Saturday, January 31, 2009

SNAKES HAVE HOLES BIRDS HAVE SKY FOR MEN?

PROBLEMS FOR RENT.

The Roti, Kapada or Makhan, Three must have survival kit for every human being. In English Bread, Cloths and house is the basics required for any man in this world, and is in fact the reason for many people to die trying to make the two ends meet, while having the most urgent necessities for the man kind.

First two necessities are somehow made, if one is willing to work and earn, while the third most important necessity of owning a house is the most terrifying aspect which not many can own or build a house in their life time. That is the reason why people have to live in rented houses as they can not afford to build a house due to their meager income. Though, banks have been lending for house building or home loans, the individuals eligible to take a loan are only those who can earn a good salary so as to pay the EMI of Housing loan and still have about 50 percent of their salary to spend on other necessities.

Living in a rented house can be the worst nightmare a person may have to undergo as there are so many conditions from place to place before one can actually get a house on rent. The first and foremost being the amount of advance one is required to pay some times as high as ten times of your monthly rent. Once the advance is paid your problems only starts there, as there are other requirements such as electricity bill, water bill, phone bill etc.

Adding to all these woes is the conditions. First you can not entertain guests as the numbers of people staying on most occasions are bound by the owner’s whims and fancies, and one has to maintain below the declared number actually living with you for 365 days.
As the guests arrive your blood pressure is bound to go up thinking of ways to be a good host and also have to make sure that you don’t invite the house owners’ anger, if the guests overstay for a few days more. How can you tell your guests that the house owner will not like if he or she stays for more than a day or two. In Tamilnadu due to the water scarcity the triggering point normally is water related quarrels. If you succeed in some how managing with the available water the second problem crops up that you and your families along with your guests are responsible for the septic tank often filling up and has to be emptied. You are bound to attract the ire of the house owner on such occasions too.

People normally forget that a house requires maintenance in every once in 5 or 10 years. The house owner will blame you for all the silly maintenance of painting and cleaning up the surroundings. The blame on most occasions is that the tenant is not looking after the house properly and due to the same the painting and cleaning up periodically will also be put on your head by giving some flimsy excuses. If the house owner is staying with you on another portion or floor of the house, then you can not live peacefully for he will always be making complaints on your children’s behavior or the sound of the TV or the frequent guests, even if it is your own mother who may wish to spend a few days with you.



I have gone through hell staying in rented houses, though I own a house but not near to my daughter’s school and my office. Convenience was the reason for me to search for a rented house near to my daughter’s school instead of staying in our own house peacefully. Some how, I have managed so far to have good relations with my house owners thanks to my wife who took most of the brunt, while my family members and relatives understandingly avoided staying with me. I do feel guilty for I could not be as hospitable as one would expect a true gentleman to be. The years have gone by so quickly that my aunts and uncles are now too old to travel or live else where other than their own places. I could not do justice to my own relatives and friends due to the problems of living in rented house.

Compiled by balakrishnan for more visit ‘solitairebala’ in Google.

Thursday, January 22, 2009

WORST BLUNDERS OF MANKIND

FAREWELL Mr.BUSH, LETS STOP BEATING AROUND THE BUSH.

The two terms of the 43rd American President Mr.George Bush [junior] was the most eventful after the Second World War. Though most of his decisions were baffling and debatable, the fact remains that he was responsible for the mayhem, which followed the attack on World Trade Centre on Sept.11, 2000. As admitted by him ,he had taken what he felt was the right decisions at the right time unfortunately in real turned out to be the worst period for the present American generation, as the price they had to pay for the wars fought around the globe became, little too much for their rich economy, which had been devastating.

Mr.Obama, has taken over as the 44th president of America and historically the first black one to hold the most powerful post on earth. Mr. Bush could not have been more hurtful for their economy as his decisions boom ranged on them and the whole world, even after almost a decade of wrong policies and wrong politics. History will correctly judge his tenure and can be proved as the worst in the history of US. Though, the debate will continue as both sides can not have won in such a scenario, where the Americans were fighting with the wrong guys. The guys who were responsible for the terrorism around the world and terrorists are still at large and all the killed millions of Iraqi’s and Afghan people are in real innocent for sure.

