ANANDHAN SUBBIAH - INSPIRE AND INNOVATE

I am currently in India on vacation. It has been a good break from my hectic work life. I was worried about my daughter but she is having a wonderful time with my parents. The roads are still dusty and life is still chaotic in my home town but I am not complaining. I wish things will change fast for the better. There is enough money these days to set things right it just requires some positive intent and hard work.

I keep hearing about “aggressive driving” a lot and I wish people would stop fooling themselves with this very dangerous word. I have heard it back in the US as well; New York drivers are apparently aggressive so they are more equipped to drive in NY. There is always this notion that folks driving in New York or LA somehow gain this aggressive attitude towards driving . I guess they have not driven in Chennai or Bangalore to even remotely understand the word “bad traffic or aggressive driving”. I think it comes with practice and experience and since I have driven in Bangalore a lot I am not a total stranger to the mayhem one can experience on Indian roads. I guess the folks in Chennai and Bangalore will die laughing if I were to tell them about how bad the New York traffic and drivers are. I think it is more of experience than anything else if you are used to people honking and cutting you off or come too close it is not going to bother you that much so I would attribute the tolerance of the sub-continent drivers to experience than capability.

Well in my dictionary there are good drivers and bad drivers. Aggressive driving is more of giving it back and as far as I am concerned when my family is in my 55,000$ car I don’t mind waiting a few extra minutes.

According to wikipedia
“Aggressive driving is a form of automobile operation in which an operator will deliberately behave with contempt towards other drivers and drive in such a manner as to increase the risk of an automobile accident.
Unlike drunk driving, aggressive driving is not usually the result of a drug or chemical, but rather the personality of the person operating the automobile. An aggressive driver may adopt a “King of the Road” attitude and become offended when other drivers engage in such activities as passing or “cutting off” the driver. The aggressive driver will then take the actions of the other driver personally, and seek to retaliate. This normally leads to unsafe driving acts such as reckless speeding or attempting to run someone off a highway.

Aggressive driving can also lead to much more serious crimes, such as manslaughter or murder. An aggressive driver may drive so recklessly as to injure or kill another driver or, in extreme cases, will “hunt another driver down” and then deliberately attempt to harm the person. This is often known as “road rage”.
Aggressive driving may, in rare cases, be caused by mental illness. Persons with mental diseases, who are driving, may become confused about where they are and who the drivers around them are. This could lead to fear, panic or other emotions causing the person to start driving aggressively.”

I did not have to read wikipedia to learn. There was a time when I used to drive at extreme speeds and compete with every vehicle on the road and in all honesty I enjoyed that. I was in Banglare and I was going back on the airport road to my house when a car went past me and nearly pushed me off the road. My aggressive instinct kicked in and I was furious. I did not think and slammed on the accelerator and within minutes I was near the other car. There was 5 minutes of racing and the other driver would not give up either. Finally in a very dangerous move I managed to push the other car off the road. I did not let him get back on the road and we were still going at high speeds. I was on top of the world till I watched the car windows come down and to my horror there was a whole family in the car. The driver was drunk and his wife was in the car along with two kids. His wife apparently realized I was retaliating and with folded hands she pointed to the kids in the back and that the driver was drunk. I had never felt smaller in my life. I slammed on the brakes and let the other car pass by. I took a pledge that I was never going to repeat that mistake ever again in my life. I could have potentially involved a whole family into an accident even if it were to be minor just to prove a point. My sister-in-law jen knew I used to be very hot tempered in the car and even asked me once when I was all calm and quiet when I was driving back with her in the US. I did not tell her the whole story but simply that I have a family and I don’t want any trouble. I still drive a little fast when I can but I really try hard not to anger anyone in the road and most importantly not retaliate (also known as being aggressive). I am not a saint and I still have a reasonably bad temper and react badly when provoked but I control it at least when I am in the car as I know that an angry driver can easily become a killer.

