Work space at home

For the past 2 years, I do not have a working space at home. I need to arrange one immediately. A table, comfortable chair, internet connection is a must.

When we were in the 9th main road house the office was part of the house and I did not have any problems to work any time I felt like. But we moved the office to Arumbakkam and house to Park Road, the arrangment changed. In the smaller Park Road, I did not bother to put in a word for my work space. "You have an office no, why do you need a space here".

I work with my laptop perched on my lap. I did significant amount of work that way in the bed room and in front of the TV. It is high time I go for the home working space.

Tamil Nadu Politics - 2

So, what will happen after Mr. Karunanidhi departs from the scene of Tamil Nadu politics?

Ms. Jayalalitha will lose the reason to exist in politics. The MGR fans will move into Vijayakant's fold and DMK cadre will be falling into Vaiko party. We will see MDMK vs DMDK as the main contest in 2016 elections.

That contest will be more principled and issues based. The current unhealthy trend of opponents hating each other and spitting venon at each other will not continue for long. There is also the collusion between the two in looting the government.

Tamil Nadu politics

How Kalignar Karunanidhi can get rid of Jayalalitha from Tamil Nadu politics?

I have a simple answer. He should take sanyasam from politics. That would be the beginning of end for JJ's political life.

Jayalalitha is supported by MGR fans and Karunanidhi enemies. By marginalising MGR name in all her discourses, she has virtually made certain that the MGR fans will move away at the first available opportunity.

My prediction is after Karunanidhi's death, DMK and ADMK will last at best one election to the state assembly. They will disintegrate into splinters.

Office of profit

The talk of the day is office of profit held by members of legislative bodies. Ms Jaya Bachchan was disqualified as an MP from Rajyasabha for holding another government office. More than 60 other MPs are in similar position including possibly Ms. Sonia Gandhi.

As per the news papers, the government tried to issue an ordnance amending 1959 act exempting certain offices to include more offices through back door bye passing parliament. There was a big hue and cry about this move as aimed at protecting Sonia Gandhi.

She did the right thing resigned both her posts forthwith. Now the talk is there will be a bill to enlarge the scope of 1959 bill.

In my opinion members of legislative bodies are public servants and they should not hold any other office of profit - public or private. PERIOD. No exceptions.

Coming elections

Everyone and his dog has a theory about how this elections will go. Here is one more of mine:

In 1980, there was a parliament election. DMK/Congress combined won 38 seats out of 40 in TN/Pondy. The ruling ADMK ended up with just 2. The victors wanted to cash on quick and dismissed the state government and arranged fresh elections to the Assembly.

Mr. Karunanidhi was arrogant and declared himself the future CM. DMK contested 117 seats with congress contesting 117. MGR was returned to power with 130 seats with both the opposition allies less than 50 seats each.

Now in 2004-06 also the same situation. The mega koottani won the MP elections handsomely and they are already slapping themselves for the victory in assembly elections. But JJ is going to win and win big. Vaiko made the right decision.

What we do with our lives?

An interesting discussion yesterday

Working for a corporation is very comfortable for a competent professional. When a customer visit is arranged, the organisation machine gets into motion and a series of activities are arranged. Right from hotel bookings, airport receiving, conference room, food arrangements and much more. As a project manager he just has to do the job of discussing the project details with the client. That is the comfort a corporate environment gives in which we can put our professional capabilities to the best use.

I used to tell the comforts offered by Tata. Travelling to a new city, you can request for a guest house booking, a vehicle to pick you up at the airport/railway station and get bookings done through the system. Your mind and time is free to do your job.

Are you really putting your best? What about the opportunity to create something new in which future professionals can enjoy the comforts you enjoy today? You can create something which a large corporate might not. You have the option to create the next big thing. Why not do it?

That was a good insight.

Elections in Tamil Nadu

The election is announced to be held on May 8, 2006.

ADMK led by Jayalalitha and DMK led by Karunanidhi are in the fray. DMK has a strong coalition with Congress, PMK, MDMK, CPI(M) and CPI. Jayalalitha has roped in DPI of Thol Thirumavalavan. MDMK and the communist parties are negotiating hard over seat share with DMK. One or two from the DMK camp might switch sides to ADMK on the seat allocation issues.

What kind of results I would like: (I think ADMK should win irrespective of the alliance arithmetic).

ADMK - 100 seats
DPI - 5 seats
MDMK - 20 seats
PMK - 10 seats
Congress - 30 seats
DMK - 25 seats
Communists - 10 seats
DMDK (Vijayakanth) - 20 seats

DMK + PMK + MDMK + Congress+Communists should not cross 100 mark (95 seats here)
ADMK should not be able to form government on its own (100 seats) and should form government with DMDK (20) and DPI (5) as partners.

This will let Jayalalitha head the government with some temperation to her methods. She should be forced to co habitate with other parties.

Mukkalam uNarntha gnanai

Vyasar is a famour saint of his time. The Indian epic Mahabharatha is about his descendants. He is the one who collected solidified the Vedas and hence called Veda Vyasa.

These details are from my memory and are not that relevant to today's story.

Suhar is Vyasar's one of the sons. Suhar followed his father's footsteps and became a saint in early age. One day father and son were walking through a village. Son is walking a few hundred metres in front with Vyasar following him.

On the side of the road there is a river and young maidens from the village are bathing in nude. They run to the ground and chase each other, having a nice time. Suhar passed the river. There is no response from the girls. They just continued their plays.

As soon as they felt the presence of Vyasar all of them jumped into the water to cover their bodies or picked up the clothes to drape themselves in. Vyasar noticed all this, he asked them

"I am a old man and being a saint for a long time. My son is a youngster. You did not feel ashamed when he was passing by, but as soon as me, a old man come you are scrambling to cover yourselves! what is up?''

"Suhar is gnanai. For him it does not make a difference that we are young women. He continued to walk in his meditation of the nature, the river and us. But you discriminate and has an eye for us. That is why we behaved the way we did"

Today the women are grown up. 20 years back they would have been babies. and 40 years hence they will be old ladies. To Suhar the reality is in all the dimensions. Not the 3 physical dimensions alone. That is why his meditation was not disturbed by the women and they were also neutral to him. Vyasar, even though a saint, does not have that level of maturity.