Book Review
All together now!
Teams. Does one know a world without teams? Most of us operate in teams in the workplace, in politics, in sports, in maintaining our apartments, and in living a good life. The reality behind team is that they either work or they dont. There is no middle
ground. And thats what makes teams interesting. Thats what makes working together interesting. That is what makes managing and leading teams interesting, and critical.
Hope lies ahead
The book is a positive meme about a better future that tells the epic story of our times, the critical years from 1980 to 2020 that will mark forever the transformation to an era of sustained growth.
Money, Income, Prices in 19th Century
This is a book for the electrical engineer or electrical engineering student who needs a single source reference guide to the discipline.
Industrial Power Engineering and Applications Handbook
The four-part volume begins with an estimation of NDP of the Indian sub-continent from 1861 to 1900. The next section surveys the Indian economy in the early sixties and details its changing profile.
Consumer Notes
Strikes and responsibility
I have been queried several times on my stand that the transport strike in Tamil Nadu is anti-consumer and illegal. I continue to stand firm by my view.
Corporate
From the mind to the marketplace
Is it industry mindset, government apathy, lassitude of research organisations or the blinkered vision of financial institutions and venture capitalists that has kept the country behind in market-oriented Research and Development (R&D)?
Health
Being positive
One of the most common bits of advice we throw at each other is, be positive. Is it important to think positively? Most of us agree that it is. But what does it mean to think positively? If something goes wrong, how does one think positively? If one face
s difficulties, how does one take a positive view? In the first place, you cannot switch positive thinking on and off as if it were a light bulb. Thinking positively is a skill that requires practice until it becomes a habit. How do you start? You start
by being careful in the framing of every sentence you speak. For instance, saying you cant sell this product for more than Rs 500. Thats really a very negative sentence.
Beauty the natural way
Since ancient times, man has had to respect nature even if it was to harness it to his advantage. Nature, in turn, has been bountiful, giving endlessly. Phyto therapy (derived from the Greek word phuton for plant) involves the extraction or distillation
of natures essences to rejuvenate the human body or at least slow down the ravages of time through renewal. At todays killing pace, a little time spent in the lap of nature, through evocative fragrances and products can have a wonderful effect, not only
on our bodies but on our minds as well.
Lip-smacking and healthy
Imagine the scenario. A few years from now an apple a day may no longer keep the doctor away. Or a good wholesome meal may not be your passport to good health. And milk, meat and poultry may come with the warning that their excessive consumption may be i
njurious to health.
Shoes for the fit
There's a new shoe on the scene for fitness enthusiasts. Jannie Claassen, a global master trainer for Reebok, has launched the Viz DMX pair that are claimed to be good for shock absorption.
Horticulture
Blooming business
A florist's is one of those pretty shops where the product itself decorates the interior. Meadow Fresh, the newest outlet on Chennais Cathedral Road, benefits considerably from that premise. Chopped tree trunks serve as steps to the unpretentious shop wh
ich offers flowers that colour your day.
Hotels
A taste of the South
It's very hard to convince a traditional North Indian family like mine that there is life beyond the ubiquitous idli dosa, which they invariably gravitate towards when they eat out at their favoured Southie restaurants. The more adventurous among them ha
ve loosened up a bit, and gone so far considering a bisi bele bhaath, or a thair saadam, after much persuasion from me over the years. I have been an absolute convert to South Indian food, ever since I discovered the culinary skills of my Iyengar mother-
in-law. Like her, I have always sniffed at the mass- produced fare the Udupi-style South Indian restaurants dish up, in Delhi.
Miscellaneous
For a cause
Today on World Disability Day (December 3) its apt to recognise companies and individuals who have contributed to promoting employment for the physically challenged. And the National Centre for Promotion for Disabled People (NCPEDP) is doing exactly that
for the past three years. Under the NCPEDP-SHELL Helen Keller Awards sponsored by Shell India, trophies for organisations and medals for individuals are given out on this occasion to those who stand apart as ambassadors to the cause.
Travel & Places
Sky magic in Wales
The Creator's total genius is splashed across the skyscapes of Wales. Though the Welsh landscapes are verdant and rolling, its shingled seascapes edged with lacy grey foam, its moody skies steal the thunder, airbrushed every few moments by a hidden hand.
The constant interplay of cloud, wind and sun cast an irresistible spell.
Stellenbosch Symphony
After seeing Cape Town, nothing quite measures up ... Cape Towners are fond of saying this to visitors and they have a strong case. But mention the name Stellenbosch and they go sort of quiet. Oh its a fine old town, our oldest after Cape Town in fact, k
ind of sleepy, kind of forgotten. Know what I mean ... ?
Walking on the wild side
Agumbe, a small village located in Karnataka, has the reputation of being the wettest place in southern India. It is also famous for its glorious sunsets and travellers on the highway from Shimoga to Udupi or Mangalore, inevitably stop en-route to watch
the setting sun choreograph the once blue skies into a kaleidoscope of patterns and colours.
