The year is 1988. A lone tree stands. Growing each day. Taller and stronger. Summer and the rain, scorching heat, flooding showers - it has seen them all. Staring at it every morning, taking in it's beauty, it's serenity, I feel happy, content, at peace.
Everytime leaves grow afresh, a different green; and everytime they're old, another shade of green altogether. I watch. Years, decades go by. The tree stands tall and full. Home to hundreds of insects and birds. The tallest tree as far as the eye can see. so many more surround it. Nearby housing grows around for the rat race. The monsoon winds cause a sway, that stirs discomfort. People fear that which gives them shelter. They begin to doubt. Society plagues the mind. Nature can only handle so much.
The year is 2011. A lone tree stands. A carcass of what it used to be. My example of the plague of society encroaching upon Mother Nature's greatest subjects.
How I wish this was only about that tree..
Monday, May 16, 2011
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Clarity Potion
Interesting topic came up between my colleague and me the other day. He asked me why would someone pay such a premium for imported cars - especially the Swedish and German brands. A multitude of thoughts crowded my brain all of a sudden, and the deluge poured forth - part anger, part frustration and for pure clarity.
Most Europeans have the duty-of-care aspect inbuilt in their regular functioning. They will hold doors open, wait for someone faster to cross first, or simply, take care to do their job to as perfect an extent as possible. In simple words, attention to detail - what we Indians seem to lack big time.
As I have noticed, Indians need to be paid to pay attention. A supervisor is only required because the workers, apart from lazing and slacking off, won't bother one bit to maintain any sort of standard - forget consistency. This is why "phoren maal" is always preferred. The "chalta hai" attitude is exactly what is holding us back. People argue over the points that we are not a "backward country" but a "developing nation".
There is a difference between the two terms, the latter meaning those who have seen the light, and are on their way of change for the better.
He said, "Ok, let's suppose Tata makes a "premium car" with the exact features as a Volvo S80. Wouldn't it cost less than half as much?"
I said, "Sure it would. And after all I've said about quality and consistency and attention to detail, this is what would happen in the event of an accident -
in a Volvo, I would be sure that the car would drop it's speed drastically upon detecting the oncoming idiot, the safety belt pretensioners would kick in and hug me gently, but tightly into the soft leather seat; the supplemental restraint airbag system would activate in it's dual stages and prevent any sort of major injury whatsoever. I would walk out unscathed, but slightly shaken.
in a Tata, I would brake in panic after realising there's an idiot headed the wrong way. The wheels would lock and the car would skid, devoid of all traction from those pathetic tyres. The impact would not activate the crumple zones, but rather, send the front bumper through the radiator, and consequentially through the dashboard, impaling me, and puncturing my liver. While all of this is happening, the seat belt would violently hold me in place by my neck, nearly decapitating me, or at best, leave me with a deep cut wound on my neck. Suddenly, the cigarette lighter flies out and takes out my eye.
There is the difference: Case one - the car saves me. Case two - the car kills me.
End of discussion, followed by painful laughter as the truth.
Most Europeans have the duty-of-care aspect inbuilt in their regular functioning. They will hold doors open, wait for someone faster to cross first, or simply, take care to do their job to as perfect an extent as possible. In simple words, attention to detail - what we Indians seem to lack big time.
As I have noticed, Indians need to be paid to pay attention. A supervisor is only required because the workers, apart from lazing and slacking off, won't bother one bit to maintain any sort of standard - forget consistency. This is why "phoren maal" is always preferred. The "chalta hai" attitude is exactly what is holding us back. People argue over the points that we are not a "backward country" but a "developing nation".
There is a difference between the two terms, the latter meaning those who have seen the light, and are on their way of change for the better.
He said, "Ok, let's suppose Tata makes a "premium car" with the exact features as a Volvo S80. Wouldn't it cost less than half as much?"
