If people want to destroy society then ....

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Who will help you cope with GST?

GST - The new Goods and Services Tax will be launched on 1st July 2017.

The date is significant because it is also Chartered Accountants Day as well as Doctor's Day. If the former can't solve your problem, the latter will.

Youth, rebellion and conformity

The young always have the same problem - how to rebel and conform at the same time. They have now solved this by defying their parents and copying one another.

- Quentin Crisp

Eyes on the sky - Alfred Gockel

22 Things that we can learn from happy people

There are two types of people in the world: those who are happy, and those who are unhappy. Contrary to popular belief, happiness doesn't come from fame, fortune, other people, or material possessions. Rather, it comes from within.
 

 The richest person in the world could be miserable while a homeless person could be right outside, smiling and content with their life. Happy people are happy because they make themselves happy. They maintain a positive outlook on life and remain at peace with themselves.
 

  The question is: How do they do that?
  It's quite simple. Happy people have good habits that enhance their lives. They do things differently. Ask any happy person, and they will tell you that they ...
 

 1. Don't hold grudges.
  Happy people understand that it's better to forgive and forget than to let their negative feelings crowd out their positive feelings. Holding a grudge has a lot of detrimental effects on your wellbeing, including increased depression, anxiety, and stress. Why let anyone who has wronged you have power over you? If you let go of all your grudges, you'll gain a clear conscience and enough energy to enjoy the good things in life.

  2. Treat everyone with kindness.
  Did you know that it has been scientifically proven that being kind makes you happier? Every time you perform a selfless act, your brain produces serotonin, a hormone that eases tension and lifts your spirits. Not only that, but treating people with love, dignity, and respect also allows you to build stronger relationships.

  3. See problems as challenges.
  The word "problem" is never part of a happy person's vocabulary. A problem is viewed as a drawback, a struggle, or an unstable situation while a challenge is viewed as something positive like an opportunity, a task, or a dare. Whenever you face an obstacle, try looking at it as a challenge.

  4. Express gratitude for what they already have.
  There's a popular saying that goes something like this: "The happiest people don't have the best of everything; they just make the best of everything they have."
You will have a deeper sense of contentment if you count your blessings instead of yearning for what you don't have.

   5. Dream big.
  People who get into the habit of dreaming big are more likely to accomplish their goals than those who don't. If you dare to dream big, your mind will put itself in a focused and positive state.

  6. Don't sweat the small stuff.
  Happy people ask themselves, "Will this problem matter a year from now?" They understand that life's too short to get worked up over trivial situations. Letting things roll off your back will definitely put you at ease to enjoy the more important things in life.

  7. Speak well of others.
  Being nice feels better than being mean. As fun as gossiping is, it usually leaves you feeling guilty and resentful. Saying nice things about other people encourages you to think positive, non-judgmental thoughts.

  8. Never make excuses.
  Benjamin Franklin once said, "He that is good for making excuses is seldom good for anything else." Happy people don't make excuses or blame others for their own failures in life. Instead, they own up to their mistakes and, by doing so, they proactively try to change for the better.

  9. Get absorbed into the present.
  Happy people don't dwell on the past or worry about the future. They savor the present. They let themselves get immersed in whatever they're doing at the moment. Stop and smell the roses.

  10. Wake up at the same time every morning.
  Have you noticed that a lot of successful people tend to be early risers? Waking up at the same time every morning stabilizes your circadian rhythm, increases productivity, and puts you in a calm and centered state.

  11. Avoid social comparison.
  Everyone works at his own pace, so why compare yourself to others? If you think you're better than someone else, you gain an unhealthy sense of superiority. If you think someone else is better than you, you end up feeling bad about yourself. You'll be happier if you focus on your own progress and praise others on theirs.

  12. Choose friends wisely.
  Misery loves company. That's why it's important to surround yourself with optimistic people who will encourage you to achieve your goals. The more positive energy you have around you, the better you will feel about yourself.

  13. Never seek approval from others.
  Happy people don't care what others think of them. They follow their own hearts without letting naysayers discourage them. They understand that it's impossible to please everyone. Listen to what people have to say, but never seek anyone's approval but your own.

   14. Take the time to listen.
  Talk less; listen more. Listening keeps your mind open to others' wisdoms and outlooks on the world. The more intensely you listen, the quieter your mind gets, and the more content you feel.

  15. Nurture social relationships.
  A lonely person is a miserable person. Happy people understand how important it is to have strong, healthy relationships. Always take the time to see and talk to your family, friends, or significant other.