There was an argument in favor of the dropping of an atom bomb, as Mr. Roosevelt had to justify the spending of millions of dollars, and just to prove a point took one of the bloodiest mistakes by any ruler till date. Like wise the wars are justified by mentioning sept 11th on each occasion of mass killings around the globe. Americans are paying for the blunders of their least sensitive leaders who were actually lesser human beings without much thoughts or wisdom.

One simple example for the ignorance of Mr. Bush is when he was questioned about his actions against global warming, he was told to have mentioned ‘yes, it should be warmer as we have seen people suffer during winter due to cold weather’. Can you imagine? The most powerful guy on earth simply did not know what was global warming and its effect on human habitation. Our Indian politicians are supposed to be the most ignorant and un- educated lot. But in comparison with Mr.Bush they could certainly have fared far better.

US very badly needed a change in thoughts and perspective and with Mr.Obama at the helm; I feel it could not go any more badly than Mr.Bush’s regime. I think those who surrounded the president also did not make any contribution by way of good advices, as they too turned out to be war mongers and greedy. The damage control exercises it self will take a full term for Mr.Obama. Such is the situation and ground reality.

Let us hope and dream about a bright future, just as Mr. Martin Luther King, did dare think about his dream aloud, ultimately the dream has come true. A black president has been elected and a thoughtful and genuine gentleman at that. He can certainly make a difference for sure.

Thoughts of balakrishnan,

For more visit ‘solitairebala’ in Google.

Friday, January 16, 2009

SATYAM TURNS TO BE ASATYAM.

GREAT ‘SATYAM’ TURNING OUT TO BE THE WORST “ASATYAM”.

The irony of seeing the most unlikely happenings from the most unlikely organization which was named ‘SATYAM’ now seems was done so deliberately, to fool the people who trusted the name and the organization only to realize how wrong they were because the naming could have been more apt had it been named ‘ASATYAM’.

One of the most respected ‘Satyam’ which in English means ‘The TRUTH’, has turned out to be the worst scandal of fraud in Sanskrit ‘ASATYAM’, meaning the greatest lie.
How a person who was termed as the most hardworking, can suddenly turn out to be the worst criminal and fraudster, in the process has taken the people of our great country of 1.2 billion for a ride and those creamy and brilliant workers and professionals are suddenly left wondering what wrong they did, to be treated as the worst criminals due to the cunning scheme and greed of a single individual in connivance with the Auditors and the Government [though, Yet to be proved and shall be deemed as innocent unless proved otherwise.]

The show which unfolded a couple of weeks ago by the confession of the top guy ,who was seen justifying his actions out of fear for the hostile take over bids of the mighty corporate houses, who are always on the look out for buying out, all viable companies doing good or at times facing trouble. Or is it simply a strategy to defend stashing away of hard cash by the top brass over a period of almost a decade, time certainly will prove.

Our countries’ worst punishment for embezzlements of finance and such irregularities in the face of law of the land only attracts maximum 4 or 5 years of imprisonment, after which the guy can have all the fun with stashed funds in tax havens. This is a lacuna in our system which has encouraged many a guy to go for it and enjoy the fruits later. Who is bothered with the good will or righteous ways of life, only the poor? The yardstick of the rich is definitely different and their mantra is to make it by hook or crook. Cheat the people, spend the few years inside jail with luxury when you have money as back up and life inside a jail also is heaven for such guys. To be followed by all the good times to follow. But the truth remains for he will never be able to live happily ever after for the curse of the lord is so powerful that he will live and will cry for mercy and death, for living becomes the worst nightmares for such crooks later in the life.

The positives from this episode is the greatest lesson to be learned by mankind yet again,
But in real life we have seen and experienced that people seldom learn from past mistakes. Had it been true then the world of today would have been a heaven by now for the mankind has experienced so much over centuries and still haven’t learned any lesson.

