Happy 2004 ! Time again face the challenges with a new perspective. When I think of perspectives, its New perspectives with new perceptions with new possibilities for better choices that would lead to improved outcomes. Motivational speaker, Phillip C. McGraw, writes, "If what you're doing isn't working, you might as well consider an alternative approach. You can start by admitting you may not know everything you need to in order to get what you want. Ask yourself right now: Do you really have a strategy in your life, or are you just reactively going from day to day, taking what comes? If you are, you simply aren't competitive."

Being competitive in life and in business means willingness to vision things from a different angle,letting go of preconceived ideas and perceiving other choices available,then being willing to try new approaches. Coz when once you are in a box, sure you're in a fix and Boxes are always comfy places. All one got to do is try to explore to stand and fight back to see Outside and this is when how we percieve, our choice determines and that's how we stand tall facing challenges - facing new varied 'Change' I guess, afterall!

May the new year Challenges bring in newer joys for all who dream...and your dream would precede the goal!

-ilaxi

Merry Christmas to people who pass this way my Blog.....

May Your Dreams Come True.......
May Happy hours and sweetest flowers be strewn along
Life's way for you, Unceasingly
And may the light of love burn bright As god's own stars
Which shine for you, Unchangingly!

May Peace be with you, me & us. Keep the faith.

- ilaxi

A human mind is like a parachute and it works when it is open hence being an optimist makes one feel a lighter situation at all times.

A spirutialist is the holistic feeling when there is strong faith. Faith dispels ignorance but there is no real spiritual walking through the path that God leads unless one do not possess 'sacrifice' - sacrifice of own pride and prejuce. It takes sacrifice to serve the needs of other people. It is not a conflict of religions trying to prove one religion the best over the other. God did made the universe but nevertheless he wanted the religions divided to rule! Afterall, all religions speak of one God and so, being spiritualistic is to believe in one god and follow his commandments to serve a big religion called Humanity. Being realistic is to 'Start with Yourself' A mind is filled with great ideas Good and Bad. Socrates once said "The greatest way to live with honor in this world is to be what we pretend to be, in reality, what we want others to think we are."

The book 'Keep your brain alive' by Lawrence Katz says that the routine living dulls our minds and hence, Creative expression gives brains a workout, activating new circuits in our grey matter. It builds in courage while attempting new things, shrugging off routine and trying something we're not already good at. To sum up, be realistic, be natural and be Creative 'Let the flow of creativity come natural and think like a genius. Be spontaneous and just Begin. Take the time and be prepared for a change. This is the Cup of Life. And then, Attitude It's all that 'Makes a Big Difference'

-ilaxi

It is said ‘You are the master of your own Thoughts. Your mind is a Thought Factory and you know your Interior self well as well as everybody’s exterior which people have made it beautiful. Exteriors are show pieces and can be deceptive.’ It is the first step to bring all the flowers to blossom and just be ‘yourself’. Life is corrupted by ambition and there is no other poison than this as it kills inner self and keep you breathing. Success becomes a great failure as ambition drifts you further and further to achieve – It is competitive as mind continuously find ways and means to win. It is tough path where one needs to be courageous and this is when we pick up the pearls scattered on the way. The goal is always there and all required is to grab the opportunities that your come your way or just shrug off accepting what may come and be ‘yourself’ exploring, experiencing, grabbing the moments of Awareness drink the wine of life!

-ilaxi

When it comes to negotiations, sometimes, somewhere we fail! Effective sales professionals, persuaders and negotiators are good at using both the 'Push and Pull Style methods.' The new generation B school training seems to be full of bugs coz what you never learn there is 'Communicating & Negotiating skills'. The fluency comes with business environments, developing human relationships and most specifically - practical approach. For a short term result, the push style approach is best. The tele marketing is the best example as with limited time available or rathar selling an on-spot consumer item with relatively low cost. On the other hand, where the financial commitment is higher and the product or service is such that there needs to be a long term commitment between the buyer and the seller, the Pull Strategy is fine. The buyer makes own decision and is self enforcing. If a customer is convinced, the risk of losing the sale is lower. In selling an Insurance policy, that's how Personal Accident policies are easier to sell with a quick info and low premiums but for a Life - Wheww, its a lot convincing the customer and showing him to follow the right track - of coz that's 'Safeguarding, a security' for his life and earning hefty commissions too!

