me as a person... does anyone feel the same. Am I not a self believer... can anyone answer my question...? How can I get out of it... ?

Its been the same with shares, horse riding,..., don't know what but I guess I have to get over it and do something to make have a positive outlook in life.

Investing in a Bullish Market

2005-08-25T15:42:00.000+05:30

With the Sensex at an all time high are retail investors confused (what to invest in, what to sell and what to buy), are in danger of loosing their investments? The stock market is unpredictable anything can happen but every analyst would say

'Invest in a company whose fundamentals are strong'.

But then how do we take advantage of market sentiment? Make a quick buck but not at the risk of loosing our hard earned money. I guess it’s not possible to have the cake and eat it too.

What Retail investors fail to realize is that

1. Institutions are index movers and have access to information and research inputs.
2. Market prices are not indicators of the fundamentals of a company.
3. Market is speculative and not rational. There is no fixed formula... at times its better not to determine a formal process or formulae because it just does not exist.

It is difficult to choose a stock at this stage and very difficult to differentiate between good and bad investments. It’s a difficult line to tread. I guess at this stage the best option is to get some professional help[analysts, stock brokers...].

I am no analyst but these are some stocks with great fundamentals.

1. ABB [Read Outlook Money for detailed information on this stock]
2. Bajaj Hindustan [It doing great and has a great prospect, good business model and demand]
3. ICICI Bank [Speculative]

Come join us - Be a Part of 'Mensa'

2005-08-17T09:26:00.000+05:30

[Advt] Mailing List for mensa Aspirants in Bangalore

As you may be aware, testing in Bangalore for admission to mensa has been on hold for a while now. However, we are looking to conduct at least one test before the end of this year (2005).

Unlike previously, tests will require pre-registration and will not be held every month. Our current target is to have 2-3 tests every year. Hence it is important for aspirants to be well informed about proposed tests.

We have created a new e-group for the same which is at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mblr_aspirants/. It would be great if you would forward this information to anyone who may be interested in appearing for the mensa test so that they can join as a member of the group. The group is moderated i.e, only the moderator can post and members cannot see other member's details, so nobody needs to fear spam as a result of joining the group.

Related Link: mensa india (bangalore) Official Website

Moving on in Life

2005-08-04T12:28:00.000+05:30

So far its just been stocks, vat, steve jobs,..., dreams... now its bit about my work life.

I was with ThoughtWorks for the past two years(2003-05). It was a great place to work. What made my experience so wonderful?? The people around me... helpful, passionate about Technolgy, friendly.

Opportunities are every where... just depends on how you make use of these opportunities. 'Some are lucky' - they are at the right place at the right time with the correct frame of mind whereas 'others are not lucky' - not at the right place at the right time.

I probably did not make use of some of the opportunities that came my way in ThoughtWorks. Probably because I was scared... What did I learn - never give up and never believe that you cannot do anything. Just take it up and go ahead. If you dont take it up at the right time its gone and you will feel left out.

I am now at SAP Labs. Have taken up a challenge to try something different in life. So far its been development on Java/J2EE... Here in SAP I will be playing a TechnoFunctional Role. Something different and my designation is 'Solution Management Specialist'.

I have been told that I would be involved in developing prototypes which if approved moves on to development. Not sure how things would be but sounds very interesting.

I joined SAP on 20th July. I have been through the induction program. The induction program was great. We were a group of 20 people who joined together. It was so much fun... meeting new people, making new friends, learning and sharing experiences... I had a blast. Should say interesting and good people to meet and spend time with.

Today I have finally joined my team. Everything seems so new... I miss the training and how I wish I was there. Laughing and talking with everyone... Training was fun I want to be there.

All For Love - Steve Jobs.

2005-06-27T18:29:00.000+05:30

An inspiring story of Steve Jobs.

"I was lucky - I found what I loved to do early in life. Woz and I started Apple in my parent's garage when I was 20. We worked hard, and in 10 years Apple had grown from just the two of us in a garage into a $2 billion company with over 4,000 employees. We had just released our finest creation - the Macintosh - a year earlier, and I had just turned 30. And then I got fired. How can you get fired from a company you started? Well, as Apple grew we hired someone who I thought was very talented to run the company with me, and for the first year or so things went well. But then our visions of the future began to diverge and eventually we had a falling out. When we did, our Board of Directors sided with him. So at 30, I was out. And very publicly out. What had been the focus of my entire adult life was gone, and it was devastating.