Secondly, Satyam employees, more than 50000 and considered the best in the world if we compare their track record. They can be profitably utilized if only the new arrangement with the government works out the costs and give it a lease, by providing capital to tide over the crisis period and the company can make good profits and also function as one of the best in the world for sure.

The culprits should be brought to book and should be punished to the extent that people should not try to emulate such gimmicks in future. For that to happen we must ensure our law of the land does not spare those who are fraudsters and should be considered as one of the worst crime which should attract the worst possible punishment so that no body dares do it again.

Compiled by, M.Balakrishnan, Banker, 6/B-95, 50 feet main road, Meena Estate,Coimbatore -641028 Res.0422 2310637. for more visit’solitairebala’ in Google.

Saturday, January 10, 2009

THE ENEMY WITHIN.

COVERT OPERATIONS BY STATE SPONSORS.

The state sponsored terrorism raised by US or their agencies, appointed and funded by the people’s money, by mainly US and its allies in the name of fighting terrorism is in fact a result of their own flawed policies and blunders over a period of decades after the 2nd world war. The cold war era sowed seeds of hatred towards each other so much, that people too started sucked in to these powers of evil like giant black holes, pulled in to the fray of destruction and mass killings all around the globe, becoming the most common sights than the most common cold.

If the US and its allies started these allied activities in fighting the so called evil of communism, later it turned out to be the biggest blunder over changing times and was surely responsible for the cropping work and the trained espionage to enlist trained terrorists to be used for terror supported by the states’ permission against changing ideals and fortunes in ever changing world order. The most astonishing punishment from the lord himself against such evil of state sponsored terrorism ,we are also witnessing the drama in Pakistan where too , under and umbrella of nuclear strike deterrents as they too now possess nuclear weapons, thanks to the Chinese and indirect US support in the name of containing the enlarging communists base with the help of another communists country China.

The fact now remains, of utmost danger and potent terrorists are now safe under the nuclear cover of Pakistan. Who ever may differ my view will have to admit one time or the other the uncomfortable truth of dealing with the terrorists hiding behind the Nuclear Umbrella Cover offered in Pakistan.

How long US can play hide and seek with the real danger is to be seen. Their calculations in terms of strategy are failed and is the pot giving birth to new terrorists as more and more people are directly affected tragically. It will be soon difficult times for US to realize their friend is their foe as well. May god save humanity?

Disturbing thoughts,

Balakrishnan Mechakkat. For more visit ‘solitairebala’ in Google.

Saturday, December 20, 2008

BANKS AND THE ART OF CHEATING

THE CASE OF DUPING BANK AND ITS CUSTOMER.

The case is about a guy who cheated a customer very easily and clean operation which resulted and left our customer so demoralized as he was cheated Rs.24500/-.

The modus operandi was so simple and clever, that all the staff were fooled so easily by a guy who claimed to work for ICICI. He approached a customer by first calling over phone in a female voice claiming as staff of ICICI bank and was offering to open an OD account for the businessman customer, who trusted the phone conversation through which the lady informed that she is sending an executive of the bank, perhaps saying or claiming as the agency entrusted to do such services by the bank. The customer believing, told the lady to send the executive who reached promptly in 15 minutes and took ID proof, address proof along with a couple of photographs and bank statement which must show a balance of at least Rs.50000/-and a couple of blank cheque leaves . The customer remitted Rs.50000/- in his account so as to show that he has sufficient balance and also informed his bankers, as he was applying for an OD account to be opened in his name with ICICI and wanted the bankers to reveal his balance which was on that day more than Rs.50000/-. The executive of the agency or ICICI walked in after half an hour and asked to know the balance, which he claimed to know as more than Rs.50000/-.The staff having got prior information openly declared the balance of the account thinking in fact they are helping the customer get a loan. But the guy could only manage to withdraw Rs.24500/- as 20000 was already carved/debited towards his clearing cheques of the day.