An aggressive driver is as mindless as an assassin with a gun except that the tools are different. So the next time you hit the road be safe and not aggressive. A bad driver will only behave worse when provoked so stay away from people who act like clowns on the road . If someone calls me an aggressive driver I would be offended.

http://www.anandhansubbiah.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=1738 

Undhan desathin kural
tholaithoorathil atho
seviyil vilatha
sontha veedu unnai vaa enru alaikirathu tamila
antha naadkalai ninai
avai neenkuma unai
nilal pol varatha
ayal naadu unthan veedalla viduthiyeda tamilavaanam engum paranthaalum
paravai ennum than kootil
ulagum engum valnthaalum
tamilan ennum thaai naatil
santharpangal valnthalum[?]
angu selva maram kaithaalum[?]
pull manakum kooval unthan seviyil vilatha

Undhan desathin kural
tholaithoorathil atho
seviyil vilatha
sontha veedu unnai vaa enru alaikirathu tamila

gangai unai alaikirathu
yamunai unai alaikirathu
imayam unai alaikirathu
pala samayum unnai alaikirathu
kannamoochi aatam alaika
chinna pattam poochi kootam alaika
thennam thoppu thuravukal unnai alaika
katty kaatha uravukal alaika
nee thaan thinna nila soru naan alaika

Undhan desathin kural
tholaithoorathil atho
seviyil vilatha
sontha veedu unnai vaa enru alaikirathu tamila

pal pola ulla vennilavu
paarthal siru karai irukum
malar pol ulla thai moliyil
maaratha sila vali irukum
kanneer thudaika vendum unthan kaikal
athil serlika vendum unthan maikal
intha desam uyarattum unnaleh
makkal kootam varattum un pinnaleh
anbu thaiyin madi unnai alaikuthey tamila

Undhan desathin kural
tholaithoorathil atho
seviyil vilatha
sontha veedu unnai vaa enru alaikirathu tamila

When someone feels incapable and insecure they look and reach out to God for help. You constantly see and hear people pleading to god for help when they feel insecure and incapable in a certain situation. This feeling of helplessness manifests itself into a Personal God. They believe in this personal god because they need it and they want to believe in it. This insecurity makes them create this god that looks over them. Something is not true simply because you believe in it or simply because you want it to be true.A classic case of ” you heard what you wanted to hear when nothing was said” ! .

Everyday disasters take place killing many people. Floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, hunger and disease affect people everyday. Did these people deserve the pain and misery that claimed their lives? The 911 destruction and the Tsunami to name a few . What about Darfur? Why did God not help these people? Weren’t these people crying out to their personal god just as you do? So if their personal god was not willing to help them, what makes you so sure yours will help you? Yet it seems that none of that bothers the supporters of this god. They say that God can do “whatever he wishes” and no one is to question him and his authority.It is surprising that while so many people admit that there is something unjust in the structure of this world they accept all that injustice under the pretext that God must know what he is doing and we are not to even think of questioning him.The funniest thing ever is the fact that he  is subject to emotions like us. As his messengers have assured us, he becomes pleased with us or would be displeased with us depending on what we do. He can become angry, mad or loving and tender, depending on our behaviors. That is an awesome power given to us, the decedents of a bunch of African apes, to control the mood of the almighty God, the author of this unimaginably vast universe. That raises the all important question who is the BOSS ? In hindu mythical stories the Gods actually freak out if you don’t pay them attention. The Christian God does not fare well either . From what I have read it looks like he sends insects in hundreds when things don’t go his way .

There are 40,000 children who die every day because of malnutrition and diseases associated with poverty. What test they have to give? To prove what?  The other lame excuse is that God is patient? Is that a virtue? Can any loving God sit patiently letting small children be blown up by terrorist bombs, killed in earthquakes and other disasters or simply withered by prolonged hunger? What does this “all knowing” and “compassionate” god want to prove? Why he is so oblivious of the cries of the wronged ones in this world?

