American Chapatti!!

Finally… here we go with some “useful” content on this blog! Something practical that you can try (sure you would if you are lazy enough to cook the time consuming dishes and also long for Indian food items in the US). If you are a vegetarian and going to the US for a long period, man you are no different than an Ethiopian kid. Aahhh, may be there is a little difference. That kid has limited options and you have limited your choice – philoosooophy

Am i lazy enough to prepare the dough and make the chapattis? Your city doesn't have an Indian store? If the answers are yes… Just say thanks to the Mexicans NOW!!! The recipe is totally like a hybrid American boy.. Half Mexican and Half Indian, but an American!! The Mexicans have a food called Pita. We are going to use this as one parent and mix with it the Indian vegetable curry (subji). Pita is made of wheat, a little thicker than a chapatti. Pita is in the form of a semi-circular pouch. Inside you can place the subji and eat like a stuffed roti.

These Pita pockets are available in all big general stores like Walmart/ Hyvee. A packet has 10 Pitas and costs you 1.5$. This really works well for lunch and dinner. (If you know to make a real subji, please skip to next para…) No criticism allowed on the next 4 lines and critics will be prosecuted ;) Chop some 4 different vegetables, chilly peppers and onion. Just boil the vegetables and start frying the onion/chilly mix. In the US you cannot get the sunflower or til oil. So try canola or groundnut oil. Add the boiled vegetables with water to fry pan and stir. Add required amount of salt, pepper, turmeric and garam masala, if you have. Make as much as possible, coz we are gonna refrigerate and use for next 4 days…



Now just place the subji inside pita, heat in microwave for 2 minutes and have it. The best side-dish for all Mexican foods is the El Paso Salsa (Medium or mild. Never try Hot flavour – Thanks Kandy!!). It is like thick ketchup. Now if you are going to have this for both lunch and dinner, sure it will bore you out. So try this. Make two different subjis, one with acidic taste and other with basic taste. Heeyyy don’t measure the pH values there! It’s your Kitchen not the chemistry lab!!

This recipe is for the exceptionally laziest of all…. Just get the pita pockets. Eat with honey and cream. Next day try with gee and sugar, next day with jam and butter, next day with boiled beans and pepper… next day with noodles(as in picture)… next day… next day… back to home!!!
Try and let me know your comments!!!

Can Creativity be Measured?

There was a painting and crafts ‘competition’ near my locality and i along with my friends went to see the displays. After the execution time, few gentlemen came with some papers on hand and were discussing about each of the displayed art objects. They were introduced as ‘judges’ and their role dictated them to grant marks for the displays based on some criteria. Finally two of the displays got prizes and had some overall score of 46 and 45.

My friend asked a question. How did they quantify creativity? Well, if I have to apply creativity and find out a business solution, someone might evaluate and say Idea1 will give more profit than Idea2. If creativity has to be applied in an NGO services, the evaluation criteria can be based on “How many people will be benefited by this or the magnitude of benefit per person” and so on for various fields… But Art is something that a person does out of Joy! His involvement makes him feel the most satisfied individual while making it and he continues enjoying that feeling even after creating the art. A person making a painting/craft is reflecting his mood or his mind frame and paints his imagination. This so called mind frame changes with respect to person & time and no two people can have exactly the same frame. An Art has no goals. It is pure imagination and creativity. But still we try to measure and find out which is best out of all. I once asked a judge, very long back, on how did he arrive at selecting a particular painting for the first prize and declared all others are not eligible for that first prize? His reply was quite interesting. The painting he selected was resembling more similar to the actual scenery from which it was ‘copied’ and all others did not have such an actual reference (meaning, all other painters did not show the source that inspired them to make their painting. This first prize painter had also brought the photo of a scenery from which he made the painting). Next time when the same judge comes, I am going to take a color Xerox of a “valley and sunset” photo and keep it for display. If he applies the same logic then… Usssh… Confidential…

This also opened up another thought. In India, we consider discussions on the process of giving birth to another life / art of love making as taboo. This obviously is an art which requires lot of love and creativity. The reason (I read somewhere) as why the art of love making was not included in the 64 defined arts of Tamil Literature was, if that was included the medieval kings and ministers would have just made that as another competitive art like painting or craft!