I really didn't know what to do for a few months. I felt that I had let the previous generation of entrep r e n e u r s down - that I had dropped the baton as it was being passed to me. I met with David Packard and Bob Noyce and tried to apologize for screwing up so badly. I was a very public failure, and I even thought about running away from the valley. But something slowly began to dawn on me - I still loved what I did. The turn of events at Apple had not changed that one bit. I had been rejected, but I was still in love. And so I decided to start over.

I didn't see it then, but it turned out that getting fired from Apple was the best thing that could have ever happened to me. The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again, less sure about everything. It freed me to enter one of the most creative periods of my life. Don't Lose The Faith DURING the next five years, I started a company named NeXT, another company named Pixar, and fell in love with an amazing woman who would become my wife. Pixar went on to create the worlds first computer animated feature film, Toy Story, and is now the most successful animation studio in the world. In a remarkable turn of events, Apple bought NeXT, I returned to Apple, and the technology we developed at NeXT is at the heart of Apple's current renaissance. And Laurene and I have a wonderful family together. I'm pretty sure none of this would have happened if I hadn't been fired from Apple. It was awful, but I guess the patient needed it. Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick.

Don't lose faith.

DURING the next five years, I started a company named NeXT, another company named Pixar, and fell in love with an amazing woman who would become my wife. Pixar went on to create the worlds first computer animated feature film, Toy Story, and is now the most successful animation studio in the world. In a remarkable turn of events, Apple bought NeXT, I returned to Apple, and the technology we developed at NeXT is at the heart of Apple's current renaissance. And Laurene and I have a wonderful family together.

I'm pretty sure none of this would have happened if I hadn't been fired from Apple. It was awful, but I guess the patient needed it. Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick. Don't lose faith. I'm convinced that the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did. You've got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don't settle."

It is a very interesting and inspiring story of Steve Jobs. Always follow your dream. Don't be scared its worth the effort and always rememeber

'Winners never quit and quitters never win.'

If you are not happy where you are and want to try something different go for it. Enjoying what you are doing is the key to sucess and happiness.

Practical Vs Romantic

2005-06-24T15:46:00.000+05:30

Is it possible to be practical and romantic at the same time? Will life in the 'fast lane' force you to be practical?

In this world there is no time to be romantic. Probably thats the reason why many people love 'love stories'. Titanic, DDLJ, Adicted to Love have always interested everyone. Who does not want to romance? Experience 'true love'?

A hectic work life, odd working hours... well what can you expect... practical people around.

So what does it take to be romantic
1. A bit of free time.
2. No fear of being hurt.
3. Leave all the worries and problems else where - 'enjoy the moment'
4. Appreciate your partner and just be patient.

Its good to be practical but once in a while be romantic... romance is not just in movies... real life romance is fun and it has an every lasting effect.

Stock Markets - A mystery to solve

2005-06-10T16:14:00.000+05:30

Stock Markets are a mystery. Can anyone solve this mystery?

Can anyone understand Stock markets? People who claim are liars.

I have started to invest in the stock market and have been wondering what is going on? Why are the stock prices going up or going down. - 'Understanding trends'. Can I understand treands? I guess not.

Anyone who thinks can understand the stock market just tell me how Wipro market price moved from 624 to 734 in just a week. I tried to understand the reson behind it but could find none.

My friend Chirdeep Sheety... told me to invest in Tata Infotech as he had inside information and that the stock price would increase by 20%. 'Insider Information' - makes a difference...??

Stock Markets are based more on sentiment than on common sense.

Online Affairs

2005-06-01T09:39:00.000+05:30

"role of the Internet in the future will be as a source of affairs."

Women in a chat room are often surprised at what develops in a fairly short period of time. At first the conversation is stimulating, though flirtatious. Quickly, however, women are often confronted with increasingly sexual questions and comments. Even if the comments don’t turn personal, women find themselves quickly sharing intimate information about themselves and their relationships that they would never share with someone in person.

reference : http://www.probe.org/docs/onlineaffairs.html

It is an interesting article and a must read... but I have been wondering...

Is it all about 'SEXual affairs' ? Do Emotional Affairs exists? Is the INTERNET an important source of Emotional Affairs?

I feel that Emotional Affairs are a big threat to existing relationships.

Most people have very busy schedules... (working couples... when one is free the other is not... can you blame them?) People feel lonely and try to find other means of entertainment... someone to talk to... to share their problems and views... mailing, chatting and the saga continues. The people involved develop an emotional relationship.... An Emotional Affair.

No relationship can compete with a cyberaffair. Its all a fantasy... taking you away from the reality.

Life in the 'Fast Lane'

2005-05-13T11:29:00.000+05:30

After reading Archana's blog entry on Quater Life Crisis I have been thinking about other things that bother us(People in their twenties).