No war criminal has done more harm to people than God. Is he less compassionate than humans? Why he does not come to the rescue when his children need him? If God knows the future, his knowledge of the future makes it impossible for us or him to act differently and therefore our prayers and supplications are of no use. What has to happen and is in the knowledge of God will happen anyway, whether you pray or not. Then why pray for the peace? Why pray for the deceased? Why pray for blessing, bounty, protection, forgiveness or wisdom? Isn’t praying a total waste of time? Prayers affect only the one who believes in them. 

The mind of a human being can control his/her destiny more than a GOD can.

Well,  if a deer gets cornered by a lion it won’t pray to God but it will run for its life.When things go wrong use your brain to plan the next course of action and please don’t sit in one corner and pray.

PETA’s Australian wool boycott moves full-speed ahead as it celebrates what can only be seen as the beginning of the end of the cruel mulesing mutilation. 
 In Australia, where more than 50 percent of the world’s merino wool—which is used in products ranging from clothing to carpets—comes from, lambs are forced to endure a gruesome procedure called mulesing, in which huge chunks of skin and flesh are cut from the animals’ backsides, without any painkillers. When their wool production declines, some sheep are shipped to the Middle East on crowded multilevel ships. These journeys, which can last for months, are to countries where animal welfare standards are non-existent. The suffering sheep are dragged off the ships, loaded onto trucks, and dragged by their ears and legs to unregulated slaughterhouses, where their throats are slit while they are still conscious.

Sheep are gentle individuals who, like all animals, feel pain, fear, and loneliness. But because there is a market for their fleece and skins, they are treated as nothing more than wool-producing machines. No amount of fluff can hide the fact that anyone who buys wool supports a cruel and bloody industry. There are plenty of durable, stylish, and warm fabrics available that aren’t made from animal skins. Please join the millions of people all over the world who know that compassion is the fashion. Save a sheep—don’t buy wool.

The above is an excerpt from PETA . The one thing that continues to baffle me is how cruel human beings can be. I don’t think it matters if they are from a advanced or third world country some people are still primitive/sadistic. These are the same people who go to temples/churches/mosques with thier wife and children. Somehow humans have started to believe that they are above all the other species in this planet. Every single organism in this planet has a purpose and the more violations humans commit the mor e unsafe it will be for our future generation. The case of the vanishing bees is a good example.

I can understand the need to kill other species sometimes for food or for any other purpose . I think that is the way nature has set things up but what pains me most is the way man goes about doing this . The wool industry is another classic example when there are so many ways to do this the right way they have chosen the most cruelest and inhumane alternative possible to extract wool from these poor animals without any conscience. Animals in particular cats (all) and killer whales have a tendency to play (read as torture) with thier prey before killing them but they are “animals” and I am absolutely certain that they don’t realize the consequence of thier choice but humans understand the pain they are inflicting on these poor animals .

The next time you start writhing in your seat when watching a horror movie where a stupid teenager gets mauled by a psychopath you have to realize it is just a movie and think about the sheep and how they are being killed in the most sadistic way possible for absoultey no reason. I am sure you can make a diffrence - Don’t buy wool.

This is a simple but powerful movie about a simple man who overcame all odds to succeed in life.Based on a true story Chris Gardner (Will Smith) is a hard working man who has to sell scanners to better his family’s life . It is not your typical Hollywood movie as things don’t happen fast for Chris . The film beautifully depicts the hardship and suffering of a poor man who just won’t stop at anything .

Chris is forced to get shelter along with his son in the Men’s room and his wife even ditches him blaming him for their family’s sufferings. She is shown to be all happy with Chris before when things were good so much to say that the true love of a person will be revealed only when things start going astray. She loved him when she got what she wanted but makes life a living hell for Chris when he does not do what she thinks is best for him and the family. .