I said, "Sure it would. And after all I've said about quality and consistency and attention to detail, this is what would happen in the event of an accident -
in a Volvo, I would be sure that the car would drop it's speed drastically upon detecting the oncoming idiot, the safety belt pretensioners would kick in and hug me gently, but tightly into the soft leather seat; the supplemental restraint airbag system would activate in it's dual stages and prevent any sort of major injury whatsoever. I would walk out unscathed, but slightly shaken.
in a Tata, I would brake in panic after realising there's an idiot headed the wrong way. The wheels would lock and the car would skid, devoid of all traction from those pathetic tyres. The impact would not activate the crumple zones, but rather, send the front bumper through the radiator, and consequentially through the dashboard, impaling me, and puncturing my liver. While all of this is happening, the seat belt would violently hold me in place by my neck, nearly decapitating me, or at best, leave me with a deep cut wound on my neck. Suddenly, the cigarette lighter flies out and takes out my eye.
There is the difference: Case one - the car saves me. Case two - the car kills me.
End of discussion, followed by painful laughter as the truth.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
I learned something today
There's so much we can learn from automobiles. Everytime I see a car, or drive something new for the first time, there are so many things I realise, if not learn.
Like a good suspension system, we should be independent, and learn to deal with the bumpy bits in our life by ourselves.
And like HillAssist, we should be able to deal with life's ups and downs, and the bits in between. We should find a balance that gets us through these situations comfortably.
We should be dynamic, like a traction control system, and learn to deal with changing situations to our advantage, and never experience loss of control.
We should focus on the direction we wish to take for our lives. Like a good steering system, we should have understeer and oversteer in control, and make the required effort, and then let everything just grab the intended line.
Sometimes, to jump further, you need to take a few steps back. Just don't get stuck where you didn't want to be in the first place. Cars come with a reverse gear, and some even come with a reverse camera!
The grass is usually always greener on the other side. Rest assured, most of the times in a good car, the front seat is just as comfortable as the back seat.
It doesn't matter how much you shine when you're standing still. Just like it doesn't matter what your wheel size is. In the end, power and torque get you ahead, not blinged out wheels and fat tyres.
Don't assume that more is always better, and never underestimate yourself. You may have 400 horsepower while someone else may have 500. But if you make that at 5500 revs and the other guy's comes in at 9000, you're surely gonna have a good and happy head start, while he's left frustrated, waiting for it all to build up and eventually kick in.
With great power comes great responsibility. There's no use having an engine making a thousand horsepower if you can't find a gearbox that can take it and put it to good use.
Always keep your guard up in questionable situations. A laminated windshield will not shatter in the event of a direct hit. Some cars like Volvo's S80, even come with laminated side windows.
You don't need eyes in the back of your head. Just glance back every now and then to ascertain your position before assuming anything. Objects in the rear view mirror may be closer than they appear.
Take time to pay attention to the small details, and don't rely on just the big picture. Even an airbag won't deploy if your seat belt isn't fastened.
Keep your choices vast and enjoy the different gifts of life. Like a good audio system, enjoy different kinds of music. Be it the radio, or a multi-disc changer.
Don't get too excited when presented with something you've waited for for a while. That's why launch control keeps your revs and tyres in check. You don't wanna meet a great road and lose out on the fun because of a silly mistake right at the start.
Like tyre pressure, keep your blood pressure in check. This will lead to more efficiency and a smoother ride.
And most importantly, like a good engine layout, always have your heart in the right place.
Remember, there's always someone waiting for you. So ride/drive safe.
Like a good suspension system, we should be independent, and learn to deal with the bumpy bits in our life by ourselves.
And like HillAssist, we should be able to deal with life's ups and downs, and the bits in between. We should find a balance that gets us through these situations comfortably.
We should be dynamic, like a traction control system, and learn to deal with changing situations to our advantage, and never experience loss of control.
We should focus on the direction we wish to take for our lives. Like a good steering system, we should have understeer and oversteer in control, and make the required effort, and then let everything just grab the intended line.
Sometimes, to jump further, you need to take a few steps back. Just don't get stuck where you didn't want to be in the first place. Cars come with a reverse gear, and some even come with a reverse camera!
The grass is usually always greener on the other side. Rest assured, most of the times in a good car, the front seat is just as comfortable as the back seat.
