Trust is the foundation of all forms of influence : Are You a Good Boss—or a Great One? @HarvardBiz

I liked this article very much and many important lessons for me are contained in the article

- Great integrated overarching way to think of yourself as a manager:

Manage yourself. Manage your network. Manage your team.

-Build and nurture a broad network of ongoing relationships with those they need and those who need them; that is how they influence people over whom they have no formal authority.



I like the second point here about networking relationships and also an example where it is important to campaign within a group or company ahead of time before a presentation so no one has the surprise factor.



But then again I have a copy if Rework by Jason Fried and David Heinmeier Hansson on my table which is a story for another post

Amplify’d from hbr.org

The whole question of how managers grow and advance is one we’ve studied, thought about, and lived with for years. As a professor working with high potentials, MBAs, and executives from around the globe, Linda meets people who want to contribute to their organizations and build fulfilling careers. As an executive, Kent has worked with managers at all levels of both private and public organizations. All our experience brings us to a simple but troubling observation: Most bosses reach a certain level of proficiency and stop there—short of what they could and should be.

We’ve discussed this observation with countless colleagues, who almost without exception have seen what we see: Organizations usually have a few great managers, some capable ones, a horde of mediocre ones, some poor ones, and some awful ones. The great majority of people we work with are well-intentioned, smart, accomplished individuals. Many progress and fulfill their ambitions. But too many derail and fail to live up to their potential. Why? Because they stop working on themselves.

Managers rarely ask themselves, “How good am I?” and “Do I need to be better?” unless they’re shocked into it. When did you last ask those questions? On the spectrum of great to awful bosses, where do you fall? Read more at hbr.org

 

See this Amp at http://bit.ly/hc71Vz

Anything's possible in Austin

Anything's possible, originally uploaded by ShashiBellamkonda.

I am taking a walk on my second day in Austin and looking up into the sky I see this. It's not a plane ( even though the airport is close by), it's not a bird ( it's too high) and it's not superman because there is no movie theater near by.

It was nice to see a glider( could hear the motor) but wonder where they would land .. Is it usual to see this in Austin. are folks using gliuders to commute - seems like a awesome idea.

87% Chinese 50% Brazilians & 45% Indians think their country is going in the right direction

The Economist ( Yes ! I like the economist very much) has an interesting article on how over the past 400 years the West has maintained a promise of better times from generation to generation. Now hope is on the move.



" The rise of positive thinking ", population demographics and Nandan Nilakani's quote" greatest achievement lies not in producing technology but redefining the boundaries of the possible" make this an interesting article to read.

There is also a takeaway that along with propserity comes responsibility - a message for the BRICI countries.

Amplify’d from www.economist.com

“HOPE” is one of the most overused words in public life, up there with “change”. Yet it matters enormously. Politicians pay close attention to right-track/wrong-track indicators. Confidence determines whether consumers spend, and so whether companies invest. The “power of positive thinking”, as Norman Vincent Peale pointed out, is enormous

Now hope is on the move. According to the Pew Research Centre, some 87% of Chinese, 50% of Brazilians and 45% of Indians think their country is going in the right direction, whereas 31% of Britons, 30% of Americans and 26% of the French do. Companies, meanwhile, are investing in “emerging markets” and sidelining the developed world. “Go east, young man” looks set to become the rallying cry of the 21st century.

For most of its history America has kept its promise to give its citizens a good chance of living better than their parents. But these days, less than half of Americans think their children’s living standards will be better than theirs. Experience has made them gloomy: the income of the median worker has been more or less stagnant since the mid-1970s, and, thanks to a combination of failing schools and disappearing mid-level jobs, social mobility in America is now among the lowest in the rich world. Read more at www.economist.com

 

See this Amp at http://econ.st/fRq8eP

Anything's possible

Chinese tourists passed Russians as the highest-spending non European tourists to visit France

When may of the folks I know visit the US they want to go to Niagara Falls, Disneyworld and New York. As the economy changes travel patterns will change and more Asian countries will encourage their citizens to visit other countries.