Another interesting point, if I ask someone whether can you dance or sing, mostly the answer is NO… But everyone can dance and sing to the rhythm of his mind. Some people in the middle ages made procedures for these arts and started acknowledging that a song has to be this way and a dance has to follow all these. From there came the different forms of dances and few also started conducting competition for such arts which has to happen with each individual. My college friend who was acknowledged as a good dancer came back from practice and said he is feeling very tired because the dance movements were heavy? Shouldn’t one feel a burst of energy and enthusiasm after dancing… He would, if he had danced just to the rhythm of his inner beat. Obviously he is dancing to someone else’s beat and pity part is that the one who choreographs also feels tiredness after teaching the group his beats! Conclusion or outcome of this exercise (sorry i am not calling this an art), every dancer has lost the energy and the audience crowd, also watches this performance and
give their claps. They too loose the energy here :(

Of all the martial arts including my Tamil Silambam, i like the Japanese jujitsu because when all other Martial arts preach agressiveness as a way for victory, Jujitsu just says adapt to your inner rythm and move the limbs as per the rythm. From it we learnt, to win a competition, we have to first give up the idea of winning.. Give up the idea of competition.. Just do what brings enjoyment!

I have to associate three people as a reason for this Competition in Creativity.
• The Organizer of such a “Competition”. May be he might have some political mileage by organizing such events.
• The Judge who come and evaluates the art/ creativity works, which has no defined business or engineering outcomes.
• More important, the person who participates in the event (inspite of knowing it is a “Competition” for Art) and insulting his own gift of creativity!!!

Speed of smell

Long back, sometime during my 9th Standard in school I and my neighborhood friend tried to find out the speed of smell. The story of that so called discovery follows!

I was sitting on the gallery watching outside. Hm… You are correct; I did not have any other better activity to do that day. I got this thought on “rate at which the smell propagates”. If we have some rational value for Speed of light and sound, why there is no such value for speed of smell? May be it is there? If it is, then sure that would be included in our physics syllabus! (Ah… I din know google at that time to key-in a search). So I assumed it is not found yet!!

At that time my friend Manoj came to my home. I told him about this thought; he was thinking for a while and asked me about experimenting it!! May not be accurately possible, but still a rough figure can be found; we decided to ditch cricket and give it a try.

We took a stop watch, a measuring tape and a perfume spray. We closed all the doors and windows. He stood some 15 feet away and once I spray the scent he will start the stop watch timer. As soon as he senses the smell he will stop the timer and note down the time taken! Repeat the process with different distance, location and perfume. We came to a consensus that this would be a nice way to start.

We took the first reading and found some X feet per second as speed. Then we started unleashing our dream devils. One devil said we will become like Newton and Einstein if we can successfully find the speed of smell. Other devil said; let’s not call the unit as feet per second. It should be in Bhojs (Bhavan + Manoj). If Kg-m/s2 is Newton and N/m2 is Pascal why not speed of smell be measured in Bhojs. Very Valid!!

M: Okay, but to do this firstly we need to get a patent after finding this Bhavan?

B: Okay Manoj, we can ask help from our Physics teachers.

M: But Bhavan, it is risky to leak this out. They would just give some minor suggestions and finally steal all credits form us. We would just be projected as their assistants. Even I heard Sir CV Raman’s Nobel Prize invention was actually his assistant’s work.