There are lot of amazing scenes in the movie . Chris’s son asks him ” did mom leave because of me ?” and Chris replies “mom left because of mom”. Another beautiful scene is when Chris tells his son that he can’t make it big in basketball but realizes immediately that he was wrong and tells him “Don’t let anyone tell you what you can do - not even me. People like to tell you that you can’t do something because they can’t. If you want something in this world, go out and get it…”

Will Smith delivers an all time best performance as Chris Gardner. Jaden Smith , his real life son plays the son who has utmost faith and trust in his father even when things hit rock bottom.

The only glitch to this highly inspiring movie is that the audience is never given an opportunity to see Chris succeed as the film ends abruptly.

Chris Gardner’s life is an inspiration to every hard working father in the world . Chris never gave up his toddler son in his pursuit of happyness. He was forced to go to jail and he still did not give up his son. He started at the bottom. . Amidst all the hardships he faced as a young man Chris drew inspiration from his mom and developed a die hard attitude to never give up . Chris loved his son more than anything and I believe that love propelled him to great heights. I personally believe that a bond between a parent and child is the purest of all relationships and i realize it every day when I see my daughter. Now I want to work more and more and give my daughter everything that i did not have when I was young. I also realized how hard it must have been for my parents to raise me and my brother and provide us with everything we ever needed.I might make mistakes but so did Chris and he still succeeded.

Buy the DVD now at Amazon.com

You can find Chris Gardner’s profile at http://www.chrisgardnermedia.com/main/biography.htm

I like him because he was able to write this

Theres a place in
Your heart
And I know that it is love
And this place could
Be much
Brighter than tomorrow
And if you really try
Youll find theres no need
To cry
In this place youll feel
Theres no hurt or sorrow

There are ways
To get there
If you care enough
For the living
Make a little space
Make a better place…

Heal the world
Make it a better place
For you and for me
And the entire human race
There are people dying
If you care enough
For the living
Make a better place
For you and for me

If you want to know why
Theres a love that
Cannot lie
Love is strong
It only cares for
Joyful giving
If we try
We shall see
In this bliss
We cannot feel
Fear or dread
We stop existing and
Start living

Then it feels that always
Loves enough for
Us growing
So make a better world
Make a better world…

Heal the world
Make it a better place
For you and for me
And the entire human race
There are people dying
If you care enough
For the living
Make a better place
For you and for me

And the dream we were
Conceived in
Will reveal a joyful face
And the world we
Once believed in
Will shine again in grace
Then why do we keep
Strangling life
Wound this earth
Crucify its soul
Though its plain to see
This world is heavenly
Be gods glow

We could fly so high
Let our spirits never die
In my heart
I feel you are all
My brothers
Create a world with
No fear
Together we cry
Happy tears
See the nations turn
Their swords
Into plowshares

We could really get there
If you cared enough
For the living
Make a little space
To make a better place…

Heal the world
Make it a better place
For you and for me
And the entire human race
There are people dying
If you care enough
For the living
Make a better place
For you and for me

Heal the world
Make it a better place
For you and for me
And the entire human race
There are people dying
If you care enough
For the living
Make a better place
For you and for me

Heal the world
Make it a better place
For you and for me
And the entire human race
There are people dying
If you care enough
For the living
Make a better place
For you and for me

There are people dying
If you care enough
For the living
Make a better place
For you and for me

There are people dying
If you care enough
For the living
Make a better place
For you and for me

I read an intresting book by John Maeda. There were lot of nice little comments which actually made a lot of sense . I have listed the comments i liked most in his book.

” When forced to wait, life seems unnecessarily complex”

“The process of reaching an ideal state of simplicity can be truly complex, so allow me to simplify it for you. The simplest way to achieve simplicity is through thoughtful reduction. When in doubt, just remove. But be careful of what you remove.”

“Organization makes a system of many appear fewer.”