This Economist article talks about the places that Chinese are flocking to see in Europe and not necessarily the ones that the locals think are popular. Mount Titlis in Lucerne Switzerland, Kings College Cambridge.



Strangely UK does not get many of these tourists since UK is not part of the border-free Schengen zone and it's a nightmare for Chinese tourists to get visas to any European country.



Enjoy reading the Economist article.

Amplify’d from www.economist.com

China’s tourists are carving out a new European itinerary, with some unexpected stops

When the bamboo curtain lifted a generation ago, the first contact many Chinese had with the outside world was in the form of imported goods, whose foreign fame was viewed as intrinsic proof of quality. Even today, seen from a Chinese tour bus, the continent of Europe resembles not so much an ancient collection of cities and nations as a glittering emporium stocked with brands. Those brands are not always commercial products: the grand tour takes in the birthplaces of world-famous people, the seats of globally renowned institutions and—as in Cambridge—sites linked to well-known literary works.

A stop in Metzingen involves a tribute to another German, the suitmaker Hugo Boss. A short drive from Frankfurt, Metzingen is home to several factory outlets, where Chinese shoppers vie with Russians and Indians as the biggest spenders. It is a standing joke among Chinese travellers that many products snapped up abroad bear “Made in China” labels. But there is some sense to this seeming madness. Thanks to hefty taxes and customs duties, European brands are routinely 40% more expensive back home. In China they are also quite likely to be fakes. Read more at www.economist.com

 

See this Amp at http://econ.st/gqDOdY

Great gift for parents with teenagers

Great gift for parents with teenagers, originally uploaded by ShashiBellamkonda.

I bought this on Amazon amzn.to/g5qpDE A few years ago the MD Transportation dept used to give out these magnetic signs but with the serious 'Rooki e Driver" This sign is hilarious. good gift for parents with teenagers.

Shout out to USPS for the decade

I have had great experiences with the post office. I have changed my address a  couple of times and every time the post office ( 20878) had forwarded the mail beyond the 6 months date. The mail always arrives on time snow or rain (20854) and always courteous.

It is easy to place a vacation hold and temporarily forward mail if you are going on a long vacation. And best of all I was thrilled to read this Popular mechanic's article : Which Shipping Company Is Kindest to Your Packages? Guess who has the gentlest touch ?

Thank you USPS , thank you post person of zip code 20854. Happy Holidays !

Great gift for parents with teenagers

Looking forward to the Menorah fire truck parade in Rockville Gaithersburg

At this time of the year we look forward to this parade by the Rockville Volunteer Fire Department who will carry on its tradition of parading from downtown Rockville to Gaithersburg as it carries a lighted menorah on a fire truck Thursday night..

PARADE TIMES AND ROUTES

The Menorah Fire Truck parade will leave Rockville Volunteer Fire Station 3 at 380 Hungerford Drive in Rockville at 6 p.m.

- First stop: Fallsgrove, corner of Fallsgrove Boulevard and Shady Grove Drive, estimated arrival time is 6:15 p.m.

- Second stop: Potomac Glen, Shady Grove Road and Cavanaugh Drive, estimated arrival time is 6:45 p.m.

- Third stop: Chanukah Wonderland, Travilah Square Shopping Center at 10066 Darnestown Road in North Potomac, estimated arrival time is 7 p.m.

- Fourth stop: Washingtonian Woods in Gaithersburg, pool on Midsummer Drive, estimated arrival time is 7:15 p.m.

- Fifth stop: Lakelands Park in Gaithersburg, estimated arrival time is 7:25 p.m.

- Final stop: Chabad of Upper Montgomery County, 11520 Darnestown Road in Gaithersburg, Grand Hanukkah Party and lighting of the outdoor menorah at 7:30 pm.

