BAT-ism..

Screen at the top left corner of the Church

Our church, the CSI Redeemer Church in Anna nagar, has a nice projector which projects into a motorized screen, hymns, excerpts from the order of worship for its congregation to read from, pictures and videos. It is a nice touch and makes the Church one among a few technology embracing churches where being traditional rather than technological is the norm.

Despite being the house of God it was a mere human who had to maintain content and the topic for the Sunday mass was Baptism, but the projected topic, had a typo, and read Batism! Bat-ism, I read it as, and my thoughts drifted (I'm confessing!) to The Dark Knight Rises movie I had watched and the discussion surrounding it with friends the other day. 

One of the main complaints from friends was the presence of 'Desi' content in the movie. Examples of such content would be the hero failing to stand up to a villain in the initial stages but emerge victorious towards the end of a movie, acts of dare devilry wherein jumping without a protective rope around the waist guarantees success, et cetera. These are, as Indians would profess, normal for any Indian actor in the average Indian 'Desi' flick (I'm a small-time fan of such flicks!).

But I am of the feeling that this was one of the most realistically made super hero movie and an awesome conclusion to an impressive trilogy. It says even a super hero can fail, confidence can make or break, it is good to have partners (business ones!) and it is a good idea to ultimately retire and let someone else take forward the fight (Did I hear someone say Sachin?!).

I still wish Katie Holmes was part of the cast, thanks, Tom Cruise and Church of Scientology!

The Scourge of PSBs

HDFC Bank pipped State Bank of India (SBI) to become the most valued bank by Market Capitalization.

As the son of a serving SBI officer and having been in service of one of SBI's many subsidiaries, SBT (State Bank of Travancore) as a Probationary Officer, this was a rather embarrassing and sad news, though I understand that this news will be history sooner than later. But what strikes me is the apathy with which my fellow citizens view SBI and the other PSBs (Public Sector Banks) in India. Evident when a friend of mine, an account holder and shareholder of HDFC Bank, pointed me to the above news item with a sarcastic smiley over IM.

Agreed, the service rendered by most PSB branches are no where near comparable to those offered by the private and foreign banks (PFBs) in India but is that reason enough to hate the PSBs with such hatred. The media too have field days in pointing out mistakes by PSBs while going soft on the PFBs, probably because a lot more can be exposed because PSBs are covered by the Right To Information (RTI) act while PFBs aren't?! So much for being transparent.

It is a well known fact how private banks use 'goondas' and other not so dignified means to recover money, as a borrower the people complain of this callous act but as an investor they are annoyed when PSBs declare rising NPAs (Non Performing Assets). The private banks hardly lend to farmers for they hardly have branches in remote places, so when the monsoon fails it is the PSBs that write off the farmer's loans and take a hit on their profits. The urban educated, savvy, young population would brush off a PSB as not quick enough for their lifestyle but most would have availed an Education loan from a PSB as private banks shun them. The private banks intimidate poor pensioners but whine about lack of Government businesses.

The private and foreign banks brought in many firsts in India and set new benchmarks in service, but the public sector banks have always stood for the nation and should be respected for what they have done.

Gentleman Jack.!

The most admired company in the world is Apple Inc according to most people across the world and also according to this survey and most of my friends, fervently, agree. I tend to disagree primarily because of my views on patent battles and the ill effects the judgments from these lawsuits have on innovation and customer choices. I strongly feel that second place holder Google Inc deserves the first place because of their attitude towards technology, contribution and support to open source projects and trying to live up to their "Don't Be Evil" tag. 

Boxy Bottle and Black Label

Well, my point here ain't about who among these two companies are the most admirable and I still obviously consider my Apple 'fanboi' friends as friends!

It is about the makers of the 'best selling whiskey in the world', the owners of the brand called Jack Daniels, shipped in a boxy bottle and black label. They just became darlings to many across the world and was admired even by people who abhor alcohol.

Spot the differences in the design!

The reason. The traditional black label (not to be confused with the Johnnie Walker Black Label which is a Scotch!) on the boxy bottle of the Tennessee whiskey inspired/was adapted/copied as his book cover by author Mr. Patrick Wensink (or his publishers or both) in his book, Broken Piano for President.

In an age where litigation between the companies in the most admired list are a daily occurrence around the world, the distillers did something which has never been done in modern history (to the best of my knowledge). Excerpts from their letter to the author is shown below.

Excerpts of letter by brand owners to the author.

Shouldn't the companies in the 'most admired companies' list be learning a lesson or two from the above letter. Wish they would.

The Dark Knight and Corruption Nightmares..

It was a Corporate Banking assignment which had been due about a week back and I had submitted it late, as usual. The professor, Mr. Sridharan, an ex banker, wanted us, management grads, to contemplate the depreciation of Indian Rupee, the reasons and solutions and submit it as a two page essay.

My essay was scrutinized for the content and the learned professor pointed out a glaring mistake in my report. I had included corruption as a reason for the depreciation. Well, he was right, I had included it after much deliberation to fill in the empty space (well I had forgotten about the solution part and listed just the reasons and hence the empty space!).