It doesn't matter how much you shine when you're standing still. Just like it doesn't matter what your wheel size is. In the end, power and torque get you ahead, not blinged out wheels and fat tyres.
Don't assume that more is always better, and never underestimate yourself. You may have 400 horsepower while someone else may have 500. But if you make that at 5500 revs and the other guy's comes in at 9000, you're surely gonna have a good and happy head start, while he's left frustrated, waiting for it all to build up and eventually kick in.
With great power comes great responsibility. There's no use having an engine making a thousand horsepower if you can't find a gearbox that can take it and put it to good use.
Always keep your guard up in questionable situations. A laminated windshield will not shatter in the event of a direct hit. Some cars like Volvo's S80, even come with laminated side windows.
You don't need eyes in the back of your head. Just glance back every now and then to ascertain your position before assuming anything. Objects in the rear view mirror may be closer than they appear.
Take time to pay attention to the small details, and don't rely on just the big picture. Even an airbag won't deploy if your seat belt isn't fastened.
Keep your choices vast and enjoy the different gifts of life. Like a good audio system, enjoy different kinds of music. Be it the radio, or a multi-disc changer.
Don't get too excited when presented with something you've waited for for a while. That's why launch control keeps your revs and tyres in check. You don't wanna meet a great road and lose out on the fun because of a silly mistake right at the start.
Like tyre pressure, keep your blood pressure in check. This will lead to more efficiency and a smoother ride.
And most importantly, like a good engine layout, always have your heart in the right place.
Remember, there's always someone waiting for you. So ride/drive safe.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
The new yore
What can I say, the day has arrived. Of course, 116% import duty still intact, the foray of major manufacturers into the Indian automobile market is stunning. I'd like to say, "Who'd've thunk it?" and I do.
India now has a market for all the ultra-exclusive examples. Bentley and Lamborghini brought house first, followed by Bugatti, all thanks to Volkswagen; and now Aston Martin, Koenigsegg and Ferrari are barging in. Ferrari has been testing the waters far too long now. Just bring it already.. AMG is established, as is M. Brabus and Hamann have quietly been seeping in as well. And just look at the choices you have if you're looking to spend upwards of 3 crore on a car. You have everything from a Lamborghini Murcielago, Merc SL Black and Aston Rapide to an Armored Range Rover, Phantom or even the mighty Bugatti Veyron, which tops out even that farmhouse investment at about 22 crore on the road (!!)
Some thoughts now. First, as I recall, the Land Rover Discovery. Sure. It looks like someone put a cardboard cabin on the back of a pickup. But it will whoop the Merc ML left, right, centre, over and above.. The Fortuner is huge for it's price, and is only selling because it's a "new launch" from Toyota. However, if it were me, a 20 year old horrifically underpowered engine in an 11 year old design with wooden brakes is not to my liking, thanks. SUVs nowadays are a far cry from say the Jeep, the Defender, and of course, the Humvee.
Hummer, what a time to go on sabbatical (as I'd like to think). In a market where big, obnoxious cars, some as useless as the Fortuner, sell to the rural-minded on sheer size, Hummer (or Hammer as it is popularly known to the less-read) would have been the ideal car, not just for them, but also for the afficionados alike.
Thank God for the Thar then.
India now has a market for all the ultra-exclusive examples. Bentley and Lamborghini brought house first, followed by Bugatti, all thanks to Volkswagen; and now Aston Martin, Koenigsegg and Ferrari are barging in. Ferrari has been testing the waters far too long now. Just bring it already.. AMG is established, as is M. Brabus and Hamann have quietly been seeping in as well. And just look at the choices you have if you're looking to spend upwards of 3 crore on a car. You have everything from a Lamborghini Murcielago, Merc SL Black and Aston Rapide to an Armored Range Rover, Phantom or even the mighty Bugatti Veyron, which tops out even that farmhouse investment at about 22 crore on the road (!!)