December 2 marks the World Computer Literacy Day - a total spread of Computer Literacy to a mass of people all over the globe. Flagged for a start by Mr. Arun Shourie, Union Minister of Communication & Information Technology, the Campaign aims to train a total 2 Lac people on computers through its over 3800 education centers world wide. A major initiative taken by NIIT, this has met a greater support by Sify & Sify iway and a leading newspaper Times of India. With over 9 million PCs and over 20 million Internet users, it is becoming essential for users to be computer literate and World computer Literacy drive presents tremendous opportunity for bridging the digital divide as well as creating IT savvy people in home land for an advanced IT savvy Tech India.

On this WCLD, a concern: - Kids computing is like "electronically sugar-coated 'learning' that may spoil children's appetite for the main course." Encouraging children to "learn" by flitting about in a colorful multimedia world is a recipe for a disorganized and undisciplined mind sometimes. Kids should be encouraged to blossom and flower in a free atmosphere. Their development should be in their own capacities. Barry Sanders, Professor at Pitzer college, US says "good readers grow out of good recites and good speakers." Then, as a child matures, his success in reading and writing nurtures his "innermost, intimate guide, the self." So any threat to language and literacy may limit children's "inner voice" - their capacity to tell themselves stories and talks themselves through academic or other problems. Those who place their faith in technology to solve the problems of education should look more deeply into the needs of children. The renewal of education requires personal attention to students from good teachers and active parents, strongly supported by their communities. It requires commitment to developmentally appropriate education and attention to the full range of children's real, low-tech needs -- physical, emotional, social, and intellectual development.

So, its time to Beware, Be Aware, Brainstorm to activate the mind cells before its too late!!!

Is Computing Safe for kids??? Read here & share your views.
http://www.kidsfreesouls.com/compukids.htm

- ilaxi

Sometimes, B School Grads need to know that there's more to Organisation that just Strategies. You need People who will execute Big Ideas and for that you need to manage people and make them understand it's big-ness and importance. Recently, I read this book which might be useful to develop a Leader in you!

Developing the Leader Within You !

A leader is always Born and as far as the belief goes 'Leos are Born Leaders' - However, the concept of this Book by John Maxwell is Developing a Leader within. This requires a motivation, a vision and an influence as the writer shares the principles of management through real life anecdotes, charts and graphs. A truly inspiring book that reveals wiz ways to excel and be a Leader. Interesting strips portray Leadership qualities with real life examples and sure, this becomes a quick 'glance read' chirping the zeal in to strife for successive climb. I've always recommended Management Quotes book of Pramod Batra and so is this Book on top of my Charts. Influence always make a big difference and this book implies the influential tricks to scale high to be a leader. Maxwell's techniques prove to be genuine stuff and anyways, the picked topics speak wide :

1. Influence - Defining Leadership qualities
2. Attitude - It really makes a big difference
3. Positive Change - foster integrity and self-discipline
4. Priorities - Defining goals
5. Integrity & People - Developing ties

Becoming a person of Influence is another Book of Maxwell that is thought-provoking and a Leadership technique of 'Influence' pays big dividends in longer run. A worthwhile life lesson to boost up self confidence and keep on high spirits with 'Developing the Leadership qualities' by John Maxwell. A sure fire way to adopt the techniques and surface the best in you.

