Sunday, March 31, 2013

 
NARA'S NOTEPAD
 
 
VOLUME 9
 
APRIL 2013
 
NUMBER 4
 
SUPPORTED
 
BY
 
 READERS LIKE YOU
 
PRACTICE
 
MAKES
 
PROGRESS

 
LINES I LIKED

PART 1

A BOOK BY NARA

264 PAGES, PRICE: Rs. 150/-

If you want a copy, please send a cheque / DD favouring

A.Narayanan,  at Coimbatore to:

Prof. A. Narayanan, #19, Phase 5, Maharani Avenue, Vadavalli,

Coimbatore – 641 041 giving your postal address.

 

SPONSORSHIP


 

NARA’S NOTEPAD thank

Dr. K. Mohan Naidu, Former Director of Sugarcane

Breeding Institute, Coimbatore for sponsoring

March, April and May 2013 issues.

MEMO FROM NARA



Transition from the past to the present to the future has been realized by on and all. Nature changes from season to season with slight modification although the transition is certain. In other words, transition brings changes. Many changes are for good whereas some are not.

One of the glaring changes we observe is food habits. People who have visited the US – in fact, most of the educated classes and business people very often do – generally taste the American foods and develop a taste for them, especially the young ones. They prefer to eat pizza, potato fries, KFC, Mac Donald burger etc. These people when come back home, try to search for such food to which they have developed a special taste. Of course, we do find the same types of food in Pizza Huts, Subways, KFCs and Mac Donald outlets in every city of India. The transition of food from country to country has become popular because of people’s preference.

Religions preach that God is beyond transition and thus there is no change in God.  Godly thoughts also do not change. Is it true that the natural process of change is applicable only to human beings? Is it possible for us to stop transition from the past to the present? I don’t think so, because the present and probably the future generations look for change and create changes in everything. They live in change and bring in change. Advancements and progress in human activities like education, science, health, business, and social service bring in changes and transition happen from year to year and decade to decade. History hints at all these aspects. The transition from a manual typewriter to a computer and sending letters (messages) through posts to e-mails are very common examples we all know. In future, how these things are going to be transformed? – Only time will tell. So transition is linked somehow with time. We have heard about the animals lived in Planet Earth millions of years ago. Today they are extinct. Transition led to new kinds of animals! Therefore, we can assume that there is no end to transition on earth.

However the religious and philosophical ideals postulate that the intransient and immortal as the highest order of being. But transition is an inescapable reality. The nature of social organization and the innate political wisdom make transition not only inevitable but even desirable. Every country tries to improve the living conditions of its people and empower them with health and education. Such attempts bring progress and improvements in individual life and generate good citizens who in turn contribute to for the changes. Marketing of commodities, management of finance and communicating the quality of products produced (Advertisements) have evolved over time. Selling things what human being needs in a sophisticated manner is another example for transition from exchange of goods for our food. By allowing education for women – a big change in countries like India – we have revolutionized the society and social order. Because of this transition today we see women working like men in all fields without fear or favour. They have built up courage and confidence in their mind to involve all aspects of social services. Someone rightly said: “Even truth changes every 8 or 10 years.” Therefore, whether one likes it or not change is bound to happen to create transition and we have to accept it.

WHAT IS CREATIVITY


Creativity is the bringing into being of something which did not exist before, either as a product, a process or a thought. You would be demonstrating creativity if you:

  • Invent something which has never existed before
  • Invent something which exists elsewhere but you are not aware of
  • Invent a new process for doing something
  • Reapply an existing process or product into a new or different market

CHINESE THINKING


 
The trouble with Americans is that when a thing is nearly right, they want to make it still better, while for a Chinese nearly right is good enough. The three great American vices seem to be efficiency, punctuality and the desire for achievements and success. They are the things that make the Americans so unhappy and so nervous. They stel from them their inalienable right of loafing and cheat them of many a good idle and beautiful afternoon.

According to the story of creation in creating woman, God took of the beauty of the flowers, the song of the birds, the colours of the rainbow, the kin of the breeze, the laughter of the waves, the gentleness of the lamb, the cunning of the fox, the waywardness of the clouds and the fickleness of shower, and wove them into a female being and presented her to man as his wife. – Lin Yutang

OUR NEEDS...


 
We have many needs, as I am sure you know. First in the hierarchy come our physical needs (food, water, warmth, safety, shelter, sex, touch etc...). Many of these are essential for our physical survival and so these become pressing if not met. We feel intense and desperate pain (thirst, hunger, cold) and an intense joy at the first sip of water, morsel of food or warmth of the blanket thrown around our shoulders. But this quickly wears off because that need has now been satisfied. More (or prolonged) warmth, more food or more water brings diminishing returns in happiness. Eventually, other needs come to the surface - the need to be cool, the need to rest and digest. Whereas before, the cold wind caused the most intense agony and you longed for a good crackling fire to warm your bottom against, now the cold breeze from the open window feels good against your face. You feel a momentary flash of joy...

