Thumb impressions, Tiny URL, Dictinoary, Gil Schwartz

I am glad to be back on blogging after a week's gap as I was away last Sunday evening for some shopping and couldn't get time to blog. So feels good to be back.

I was amazed to read this story of a Florida, USA, bank insisting on a thumb impression of a man who has no hands to cash his cheque. You think you will hear such stories in this part of the world. Looks like the" crow is black" every where as they say in India, Kawwa Kaala Hi.

Tiny URL is a good feature to use when you have to shorten the URL which are lengthy. More so when you have to use it in Twitter or other microblog or send as link in email. It shortens and cuts it to less than 10 characters.

Google has done it again, The new Google dictionary is amazing to translate meanings. Not only that it gives meanings in various context of word and gives example. I tried features in my mother tongue Tamil and found it fascinating.

Bing, Stanley aka Gil Schwarz, (Bing, not the search engine) has come out with a new book, and has done a great podcast with Wayne on CMM. Give a listen. Bing writes fantastic column on Fortune and blogsite. Wayne in another podcast called Working week has covered the link between environmental sustainability and employee engagement in a conversation with Jagan Nemani. Give it a listen.

Mike and Mark have come out with a fabulous podcast on DISC Behavioral profile downfall and have covered HighC this week. Eureka, that is it.....

Gina Trapani, some time has written an excellent blog post in HBR on throw away your business card and create your GOOGLE Profile. Very true. I have done my Google profile . Of course, GOOGLE exposes you on all about you or what others write about you as this case study "We googled you" indicates.

Ok, Untill next week, take it easy and take care; live consciously.

Regards
Karthik

Education, Scandal, Steve Jobs,2611

Education access is an universal right for every one. I recollect reading some time back that Indian government passed a bill making basic education a fundamental right. In that connection, reading goes as a part of education. So I was amazed to see the SLS Planet read effort by subtitling film songs/ programs which would make people read and improve learning. This is common sense as one might say, but how many common sense ideas get implemented??.

So on to some of the scandals I came across this week.
1) 112 Year old man marrying 17 year old girl in Somalia- Mother of all scandals I guess!!..
2)Read the scandal by Tony Young in duping investor funds. The modus operandi was too common and wonder how people fall for it...

You can love him, you can hate him, you can forget him, but you cant Ignore him. Steve Jobs is back. He has been chosen as Fortune's CEO of the decade. You have to agree, the Ipod, The Iphone and Macs.. What is next? Just cant wait, made music a common access. My son was on for a music recording for his school program yesterday and he got a feel of Mac Pro tools 8.0 for that and says that MAC a thing to have.

This week on Friday will be the First anniversary of the Bombay Seize. Time flies. But you wonder any significant learning has happened and the sense of security has improved. It is time to ask the questions and see if we get answers. Meanwhile I share the grief, memory for the departed. Vir Sanghvi has written a great article.

Ok, until next week, take it easy and take care; live consciously.
Regards
Karthik.

Drucker,9 ways, Kalashnikov,Fitbit,

This week is the 100th Birth anniversary of Peter Drucker. I am sure we are very lucky that Like Gandhi, Drucker was amongst us and helped us to charter a way forward in management. As I read more and more of other authors on management issues, I see the fundamental concepts all boil from Drucker. We are blessed. Interesting would be his thoughts on today's chaos......

Read an interesting article by Liz Ryan on 9 ways to find a perspective employer. Yes, some of it are common sense and practically known in this part of the world like reaching early to find latent aspects, linkedin aspects. Good thoughts.....

With Google wave mania catching here is a practical guide written by Gina Trapani. She covers practical aspects in office work in HBR as well as in her blog called Lifehacker which is a good read. On HBR this article why parents make a great manager, was a good one.....

This week marks the 90th Birthday of Mr Kalashnikov the inventor of AK 47. The weapon yes, has taken lives, but brought more peace I guess. He was my childhood hero.. So salute.....

Yes, It is good to see Linkedin connected to Twitter, but no use in this part of the world as many service providers don't provide twitter connect so just dream.......Also many company firewalls bar twitter.....

Just got the fortune print article which has recognised Steve Jobs as Fortune CEO of the decade. Great accolade. The man has revolutionised digital waves.... Hopefully he takes it to next level on digital reads.....

I leave this week with FITBIT the device that can measure your movements and give feedback. Wish it comes sooner to this part of the world.

Till next week, take it easy and take care; live consciously.
Regards
Karthik.

Qacks, Disagreement, Students, Readit forme.

