Productivity Tool / Hack 1

Most people want to read books but don't have the time for it.
Out of the many options available online, Storyshots is a very versatile, handy and economical options among those available online. At less than Rs.450 per annum, (Rates may slightly vary from time to time) it is very reasonable and with multiple options:
1. Book Summary to read

2. Book summary to listen

3. Long book Summary to listen 

I have tried it for 2 months and have found it to be very useful to get ahead with a few books completed.

I highly recommend it.

https://www.getstoryshots.com

 

Non-value added Airport Check in process

I wonder how well-intentioned systems degrade into non-value-added processes and then take over the entire system and be a white elephant till they eventually stop existing.

A recent trip to Bangalore by flight had me experience this. The Hyderabad airport has self check in with printing of boarding passes and bag tags. This was obviously to divert the crowd from the counters and help the overall efficiency of the system.

However, the self check-in kiosk was very slow and we were not sure if it stopped working or was working silently as it took a lot of time and no notification. Towards the end, the new screen came up and the boarding passes were not printed by then. After a good 5 seconds after the new home screen came, the boarding pass got printed. There was an error about the bag tag that couldn’t be printed and before I could read it, the message disappeared.

Even after this, we had to stand in line and check in at the counter only which didn’t do any good. The counter guy made the bag tags in seconds compared to the 3+ minutes at the kiosk. A net non-valued added process.

The CISF checks your id card, the guy at the check in checks the iI wonder how well-intentioned systems degrade into non-value-added processes and then take over the entire system and be a white elephant till they eventually stop existing.

A recent trip to Bangalore by flight had me experience this. The Hyderabad airport has self check in with printing of boarding passes and bag tags. This was obviously to divert the crowd from the counters and help the overall efficiency of the system.

However, the self check-in kiosk was very slow and we were not sure if it stopped working or was working silently as it took a lot of time and no notification. Towards the end, the new screen came up and the boarding passes were not printed by then. After a good 5 seconds after the new home screen came, the boarding pass got printed. There was an error about the bag tag that couldn’t be printed and before I could read it, the message disappeared.

Even after this, we had to stand in line and check in at the counter only which didn’t do any good. The counter guy made the bag tags in seconds compared to the 3+ minutes at the kiosk. A net non-valued added process.

The CISF checks your id card, the guy at the check in checks the id card and the guy at the boarding gate asked for the id card. This is a little too much.

With so many kiosks to help but a non-integrated system, this system will not be used by customers once they use the system and very fast within a few months, these kiosks would be dead non used machines.

d card and the guy at the boarding gate asked for the id card. This is a little too much.

With so many kiosks to help but a non-integrated system, this system will not be used by customers once they use the system and very fast within a few months, these kiosks would be dead non used machines.

My Favourite movies of all time and the lessons from that

Movies shape thoughts and the things we like make us watch certain types of movies. A good chicken and egg situation.

I have always liked to watch action movies and with witty one liners. I appreciate movies with deep thought provoking, emotionally touch but not necessarily like to watch them as I don't like the feelings they give after watching the movie.

My favourite movies and what I learned from them or liked about them:

Action

Top Gun and Maverick: 

I liked the witty one liners, continuous storyline, speed, the opposite nature of Iceman and Maverick on the same team. "I wont leave my wingman" stays with me.

300: 

I loved the courage, the discipline and the gore of the fighting. I was impressed by the women empowerment quotient of the the Spartans.

Kingdom of Heaven: 

The best one liner: "Your reputation precedes you"

Gladiator: 

The General's battle strategy, the speech when he removes his full faced helmet at the arena after the fight. "On my command "Unleash Hell!'"

John Wick: Chapter 4: 

With the legendary status of John Wick, this movie goes up several notches higher with the amount of assassin killings by John and some energy pumping sound tracks. I could reflect the life of an entrepreneur who has to overcome almost a constant stream of issues to no end.

Rambo 3 Last blood: 

Survival tactics, hit and run tactics, ambush tactics, fighting alone against a group of an expert guerilla fighter. Always keep your survival things close by. In my case, some eatables and a sharp cutter is always there in my car for an expected/unexpected late night hunger.