Some thoughts now. First, as I recall, the Land Rover Discovery. Sure. It looks like someone put a cardboard cabin on the back of a pickup. But it will whoop the Merc ML left, right, centre, over and above.. The Fortuner is huge for it's price, and is only selling because it's a "new launch" from Toyota. However, if it were me, a 20 year old horrifically underpowered engine in an 11 year old design with wooden brakes is not to my liking, thanks. SUVs nowadays are a far cry from say the Jeep, the Defender, and of course, the Humvee.
Hummer, what a time to go on sabbatical (as I'd like to think). In a market where big, obnoxious cars, some as useless as the Fortuner, sell to the rural-minded on sheer size, Hummer (or Hammer as it is popularly known to the less-read) would have been the ideal car, not just for them, but also for the afficionados alike.
Thank God for the Thar then.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Three's a crowd..
People say a lot of things..
They say there's two sides to every story..
They say there's the two sides of a coin..
I say, the coin rolls only because of it's third side.
The side that isn't considered, but most certainly exists.
True, it's not the most noticeable,
but again, that is what separates the two sides,
and what carries them
when they both wish to see the world.
Acknowledged on not..
They also say, two's company, while, well..
They say there's two sides to every story..
They say there's the two sides of a coin..
I say, the coin rolls only because of it's third side.
The side that isn't considered, but most certainly exists.
True, it's not the most noticeable,
but again, that is what separates the two sides,
and what carries them
when they both wish to see the world.
Acknowledged on not..
They also say, two's company, while, well..
Monday, January 17, 2011
The Sun & The Rain
The thing about cars is, to me, they're all special in some way or another. A point I always like to make clear, is that things don't always have to be technical when it comes to speaking to me. Some cars remind me of design elements they were probably inspired by. It could be anything from a chair (Volvo's floating centre console) to gull wings (Mercedes SLS AMG doors, which are of course based on the iconic 300SL).
What I believe, is that the Indian market has matured. There are prospects for every market segment. Be it a sub-2 lakh car, or a car with a price tag of over 2 crore. If it is distinct enough to sport the tag, it will be accepted. This brings me to a point I've been trying to understand for a while now. Trying to be unbiased, and speaking from a generic marketing perspective, I would say certain manufacturers are growing exponentially, while some are just asleep. There are car corporation giants who are hugely successful abroad, but suffering in India, for whatever reason.
Mercedes-Benz has been here for over a decade, and they have the strongest brand acknowledgement you can think of. However, aggressive marketing has enabled another German giant, BMW, to storm in and claim top spot in less than half the time it took MB. Now, MB didn't have any competition in the first place, they were a monopoly. People had to buy what they sold at the price they sold it at. They had no choice, plainly put. BMW came in, and in a span of what, 3 years, launched their entire product portfolio, something NO other manufacturer has ever done in India. That made MB sit up and take notice. Earlier, Mercedes had their C200 K petrol and C220 CDI diesel models. BMW poured in with the 320i, 325i, 320d and M3, forcing MB to bring in their C230 and C63 AMG just to stay in the race, let alone compete for position. It's grown, the segment. Now, BMW, Audi, Volvo, Jaguar, and soon, Cadillac and Lexus will flex their muscles here - then the proverbial pot will most certainly start to boil.
Volvo. One of the brands I feel is asleep, or simply lacks the resources it needs to raise it's head and make a statement. They have a wonderful lineup internationally, a lineup which in purchase decisions, supercedes the very top brands. In India, it's a case of too little, too late. But with the slew of launches expected in 2011, they might just manage to dent their target segments. Their brand-building exercise is, to say the least, critical. Stephen Jacoby, newly appointed CEO, says the funding is in place and Geely is being supportive. Which cars would I like to see as a representative? A C60, S90 and an all-new XC90 or XC100, as is rumored. Think about it, how cool will a targa-roofed, strikingly designed, 304 horsepower coupe appeal to the market now. I looked through the papers this morning, as I usually do, and something unusual caught my eye. A grey car, with gullwing doors and striking headlamps, that I thought was an Aston-Martin, until I noticed the diagonal slat on the grill - a Volvo! Blimey even!