See the kind of cleanliness in this type of operation, openly and boldly cheating during daylight and the entire phone numbers used later was found to be of forgery and the addresses given all are fictitious.

This article is for the general public to be alert towards such alarming practices of cheating and looting.

Real Life Drama happened in Coimbatore . By M.Balakrishnan, phone 0422 2310637. For more visit ‘solitairebala’ in Google.

Friday, December 19, 2008

EARN GOODWILL FOR SUCCESS.

THE MISERY CALLED LIFE AND WAYS OF TACKLING THE IMPOSSIBLE.

I have lived a life full of actions all through out. There was never a dull moment in life. Every morning I wake up to the realization of the new challenges and problems to be solved for the day. While I do my daily chorus of shaving, bathing etc, I keep thinking also of all the day ahead and the ways and means of achieving for the day.

You may ask achieving what? Nothing material about it. It is only the small ways of contributing towards my employers’ wealth and business. Because, I get paid for doing that very job. As a retail banker my job is to open new quality accounts while retaining the existing customers as well, by keeping them in good humour.

Others have differed with me in handling the customers the way I do, and pointed out, that much is not actually required from me, as I was only a small fry in this huge world and as National Government as my employer and my manager to do the public relations exercise I am in real a blessed clerk who can actually be indifferent to my surroundings and just do the work allotted to me.

That would have been the best and most logical thing to do under such circumstances, but the fact is I am different, and wanted to take responsibilities of the whole office and always help out my manager, cashier or the peons as well, just to make sure the service is done quick and to the best possible manner to make sure the satisfaction of all those who walk in to our bank.

There have been my distracters, who always made fun of me by pointing out the good service given, when the customer is a pretty girl or a woman, but the reality is no matter who walks in to the bank, rich, poor, pretty, ugly, young, old, caste, religions nothing matters to me as I respect each individual for what he is and the due respect is meant for all, irrespective of the above mentioned factors, I have proved this over a period of decades in different places in India. No language or religion or the importance of the individual never made me work faster or slower as I maintain the same dignity towards all across the counter. That will remain as it was so far as the best practice to be followed for any individual, as I have proved to my colleagues who doubted my intentions at times.

The common decency is the best answer to all kind of characters as people normally are reasonable if you explain your difficulty in delay or some wrong entries which happens, and is only human to make such small and trivial mistakes. The problem creators are normally egoists and if you too are a guy with such ego, then the matter gets from bad to worse. My mind tells me there is no shame is accepting our mistakes when it is pointed out to you. Instead of trying to argue to prove the other guy wrong it is easier to accept our mistake and not repeat the same. That finally will be the time you are matured and good towards all.

Diplomacy is the best course in all situations instead of wasting our time arguing and proving a point or two to the listener. It is healthy to let the customer win the argument for we don’t want to lose a customer under any circumstances

The same goes in life as well by letting others’ win you actually end up having friends and not foes. All can do it simply by tuning our self under all such situations. Controlling
Our anger and frustrations is the key so as not to show on others, who have nothing to do with it. Ultimately your own health will get spoiled, every time you argue heatedly or while you shout, your own BP is bound to go shoot up resulting in our poor health in the long run.

My advice to youngster is to be cool and relaxed come what may. Every thing and every one around you, will change for good when you become good yourself.

Thoughts of Balakrishnan Mechakkat. For more visit ‘solitairebala’ in google

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

BUSH LUCKY AS IT WAS A SHOE NOT GRANADE

HOW THE WEST WENT BANKCRUPT & THE CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITIES


The greatest meltdown in the history of mankind, the reasons are plenty but there are glaring examples of spendthrifts, who don’t have a thought for their children or grand children. Leave alone providing a security blanket in terms of food and shelter to our countrymen, if the corporatism simply washes their hands off, as if they had nothing to do with what has happened for millions of families all around the world, then it would be the greatest tragedy and worst scenario of guys siphoning off huge sums to tax havens to leave the poor hungry and roofless. The governments who allowed these lacunae are to be blamed apart from their other actions of going on endless wars in the name of eradicating terrorists and to demolish all weapons of mass destruction.