When I was 12 years old in my 7th Grade, I had allergic rashes on my body (reason never known) and my grandmother immediately suggested that I go the Quack to get it treated. Nothing came out of the roadside treatment after 12 hrs, my dad decided to take me to alopathic Doctor in Karaikudi(Far and few that time) and I was Ok in 6 Hrs. This CNN article on the quacks reminded me of that. The other side is the way the medical costs are skyrocketing this way of treatment would be beyond reach for many average Indians.......

Mike and Mark again have done it again. While you may have disagreements with your boss and it will be big joke if you had not had one over time(then it is career derail). They have come out with a fantastic podcast on how to disagree with your boss. I would even take this to work out over my children and family and friends based on this article when to shut up.

Here is an interesting piece on advice supposedly given by Bill Gates to Children. (of course now confirmed that he is not the source). Good thoughts to pass on to children regardless of source.

Came across this website Readitforme gives summary of best books released to go thro on a video. Also liked the web page Aggregated Alltop as a good source to read all threads in one page.

OK, till next week, take it easy and take care; live consciously.

Regards
Karthik.

Wave,Online Hazard, 100 working, Slip, Sleep.....

I received yesterday morning the email invite for the Google wave, the collaboration tool and a communication tool from Google Inc. I must admit that I am pretty excited about it as it leads to explore on topics and people whom you would never have known. It looks good, let's see. The only hitch is there are only 20 Invitations to give away to connect to your wave. I hope the number increases as the system stabilizes.

I have heard people working till 70s, 80s that is all fine, here is a story of an Attorney in Texas coming in to office and working, guess his age!! Yes, 101.... Read on. At half his age, I am already feeling on some days that office is boring and what could be done differently to bring excitement in to work.
This is a shocker of a story in which a person who was doing online dating was killed.... I am sure many such incidents of fraud, cheat etc must be happening, but to kill some one for gain is horrendous!... Never thought that online could be such a hazard.

This is a classic case of slip between the cup and lip. Recently heard a interesting experience from a friend. After attending a job interview a job offer was received. Up on discussions, with not being very happy on terms and conditions and benefits and further negotiations, the company sent revised terms in which the cash component was much much less than initial offer as well as what is offered in present job. Both stuck to their guns and offer vanished!!!... Classic slip case.... So watch out.......

I leave you with the sad story of the passing away of the SAP India CEO aged 42 due to massive cardiac arrest this week. What kind of saddened me was his belief that 4 hours of sleep was enough to keep going. I recollect reading HBR article on sleep deficiency- a killer. Wonder if there are connections?...... May his soul rest in peace. I guess corporate needs to focus on this and do something as well as CEOs set an example. This is also a case for work life balance or choice.....

Till next week, take it easy and take care; live consciously.
Regards
Karthik.

Diwali 2009. Articles with Impact.

Glad to share snaps of the DIWALI Celebrations at Renaissance Park III. We had a great time at our home on this joyous occasion. This time it was a simple get together as less than 20 families have moved in. We hope others move in soon.....

I thought of listing 5 articles I read which has an impact on me.....

Managing Oneself Peter Drucker.

What great Managers do? Marcus Buckingham

Manage your energy not time. Tony Schwartz

Who has got the MONKEY
Lary Bossidy- Honeywell. (Allied Signal). A Job No CEO should Delegate

Bonus
Process audit Michael Hammer.

Overwhelmed, Leap, Portfolio,Charity

I am just pondering:-

1) Barrack Obama Nobel Prize, this was totally a bolt from the blue. I agree with the school of thought that the president is yet to deliver on results. Anyway, the decision is made as they say, past is history as is this year prize and we need to move on to await the Next Nobel Peace prize winner.

2) I was listening to Bahgavad Gita discourse by Swami Chinmayananda in my IPOD as I do every weekend 2 to 4pm. I was listening to the Chapter 11, in which Lord Krishna takes VISHWAROOPAM to show his full form to Arjuna. I am still to recover from the explanation and its manifestation. If hearing only makes me go in AWE, I just wonder what it must have been for the Mighty solider on the battle field.

I listened to Wayne Turmel on chat with Rick Smith on LEAP. It is a very thought provoking podcast. It covers three aspects as interface of Creativity, Excecution and Leadership. I undertook the test.

Came across, intersting info on the hedgeable award for worst investment fund award.

Also this article touched me on charity being done by N KRISHNAN at Madurai. He feeds about 1000 invalid/ mentally handicapped people in and Around the temple down. I am doing my best to contribute.

Looking forward to DIWALI celebrations less than a week away.

Till next week, take it easy and take care; Live consciously.
Regards
Karthik.