Is it easier to be flamboyant ?

I don't really like to be flamboyant. Truly this doesn't augur when you are new. I hate to be flamboyant personally, because that creates a lot of pressure on yourself to continue that form. It is easy to advertise yourself as the best of the best, but being the best of the best is not that easy. I would rather be subtle and gain the trust and loyalty of the crowd through continuous and consistent performance with stability and reliability than to launch one day with out-of-the-world hype and then fizzling out in a corner.

Take for example, Cuil Search Engine - supposed to kick the butt out of Google. It launched with such fanfare and statistics that everyone went 'Ga-Ga' over it, even TechCrunch. It immediately went kaput and made everybody point to Cuil as How not to do a launch. Now almost a full year into the launch, we don't even see a slender of a news from it, of course not even a second PR after that disastrous launch.

For the subtle launch take the launch of Google. It almost took them more than two years to do the first press release, which I believe did not carry that much of hype. I must have been doing the final-year of my Under-Graduate course at that time. I didn't even had a knowledge about Google. I was accessing Internet for the past 1 year at that time. I primarily used Yahoo.com for search. Until I joined in at my first job @ AdventNet, I didn't know about Google. Then at the job, I heard everyone talking about doing search on Google. I tried to use ask.com, and lots of other search engines, but Google grew upto numero uno in terms of search. We (almost all of my colleagues) would get help from Google and have loved to call the help like, "Ask Google Uncle". If anybody comes for help regarding any kind of coding, we would try to be helpful. In most occasions, if we were busy or if we didn't know the answer, we would ask them have you asked Google Uncle, and we will send them to the expert.

Google has been providing a continuous, consistent and stable performance and is also very reliable. I am not sure how to put it, the above lines seem like right out of the fan book of a Google fan.

But the thought of the blog is not about Google or Cuil, it is about people and how they present themselves. We all like Heroes in the Movies. If a hero has a flamboyant entry we applaud him (Take 007 Movies', the Gun Barrel shot). When he completes the final assault in the climax of the movie, it is the ultimate reach of flamboyance (Take 007 single-handedly taking down an entire troop of baddies with such timing a precision such there is nothing which is lost, sometimes not even his coolers/suit). But the fact remains that Movie Heroes play a script, the script which is supposed to be flamboyant with the all the timing/precision needed for an exact replica of what the audience want.

In real life, there is no 007, there is no Hero. Even if there are Heroes, they are not Heroes forever, and definitely they were not as flamboyantly launched. Hence, it pays not to be flamboyant but, be continuously consistent. When you are reliable, it of no matter how you launch (either with much fanfare, or of a lesser degree), you will always end up being a darling.

PS: This doesn't mean you never launch, The only thing worse than starting something and failing... is NOT starting something.

Be Real, be yourself, and do hard-smart work and you shall succeed.

Tendulkar's Gem

I have been highly critical of Tendulkar in the recent past, but, on Sunday I was in awe. The man is there as I believed always. He is capable of destroying the bowling attack with as much disdain as he once was.

The best thing about his innings was how he paced his innings. And how he put in that extra punch, after he reached his century. He is the man, he is the legend. Sometimes we just expect so much from him.

If history is right, we were simply toooooo much dependent on him for victory. The 2003 world cup was Tendulkar's world cup, except in the Finals. He was a class act in that world cup and had great contribution for the team in it. I have seen him better that effort only yesterday. This is one of his best innings after a long time. He has scored a lot of hundreds in the recent past, but this one was and is certainly special.

In the recent past, Sachin is not really missed on/off the field. This has given him more scope to play at his strengths and as well experiment when it is needed. He is a definite force and is a great asset for the world cricket as a whole. When he hangs his boots, he will be remembered and worshipped for a long time to come.

I just wish he is also able make himself added as a elite member to a world-cup winning squad.

Great game Sachin, you are GAME !

Predictions 2009

After making such lame predictions the previous year, I have decided to bore you again with some of my predictions for 2009. The fact that most of my predictions for 2008 failed remains and I believe I have found out the reason for that also.