INTROVERTS AND EXTROVERTS


 

 

The introverts are the ones who enjoy spending ‘alone time’ whereas the extroverts are social by nature. Also extroverts are looked upon as easy going and approachable. The introverts get perceived as ‘non-participative’ because of their less-expressive nature. About one third to one half of the population considers themselves to be introverts. Some of the best leaders in the world have been introverts by nature.

 

Introverts typically derive energy from within, reflect upon their thoughts and the resulting ideas or solutions have immense depth and value. Talented introverts are generally aloof, observant and less talkative and may need probing to elicit response. They may not be socially inclined and don’t enjoy much of attention, but prefer to work in solitude. They generally perform better as an individual than in a team. 

JUST TO LAUGH


 

The waitress went up to her boss and said: “I am not going to serve that cheeky devil over there!”

“What is wrong?” asked the boss.

“Well, he asked me for French salad and when I asked him “what’s that?” the devil said, “It’s the same as any other salad; only you serve it without dressing.”

 

Police: “Drunken driving is an offence, I charge you for that. Tell me the name.”

Driver: “It is Scotch brand, Sir.”

Police: “How dare you! Anyway, do you have another bottle?”

 

FULFILLMENT


 

Don’t play the career game for cash. If you think money is the top prize you’ll get suckered in by all kinds of get-rich-quick schemes, and you’ll make a lot of dumb bets. Even when you win the money you seek, you still lose because you miss the mark. The real prize is fulfilment. This means putting yourself in a position where you’re doing work you love, building your strengths and talents, enjoying abundant income, and making a meaningful contribution to others. Now that’s a prize worth having. -  Steve Pavlina

.

PRACTICAL STEPS TO LISTENING EFFECTIVELY...


 

Listening is described in numerous studies as the most prominent kind of communication. It has been identified as one of the most frequent problems in marriage, one of the most important in family and social settings, and one of the most important on-the-job communication skills. Often people think that because they can hear, listening is a natural ability. It is not. Listening effectively requires considerable skill and practice and is a learned skill. Listening skills have been described as either 'listening with our hearts' or 'hearing between the words.' Listening is a process that consists of five elements: hearing, attending, understanding, responding, and remembering. Hearing is the physiological dimension of listening that occurs when sound waves strike the ear at a certain frequency and loudness and is influenced by background noise. Attending is the process of filtering out some messages and focusing on others. Understanding occurs when we make sense of a message. Responding consists of giving observable feedback to the speaker such as eye contact and appropriate facial expressions. Remembering is the ability to recall information. Listening isn't just a passive activity; we are active participants in a communication transaction. By Gwen Nyhus Stewart

 

Finish what you start!


Meet you next month – May, 2013


 


Prof. A. Narayanan, Ph. D., FISPP



naara@india.com

Ph : 0422 2423017 Mobile : 098422 42301

www.nara.tumblr.com  (NARA’S DIGEST)

www.nara2007.blogspot.com  (NARA’S NOTEPAD)

 

Friday, March 1, 2013

 
 
NARA'S NOTEPAD
 
VOLUME 9
 
MARCH 2013
 
NUMBER 3
 
NARA'S NOTEPAD
 
IS
 
SPONSORED
 
BY
 
READERS LIKE YOU...
 
FIND
 
PROSPERITY
 
 IN
 
SIMPLICITY

 
LINES I LIKED

PART 1

A BOOK BY NARA

264 PAGES, PRICE: Rs. 150/-
 

If you want a copy, please send a cheque / DD favouring

A.Narayanan,  at Coimbatore to:

Prof. A. Narayanan, #19, Phase 5, Maharani Avenue, Vadavalli,

Coimbatore – 641 041 giving your postal address.

MEMO FROM NARA

 
Fifty years ago when I was a student of B.Sc(Ag), the then Professor of Economics taught us the law of supply and demand giving examples of agricultural products. Later on, I could see it in real life, how supply and demand operates not only in marketing of goods but also in every walk of life. In Tamil Nadu, (why in Tamil Nadu alone? Almost in every State) there is a severe power shortage while demand of power for various purposes – domestic, industrial, agricultural, business etc. is growing but we all know for sure the supply is limited because of constraints in production. If there is no production, supply gets limited and hence one has to limit one’s demand. One of the methods of limiting demand is to save power without wastage. In order to make the people to use less power, the cost of the power can be increased. When the cost escalates people have an inclination to use less power in both domestic and commercial sectors.

The power shortage has increased the demand for gadgets like UPS, inverters and generators and the supply of these gadgets has also increased. Therefore when the supply of power is limited, demands for an alternative increases and thus creates good marketing for UPS, inverters and generators.

The supply and demand determine the prices of products. If desire for goods increases while its availability deceases, their prices rise. On the other hand, if availability of the commodity increases and the desire for it decreases, the price comes down. This fantastic economic theory is used as the fundamental rule for marketing all over the world.

