Travel Photos

I am back from a week's trip to Europe. I thought of capturing some of the photo moment of this and last trip up there.

Lake GENEVA, Rolle, CH. Background Hill is EVIAN Village (Water brand)

Lake Geneva view from Casino resturant Rolle.

Another view

TRAFFORD CENTER ENTRANCE MANCHESTER( Last trip I Qtr).

Manchester view from People History Mueseum

River TAME Passing thro the city

Snake and Ladder in Science People Mueseum.

Tallest Building in Manchester

Picture drawn on wall in RAIL Museum

No ELECTRICITY IN WORLD BUT FOR JJ THOMPSON; INVENTOR OF "ELECTRON" At Manchester university

Hotel WALL reminds us the must for them.

TRAFFORD CENTER

NEW ORLEANS SECTION of food Joint, Trafford Center

Inside Trafford Center

 

POSTING

Just to let you know, due to strech for time to post blogs, I have moved mainly to Twittter. PL follow my tweets at @KARAIKUDY.

I post my thoughts there. Hope to blog once in a month atleast. Should find time.

Take care
Karthik.

My IPAD APPS.

It had bee a while since I had posted Blogpost. Ofcourse, I have been active on Twitter and Linkedin/ facebook. Microblogging is the order of the day. I would do a serious attempt to post 2 to 3 posts a month. 

I thought of sharing the Ipad APPS which I found exciting.

I assume you all have OS 4.2 on Ipad to create/ use folders and capture and sort apps like News, Finance, Business, Management etc. So the interface looks clean.
http://www.apple.com/ios/
The apps I have in Ipad is listed below, for inf. Each is under folder at present.

Hope this is of help.

1. Time
2. BBC
3. NPR
4. Fox News
5. USA Today
6. Washington Post.
7. Huffington post
8. Telegraph
9. Newsweek
10. IHT
11. NY Times
12. News Pro
13. Flipboard
14. CNN
15. NEWS 360

1. CNN Money
2. WSJ
3. Business Week
4. Fortune
5. Bloomberg

1. Linkedin
2. Twitter
3. BirthdayPro
4. StumbleUopn

1. Drucker News
2. Motivation Quotes.
3. HBR tips
4. Organisation Behaviour
5. Manager Tools
6. Leadership
7. MIT SMR

1. The Economist
2. Intelligent life

1. Time zone
2. Compass
3. Speed test
4. Calculator
5. My Converter
6. Files XT
7. Whiteboard
8. Evernote ( A MUST HAVE).
9. Night Stand.
10. Pendrive Pro
11. Find Iphone/ Ipad

1. Stanza (Master app to read books).
2. IBooks
3. Book Search
4. Holmes
5. Kindle.

1. Google
2. G Talk
3. Pandora Box
4. Sticky Notes
5. Browser
6. Currency Converter.

1. Dictionary (english).
2. Nightowl ( Browser for night reading).
3. HBR reads
4. Box.Net
5. ESPN CRICINFO.

1. Al Jazeera ( I phone app works in IPad)

1. NewsHunt (Indian News).

1. FStream ( Radios)
2. StreamAll (Radio)

Service, Feedback, Drive, Reading, Shared value.

POST 191

Today, I had officials from a nationalised bank visiting our Apatment complex for a campaign to offer their banking services. How much things have moved over the past 15 years.!!! When you visited these banks, the delay, lethargicity were very notorious in those times. I think competetion drives people to improve and sustain excellence. The officers were professional, courteous. I am thinking of working out some transactions which could be mutually beneficial to us.  

I also realised the importance of feedback and how it is like breathing. I was in one of the non work related meetings. There were issues when raised the issue took a personal turn. I was quick to point out to people that if they have issues with any one (Me Included), they need to give feedback on those issues immediately, rather than bottling it and bursting out. It needs to involve, 1)the behaviour, 2)the effect and consequence and 3)what can be done differently. All it is needs is to work that way and it doesnt get personal. It is such a simple thing like breathing and feedback should become a natural process.