Black Hawk Down: 

Various perspectives, feelings of a real war from multiple people involved in the war. The pressures on the ground force and the things the generals/ command at the top understand and what they don't. Despite all the planning, multiple things can and will go wrong in reality. Management from the top and how and when you should give control to the boots on the ground and trust them with the decision and support them.

Die Hard series: 

The never scared Bruce Willis using classic fundamental ideas to outsmart smart villians. In the face of problems, think of solutions and weak points and collaborate and surprise the enemy.

Conair: 

Lesson: Be good and do good irrespective of the evil around you.

The World is not Enough (My fav James Bond Movie): 

For the classic villians always trying to take over the world by one method or the other. Pierce Brosnan is my favourite James bond. Saw this first James Bond movie as a kid in a theater. 

Fast Five (from the Fast & Furious series) for the super creative action scenes.

Under Siege and Under Siege 2: 

The profile of the "Cook" described by the villian. The cool & always calm Steven Seagal. Always have a ton of skills and use it when needed.

Judge Dredd: 

The multi-variety futuristic gun of the judge. Slyvestor Stallone movie. Have hi-tech on your side.

Troy: 

The first fight scene where Brad Pitt takes on a giant. Strategically with least effort downing the problem or enemy. In one scene, he says he doesn't have to fight as he has no role in it - A person's locus standi in the scheme of things, not to get involved in everything.

Desperado: 

Description of the protogonist, the guitar cases, the bar joke, witty one liners (Did I thank you? No! I will!), shooting while falling backwards from a building, the initial song and Salma Hayek.

Ballerina: 

Innovative action scenes never seen before with flame throwers and wearing a necklace of grenades. My favourite dialogue on working with your strengths: "Fight like a girl!"

Thrillers:

Italian Job: 

The thriller with a lot of thought on planning and executing.

Face off: 

Both the villians' versions Nicholas cage with his golden gun and John Travolta at their best.

Fight Club: 

The end changes the entire perspective of the movie. What is reality and what is Delusion? How can we make sure which one we are in?

Double Jeopardy: 

Brings about the case of Diplomatic immunity and how you can never be punished twice for the same crime. Good crime thriller.

Speed: 

Good looking Keanu Reeves in his youth and the thrilling storyline. These kind of movies are not made nowadays.

Requiem for a dream: 

The kind of unforgettable movie that will never make you do drugs. I would want every teenager to watch this movie. After this, I think they will never do drugs.

Professions based:

Lord of War: 

The video of the life history of a bullet is breath-taking. A few great philosophical lines in the movie. A unique story line based on the business of an international weapons dealer.

The Firm: 

Tom Cruise movie as a lawyer who pays back using a very basic and simple flaw in the system which could easily have been overlooked.

Rush: 

The awesome storytelling of rivalry between 2 top Formula 1 drivers with their value systems. Their value systems are clearly visible.

A few good men: 

The end speech by Jack Nicholson on the stand. In reality, sometimes the people for who you do good for, come back and criticize you.

Comedy:

Oscar (movie by Slyvestor Stallone): 

Most people don't know he has done this comedy movie, but it a beautiful classic comedy.

Laws of Attraction: 

Witty one liners by both the lawyers, played by Pierce Brosnan and Julianne Moore.

Sci-fi:

Minority Report: 

An amazing Tom Cruise movie showing what 2100's could be like.

Paycheck: 

A very interesting sci-fi thriller.

A different perspective

12 Angry men: 

A movie of perspectives, analysis, persuasion, change of thoughts. A 1957 movie made in a room.

The Truman Show: 

The end shocks you with multiple ethical questions on living. I was mind-boggled with the concept of this. For all you know, someone can really do this.

Odd ball movies:

Tattoo (German movie): 

The first movie I saw free in an International Film Festival while in college. Super impressed with the story line and the story of the market for artist tattoos done on the back of real people. Still not been able to see it anywhere after that.

The Human Centipede 2: 

I can appreciate the crazy creativity for this unheard of movie series.

I spit on your grave: 

Brings about creativity in various forms of killing the villians for revenge.

Ringu (The Ring in Japanese): 

A real horror movie. The first time I felt a chill down my spine.

Forest Gump: 

Courage. The length of this movie tests one's patience.

A poem to Adani

You took on so much Debt to grow

You became world’s richest with dough.

You stocks had a 3 year hit show

And now this shit-show.