"Being Twenty-Something" syndrome... as she puts it is an interesting phenomenon.

Job insecurity, growth within the organization, competition from peers and striving to maintain the right balance are some of the problems that people in this group face.

I feel that the basic problem lies with a fast pace of life and the concept of 'Survival of the Fittest'. Everyone here is trying to out pace the other...

In this 'Fast Lane' many people have to cope with insecurity-security, depression-happiness, sadness-happiness... and this cycle continues. There are some people who are sucessful at an earlier part in their life and seem to be moving towards it while others seem to be strugling. Some struggle... Why face these issues and why struggle... there is an alternative... read on 'Take Your Time'. [An article from Times Of India]

TAKE YOUR TIME

GenX is challenging speed with the slow movement. More people are now enjoying the small pleasures of life

EVERYONE’S in the fast lane. But faster is not always better. It’s something some people the world over are finding out, albeit slowly. In this age of time-bankruptcy, the need for speed in everything we do, be it eating, working, or even family time, is taking its toll on the quality of life. But a silent, yet strong movement is looking speed in the face and teaching people to take time to experience things and savour whatever they do. It’s called The Slow Movement; it advocates quality living, getting more from life and of course, taking it slow.

The Slow Movement is extending to various aspects of life and is gaining more followers. It has been active for a while in Europe and is picking up in America with initiatives like Take Back Your Time. Carl Honore, writer, selfconfessed ‘recovered speedaholic’ and author of the bestseller In Praise of Slow(ness): How a Worldwide Movement Is Challenging the Cult of Speed, is considered the unofficial ambassador of the slow movement. He had his epiphany while reading about a book of one-minute bedtime stories, which he wanted to buy for his son. He has said, “The movement is not ab o u t d o i n g everything at a snail’s pace, or returning the world to some sort of pre-industrial utopia. It’s about regular people who want to live better in a fast-paced, modern world. This is why the Slow philosophy can be summed up in a single word: balance.” In his book, Honore cautions not to confuse “slow” with “sloth”.

SLOW FOOD:
The Slow Food Movement is one of the most popular slow movements and began in Italy in 1986. Slow Food urges people to rediscover the flavours of regional cooking. Slow Food advocates both healthy ingredients in cooking as well as taking time to e n j oy meals. Says re s t a u r a - teur Arjun Sajnani, “I agree with the concept. In fact, a good meal should take about two hours on an average, from start to finish. I budget two hours per table at my restaurant. I tell myself and my chefs to cook food slowly and make even the preparation an enjoyable experience. I would love to slow down more.”

SLOW CITIES:
Slow Food encouraged the birth of the Slow Cities (Cittaslow) movement. Besides encouraging slow food, slow cities advocate recovery and reuse methods to maintain and develop the charm of their surrounding area and urban fabric. Cycling and walking are part of the activities encouraged by the slow city movement to improve the quality of life of their citizens. Says A r v i n d Krishnan, head of a life enrichment centre, “I’m totally convinced about the slow city movement. I would love to see people spend more time doing things they love. Long lunches may not be practical though.” SLOW SEX: When rock icon Sting boasted of hours of Tantric sex with his wife, eyebrows were raised. Is slow good even in sex? Tantric sex is an integral part of the slow sex movement which is all about the art of unhurried lovemaking. “When you slow down and enjoy sex, it spills into various aspects of your life. That can only make life better,” says a counsellor.

SLOW ACTIVITIES:
There’s also a slow return to slower activities like therapy-holidays, meditation, tai chi, knitting and stitching, where the pace is yours and you are not cramming things into a time slot. Says yoga expert Sridhar Rao, “It’s good to take it slow, especially with such activities as you don’t feel stressed out. Relaxation and stretching are as good as any fast-paced activity.” Various towns abroad have also adopted go-slow movements where shops sell local artisan’s wares and use locally grown foods at restaurants. Some cities are also putting cars in back alleys by designing pedestrian-friendly roadways in their neighbourhoods.

VAT - The complete story

2005-05-09T17:27:00.000+05:30

Basics of VAT After having explained it to too many people ..... finally decided to write about it so I can ask them to read this first and then get back if they have doubts.

What is VAT?
VAT(Value Added Tax) is an indirect tax (2 types of taxes : direct(Eg:income tax) and indirect (custom duties, sales tax))with the following objectivesmake the country a common market (i.e. reduce disparity due to state/decentralized taxes and have just federal taxes)simplify the tax structure, reduce loopholes and hence fraudulent practices.