A little more Volvo. Why has Volvo always trumped in terms of safety? Simply because all other manufacturers, earlier at least, aimed to meet the top Euro NCAP safety standard of 5 stars. Volvo on the other hand, aim solely at building cars to save lives. Which is why even the smallest Volvo, the C30, is as safe as the house-on-wheels XC90. Volvo defines the benchmark, other manufacturers must replicate it.
Right then, my thoughts about luxury cars. Just as Volvo aims at building the safest cars, Mercedes-Benz aimed at creating the perfect automobile. Which is what brought about the S-klasse. The S is created, painstakingly I might add, to be the best car in the world. And it almost does it. True, you have Rolls-Royce and Bentley who beg to differ, but then again, cars like the BMW 7-series, the Audi A8 and the Jaguar XJ - they WANT that spot that the S has. Technologically, they will have it, even exceed in some areas, but they are cars built to take on the S-klasse; the S, it's simply designed to be the best. And that, I tell you, is it's defined purpose; which is why, it always will be.
The world is moving on, automobile manufacturers are moving with it. Green does not mean less powerful anymore. I'm glad to see the way things are turning out. Like I said, no technicalities. Think of a hybrid roadster as enjoying the sun and the rain on a June afternoon, all in a matter of seconds.
Here's to the future of the automobile. ;)
What I believe, is that the Indian market has matured. There are prospects for every market segment. Be it a sub-2 lakh car, or a car with a price tag of over 2 crore. If it is distinct enough to sport the tag, it will be accepted. This brings me to a point I've been trying to understand for a while now. Trying to be unbiased, and speaking from a generic marketing perspective, I would say certain manufacturers are growing exponentially, while some are just asleep. There are car corporation giants who are hugely successful abroad, but suffering in India, for whatever reason.
Mercedes-Benz has been here for over a decade, and they have the strongest brand acknowledgement you can think of. However, aggressive marketing has enabled another German giant, BMW, to storm in and claim top spot in less than half the time it took MB. Now, MB didn't have any competition in the first place, they were a monopoly. People had to buy what they sold at the price they sold it at. They had no choice, plainly put. BMW came in, and in a span of what, 3 years, launched their entire product portfolio, something NO other manufacturer has ever done in India. That made MB sit up and take notice. Earlier, Mercedes had their C200 K petrol and C220 CDI diesel models. BMW poured in with the 320i, 325i, 320d and M3, forcing MB to bring in their C230 and C63 AMG just to stay in the race, let alone compete for position. It's grown, the segment. Now, BMW, Audi, Volvo, Jaguar, and soon, Cadillac and Lexus will flex their muscles here - then the proverbial pot will most certainly start to boil.
Volvo. One of the brands I feel is asleep, or simply lacks the resources it needs to raise it's head and make a statement. They have a wonderful lineup internationally, a lineup which in purchase decisions, supercedes the very top brands. In India, it's a case of too little, too late. But with the slew of launches expected in 2011, they might just manage to dent their target segments. Their brand-building exercise is, to say the least, critical. Stephen Jacoby, newly appointed CEO, says the funding is in place and Geely is being supportive. Which cars would I like to see as a representative? A C60, S90 and an all-new XC90 or XC100, as is rumored. Think about it, how cool will a targa-roofed, strikingly designed, 304 horsepower coupe appeal to the market now. I looked through the papers this morning, as I usually do, and something unusual caught my eye. A grey car, with gullwing doors and striking headlamps, that I thought was an Aston-Martin, until I noticed the diagonal slat on the grill - a Volvo! Blimey even!
A little more Volvo. Why has Volvo always trumped in terms of safety? Simply because all other manufacturers, earlier at least, aimed to meet the top Euro NCAP safety standard of 5 stars. Volvo on the other hand, aim solely at building cars to save lives. Which is why even the smallest Volvo, the C30, is as safe as the house-on-wheels XC90. Volvo defines the benchmark, other manufacturers must replicate it.