B: Sir CVR is my maternal grandmother’s relative, you know! I have heard that allegation. Or even I would say it a grapevine. But sure people are not that cheap da…

M: Which era are you in da. Majority of people are trying to use and exploit whenever possible. In my cousin brother’s company, he did some new creative work and his seniors just took the credit of it. Moreover, they presented it to the manager as their work just in front of my cousin. Only option he had was to keep mum. Never say about this to anyone da. Just be silent.

B: Hm.. Okay then, let’s carry on with readings. (But in 1 hour I leaked it out to atleast 3 people. Keeping a secret is next to impossible for Bhavan!!)

After taking five set of readings, we found there was no linearity and felt some more readings can give a clear picture. A week rolled on and at different places, different time and with different perfumes, we took a page full of data. There was much of a variation. For same distance the reading was different at different location.

Then we understood something fundamental. Unlike Sound or Light, it is not a self propagating wave. It depends on the medium that carries it (air in our case). Smell mixes witht he molecules of air and is propagated through that. If the air circulation is better, the so called speed of smell is faster. But through this I can confront anyone saying speed of sound as 330m/s. It is not always so. Again depends on the air circulation. Speed of sound varies from zero to even more than 330 m/s, depending on parameters like air circulation, composition, ect. When air circulation in nil (vacuum) the speed of sound is zero!! As air circulation varies the speed of sound will change (close to 330m/s though)!!

When I first said that the speed of sound cannot be taken just like that as 330 m/s, my physics teacher was not convinced. Rather she felt I am just thinking something crazy and wasting the time of whole class. I told it depends on the air circulation and composition of air and if the circulation or composition changes, the speed of sound will change, at least by a very meager proportion. She asked me a question after hearing me. I write the word hearing specifically because; she just heard (difference b/w hearing and understanding) what I spoke. If she would have understood, the discussion would have been different. “Bhavan, when there is heavy wind (blowing from speaker to the listener) can the listener hear the person speaking with same clarity as you hear me now (in this closed room)”. Hm… I was not having an answer that time. Rather i can put it this way too. Was not interested to discuss more! Clarity is a quality parameter of sound. It has nothing to do with the speed of sound wave. In heavy wind, there is a lot of disturbance and the clarity of the speaker’s voice is lost. Clarity rather depends on the energy of the sound created. It has nothing to do with the parameter called speed, my dear teacher!! I can prove it with a small example. Sound travels faster in steel than air. Reason: density of steel in more than that in air. When air circulation/ composition changes, the density of the medium will change and will affect the speed of propagation!!

A Corporate Lesson

I was on the final year of my graduation. As a move to help our department juniors and get them prepared for campus selection, we conducted mock placement interviews. We religiously followed the campus selection process. All the 65 people underwent a technical written test. Then we conducted GD and finally there was a technical and HR interview. Our college had MBA course and we sought help from the HR Spec students. In one panel myself, my professor and a HR student were interviewing my juniors. We recorded the whole interview in camera so that it can be discussed as case study with others and general learning points can be drafted.

One guy entered the panel and he had a decent score in written test. Also he had a fair knowledge on his area of interest. My professor was happy to pass him through technical interview. Now the HR student will be conducting the interview. She asked him some personal questions. He did quite ok.
HR Student: What’s your memorable day in Life?

Junior: What do you mean by that? Like?

HR Student: I mean the ever cherishing one, an event that you will never forget.

Junior: Well, I can just remember one incident that happened in my school days. When I was in 10th a group opposite to me got punishment from my principal blah blah blah…. and I enjoyed that thoroughly!

Finally after my junior left I saw the HR interview comments. Nothing was mentioned about this “memorable day” answer! I asked the HR student, and I got a different reply. She just told his attitude is positive for the company.

Bhavan: How come? I thought you would atleast say that was an immatured answer?

HR: Let it be. But it is good for the person who manages him. He has a good technical knowledge and you guys approved it. Also his marks reflect his commitment. His expectations are very little. He would be satisfied if his boss comes and just says “You did a good Job”. I can keep him satisfied by just giving lower perks.