How does it work?
In the existing system, each time the goods leave the factory, the manufacturer pays excise.For example, when you buy a shirt, you have paid excise on a pro rata basis over the entire chain of production. When cotton is spun into yarn and leaves the factory, the factory pays Rs 100 as excise.When the mill leaves the yarn into cloth and sells it to the shirt maker, he pays Rs 200 as excise; when the shirtmaker sells it to the wholesaler, he pays Rs 400 as excise; and whenyou buy the shirt at Rs 300, you have paid proportionately for the entire chain of excise paid, plus sales tax. A VAT will tax only the value addition in the final product. The cloth maker will get a refund of Rs 100 for the tax he paid to the yarn manufacturer. He in turn pays only Rs 100 as tax. The shirt maker will get a credit of Rs 200, and his net outgo is Rs 200 and so on. The customer may get this benefit passed on in a competitive market.

Why is VAT necessary?
VAT makes it necessary for traders and businessmen to keep proper records of their sales and purchases. Under the system, no exemptions will be given and a tax will be levied at each stage of manufacture. At each stage of the value-addition, the tax levied on the inputs can be claimed back from the tax authorities. VAT avoids the problem of under-valuing (to evade taxes) as all stages of production and distribution are subject to tax.

Why protests?
1. Small businessmen and traders fear the VAT as many of them have thrived on the loopholes in the current system and have avoided paying taxes.
2. Being a complex system it may create confusion initially.States are protesting as they fear the loss of revenue.
3. A centralised tax can mean less income for the states (Reason why states are delaying the implementation of VAT).

Why protests (a different perspective)?
1. Corrupt Government Departments fear a loss of revenue (primary bribes as everyone’s records are clear).
2. VAT for most goods will be 4% but for how long? VAT would be increased to 12%
3. Implementation issues.

There exists different ways to implement VAT but the main issue faced is: 'Revealing profit margins'[Adding tax on the Value Addition].

Hence this leads to only one solution... Tax paid by any one in the chain (trader, manufacturer or raw-material supplier) is equal to 'Tax Collected On Sales - Tax paid on Purchases'.

Hence eliminating the problem of revealing profits and cascading effect of tax.

'Just need an Idea'

2005-05-07T18:05:00.000+05:30

In my previous blog I spoke about Suhas.

Lets take him as an example to explore on 'just need an Idea'.

A bit of history, Suhas was born in Yearcaud and studied in Montfort Anglo Indian Higher Secondary School(1.3 lacs/year). Has spent a long time in Yercuad... far away from the city and in the wild. He had spent his free time exploring the place.

He then moved on and settled in Bangalore. The land of opportunity but was soon bored with the fast pace of life. He decided to settle in Yercuad. Bought land about 12km from the Yercuad city and started his own plantation growing coffee, oranges and pepper(oak trees for support). He also decided that he would operate as a Trek guide and to organise group activities[company outings]. His wife sells pickels, jams, chocolates and organises lunch/dinner for the group.

Meeting new people and developing a business apart from his plantation. 'Just need the right idea'. I wanted to use him as an example to let people know there is more to life than IT. Opportunities are in plenty... be on the look out.

'YERCAUD'

2005-05-06T16:44:00.000+05:30

'YERCAUD' is a hill station in Tamil Nadu in Salem District.

A place with history, scenic views and just 240KM from Bangalore. It is known for Coffee Plantations and Orange Groves. The lofty hills of extraordinary scenic beauty is endowed with a salubrious climate.

Thought that I needed a break and we left to Yercaud for the weekend. The journey was a dream.(the roads, the weather and the car(Qualis)).We stayed at Yercuad International, reasonably priced(Rs. 500 for a double bed room) and well maintained but the location was not appropriate.

Yercaud a place to go on a holiday... I thougt 'no way'. Boating we could do that in Ulsoor and Sankey Tank. Why go all the way to Yercaud and row a boat. Life could definitely be more exiting and wonderful but 'day one' was way to boring.

Day Two, met this Guy Suhas. Marketing at its best... this guy new how to build relationships and build Yercaud as a brand. He runs a plantation(Coffee, Pepper and Oranges). Apart from that he organises treks and group activities and has organised numerous group activities for IT majors. His wife organises food for these groups. Its an all in one package. She also makes pickels, jams and chocolates. The trek was great and it made my day.

If every you go to Yercuad and would like to Trek contact Suhas and go for the 6 hour trek.

Suhas(GO2). 513,
Lady Seat Road,
Yercaud - 636601Salem District,
Phone number: 04281-222741.
email: koc@eth.net

Its good to know someone who knows the place and who could make the trip memorable.Am I marketing Suhas ?? Not really I was really impressed with the way he could market himself.