Today after reading two news articles, one about the upcoming fast by Team Anna and another about Russian ambassador, Mr. Alexander Kadakin, ‘warning’ about the investments by India’s ONGC in oil exploration in Russia might run into a Russian Winter if the Supreme Court judgment on license cancellation has adverse effect on Russian Sistema Telecom’s Indian venture, I can’t help but believe corruption does play a role, albeit, a trivial role. Well it isn’t the corruption, literally, since Russia is more corrupt than India. All the vigilantes that have raised against corruption, drawing more airtime and in the process a lot of negative publicity to Indian corporate, government and putting the pressure on a reform-starved Judiciary to deliver overzealous verdicts to appease a corrupt population making them believe they are being forced to be corrupt.

I may be prejudiced here given my disgust for Team Anna and their campaigns which I feel distort facts. I would like to see an honest, non-corrupt bureaucracy with a transparent government at its helm but then I have a feeling that it is like an ideal engine (a carnot engine), possible only theoretically. Even the country lauded for its non-corrupt system has them all.

Well it is Batman season and let me take a quote from the movie.

..as a symbol I can be incorruptible..

Harvey Dent: When their enemies were at the gates, the Romans would suspend democracy and appoint one man to protect the city. It wasn't considered an honor, it was considered a public service. 
Rachel Dawes: Harvey, the last man who they appointed the Republic was named Caesar and he never gave up his power. 
Harvey Dent: Okay, fine. you either die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain. 

Now do I have to tell you who I think are the enemy and Caesar in case of India? Fine, Corruption is the enemy and Lokpal or the Corruption Crusaders may well be the Caesar.


God save my country!!!

An American Inc, a Korean Conglomerate and a Korean-American Judge

Judge Lucy Koh

Yet another judgement against Android by judge Lucy H Koh. She says and I quote, "I really don't think this is a trial about Steve Jobs", when dismissing Samsung's argument that Jobs' 'Thermonuclear' quote speaks of Apple's bias, motives and lack of belief in its claims. 

Obama with his mac

Obviously it ain't a trial against him but then when other Judges like Chicago Federal Judge Richard Posner agrees its fair game to include Steve Jobs' quotes why would Judge Koh do the opposite. Being the Korean-American she is, she doesn't have to side with Samsung but she should at least be sincere when dealing with an electronics giant from Korea rather than being corrupt or biased as being alleged around the world. The fact that she and her spouse are active in the current administration with Barack Obama at the helm, who incidentally is a mac lover and Jobs' admirer is worrying.

Tim Cook, Apple CEO

I personally feel patent lawsuits take us nowhere and seriously hamper innovation. Apple does get its share of profits by charging a premium over its products for its 'innovation', which occasionally were stolen ideas as admitted by Steve Jobs. Why raise the rhetoric now? Given that Tim Cook prefers to 'settle rather than battle', I believe Apple is doing all this to keep alive the Jobs' legacy of waging the battle.

The war might never be won and war has always been a setback to development.

Billa 2

              A lot of negative reviews floating around, even from Ajith fans, set the stage for my film watching yesterday. The trailer was, as expected from the Billa lineage, ‘stylish’. The music wasn’t that great when I listened to a few over FM broadcasts. So much lackluster reception to a much hyped movie almost made me put it off but then decided against it.

            And what in store was a pure surprise. To borrow John Travolta’s lines from Broken Arrow – God damn what a rush!  Well the movie didn’t move at any explosive speed or annihilating plots but it was how a ‘Gangster to Don’ metamorphosis movie should move.

         The plots were all believable and realistic to a great extent. A few were glaringly overlooked especially those that undermining the security at the coast guard consignment detention depot and the assassination of the Goan Chief Minister. Otherwise, the story moved at its own sweet pace, with a lot of dirty gangster underpinnings, blood, and gore. I would say the movie fulfilled my appetite for an authentic, South Indian, Don-in-the-making, movie.

            I overheard someone say Billa 2, which is a prequel, ain’t as good as Billa 1. I do agree, Billa 2 is just a lot better! Though it is strictly not for those seeking entertainment, laughter, romance and a ‘and they lived happily ever after’ fairy tale ending.

DISCLAIMER

• I’m no fan of Ajith in the strictest sense, well I’m not a fan of any star for that matter, except maybe Superstar Rajnikanth because I was driven enough to watch a couple of his movies ‘first day first show’. I do like Ajith, for we share certain interests such as cravings for fast bikes and cars and I adore him for his love for racing for which I treat him as a real life hero, kindly note real life hero doesn’t mean the ‘larger than life’ matinee hero, and my mom and dad too easily qualify to be real life heroes for putting up with me!
• This is the first time I'm reviewing a movie!

Considering the above points my review might be a little biased, hence take it with a pinch of salt!

About SamieBoy..

Born in the planet Earth as the only son to loving parents based in Chennai, India.

Interests range from microscopic level viruses and quarks to macroscopic mammals like Blue Whale and distant galaxies and Black holes. Special love for technology (computers and gadgets) and science (physics in particular)!

Majored in Computer Science and Engineering and had a brief stint as a Java developer in a MNC and an Officer in a Nationalized Bank. A post graduate program in management has sealed the academics for now.

Hobbies are dynamic with new ones added and old ones dropped as per convenience, Reading and Riding has stuck around for a few years now. Writing has been around too, a few write ups can be found at https://sites.google.com/site/samsmusings/ (not for the faint hearted!), considered a profession of print journalist, briefly, but decided against considering the greater good.

Started this blog to write and torment the strong-willed, minded, dare-devilishness exhibiting, individualistic humans and aliens (just hope the blog ain't reason behind an interstellar war)!