What have they achieved? In killing millions of innocent people and the huge war bills to be met making them the worst borrowers and the liabilities is certainly going to haunt them for a couple of generations more. In the process they have managed to instill fear in to the minds of small countries so as to force them too, for nuclear deterrent security of owning them just to make sure they are not attacked tomorrow. All the war bills and spending have been a sheer waste as neither could they find Osama gang, nor could they find WMDs. To the responsibilities of the Governments of other countries such as India which instead of being firm were bullied to enter in to partnerships with all those ill fated corporate houses who looted our people too to the brink, now leaving our politicians who are crying hoarse for taking credit for their foresightedness, which in itself is a lie, rather we were taken for a ride and at least 75 percent of our big institutions were made to enter in to partner ships with all those failed banks, investments companies, insurance sector and what not all for the private hands who are ruthless and selfish to the core ,though foriegners they all had partners in destruction seen in last few months,in India too.

Our government has a lot of questions to answer, and instead of declaring their positive mechanisms, which saved our country as they are claiming now, can be proved on the other side as having abetted to the worst trades practices, which were allowed in our country. Those failed bankers were looting from our population by charging more than 36 percentage on card dues and the loans they provided , and they are claiming that the Reserve Bank Has given them permission to charge interest on the funds given more than any worst money lender charges the terms used ,late fee, excess fee, processing fee ed. sess, taxes of our government plus the interest rates more than 36 percent yearly.

The terms they use is 3 percent only monthly, while no nationalized bank or other Indian origin bank has ever charged more than 15 percent diminishing at any point of time good or bad, yearly. How come suddenly these foreign banks enter India and start lending right from the beginning the charges I mentioned above apart from the interest rates which never existed even during the time of ‘Merchants of Venice’ era. These blood suckers or the rich akin to modern day Dracula’s lost most heavily and fell with the largest thud on earth. Our government has to take over ICICI to give justice for the people of India, who had been cheated to such levels though; gods’ curse on them had saved further misery for our poor people.



The responsibility of big Industrial houses who makes profits decades after decades with the blood and sweat of the laborious working class also must ensure their lively hood other wise our country will be facing a civil war as more and more millions will get frustrated and jobless. The psyche of the sufferers will be to revolt against the establishment. The big houses normally announces job cuts overnight and go on as if nothing happened just because these guys who are at the top have stashed away funds to take care of generations, while the workers are left high and dry hungry and most dangerously bitter the social revolutions mostly bloody in history tell us happened on every occasion.
When while the majority is suffering, some very few lavish themselves on ill gotten and establishment expenses at the cost of the lesser level workers and the poor. Now such a scenario actually exists. My brother when he attended a top management interaction in Japan where, most of their big wigs of Toyota, Honda had all assembled among them was another entrepreneur of Japan who declared his business was running on loss for the last decade but still kept on functioning as a payback time for the sake of workers who had contributed to so much profits for a couple of decades earlier and he was not willing to let them down, and ensured the turnaround after ten years again to profit. Had it been our big guys,they would have closed on the second year itself after sucking all the juice out of the employees. The person there felt it was his duty to take the employees in good and bad times even if it costs much of his earlier profits.

When the corporate culture dumps the load on advising, Governments to see that employees who loses job is no way their concern but the establishment, is terribly wrong ,they too will have to be made responsible to the extent of selling their assets and settle the dues and pension to the fired employees out of recession. That is called the Corporate ‘DHARMA’, the mood of the suffered are gradually changing and will be a mass movement if we don’t take necessary corrective methods of holding the Big business houses too responsible for the lively hood of their servants.

We need doers who are sympathetic to the workers more than the rich lobby that might be contributing to the kitty of political parties, but on the other side will be losing, for the people especially during stressed and frustrated times will turn out to be the worst criminals like a wounded animal which can be the most dangerous and unpredictable monster.

Thoughts of Balakrishnan a banker .For more visit ‘solitairebala’ in google.