Yesterday, the Bangalore Bandh due to the political tug of war between Governor and the Government took it's toll on the normal activities. School exam postponed, traffic came to standstill. Our maid was literally chased away by baton charging police and some how she managed to escape the beating. Gandhi's way of civil disobidience was ok in a ag based, rural India where impact on issues were less and ofcourse, British were very sensitive to issues and treat the opponent with dignity. Moreover, the courts have termed bandh illegal. Wonder what is being done to put that in to action thro legislation etc. I would assume nothing. All issues are forgotten here in medium/ long term as new urgent issues crop up.


I am going thro Dan Pink book, "DRIVE". This book is one of the life turning book for me. It talks about Intrinsic motivation. Type I and how rewards alone wont bring the change we want. It describes in Detail the Autonomy, Mastery and Purpose that are essential to internal drive. The 4 enablers---> Time, task, Team and technique to be explored. I am glad I could get a chance. This will help me a lot.

Another article, that captured my imagination was the Corporate way forward on Creating shared value by Porter/ Kramer. This gives the practical approach to address social issues and from an outiside perview of CSR. But the pity is that in a compliance driven environment and to meet numbers, I wonder, how many would take this giant leap to see a big picture to act like Leaders?????.....


The article on reading is basic to democracy touched me a lot. The present generation seems to have lost this art for whatever, reasons. I recollect grabing books, magazines like food and go thro and parents encouraged me a lot. That helped as I grow so as to pick an IPAD only for reading at ease.


At the homefront, last week we completed our 20th Wedding anniversary on 18th Jan. It was mostly smooth success all the way. I would attribute the success we had so far to empowering my wife to do anything she feels is right and I stand by her decision. On her side, she was very very generous and magnanimous to see large picture, long term and let issues go. It is all down to give and take. 

The other news is my daughter passed out the CA articleship entrance exam with a score of 125/ 200. What was intersting was the day she finished the exam and came home, she said she will get 125 and it was. What an amazing self confidence and judgement. Children of this generation are excellent in self analysis and do what they think very well.


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

School contact, roads,

POST 190

Wishing the folks a Happy and prosperous 2011. Better late than never. I was tied up with Personal travel and beginning of year tasks etc. Sundays kind of went in chasing and getting things done like car repair etc. By the time I write this, we are in to the middle of the Harvest festival Pongal, the festival of thanks giving to the Sun god, the Farmer.

I was in for a pleasant surprise when some of my school mates from Karaikudi got in touch with me. It has been 31 years (1980) since I passed out of Algappa Model Higher secondary school. I had given up hope of getting in touch with them as people had moved and my visits to Karaikudi to meet parents was kind of once a year for a day or less with practically no time to make contacts in person. Yes, it helps to have your profile in the social media like google profile, Linkedin, Facebook etc as people who do a search can ferret you out and make contact. This should now help us to find most of our school mates if not all. Feeling very good about it.

We make our annual visit to our family temple at Karisulnthamangalam PIN 627453 (KS Mangalam or Karisuzhntha Mangalam) in Thirunelveli district of TN. It is 5 km from famouse Pathamadai town. Last year we made it on 31st December and achieved the target of a visit every calendar year. One thing that impress me is the small towns are developing and standard of living are improving. For the first time, the temple priest indicated that he would like to wear a T-SHIRT(!) and we picked a couple of them for him. Unheard, 20 years back and also all the bank fund electronic transfer at the most rural of locations. Yes, Tech is changing lives.

We had the road in front of our Apartment, Renaissance PARK 3, (First main road, Malleswaram West) which was in worst condition redone after a year with lot of followup. The road was formally inaugurated by the Local MLA, Dr Ashwathnarayan, this week. This has given a rood drivable road, but the traffic will go mad due to various diversion putting children etc at risk.

Take it easy and take care; Live consciously.
Regards
Karthik.

Thommo, APPS, Books, Tapes.

Post 189
A friend was telling about how only a particular section of  function/ location/people were getting all the promotions/ growth in the organization. I had to tell him that there are some bias, halo effect that exist in organizations that can't be overcome easily. I recollect a comment from a famous Aussie cricketer who said, "you just try hard to play for New South Wales, playing for Australia is then very easy for they hand over Baggy Green to save envelope costs". ( I guess, It was Jeff Thomson).
This week also is the week in which the famous FIRST TIE Test at Brisbane happened. I was not born at that time, but I have heard so much from the previous generation. The result was confusion and some people missed the action including Commentator Alan McGilvary. I would think the 2005 Ashes England was the closest we have seen on such even contest.