Right then, my thoughts about luxury cars. Just as Volvo aims at building the safest cars, Mercedes-Benz aimed at creating the perfect automobile. Which is what brought about the S-klasse. The S is created, painstakingly I might add, to be the best car in the world. And it almost does it. True, you have Rolls-Royce and Bentley who beg to differ, but then again, cars like the BMW 7-series, the Audi A8 and the Jaguar XJ - they WANT that spot that the S has. Technologically, they will have it, even exceed in some areas, but they are cars built to take on the S-klasse; the S, it's simply designed to be the best. And that, I tell you, is it's defined purpose; which is why, it always will be.
The world is moving on, automobile manufacturers are moving with it. Green does not mean less powerful anymore. I'm glad to see the way things are turning out. Like I said, no technicalities. Think of a hybrid roadster as enjoying the sun and the rain on a June afternoon, all in a matter of seconds.
Here's to the future of the automobile. ;)
Friday, January 14, 2011
Watermelon
Coping with stress the effective way.
Happy thoughts are seldom thought of when you're happy. It's when you're all down, depressed and stuck in a hole that you try to think happy things with the hope that it'll make you feel a little better. But it only makes things worse. And the last thing to do would be to think of something sad, cos that will only makes things even worse than they already are.
However, certain things, call me materialistic or whatever, but sometimes, they do help. Watermelon. Green Peas and Chocolate. They really do it for me. No matter how sad I am, the sight of a big, red, juicy watermelon makes me smile, from the bottom of my heart; and it makes me thank God that there is something so wonderfully refreshing in existence, especially to help in times where you almost wanna kill yourself.
Passion. It can be rocks, stamps, small cars, multimillion dollar cars, or spacecraft. Whatever helps you focus on what truly makes you happy. Of course, that depends on your will to create. Sadists and the like won't get any of this. In times of my deepest grief, my ears stand to attention at the shriek of a multi-cylinder motorcycle speeding past at 9000rpm, or a sportscar doing almost the same thing. Never fails to grab my attention and capture my mindspace, for a good while. In fact, sometimes, it's so much so, I thank God for V8s and then wonder why I was sad in the first place. It helps.
Music. Another very effective method. Choosing the right track is critical in deciding if you feel better or worse. Listening to an Opeth or Alice in Chains solo in the middle of one their songs for instance will sadden you, then get you all welled up by the time you reach the solo. It is difficult to play a happy song when you're sad, I know it is. But then again, a few songs later, you're like, that's it. Enough. No more. Throw on some Cannibal Corpse, Slayer or Metallica (or whatever bangs your head) and get moving.
Note, alcohol is not on this list. Watermelon. Try it.
Happy thoughts are seldom thought of when you're happy. It's when you're all down, depressed and stuck in a hole that you try to think happy things with the hope that it'll make you feel a little better. But it only makes things worse. And the last thing to do would be to think of something sad, cos that will only makes things even worse than they already are.
However, certain things, call me materialistic or whatever, but sometimes, they do help. Watermelon. Green Peas and Chocolate. They really do it for me. No matter how sad I am, the sight of a big, red, juicy watermelon makes me smile, from the bottom of my heart; and it makes me thank God that there is something so wonderfully refreshing in existence, especially to help in times where you almost wanna kill yourself.
Passion. It can be rocks, stamps, small cars, multimillion dollar cars, or spacecraft. Whatever helps you focus on what truly makes you happy. Of course, that depends on your will to create. Sadists and the like won't get any of this. In times of my deepest grief, my ears stand to attention at the shriek of a multi-cylinder motorcycle speeding past at 9000rpm, or a sportscar doing almost the same thing. Never fails to grab my attention and capture my mindspace, for a good while. In fact, sometimes, it's so much so, I thank God for V8s and then wonder why I was sad in the first place. It helps.
Music. Another very effective method. Choosing the right track is critical in deciding if you feel better or worse. Listening to an Opeth or Alice in Chains solo in the middle of one their songs for instance will sadden you, then get you all welled up by the time you reach the solo. It is difficult to play a happy song when you're sad, I know it is. But then again, a few songs later, you're like, that's it. Enough. No more. Throw on some Cannibal Corpse, Slayer or Metallica (or whatever bangs your head) and get moving.
Note, alcohol is not on this list. Watermelon. Try it.
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