Production costs limit the supply or increase the price of goods – may be electronic goods, vehicles, tooth paste, soap, clothes etc. etc. Supply is also determined by the technology used in the production. New advanced technology also determines the supply. Sometimes supply is withheld for creating a scarcity in the market to get increased price for the commodities. Above all, the number of suppliers of a particular product counts a lot. Limited numbers control the market price while larger numbers create competition in supplying; such competition helps the consumers to go for better products with cheaper cost.

Similarly one of the major determinants of demand is the income of the consumers. The demands get increased when people have more money in their pockets. Taste and preference also determine the demand. Sometimes consumers expect that the cost of a particular item may go up in future, so they decide to buy it as early as possible. Also if the number of potential consumers is large the demand gets increased. I find it so fascinating to think of our day to day life linked with supply and demand theory of Economics. Actually the phrase “supply and demand” was first used by James Denham-Steuart. Then later on, many other economists applied this in their own studies.

Hence, supply and demand, indeed govern our life. One has to plan his or her life according to this simple economic theory. But who cares about it when one has plenty of money! Somehow supply and demand are ignored or managed. In fact, life itself is a management and everyone is good at it.

SPONSORSHIP


 
NARA’S NOTEPAD
thank

Dr. K. Mohan Naidu, Former Director of Sugarcane
Breeding Institute, Coimbatore for sponsoring
March, April, May 2013 issues.

 
MY MISSION IN LIFE IS TO TOUCH AS MANY LIVES AS I CAN…

 

MY GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT IS YOUR TRUST…

 

NARA

 

INSPIRE YOUR BRAIN

Take care of stress. Avoid dulling routine. Do something creative every day. Read poetry, spiritual material or anything else that makes you feel uplifted. Take time to be in nature. Bond with another person who is heart-warming. Pay attention to being happy. Make sure you take time every day by yourself to relax, meditate and self-reflect. Deal with negative emotions like anger and anxiety. Focus on activity that makes you feel fulfilled. Give of yourself. Follow a personal vision. Attach yourself to a cause that is bigger than you are. Take the risk to love and be loved.

IGNORING THE BRAIN


 
Get set in your ways. Don’t look beyond your opinions, likes and dislikes. Isolate yourself from others. Take relationships for granted. Reconcile yourself to going downhill as you age. Look upon the past as the best time of your life. Forget about having ideals. Act on selfish impulses. Don’t examine what makes you tick. Give in to anger and anxiety. Let life take care of itself. Go along to get along. Assume that you are automatically right. Avoid anything new or challenging. Put up with stress. Take no emotional risks. Distract yourself with mindless diversions like watching sports for hours on end.

THE FEELING OF LIFE




The feeling that life is essentially but a dream, while we row, row our boat down the river in the sunset of a beautiful afternoon, that flowers cannot bloom forever, the moon waxes and wanes, and human life itself joins the eternal procession of the plant and animal worlds is being born, growing to maturity and dying to make room for others. Man began to be philosophical only when he saw the vanity of this earthly existence.


Life is really a dream and we human beings are like travelers floating down the eternal river of time, embarking at a certain point and disembarking at a certain point and disembarking again at another point in order to make room for others waiting below the river to come aboard. Half of the poetry of life would be gone; if we did not feel that life was either a dream, or a voyage with transient travelers, or merely a stage in which the actors seldom realized that they were playing their parts.

-       Lin Yutang

JUST TO LAUGH...


 
Reality of Indians…

-       The smartest students pass with 1st Class and get admissions to Medical and Engineering Colleges.

-       The 2nd Class students get MBA and LLBs to manage the 1st Class students.

-       The 3rd Class students enter politics and rule both 1st and 2nd Class students.

-       The Failures join the under-world and control politics and businesses.

-       Those who did not attend any school, become Swamis and everybody follow them.

CREATIVE PEOPLE




·       Are easily bored.

·         Willing to take risks.

·         Don’t like rules.

·         Ask “what if?”

·         Make lots of mistakes.

·         Collaborate.

·         Are generous.

·         Are independent.

·         Experiment.

·         Motivate themselves.

·         Work hard.

·         Aren’t alone.

·         Are you creative?

ELIMINATE...


 

1. Doubt and fear of your ability to please others.

2. All antagonisms towards other people.

3. Your eagerness to get the best of others.

4. Feelings of superiority over anyone.

5. Thoughts of yourself as the only person that matters.

6. Desire to rule or oppress others.

7. All urges to impress others.

 

NEW WORDS...


 
Omnishambles: A situation that has been comprehensively mismanaged, characterized by a string of blunders and miscalculations.

Staycation: Vacation in your home town – is a perfect way to discover the treasure trove of culture in your own city or its outskirts. You save travel time, money and get to indulge yourself not far from home.