- ilaxi

Corporate India has been on a roll lately and no wonder with the Corporate Awards now on focus, there has been an encouraging growth in non refinery companies, steel firms, power and engineering, electrical equipment and metal industries. The export oriented sector, information technology and pharmaceuticals companies too have done well by improving their contribution to sales and profits. The upcoming Insurance Companies have boomed up lately with multinational companies setting their pace on a faster scale. Max New York eyes bigger market in Gujarat by expanding its operations in the State. The Gujarat market has contributed significantly to MNYL’S success who has already sold more than a 200,000 policies with a sum assured of Rs.8700 Crores. So is the Tata AIG General Insurance Company stepping ahead in General Insurance sector with many more companies like Aviva, HDFC and many private players kicking off.

I feel, apart from other factors, the biggest impact is the Advertising sector that fuels in sure fire profit growth for these companies. Indian corporate chiefs like Kumar Mangalam Birla, Mukesh Ambani, Gautam Singhania and international speakers like Marketing Guru Jack Trout, Management Professor C.K. Prahlad, Rajat Gupta etc. are expected to attend the four day AdAsia 2003 at Jaipur. The delegates are divided between admen, advertisers and media. This is indeed a step towards providing opportunities to Corporate Giants to scale to newer heights and as Mr. Advani said in the late Economic Times Awards Function “India cannot be called a developing nation anymore as it is no more ‘under develop’ but already a developed nation and by next five years, the results would speak for itself since more foreign companies would have their vision here in our land” Aren’t we witnessing the same? MNYL, TATA AIG in Insurance sector, Microsoft in Technology, Samsung & LG, Hyundais & Fords, etc.,have jump-started their Activities and more n more multinational companies stepping in the Indian corporate scenario.

- ilaxi

The current print media scenario in India is quite congested. The latest evidence comes from the plans being blueprinted right now in the backrooms of the India Today Group at its New Delhi headquarters to launch four lavishly illustrated lifestyle-oriented city magazines at Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata in the New Year. Each will be a stand-alone magazine catering to readers’ interests in that city. Seems, the proposed frequency, at least to start with, is going to be quarterly. Will there be enough readers? Will there be enough advertisers? India Today’s management is convinced that the answer to both questions is ‘Yes’ - And lo, with so many print and online newspapers, it sure gonna be too heavy doses of Reading - Information Age, afterall!

- ilaxi

Now that Diwali is gone, Commercialisation in a way over-shadowed the festive spirits in homeland. The competition is not only with products but seems the web too is flooded with lot of Competition too to keep going. Recently, we hear of the MSN Split - one to take control of Web communications while the other develops its information portal and targets growth in areas such as search technology and music services, it sure delivers the fact that Microsoft poured billions into the division to tackle emerging threats, MSN evolved into something of a hodgepodge of software and services managing everything from dial-up access, a Web portal and Hotmail to the MSN Messenger instant messaging service. It’s been also decided to invest in developing search services to challenge Google Inc.'s position as the Internet's top search engine.

Now the point is MSN – Talkcity, a once upon togetherness, broke off with Talkcity who headed for progress with its own chat rooms. MSN scrapped off all its homepages on msn and talkcity servers did the same, due to which, hard work of many hundreds of people went to dumps. I've been as HTCC (Home Team Community Crew-Cyber patrolling MSN-Talkcity Homepages) and have witnessed great changes at these two websites in past. Now MSN is heading for a swirl of change for ‘innovative at a more rapid space’ - as referred by David Cole, Sr. Vice president in charge of MSN. Thus, with ever changing, One only wonders IT sector is coming up to scale higher or finding new avenues to keep going? The five W’s (who, what, when, where & why) on the Internet is a continuous mystery as we lately foresee many IT professionals getting jobless in foreign land and newer opportunities focused in the same sector in homeland! Isn’t this the result that India is getting cheaper job work done saving millions of dollars of American companies – no doubt, IT field to boom up in India with more job opportunities esp. in Bangalore and Hyderabad. Remains to be seen, Will there be E-com boom or doom! Time will speak.