  16. Meditate.
  Meditating silences your mind and helps you find inner peace. You don't have to be a zen master to pull it off. Happy people know how to silence their minds anywhere and anytime they need to calm their nerves.

  17. Eat well.
  Junk food makes you sluggish, and it's difficult to be happy when you're in that kind of state. Everything you eat directly affects your body's ability to produce hormones, which will dictate your moods, energy, and mental focus. Be sure to eat foods that will keep your mind and body in good shape.

  18. Exercise.
  Studies have shown that exercise raises happiness levels just as much as Zoloft does. Exercising also boosts your self-esteem and gives you a higher sense of self-accomplishment.

  19. Live minimally.
  Happy people rarely keep clutter around the house because they know that extra belongings weigh them down and make them feel overwhelmed and stressed out. Some studies have concluded that Europeans are a lot happier than Americans are, which is interesting because they live in smaller homes, drive simpler cars, and own fewer items.

  20. Tell the truth.
  Lying stresses you out, corrodes your self-esteem, and makes you unlikeable. The truth will set you free. Being honest improves your mental health and builds others' trust in you. Always be truthful, and never apologize for it.

  21. Establish personal control.
  Happy people have the ability to choose their own destinies. They don't let others tell them how they should live their lives. Being in complete control of one's own life brings positive feelings and a great sense of self-worth.

  22. Accept what cannot be changed.
  Once you accept the fact that life is not fair, you'll be more at peace with yourself. Instead of obsessing over how unfair life is, just focus on what you can control and change it for the better.

My thanks to Harry Daswani for this piece.

Smile

Most of my friends and all of my family believe me to be eccentric, like a billionaire just without the billions. Come to think of it, the world can be an amazing place if you are a bit eccentric.

The gift of life is so fascinating that it can be regarded as one giant laboratory. Everyday presents numerous opportunities to increase both my knowledge and appreciation of people.

I love life and all that it offers. Maybe that is why it is easy for me to smile and laugh. I often smile at strangers sitting in their cars and bikes stuck in traffic or at traffic signals. Here is what I discovered.

Most people and I connect for a few seconds and a smile grows on their faces, sometimes we exchange greetings, or even have a very brief conversation.

Probably being more relaxed, passengers tend to be more interactive than drivers.

Toddlers and young children are the most receptive and invariably smile back. They continue to gawk, smile and wave until I move out of sight.

Youngsters between 10 to 20 years of age are most reluctant to respond. They mostly look at me with the expression "I know people like you, who try to be friendly but are actually dangerous". This I attribute, to loss of innocence. They have begun to learn that the world is far from ideal and most adults cannot be trusted.

Young adults and middle aged people are too preoccupied chasing tasks and problems in their lives to acknowledge the existence of humanity and life. They are mostly dismissive, because if you are being nice to them, you probably want something therefore you can't be of any consequence.

The elderly are glad that their existence is acknowledged. Sometimes they get confused but most often they beam a smile, and are most chatty.

Officials of all kinds and people in expensive vehicles usually have a scowl on their face. They invariably have a frown and almost always give me that look that says, "What in hell, is the matter with you?" I can't get it.  had money and power why do they appear unhappy?

Here are some quotes on smile.

• A smile is a curve that straightens things out.
• A smile is the shortest distance between two hearts.
• It takes 6 muscles to smile and 120 muscles to frown.
• It is easy to conceal your grief but impossible to hide one's joy, a sign of a happy spirit.

The end of my experiments always leaves me with more questions than when I started. Maybe I am a lousy researcher, but who cares? I am celebrating life.

I realise that, I am not a human on a spiritual journey but a spirit on a human journey.