Details ;http://www.ourshul.org/templates/articlecco_cdo/aid/235385/jewish/Menorah-Fire-Truck-Parade.htm

George Carlin - Modern Man - Good watch for Friday - Humorous

The "Harry Potter" star Tom Felton on George Lopez (TBS)

Dad I want to show you my Turkey

Love the NPR song - I am addicted too ;) Thanks @acarvin

Not proud of this cover

You will love this Conan in India Commercial ( Funny )

My morning begins here

Nice cover in the latest @economist

we love pizza

Visiting India is a very smart move by President Obama

The man on the street India expects the US to address the issue of why US is not stopping terrorist attacks against India. ( from NDTV). As the global economy stagnates it is natural for any corporation /state or economy to look towards the fastest growing  economies India 8.8% growth 11th biggest economy in the world, India is the second fastest-growing, behind China.


President Obama is pitching US exports to India and i think doing as much as any Republican administration would have done.

Did you know that India...

- is the world's second largest small car market

- is one of only three countries that makes its own supercomputers

- is the fourth largest economy in the world (measured in terms of purchasing power parity)

- is one of six countries that launches its own satellites

- 100 of the Fortune 500 have R & D facilities in India

- has the second largest group of software developers after the U.S.

- lists 6,600 companies on the Bombay Stock Exchange; only the NYSE has more

- is the world's largest producer of milk, and second largest producer of food, including fruits and vegetables

- sends more students to the U.S. colleges than any other country in the world. In 2008, over 94,563 Indian students enrolled in the U.S.

- Indian pharmaceutical industry is the world's second largest after China
Source : http://www.buyusa.gov/india/en/motm.html

On the political front I juts watched a debate on NDTV and some sound bytes that were interesting
- Pakistan is your neighbor and it is in India's interest to make sure the neighbor does not catch fire as your house can catch fire too.
- Response from Indian expert. if a house catches fire we expect to pour water not send arms
- David Ignatius said something that was very realistic. he said that it would not be in anyone's interest to ask Pakistan to cutoff relations with some groups as that intelligence is very valuable to prevent attacks. The solution is to build confidence to share that intelligence.

Watch video streams from NDTV at http://www.ndtv.com/video/live/channel/ndtv24x7

toddler to me " dad! why are they shouting to Obama"

View from my room Boston

Beantown

Security and Customer Service at Airports - Opportunity to get better

This is not a rant against TSA, I think they are doing a reasonably good job. I just passed through the BWI airport and there wss no line in Terminal D and if I was doing any other task I should have walked away happy that it took less than 5 minutes to walk through security.

I think flying has become a chore and the best part of a vacation does not include the security lines at airports or for that matter the flight itself. As a passenger I am always worried about forgetting something while going through the security line added to that the harsh and loud instructions from the TSA staff makes feel guilty that I could be doing something wrong and get publicly rebuked in a loud voice.

Here are my suggestions :

• No loud shouting should be allowed 
• Talk to anyone who makes mistakes in a very friendly and soothing tone.
• Pay special attention to anyone needing help if necessary asking other fellow passengers to help.

Should be simple enough. What do you think ?

Follow@jasonfalls trip diary

If you have heard Jason Falls speak you will agree that he does a great presentation with humor and learning that its a pleasure to be in the audience with him. He is on a trip to Bangalore/bengaluru India and is logging his travel at a Video Blog http://fallsofftherocker.com/

Worth a look

#optsum riding in style

My new @tbd cap

My new @tbd cap

Remember BP gas stations are small Business

I am bored!

cute .co flying pig arrives #pigsfly #dotco

Can i fry an egg at this temp in the DC area today

Tuskegee hero George Norfleet signing his book at the Air & Space Museum

Phishing warning : Gmail users read

Just got this message in my personal Gmail Account and I am posting it to warn folks about this phishing email. Do not send your credentials in an email to anyone.

Email title: Google Account Verification

Email Body : Due to the congestion in our Gmail servers,there would be removal of all unused Gmail Accounts.You will have to confirm if your E-mail is still active by filling out your login info below after clicking the reply button, or your account will be suspended within 24 hours for security reasons.
Account Name: 
Password: 
Country : 
Note: This email is only for Account owner.
Thank you for using Gmail ! 

The Gmail Team

Report it as phishing as I did.

watching ducks

Gettysburg Casino. Wilderness Wal-Mart. Some things just don’t go together.