Do you have a say on this? Write to me @ ilaxi@sambhaav.com and sure, I would add your views on this blog. If you have an interesting Blog, I will add the same too.

-ilaxi

Blessed are those in whose hearts faith flows freely and whose dreams are shaped by their hopes with the heralding of the New Year, bringing in peace and happiness around us.

We wish all "A Happy Diwali & Happy New Year".
May your dreams turn true.

As the new year brings in new hope, A new law in the making will allow local authorities to haul up parents who don’t send their children to school and make people pay a fine for employing children.The provisions are part of The Free and Compulsory Education for Children Bill, meant to give teeth to the 86th constitutional amendment. The human resources development ministry hopes to introduce the new bill in Parliament in the Winter Session.

The draft bill proposes a web of bureaucracy to ensure that every child aged between six and 14 gets education — free if his parents can’t afford it — at a school or a centre of alternative education. Unless there is a "reasonable excuse," it says, "it shall be the duty of the parent and guardian of every child to cause the child to attend an approved school."

If they don’t, the parents will be sent an "attendance order" from the local authority. If they still don’t comply, the case will end up with a "conciliatory body" — say a village education committee, also proposed by the bill. If this doesn’t work out in two months, the local authority will take "necessary action."

In 1971, some 780 million people over the age of 15 were illiterate. The 25 poorest nations of the world have rates of illiteracy in excess of 80 percent. Now, as years roll, the illiteracy rate is getting lower but yet, there is dire need esp. for the children who labor for money work wee hours without getting any education. This is the right step now at the peak but one wonders Child Labor is widespread in India - Why India? Almost all over the world! The poverty has become a compulsion for many families that a child carries the work burdern instead of school books so as to earn the bread and butter for a living.

We cant change the world but sure, we can make a little difference by our action to Stop Child Labour and this action of The Free and Compulsory Education for Children Bill brings hopes for a winds of change!

Keep the faith

-ilaxi

Mind is simply a complex machine, which moves from ‘fast forward’ to ‘slow motion’ and even popping into ‘pause’ mode at times. Igniting the creative spark is overflowing of potentialities within to enjoy work to achieve a fulfillment. Time flies and the creativity turns into work mode. If this work becomes slogging, there comes pause mode with a neutral gear. This is the still point when we find ourselves entering into a state of ‘Let go’ doing just nothing, no thoughts, no work or any creativity. It leads to experience existence, the nature and enjoying the state of paradise with awareness. The mind is rejuvenated and back again to explore work with creativity to ultimate flowering.

So feel the pause, bloom to flower, Have fun this Diwali, keep the faith.

- ilaxi

As we foresee more American companies heading towards India for Investing, the cut in H1 Visa would no longer be a panicky issue. However there's a great awareness required for wide-spread IT literacy in India. Industry need not consider IT as a niche segment.On one hand, Internet is becoming a new vehicle for Diplomacy with the where various examples seen on internet shows the results. China has chosen quiety to remove Sikkim as a seperate country from its website to indicate the change and the decade old border conflicts ends with a small tweak in cyberspace. Earlier too, the Iraq war sparked off an online game at http://www.idleworm.com where toppling Saddam was easy part of the game. The risks of war were highlighted. Even the Infosys company quietly chose their to publish their statement against the sexual harrassment case. And there, the so-called Salam Pax, an mysterious Iraqi wrote a weblog from Baghdad making a sensational news reporting rare eyewitness accounts of war.

So, quite obvious, Indian companies yet need to brace up to face challenges.