“Something as simple as teaching another person a basic concept might seem trivial in comparison to managing a complex supply chain or programming a supercomputer. However, anyone who has tried to teach a child the seemingly trivial task of tying shoelaces may suspect that writing code for Google’s page-ranking algorithm is easier.”

“More emotions are better than less. When emotions are considered above everything else, don’t be afraid to add more ornament or layers of meaning. “

“Some of my thoughts will inevitably be deemed as wrong. But the impatience embodied by the third Law of time compels me to publish this book right now even with its unresolved flaws.”

All these comments apply to both software development and life in general.

Life is a story of survival of the fittest, to understand that it’s a dog eats dog world and yet tomorrow’s another day. Disappointments, shortcomings, betrayal, humiliation’s etc will always be a day to day affair but one must find ways of being happy in life in spite of everything. And when one comes across someone who is unable to cope with the rigors of living, all we can do is at least extend a hand of compassion. And that’s what makes us superior as compared with animals.

The rule of the animal kingdom is different, the weakest will be destroyed. If a mistake is made, sometimes it is so costly that death would be the end result. Humans make mistakes and use a concept called God to justify it. Every religion has a book written by a human, I wish the book dealt more about how to live a decent live rather than focussing on pleasing the higher power which no human being has ever seen or heard ( I think God should at least start making tapes like the terrorists do).

Heaven and Hell are good concepts. Man has always been selfish . The guy who created these concepts clearly knew that most humans are a rotten bunch incapable of kindness unless there is a reward . Heaven was the bait to atleast try and make humans do good things in life (I don’t think that he would have thought that some crazy paranoid bastards will fly an airplane into a building believing that they will go to heaven) .The concept of heaven and hell has failed so miserably there it is time the world wakes up to the fact that religion is a horribly messed up concept . Somebody should really come up with something new before it is too late . How about ignoring the fantasy guy called God and reward every good act by acknowledging and appreciating it no matter which creed/religion they belong to

It is funny that we get so impatient when a train comes 5 minutes late but Mr. God has never taken time to show up but then Man needs someone to cover his ass if things go wrong so he is ready for that infinite wait. The belief that something out there can make life better for you has tremendous market value. I remember when i was in school i used to go to exams unprepared with a belief that God will help me. I should have been taught to prepare well for my exams rather than having to believe that somehow a higher power will make things easier for me.

Accountability is the key and religion is a convenient excuse for humans to make mistakes in the name of the non-existent God. The most horrendous crimes are committed in the name of God and one such incident happened in September 11 and in places like India and Israel it happens everyday. We have so many crimes committed in life just the way it is, shame on us that we have added religion to the list.

I like the idea of religion as a rulebook which explains how to live a moral life. But interpretations by foolish men resulted in it being looked upon as a larger than life concept which can solve all humanities problems. Our problems will be solved if we stop creating them in the first place or at least if we realize that there is a penaly for every mistake we make.

It is a great shame that we believe that some humans are capable of more knowledge than the rest of us. In the animal kingdom the most powerful creature will be the king but only in the human world do we allow all these ordinary humans who pretend or believe that they are the messengers of God to have such a major role to play even in our families. I strongly believe that parents are responsible to teach their children to lead a decent life. We do not need a third person or a place where they have to learn the art of life, parents should be able to inspire children to lead a moral and good life.

Shit happens to people irrespective of whether they are good or bad. There is no divine intervention at any point. I feel better when I perform an act of kindness i feel good about myself and I think that is the secret. Every human being should feel proud when they perform an act of kindness. The day Good values such as hard work and kindness are respected and honored humans will not need God or any of his messengers to make the world a better place.

For people like me love is God but for the rest God is love. I will be able to realize the concept called God when I do something good . For people who believe in God it is a different story they will be willing to do something good hoping that god will reward them . I honestly believe that the act of kindness is the God part and not the approval or the reward part. I will accept and follow the latter group when God makes a special appearance in CNN and orders people like me to shut up!