I have noticed sometimes, particularly when I am watching cricket, that when I predict something and believe whole-heartedly something will happen, it definitely doesn't happen. And when I predict something and then pray a lot and think that this cannot happen, this is so impossible, then comes the jolt, it actually happens. To comment on my predictions when watching cricket, I certainly thought and believed Tendulkar will win it for India in the 1996 semi-finals of the world-cup, but alas, he got out and we were stranded with Kambli to cry and Kumble to walk out. So this time around I am going to be radical in my predictions.

Some of my predictions are very radical and may hurt somebody who is reading it. I specifically think these stuff might happen, but also think they are mostly impossible to happen.

1. War of India & Pakistan - again this is in the brink. If the actual countries are not in war, they will be in war in the cricket arena. Of course not in the field, but off the field for controlling the major share of ICC. Everybody already knows that England/Australia/WestIndies/ etc., are on warpath with the Indian cricket's money power (everybody hates IPL). Hence, this can hasten a little bit further. And one more, the Indian money power will vanish just as Honda is almost vanished from F1.

2. Congress loses General Elections 2009 - Well, if there was no war and general elections are held, the congress will definitely lose the elections and will have to settle for a hung parliament again. All regional politicos still ruling roost and decreasing congress' power in a congress government. I don't predict BJP for a win, because they are too lame to politicize everything and hence, will be left out as the only party who will be opposition, but their statements will definitely be unheard off when compared to Left (who though they don't have many seats, will act like they are ruling the nation - as usual).

3. Sensex (Lock, Stock & Dumicule) - Sensex can play like a joker, it will go up one day and go down another day. Not based on all chaos which is happening in the country and the world, but based on all unnecessary stuff like, a. private reservation, b. lay-offs, c. actually nobody is buying what we produce (just like the 3 big American auto makers), d. realty (up because of this, as in our land - land prices know only one route and that route is up, 'coz we are not America yaar, we still need our basic accomodation).

4. Cricket - finally Dravid will himself retire, not before Laxman ofcourse. I believe they will both retire at the same time. Dhoni will learn how to speak about team when they are losing, he has started that with the draw in the Mohali test, where the batsmen were pathetic in the scoring rate.

5. Tamil Nadu may get divided into two different regions, north & south. As two of the power centres in Tamil Nadu determine its fate in general elections 2009 (if it happens). Not far behind will be the tussle of the power centres to be transferred to the union cabinets - two of DMKs loyal servants will hold key posts in the Union Cabinet. And there's also Anbumani as an added dose for some more headache with the Medical administrators. Now, all the flyovers are open, one is about to open this monday. Hence, that prediction came good. Planning to throw out all the cable connections and buy a DTH connection, but you never know how you get trapped in these money-making schemes, after you are in, you are just paying up.

6. Economy as a timebomb will recover, try to recover, look like recovered, but still waiting when to go sky-high (kabloom). This economic timebomb and its unpredictibility will cause a lot of distress for companies, employees, employers and everybody else. They won't know how to fix this, whether to fix this or is this fixed. They will be trying out new things, existing solutions and will only hope some miracle happens. Some will even pray to their hearts fullest. Just like dreams cannot come true unless you work towards it, all false promises will fly out and all definite promises will also dangle in danger. Wherever you are tough times need tough decisions, and tough decisions mean even tough to survive those decisions. Be resilient and work on your morality and ethics at this moment. As it is not the short-term gain which will protect you. But, a long-term resilience, hard work, loyalty and honesty will carry you through. Even if not in the current crisis or environment, but for your entire life.

Predictions for Jai & Family - As I informed you last year itself, it is life as it goes. This year (2008), I have faced a lot of issues which I thought I would never face. Solved a lot of problems which I thought are unsolvable. Even thought some funny stuff which are not standard issue. Had great fun with the family and friends and not the least to be mentioned the work. Made tough decisions when they had to be made. Ignored bad moves, tried to hide some errors I have done. But overall this year was highly distressing. Not the very best of year as was 2007. But surely a mixed bag. As we try to grow up we would always get some idiotic ideal to follow and try to hold on to it. But the fact remains I haven't got any and that means I am still living an irresponsible life. GOK (God Only Knows) when I will become what I was meant to be, as the destiny for Jai is still not clear. Least of it all, I turned 30, damn that ugly number.