- ilaxi

Virus is sprawling on the net. Not only with the malicious attachments but in the minds of people too. The dream of a trauma free net is hazy with also the virus alerts every new day and its time netizens realize the reality and have sense of moral values and responsibility. Symantec company in its latest Internet Security Threat Report said that hackers are using "blended threats" that combine the capabilities of different types of viruses to carry out their attacks. Blended threats, which include worms that can burrow into computer systems by sending themselves over a network or attaching onto e-mail, accounted for 60 percent of malicious code submissions in the first half of 2003.Symantec's Tony Vincent says 'There's a continued focus by the bad guys on vulnerabilities based on Microsoft's Web server product and Internet Explorer and most of the attacks focus on Microsoft Corp's software which provide largest opportunity to infect large number of computers. The Blaster worm has been one example that devastated hundreds of thousands of computers worldwide.

Even if you encounter a ‘cyber word war’ aimed on religion in a chat room or cyber terrorism, it's best to stay cool. Its here that Tolerance implies love and not showing hatred ness in the hearts as life is a journey and never a destination. All one passes through is ‘an experience’ and finally, it’s the unconditional love that is eternal, not a relationship, pure and genuine that surrounds life. Osho said “Face it and see the truth” and life is beautiful and not a battleground, after all.

All said and done – Cyber Terrorism is on sprawl and Cyber wars on move, Virus is in the minds of Tech savvy Terrorists who have sprawled on the Internet with word wars, virus weapons and what not!

- ilaxi

Religion is the faith which inspires one to be truthful, to believe in God and do what is right and minimize the sins. Faith in a lifetime makes you disciplined, builds the courage, confidence and gives the strength. Religion grew as codes of conduct, as rules to keep society functioning with minimum chaos and this are quite obvious – all religions speak of what to do and what not! Humans make the classifications of religion, Hinduism, muslim, christainity and all. Do loud aartis amplified by loudspeakers and all kinds of religious rally help anyone follow faith better? Why pretend its about religion? It’s prayers maybe. A way of communicating with god and reaching his domain in a calm, spiritual area to purifiy mind, cleanse the soul. It’s a longing to free from hardships, freedom from fear, clear vision of life, pardon for sins, removal of suffering and offering gratitude for happiness.! From age old time, rulers have almost used religion as a magnet for drawing soldiers to the battlefield. As such, politicians have used religion as a weapon and motivate feelings of communalism or work in their self interest for Vote banks which hamper the nation’s secularism! The attitude should be to live and let live. Greed, temptation, gossip, bickerings, self centeredness and any evil disguises are to be overcome.

Stress syndrome leads to depression making the person lost and forlorn! It is a killer disease with deadly stings to bite the victim and that victim could be anyone –You, me or us. The wisdom is to enlighten the mind as a mind in darkness is like hell. With the changing of time, there has to be a change with the change and not change after the change. However, students are caught up in the rat race of educating themselves and procuring percentages, parents caught up in the struggle to balance life and keep it on a steady pace to meet unlimited demands whereas the elderly people are in the midst of  passing through a phase of the generation gap who only need to adjust with the times. Harmony is the key and unity is the solution added with zest of love and understanding. There is a combination of external and internal factors for the cause of stress and as a matter of fact, the figures are on a rise with multiple cases of diabetes, thyroid, pressure problems, mental disorders, etc. It is the need of the hour to relax, cool down, think and Act! Utility cannot be satisfied and human mind craves for more and more. This is where you draw the line. Stop. Be Cautious. Your Life is in danger and than, if one has a healthy mind and a healthy body, one can enjoy otherwise its no use, afterall!
 

Mystyfying myths remain mysterious and people all over the world are way heading for the Occult! Even the kids dragged into the belief of Witches n demons n magic n Satanism....The new release 'Harry Potter & the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling, Mary Grandpre (Illustrator). is a craze for read among kids and one wonders that Is that a right step of some schools in Australia who've banned reading of the book as it leaves bad impression and creates evil image in minds of kids?

Children need to dream their imagination through the stories and if their read cover the witches n satans, its thrill n exciting but not at the cost of tender hearts! Sure Enid Blytons & famous five were great adventures and evergreen reads too....Parents need to realize this!

