AIG Update

So here's an update, which I should provide in all fairness, since I panned AIG considerably in my last post. The Government of the US of A has decided to tax the bonuses received by AIG executives @ 90%, effectively ensuring that they keep only 10% of what they receive and the balance returns to the public, whence it came. That's justice and I'm considerably more at peace now.
Ironically, it also came to light since the scandal broke that it's not the CEO of AIG who's getting the lion's share of this "bonus" but his direct reports and their direct reports .. that only made me feel a bit worse as it were.

I'd like to be working for AIG

Life doesn't get better than this if you are an AIG executive, frankly. Think. You work for the one of the biggest corporations in the world. You mismanage the company to the point where you drive it to bankruptcy. You are able to ransom the Government of the US, on the basis that if AIG sinks, a substantial portion of the international banking industry will collapse since it is so heavily linked to AIG. Effectively, you blackmail the government into giving you a US $ 180 billion bailout (yes, that's BILLIONS, not millions!!).
And then, as reported in rediff.com today, you give yourself a BONUS. Yes Sir. A Bonus!! Because talent like yours is hard to find and needs to be retained!! Of course!! So none of the leaders at AIG stop to think, without this bunch of losers we might have actually had a business going.
And now Obama has stepped into the act, fortunately. As the CEO of AIG's biggest shareholder (The US Government, in other words, the US Taxpayer) he has vowed to block the bonus payout through every means possible. Let's hope he succeeds.

ISABS Labs

Plenty of stuff coming up. First is the National Event from May 11 - 23 in Goa. Second, a possible 3 day event on Appreciative Inquiry in Mumbai or Lonavla. Third, a lab on Sensuality and Body Image that's in the pipeline for the first week of April 09. Anyone interested, give me a buzz or write in for further details.
All ISABS events are moderately priced : it's a voluntary organisation that functions on a no-profit-no-loss basis.

Slumdog Millionaire

And so I'm trying to figure out, why are Indians resentful of slumdog? And indeed, what's the entire hype about?
First, the facts. It's a very good film, that I maintain. It has action, passion, grit and is engaging from the word go. It's realistic to the hilt in its depiction of slum life in India, while I have no first-hand experience of life in slums it seems gritty enough to be called realistic. It certainly deserves it's Oscars, though the introduction of Jai Ho at the end of the film is very clearly a ploy to ensure that the nomination for music was made possible.
I have two basic cribs about the Indian reaction. First, that we behave as if the victory of the Slumdog team at the Oscars is a victory for India. Surely that cannot be the case. Danny Boyle has made a masal film for a Western audience and has done so very well. It's not even the first time an Indian has gone onto the Oscar stage - Bhanu Athaiya was there for the costume designs for Gandhi, a full two decades back (more than that, actually). Sure, there's good reason for us to be proud -it's international recognition of the talent embodied by AR Rahman, Resul and others. And anything that works for slumkids must be good, is my blatantly partisan opinion - and in this case, those kids are getting a chance at an education that they'd otherwise have never seen, so I'm all for it. But it's not a victory for India and India is not on test every year when the Oscars are announced, so let's get a bit mature about it.
Second, why is there so much negative reaction from Indians to the idea of a westerner making a film about slums? First AB went ballistic and then a few others as well. My own theory is that we earnest believe that we should show only our best side to the world and if we pretend long enough that there is no seamy side, that belief will somehow magically become the reality. That is really stupid. There is a seamy underside to life in India and it is for us to be ashamed of. 60 years after Independence, we still are not able to offer decent housing, food and education to our population and that has resulted in a completely different lifestyle for this other India, that is in our metros and yet not urban. We need more people like Boyle to hold up mirrors to us and let us know that there is a world out there that is savage, primitive and which we have not impacted positively as yet. AB I guess went ballistic because he belongs to those who believe that the seamy side will vanish if he pretends it does not exist, besides, the film does a takeoff on him at different times and in different forms (after all, Anil Kapoor pays him the highest compliment possible while portraying his role!!). But clearly, whatever AB's motives may be - and I'm one of his biggest fans - let's remind ourselves that this is not about AB or Boyle, it's about an India that we've ignored for long and need to work with.