From the National Parks Conservation Association:

 

The land at Gettysburg has been set aside by our nation so we can honor the sacrifices made there and show respect for that devastating and defining battle. This is not the place for the casino, recently proposed on land so close to the park that it would have been within Civil War cannon-shot. A casino so close to this hallowed ground is at odds with the very nature of this place where so many died to preserve our country. Gettysburg National Military Park belongs to all of us and we must protect it from this development.

We are also working against proposed development in Orange, Virginia, on the site of the 1864 Battle of the Wilderness--General Ulysses S. Grant’s first battle of his decisive “war of attrition” against General Robert E. Lee. But officials in Orange have approved the construction of a Wal-Mart Supercenter on Battle of the Wilderness ground. With your help, and our numerous local allies, we have generated more than 27,000 messages to Wal-Mart urging them to work with us on a solution that does not desecrate this hallowed Civil War battlefield.

Even as we prepare to mark the 150^th anniversary of the start of Civil War in 2011, more than 70 of the nation’s most significant battlefields have been lost to development.

Conservation of our most important places doesn’t just happen--it requires engagement and dedication and the hard work of NPCA, empowered by members like you. We’ve been able to stand as guardian to the nation’s battlefields because you have stood with us.

Your generous contribution now will help us fight development pressures like the proposed Gettysburg casino and Wilderness Wal-Mart. With your help, we can coordinate local support, conduct research and advocate for the protection of these parks in venues ranging from local zoning commission meetings to the halls of Congress.

Who we are today as a nation was formed in these places--in Gettysburg, in Orange, Virginia, and other threatened battlefields. In order to tell our story effectively, these places must be saved.

Please click here to donate today to defend these parks and our shared history.

Bellamkonda India

This is a picture that my friend Arun Rajagopal took as he was traveling in India by train. My family has told me that the origin of my name came from this place Bellamkonda. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bellamkonda

US Students not taking science with enthusiasm as their Global peers

White House asks community to solve the problem of US students not taking Science with enthusiasm as their global peers

On Tuesday May 11^th the White House held a briefing for a group of 150 mostly local technology companies, non-profits , associations and others interested in knowing more about the White House initiative the President’s Educate to Innovate campaign. The campaign’s goal is to improve the participation and performance of America’s students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Greg Nelson

According to the White House website

This campaign will include efforts not only from the Federal Government but also from leading companies, foundations, non-profits, and science and engineering societies to work with young people across America to excel in science and math.

In January 2009 the Scientific American reported

“85 percent of kids surveyed by theLemelson–M.I.T. Invention Index, an annual survey that examines Americans' attitudes about innovation, said they were interested in science, technology, engineering and mathematics”

“But nearly two-thirds polled said they may ultimately pursue other professions because they don’t have a mentor or understand what's involved in a science, math or engineering career.”

One the measures determining the performance the US students is from a Department of Education sponsored Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) which is a system of international assessments that measures 15-year-olds’ performance in reading literacy,

mathematics literacy, and science literacy every 3 years. The latest assessment taken in 2009 will be available in Dec 2010 ( That’s a long time in the Internet age). The report states “U.S. students scored lower on science literacy than their peers in 16 of the other 29 OECD jurisdictions”

Source: http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2008/2008016.pdf

The situation the country is facing which needs programs like STEM to succeed is suitably put in the words of Charlie Boden Former NASA Astronaut and current Administrator of NASA

There is a crisis in the United States that stems from the gap between the nation’s growing need for scientists, engineers, and other technically skilled workers, and our supply. This crisis in education, if not resolved, will contribute to future declines in qualified employees to meet demands in critical career fields that affect U.S. global competitiveness and the national economy. However, seeing the engagement and enthusiasm of those fifth grade students, I am hopeful that given the opportunity, our youth shall be inspired and motivated to consider STEM careers.

Shashi Bellamkonda is Director – Social Media & Social Media Swami of Network Solutions aShashi is a regular contributor to the DC Examiner and Tech Cocktail. This article contains the opinions and observations of the author and may not necessarily reflect those of Network Solutions or its clients or partners.