I recently read this book and feel How oft we create a wave to spell trouble with our own perfections being true and honest with good faith and intentions? We take on too much not saying what we want and that's exactly what the book reveals - the niceness mistakes that 'Damage' us! Unconsciously, we have planted strong messages in the back of our minds and with good intentions by our mentors, follow the moral code of conducts in life. Be good, be nice, be cool, share and care, don't be selfish, be reasonable, don't hurt others, help friends, say yes and so on. In real, trying to reach perfection and taking on too much lead us to exhaustion and sooner or later the ship of our life start sinking. The author gives an insight to the nine unconscious mistakes we often make daily and helps us correct them and pulls a person out of frustration and stress. In not saying what you want and taking on too much, it leads to suppressed anger. Robinson provides healthy tips to express anger to orchestrate a balanced life. Life itself is like riding a bike up and down roads that are bumpy, curvy, hilly while juggling bananas, balloons and bowling balls says Robinson and so this is when you have a fall, life needs balancing back to pedal and steer with too much/too little, too rational/too emotional, to fast/too slow, too cautious/too reckless, too strong/too weak, etc. and remain upright empowering to get what you need and deserve. Irony is, sometimes our niceness betrays us and this book is a key to understanding our mistakes and bring about a 'change' in us. Robinson makes us a nicer person making one realise the mistakes, why we make and how to give up. In doing so, Robinson guides in:
1. Liberating from the bondage of other's expectations
2. Saying no and saving work overloads
3. Telling what we want and analyze what we receive is worth or not
4. Express anger that heal and maintain relationships too.
5. Face irrationality and criticism
6. Tell truth to friends when they fail us
7. Care for others but do no burden own trying to run their lives.
8. In pain and grief, feel competent enough

A change is always welcome even for the nice to be nicer and avoid the mistakes that we keep making out of the blue. Our good intentions turn out to be damn-in-way for others who often misunderstand or shrug off not appreciating your worth as human being. This book is indeed a gem collection for every person who has learned to live being 'Nice' and remain being so without being emotionally hung up sometimes. Good Pick!
You can buy this book from Amazon.com @ my store
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/cm/member-glance/-/A3AKWA5CWSKooH/103-1597726-0229428

Recently we read the War News, watch the Television and it gives us a Thought 'Is Saddam The Terrible or Bush The Criminal? Is this a Dangerous Game or Is it the World War ahead brewing? Gawd Knows! Whatever, whatever, It's Terrible - People are Dying, Suffering and not only the Iraqis, also the Americans. Who is to be blamed is not the question, World peace vision is getting dimmer n simmering....God Save the World.

“Why do people have to Fight and kill”?
Why is the scare of the Biological warfare and the Anthrax?
Why do humans perish?

The Seeds of the Future are being sown each minute. They are goint to sprout into strange, hybrid plants. The results of this battle for Baghdad is fearful. The Law of Unintended Consequences has begun to operate even before Saddam Hussein has been eliminated. War somehow has never changed since the dawn of history. The weapons have changed, with an exponential increase in the extent of killings and destruction that is possible. War itself is an ugly word that is barbaric and brutal. Has Bush breeding the grounds of Terrorists? Is this the game War for Power? Are Americans heading the World for Destruction or fuelling fire to Terrorists? Who Knows...but sure, Victims are Children too...The Future generations to be! Criminals? Terrorists? The noise of sirens and terror of battle can drive kids speechless, low esteemed, aggressive, angry and it’s during these times, they need love and compassion with a flavor of understanding and nurture the relationships with the Commandments of parenting. Half a Million or more Iraqi children caught in fighting may be left so traumatised they will need psychological help.There are around 5.7 million primary school age children.half a million children in Basra, Najaf Kerbala and Baghdad would possibly be in need of psycho-social rehabilitation once they go back in.This is Terrible! Brutal Terrorism & Injustice done is gonna be 'Jihad' A sword in hand to protect oneself, is it????? It is shattering to see the death n ruins, be it Iraq or America.....God Save the World!