Listing your group companies for stock manipulation,

only aided your debt addiction,

becoming a growth sensation,

But this allegation has brought much aggravation.

The PE ratios of your group stocks are so ridiculous,

That it has become conspicuous.

You got so mischievous,

that you route your funds through Mauritius.

You did all this with the absence of the P-notes,

But, lo and behold, Nirmala has again authorised P-notes.

The report by Hindenburg,

May just be a tip of the iceberg.

For the report has been meticulous,

And for you, it has been strenuous.

The report has gone downtown

The groups’s stock prices have been beat down.

The group’s global bonds are in distress,

While the SEBI seems clueless.

The report mentions your Annual report’s key omissions,

And it has raised suspicions.

It questions your statutory audit,

much to your discredit.

After all this, I wonder why IHC would commit,

Unless you had agreed to remit.

Now that you have cancelled the FPO,

There are now no institutional anchors,

You may soon get margin calls from your bankers.

The Adani Hidenburg boxing match

I heard about the Hidenburg research report over a week ago and read the report on their website 2 days later once everyone was talking about it. While going through the report, the first question remained unanswered: why did they take 2 years for this report? The research seems genuine on all the things dug up, researched and put up.

While the Adanis were busy doing the puppet show to the audience, someone outside the audience saw the Adanis doing the puppet show. This is visible in the counter-transactions shown with the firms outside India and not shown in the annual reports of the Indian companies.

Round 1 goes to Hindenburg! The shock & awe hard punch will hurt Adanis for a long time to come.

The twists in the tale get interesting. Right after the damaging report, the international fund IHC promises to invest $400 million into the accused company. 

Round 2 goes to Adani!

Which company would ever do that unless the other company was a holding company or a govt. nationalising a company or trying to prevent a big bank bust case? This raises a lot of eyebrows and red flag as it is very unusual and non-sensical.

The hidden truth is revealed the next day. Adanis cancel the FPO. This means that the Adanis had to save face and get the FPO successful while ensuring that IHC gets its money back after the jitters of the report. This seems to be a pre-meditated invest and pull back strategy while influencing the other investors into investing into this FPO.

Round 2 was an unexpected double punch going to the Adanis!

I am sure on detailed investigation of the FPO process, the regulators would be able to find this pre-meditated arrangement duping the others (retail investors and few others) into the trap of investing their monies in this FPO only to be forced to get out of it.

Another interesting critique from some people is the timing of the report. I laugh at their questioning. For any investor in a fair market, maximising returns is the objective. This report was timed to maximise the value of the shorts and earn profit. Isn't this is what fair market is all about? Plus maximum visibility for the brand. Who wouldn't do it given the opportunity?

While reading the report,  the Adani strategy to raise funds becomes clear.
Step 1: Keep a number of close set of companies with maximum percentage control on and off the public books. Includes hiring experts in price manipulation like experienced Ketan Parekh.

Step 2: Based on these inflated stock prices, pledge the promoter stocks and raise more loans that is actually possible to fund the investments.

Awaiting to see Round 3!

Common sense and/or application of mind

What differentiates smart people and dumb people or idiots?

It is the power of common sense, a keen eye to observe things, validate what they hear or read, not take things for granted. It is about application of mind on simple things and not doing things blindly or mechanically. A lot of graduates know or taught only doing tasks and not application of mind. Over a period of time and a lot of skulduggery of their bosses and by learning from mistakes they become wise and start using common sense. They start perceiving information and how to relate it to what they already know. But some people are unwilling to learn or disinterested to learn and are sometimes pre-occupied with other than office work to continue being ignorant and committing a lot of errors and blunders at which point in time they are either given lesser responsibilities or are forced to leave the organisation.

A major part of the ability to think on things and apply their minds and be conscious of the environment and data while performing a task or taking a decision is dependent on the way the people are brought up during their schooling or college days. The environment, the people and the projects that encourages them or forces them to think through things is the key to understand how things work and what things affect and how they affect a certain object/objective. This enables them to do a self check with readily available knowledge/information in their head to understand the trade offs and take a decision or perform the task right in the first instance.

Curiousity is another factor that enables people to learn and apply their minds. Curiousity also leads to creative thinking and adds value to things and brings about new solutions. Curiosity too is a factor that has to be encouraged in the childhood and cannot come suddenly at an old age. This factor in turn can be identified and leads to a talent.