The Last Lecture- A Sad Update

Just learnt that Prof Randy Pausch died in July last year- from the pancreatic cancer that he was suffering from. He outlived the doctors' predictions by three months and that must count for something. I think what was especially touching about the Last Lecture, in retrospect, was that it was not a presentation he made to his students, but one that he made to his kids about how his view of the world was changing now that he was conscious that time was finite.
Rest in peace, Randy. You deserve this one. With applause for the equanimity and courage in the face of death - I would certainly wish for that courage when the time comes.

Vantage Point

This is truly one of the most amazing films I have seen recently. Its outstanding.

First the story: relatively simple. A global Summit against terrorism is being held in Spain. All heads of government are participating. The President of the US gets up to make a speech and is assassinated. Theres a huge crowd at the place, including the 6 principal characters. Each of them views the event differently and the director adopts a very unusual device: their stories are told through flashbacks, and each flashback takes the story a bit further. Confused? Dont be, because the visual effect is stunning. Each characters story is told in a simple, non-melodramatic way that emphasises the facts of the event. And yes, there is a sequence when most of the characters intersect.

Aside from the unusual treatment by the director, the acting is superb. Dennis Quaid is crackling as the secret service agent. So also William Hurt. If you remember Sigourney Weaver from Alien, youll see her in a brief cameo as a TV news show producer. Its a brief movie, at 90 minutes, but worth every minute.

The Standard Chartered Mumbai Half Marathon for the second year in a row ..

I developed an interest in running in 2007 and took part in the Mumbai Half Marathon first in 2008. Was a great experience that did wonders for my confidence, esp since I'd never done serious physical exercise before that. This year was better in some ways and worse in others. the better parts were that I ran with less effort and fewer breaks ... stopped just about 5 times and each time not more than a minute. Also had fun chatting up with people while running, like I met my friend Anand Kripalu of Cadburys and Shyam Gwalani who runs his own training business in Thane.

And the crowds were more encouraging this time. Coming on the back of the November 26, 2008 terror attacks sponsored by Pakistan, it was seen as an expression of public spirit to be involved in the Marathon in any way possible and that encouraged people to participate in different ways.

On the negative side? Well Standard Chartered and Procam obviously don't believe that Marathoners need to use a toilet at any time during anywhere between 2 and 4 hours of running. It's quite weird but there's a shortage of public conveniences along the way. And of course the bigger downside, that I took more time than I did last time !!! Last year I did the 21 kms in 2 hours 26 mins; this year while I have not got the official record as yet it looks closer to 2 hours 28 mins or so. Possibly the heat- a lot of runners were telling me this year that they took longer.

And some one asked me why I do it .. I am reminded of Edmund Hillary's response on being asked why he wanted to conquer Everest, and he responded "Because it's there". I guess that's it. I hadn't done much of physical exercise earlier so I started doing it 2 years back and the results are getting better. Some of my friends are getting envious as well, because they are beginning to slip off the exercise bandwagon!!

Just finished a two day lab

If you haven't been through a t-group before, or are not very sure of the methodology, check the hyperlink www.isabs.org I just returned from a two-day lab conducted in Mumbai. Although a very brief lab - I am more used to the 6 day version that most ISABS labs are - it was useful. First I learnt what triggers off my anger. Second how I express and manage anger. Third how I react when I am feeling angry towards a person in a position of authority and power, who tries to sneer down and talk down to me. Fourth, that anger can sometimes be a product of helplessness. And of course I did experiment the first day, to make sure that I was more of a participant than an observer and I got into it to the hilt, coming in with passion and enthusiasm. I did enjoy this one in retrospect.