For the Techies, the Top Ipad apps have been released, it is worth working these apps in your Ipad/ Iphone. 

Also the best 2010 Business books have been selected by 800-CEOREAD. The list contains 25 Books. Vineet Nayar's "Employee First, Customer second" had made it.  Chip and Dan Heath's SWITCH too makes it to the list.

Amazed at the OUTLOOK revelation today on the 800 more tapes on how corporate have manipulated politician / system.... More names are pulled out. People who were pretending saint have shown the ugly side. It was long suspected that there is a nexus, but never to this extent the manipulation. I always felt many of the issues in News TV here,were like character (Fiction!!) Edward Armstead's "ALMIGHTY"(Irwing Wallace) and I stayed away as much to Web for my news update. So I am proved right. News is created / manipulated.
I am daily voting for the PODCAST awards. The voting open until 14th Dec. This is our chance to pay back the gratitude for all the hard work the podcasters put in.


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

Black Friday, BMTC, Books, Test match sofa.

Post 188

So the Thanksgiving week is over indicating that the Holiday season has begun. Also this is the time for conducting Annual Performance review/ setting up goals. I am an ardent Mike and Mark, Manager tool fan. Following their advise over the past 5 years, this has become a routine affair for me. Work the MT goal (Measurable, Timely Goals).Performance review supporting documents prepared by spending 15 minutes a month to collect summary of each month and seamlessly integrating in to the final document. Thank you Manager tools.


As my car was involved in a minor road accident and I had to use public transport for attending a family event. This gave me an opportunity to explore Bangalore public transport buses for inter city commute for the first time.(more than 2 km ride changing buses i.e) I must confess, the experience was much better than what I had anticipated, the volvo buses, professional conductors, Air conditioned environment, All sitting protocol was good enough. The fare was also decent. Yes, the only condition is you need to have time on hand as the bus travels in fixed route and you cant take shortcuts to save time. The 15Km Journey took 2 hrs. ( Including 25 minutes for change of bus at bus station). Infrastructural inadequacy correction has some way to go!!... Let's see.


it is surprising that despite more than a year in to Indian operations, the Wall street journal has not been able to deliver same day delivery of the print journal here in Bangalore. I feel that the news paper/ journals are to be read in print to get a feel of having read. I hope WSJ India works something on this. I am also working for renewing my HBR subscription. This time HBR is offering only 2 year renewal at 47% discount. Looks like cost pressure is building up. But it is worth the renewing.

I heard an interesting podcasts on book review.
1) Spendshift, how the USA recession is seen as an opportunity to change spending pattern and lesson learned. The book SPENDSHIFT.
2) Riding the TIGER, How the adverse situation at Saytam was not allowed to escalate in to an enron, thus collapse of the company. Good learning. 



The Stanford Entrepreneurial Though leaders podcast threw some interesting topics.
Diego Piacentini, Senior VP of International Retail for Amazon, discusses the company's growth-centered business model, its global presence, and the strides it takes to sustain a successful customer experience. Piacentini also describes Amazon's innovative approaches to operations, mergers and acquisitions, and labor practices. 
Jennifer Aaker shares the power behind creating ideas that can build momentum. Through her research on the perception of happiness and meaning, Aaker describes how these concepts relate to a successful and powerful social media campaign.

So the Ashes are of to a cracking start, boy! What a first 4 days of test match. Swing of pendulum could be the best comparison. We are in for a cracking winter. This is the best thing that could have happened to Test Match cricket. I am indeed a bit saddened / disappointed for the absence of Radio commentary coverage to Asia/ Outside UK on test match special. I sincerely hope BBC does something to restart the radio coverage. It can help you to focus on task on hand without watching TV. I have also emailed my request to BBC. Hope something is worked before second test. In the meantime, I came across TESTMATCH SOFA, a website that dishes out audio ball by ball coverage to track.Good job done.


The IPAD version of economist is super, helps you to scan articles quickly. This is free app too for others.


Wayne Turmel's new website, Great web meeting is cool. Links to future webinars, excellent links to practical articles.


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

PS: Felt good to talk to my schoolmate after 31 years, he called from USA. Tech connects and helps you to find people.