It took me two and a half years of corporate life to understand what she said that day!!!

Brand Killing

It was a fine Saturday evening. I and my friend Sashi decided to watch a movie(London Dreams). We started at 8:10pm and we reached the nearest theater (Fame, Fatima Nagar, Pune) at 8:25pm. We saw a pizza hut near by and decided to have dinner before watching the movie. I went to the ticket queue and he went inside pizza hut to grab a table. I got the ticket and he was standing outside pizza hut. He had just booked a table and our waitlist number was 3. Hm… Okay even if we get a table at 8:35, it would hardly take 15 minutes to eat and anyways our movie was at 9:15. Worth waiting!!

Finally as planned we went in at 8:35. A waiter came to our table with a big grin. And here comes a conversation.

Waiter: Good evening sir! Welcome to pizza hut sir... Sir... Sir bla bla bla sir... (A sir for each sentence. Is this a fast food chain or a swish restaurant??? Anyways I thought the franchise wanted to attract local people who love such hospitality!)

Bhavan: Could you bring an Exotic Pizza and Garlic bread (Of course pizza itself is exotic to us). Also two cokes as soon as possible.

Waiter: Your order would take 20 minutes Sir.

Bhavan: Sorry. Can you please bring it in 5 minutes? We got to rush for a movie

Waiter: Not possible sir… Sir… Sir… Sir… Sir bla bla bla sir...

Sashi was smiling sarcastically… I know the reason for that smile. We many times had conversation about how a manufacturing engineer and a quality engineer would deal things. I also know he will demonstrate the “quality engineer’s” way of dealing.

Sashi: Cancel everything (Just like saying nothing has passed the quality test. Scrap everything). What ever you can bring in 5 minutes, just bring that.

Waiter: So you will be having only two cokes?

I just started laughing usuriously seeing how Sashi’s dealing became a flop! The waiter’s face became pale and to sustain the aura around I told the waiter that you have a great sense of humor! Waiter became very happy. Hm... It’s a curse that men carry! If someone says to a man that he is very humorous he would start jumping with josh to the extremes!!

Bhavan: Please bring us the previous order. But a bit quick! 20minutes is too long!

Sashi was speaking in phone to someone and I was left out with my thoughts. Its obviously not the waiter’s wish to call everyone sir 10 times. Also this hospitality is least expected from a fast food chain. All we need is to get the food in seconds! That’s the basic need and if this franchise is not meeting this expectation what is the use of hospitality. Next time I would prefer Inox to Fame. The reason is because of Mc Donald’s and Central Park near to Inox. If i should have food and if the movie starts in 10 minutes I can go to Mc D or if the movie is after 2 hrs I can spend that time in Central Park (where just to bring the bill, they take minimum 15 minutes). That’s a big positive point which Inox has.

I am not a full supporter for Mc D though. It introduced the 1minute service or free coke deal and this has been a bigger trouble, atleast to me. You either get your order within 1 minute or you stand there for next 5 minutes. If the “turn around time” for your order crosses 1 min, then 2 mins or 10 mins it just costs one coke to the franchise. The waiters will be concentrating on others who’s TAT has not crossed 1 min and you just gotta wait… I wrote this in their feedback form! Also mentioned, the deal has to be reframed as one coke for delay in each minute. Means, if you are waiting for 5 minutes you get 5 cokes :-)


Okay Let us come back to the story in pizza hut. We got the order in less than 10 minutes. Infact the guys who came before us and sitting in the neighborhood were looking at the ceiling still! Our waiter came back with the order and shared a couple of Poor Jokes… I remembered what my friend Bala told!

In this era if you want to be a successful business man, its only possible
through creating an emotional bonding with customers. Technology or innovation
can just bring great business. But sustaining is more on this emotional bonding.
It works well with any living thing for that sake!!