Determination helps people focus. Another key factor that avoids innumerable distractions and stops others needs taking over your identified goal. This also allows people to bring more of their resources (time, money, connections, etc.) to the goal instead of using their resources to do other things.

So, to be smart and use common sense, encourage people to increase their curiosity and help them achieve their goals for them to see the value of their goals achieved through determination.

Financial lines of defense

One must have multiple lines of defense to call upon in need of any financial situation. I will list this order from the first line of defense to the last:
1. Credit card of self
2. Credit card of spouse (for this you both should have an add on card of each other)
3. Cash from ATMs drawing on your various bank accounts
4. NEFT/ RTGS/ IMPS transactions drawing upon the bank acccount funds
5. Taking short term loan from family and friends
6. Short term Fixed deposits in banks
7. Medium term fixed deposits in banks
8. Mortgage of physical gold to raise funds in emergency
9. Stocks or tax free bonds sold in the market/ Mutual funds
10. Selling physical assets (gold, land, building) though this will take time.
These are as per liquidity provided and the amounts available from the various sources.
These various financial instruments should be used to get the optimum level of returns for the risk and while not compromising liquidity.

Big Hard disk companies skimp over providing data

I wanted to buy an external hard disk drive and had a tough time finding basic data to compare and choose the product. I wanted to buy among the big hard disk drive companies Western Digital and Seagate products, but their information on their website is grossly inadequate.
They provide so many varieties in the segment of portable external hard disk but do not provide sufficient information to distinguish one from another within this category.
Have a look at the information on their websites:

First, the real idea of portable is missing. I was looking for the dimensions of the products.
Second, the weight of the product is missing.
Third, their backward compatibility to the old operating systems is also missing. Will they work with Windows Vista? I cant say.
Fourth, what technology are they using? Are they mechanical or solid state devices?
Fifth, at what speed do they run? 5400 rpm or 7200 rpm? The faster they run, the hotter they get.
Sixth, WD speaks about the backup software in it. But what is the difference between these? Where am I supposed to look for it?
Seven, what is the power consumption of these hard disks? There should be some examples or range of numbers. Nothing is available.
Eight, I have seen some external hard disks being connected to laptops with two usb drives in the past as they need more power to run. I cant make out whether they need single USB or two USB ports to run.

Some of these are very technical, but some are very basic for usability and trade offs while buying a product.
The sad part is not only are these available on the website, these are also not available in the outer box of the external portable hard disk I bought. WD fortunately had the OS compatibility printed on it.

Hard disk companies talk of providing TBs of data but skimp on providing even some basic bytes of important data.

Girl on Fire

There is a popular song by Alicia Keys called "Girl on Fire"
Hearing this song or going through its lyrics it is hard for me not to imagine if this song was not describing the now banned practice of 'sati' in India. Just saying...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sati_(practice)

Lyrics of the song are here:
"Girl On Fire"

She's just a girl and she's on fire
Hotter than a fantasy, lonely like a highway
She's living in a world and it's on fire
Feeling the catastrophe, but she knows she can fly away

Ohhhh oh oh oh oh
She got both feet on the ground
And she's burning it down
Ohhhh oh oh oh oh
She got her head in the clouds
And she's not backing down

This girl is on fire...
This girl is on fire...
She's walking on fire...
This girl is on fire...

Looks like a girl, but she's a flame
So bright, she can burn your eyes
Better look the other way
You can try but you'll never forget her name
She's on top of the world
Hottest of the hottest girls say

Ohhhh oh oh oh
We got our feet on the ground
And we're burning it down
Ohhhh oh oh oh oh
Got our head in the clouds
And we're not coming down

This girl is on fire...
This girl is on fire...
She's walking on fire...
This girl is on fire...

Everybody stares, as she goes by
'Cause they can see the flame that's in her eyes
Watch her when she's lighting up the night
Nobody knows that she's a lonely girl
And it's a lonely world
But she gon' let it burn, baby, burn, baby

This girl is on fire...
This girl is on fire...
She's walking on fire...
This girl is on fire...

Oh, oh, oh, oh ohhhhh oh oh oh ohhh oh oh oh ohhhh... [4x]

She's just a girl and she's on fire.