Keep Smiling

The Babu's bible

1. Rule No. 1. Be reactive and Not pro-active. Hasten slowly.
2. Rule No 2.  Do Not create waves.  Flow with the water. Just be a processor and not be a facilitator. that is NOT your  mandate.
3. Rule No. 3. Have No fixed conviction or commitments or views. At least do not display them.
4. Rule No 4. Process and procedure is most important and not the end result. Stick to them as long as it helps you to remain inactive.
5. Rule No 5. Remain non committal. Act sincere, do nothing.
6. Rule No 6. When in doubt, sleep over the matter and procrastinate as much as you can.
7. Rule No 7. There are NO rewards for good work. If you go wrong your neck is online. Do nothing.
8. Rule No 8. Cite rules. There is some rule for every sin, inaction, action or position that you may be in, to justify it. Look after your own interest and manoeuvre best positions and postings for yourself.
9. Rule No 9.  Accumulate wealth and maintain good public relations with those who matter in the hierarchy.
10. Rule No 10. Avoid controversy and side step when difficult situation comes up. Pass the buck when things get hot.
11. Rule No 11. Things will remain what they are. Your actions/inactions and contribution do not matter.
12. Rule No 12. People and their problems are NO concern of yours. They have been born to live like that. You are the privileged one. Do not identify with common people.
13. Rule No 13. Look after yourself. Watch your back.
14. Rule No 14. Do not trust sincere and dedicated and honest type of colleagues and other activists They are nothing but trouble.
15. Rule No. 15. There is nothing called absolute fact/truth. Everything has many dimensions and sides. Always defend your action by highlighting the side that justifies your position.  Always side with the winner.
16. Rule No 16. Babus NEVER retire. Ensure lining up a cosy post retirement assignment.
17. Rule No 17. Never get trapped in idealism, patriotism, honesty, fair play, professional or personal integrity etc. These are just vague and unrealistic concepts and should never affect your actions.
18. Rule No 18. Never promote or recommend anyone from any other cadre/discipline (other than your own cadre) for any valuable position /post/assignment however suited, appropriate and capable that person maybe for the same. Always maintain parochial interest and promote it to the best of your ability.
19. Rule No 19. Always pull down anyone who may be competent and able to out run you. trip him/her unabashedly.
20. Rule No 20. Be very careful of those who are genuinely good, able, motivated and visionary. They are highly dangerous for our peace and carefree existence.

                                                        _____________  &  _______________

* The term 'babu' refers to bureaucrats and other government officials in India.

As organisations and grow they become more bureaucratic. 
If you encounter more than one of the above symptoms listed above in your organization, you may want to ask some deep questions and probably take and implement some crucial decisions

Rapes will increase unless .....

Last night Nirbhaya the 23 year old Delhi girl who had been gang raped by six goons died. The rapists were led by a driver of a bus company  notorious for their obnoxious behaviour with citizens and total disregard for the law.

To the credit of the police and the public, the perpetuators of this terrible crime were swiftly apprehended. Why have the owners of and the employer of the bus driver not yet been apprehended?  Is it because the bus company is owned by politicians?

The people are furious  as can be judged by the spontaneous outbreak of widespread protests across the country. Braving the cold weather and the heat of high handed police and political action, protests across the country, by men and women, appear not only to be sustained but growing in momentum.

The government appeared to be paralyzed but this has been just a depressurizing ruse. Politicians know that public memory and fury is short lived and they typically duck responsibility until the storm passes over. 

However, unlike in the past this problem refuses to go away. The key word being 'problem'.

It is distressing to see that people as usual are focusing on the symptoms rather than the problem. Rape, theft, robbery, kidnapping, intimidation, extortion, violence etc. have become quite common in our society.  They however are not the problem, these are mere symptoms of great malaise in our society. 

As social creatures our behaviour and responses are the result of our social conditioning. 

• Conditioning no 1: Movies depict that women really want to be pursued and preferably by force. Their resistance is just a put on. This leads to eve teasing and tendency to rape.
• Conditioning no 2:  Television serials normally depict women in poor light as scheming evil creatures that deserve to be shown their place.
• Conditioning no 3: The normal citizen exists at the pleasure of a political class armed with draconian power of the state and the scary power of the criminal.

Film and television producers have to reconsider their approach and recognise that their need for making money has to be tempered with their responsibility to depict women as worthy of respect.

The greatest 'problem' is, criminalization of our political system and the presence of a large number of criminals in all elected bodies and now heading many of the democratic institutions and even business enterprises.  

Why is that such a problem? The criminals now increasingly control, policy and law making and  enforcement. The criminals control the tax authorities and statuary authorities and investigation agencies to intimidate opponents and to protect themselves.  

History bears proof that all regimes, democratic or otherwise attempts to maintain the social and economic status quo of those in power. If the power is based on criminal minds and deeds, what else can be the outcome? Institutions are now being used to protect the interest of those in power and their henchmen who believe they are above the law. It is not a belief but a fact that criminal politicians and their cronies are indeed above the law.

We should ask ourselves, how did these people reach these commanding heights of criminality and unaccountability? We the citizens put them there and preserve them there, by our silence and inaction.

No political party filled with criminals wants a strong and independent police force nor strong democratic institutions.

We the people instead of merely demanding the emasculation of rapists should demand and ensure that the politicians stop emasculating our police force and raping the people.

The only effective weapons in our hands is our voice, at the polls, through social and mainstream media and protest on the street. Are you doing your bit?

*Image by Alexa Meade