Even my company’s one of the core policies “Integrity” is based on what our customers (mostly US farmers) value more. WOW! I really felt it today. Unexpectedly we just appreciated our waiter’s humor sense and that did create a sense of closeness. He made sure we do not get delayed for our movie!!

Humour - (Courtesy ~ Rams and chain emails!)

Jeppiar, the chairman of Satyabama Engineering College and some other colleges (in Chennai) started his career as a police constable. He was the right hand of MGR and due to his political power he started an engineering college. He named it after MGR’s mother Satyabama. Now, enjoy these English sentences from Jeppiar . Friends they are extemely funny and you might burst into laughter. These are a few comedies about Jeppiar. Mind u. These are facts!!!!! Nice to read…read it fully..u will really enjoy it.

# About his family :
——————–
I have two daughters. Both of them are girls…(?)
# At the ground :
—————–
* All of you, stand in a straight circle.
* There is no wind in the balloon.
*The girl with the mirror please come her…{Meaning girl with specs).
# To a boy, angrily :
———————
* I talk, he talk, why you middle middle talk ?
# Giving a punishment :
———————–
* You, rotate the ground four times…
* You, go and under-stand the tree…
* You three of you, stand together separately.
* Why are you late – say YES or NO …..(?)
# Sir at his best :
——————-
Sir had once gone for a movie with his wife. By chance, he happened to see one of his students at the theatre, though the boy did not see them. So the next day at school… ( to that boy ) – “Yesterday I saw you WITH MY WIFE at the Cinema Theatre”
Inside the Class :
——————
* Open the doors of the window. Let the atmosphere come in.
* Open the doors of the window. Let the Air Force come in.
* Cut an apple into two halves – take the bigger half.
* Shhh…Quiet, boys…the principal just passed away in the corridor
* You, meet me behind the class. (meaning AFTER the class .. )
* Both of u three, get out of the class.
* Close the doors of the windows please. I have winter in my nose today
…
* Take Copper Wire of any metal especially of Silver…..
* Take 5 cm wire of any length….
********************
once jeppiar had come late to a college function, by the time the function had started, so he went to the dais, and said, sorry i am late, because on the way my car hit 2 muttons (Meaning goats).
This is the way his english will be but let me tell u some of the dialogues heard during Sathyabama college day 2001 -
“This college strict u the worry no … u get good marks, i the happy,
tomorrow u get good job, jpr the happy, tomorrow u marry i enjoy”
St joseph freshyears day 2003 -
“No ragging this college. anybody rag we arrest the police”
One of his famous sayings “girl girl talk,boy boy talk, but no boy girl talk”.

For Mani!

Mani... If i would have heard this name before June of 2007 sure my mind would visualize only the currency (Money)! My roommate in pune till Oct 4th 2009! I hardly watched 10 movies in theater till 2007. But this theater freak made me to watch close to a dozen of movies each month*** We sometimes think why not to shift from Kumar paradise to Inox or E-square theaters... A good soul helped a lot in my self realization journey! We have had a lot of arguments, fights and many days have gone without exchange of words... Many great and ever cherishing moments as well. We challenged our maturity frequently and i confess we both have lost miserably!

We have a lot in common.. For instance i did not cry when my grandmother passed away.. I was her first and favourite grandson and to me she was more than my mother! Mani had a grandfather and when he expired he did not cry!! Demonic aren't we... Yes for the sensible world! We actually did a transformation of energy that works well for the laziest of mankind! We did not cry but we kept all the feelings inside and did achieve what they wanted us to be and what would make our raisers proud! He has shown a lot of caring in me like an elder bro and Bhavan never liked others' caring and sympathy... but actually loved his way! Many time he has perfectly demonstrated the Big B atti! If i speak with X what the heck causes you pain da...

He ofcourse has a deep worry! Our age difference is close to 4 yrs and he wittingly feels i don't give him the respect for age!! So let me write "Mani Anna".. Poruma DAAA!! Great knowing you Mani Hariharan...