Article first published on http://readythoughts.blogspot.com

God and the bottom of the Pyramid

I started this blog to record thoughts of my dad. His last name is Reddy so the name "ready thoughts". My parents are visiting again and I am enjoying the conversations that we have.The perspectives from across the continents is definitely different or is it ?

At Webvisions (a conference of web designers and developers in Portland OR in May 2019) Kris Krug a well known fashion photographer said "it doesn't exist if it is nit on the Internet".He of course was referring to the fact that in today's world your work if art/photo has better chances if being discovered if you had your work online.

It was a coincidence that as I was walking with my dad, he said that inanimate objects have no power to publicize themselves but still get discovered and that's the power if God. I told my dad about what Kris Krug had said and he smiled and said then maybe the Internet is divine :)

Then we spoke about CK Prahlad and the theory of the "Bottom of the Pyramid". Many companies have subscribed to the theory that the consumers at the bottomnof the pyramid are a formidable consumer force.it may be better to price the smaller packing cheaper than bulk packing so more units of the product are consumed.

Buying 5 packs if 100 gums each is cheaper than buying one pack of 500 gms.The Tata nano a cheap car is one example of a product catering to the bottom if the pyramid.

On wikipedia there is a great mention of the Bottom of the Pyramid including references to detractors of this theory.

In a way it makes sense and what do you think ?

A Dinosaur at Chicago airport

He doesn't blog but he is blogged about

Steve Jobs getting customers to evangelize his company

http://www.cnn.com/2010/OPINION/05/16/greene.typo/index.html?hpt=C1

Typos are not to be condoned

Half a bucket of water

Every time I have a shower I am #thankfulfor the luxury of having a tap flowing with water and virtually no restrictions on the length of time I can keep the water flowing and have a bath.

Life was not always like this. Growing up in the Southern city of Chennai ( It was called Madras then) I would remember having “water duty” that consisted of placing an empty vessel in the line for drinking water that would come from the local city water supply tap down the street for about 2 to 3 hours a day. I am really not sure why but this ritual of filling up your vessels with water would take place at an ungodly hour of 4 to 5 in the morning. Luckily this was only for drinking water. The other water supply came from a well and was piped into overhead tanks.

This well water was in no way unlimited. The houses even had a pipe connected to the city’s municipal water supply but the amount of water from the Red Hills water reservoir was not enough for the city’s population. One summer the water level of the well dried up and there was a severe shortage of water and the summer holidays were spent playing and waiting for the water tanker to arrive and each family would get 3 to 4 buckets of water each. There would be fights where enterprising folks would try to get more on technicalities. Many a time the system was not fair as the size of the family did not dictate how much water you got.

The conservation of water was a lesson all of us learnt as a part of life. Everyday we would get half a bucket of hot water to have a bath and that was a luxury. Fast forward to today on trips back home to India , my parents live in Hyderabad. Water is still a luxury even though you get it 24 hours. Conservation and saving of water is usually taught to you instinctively and i remember that every day I am having a shower.

If this piece stirs any emotions please support your local Twestival or here is a list of water related charities from the Portland Water Bureau (OR)

@WashingtonPost : I get it and don't get it - Capital Business

Today the Wasington Post came with a new Business Supplement "Capital Business" delivered with my 7 days subscription.

What I don't get : Why are you charging 7 day Subscribers an extra $49 dollars a year for "Capital Business" when this content should be part of the business section of the Washington Post which has become thinner and thinner. Please make this free for regular WP subscribers and quit thinking like airlines that charge for carryon baggage :)

What I get : I think this is a great development and love what I see in this inaugural Issue.
Tom Heath and his column "Capital Buzz" , Dan Beyers as Editor Will do a great job. Loved the column about local DC tech by Nicole Norfleet and entrepreneurship by Vickie Elmer.

Traditional media has better success in local markets and wonder what the Washington Business Journal is going to do ? Start a daily newspaper ?

Eat to protest - Vindaloo Against Violence - Unique movement in Australia to protest violence and racism.

I have been watching the reports on NDTV mentioning a rise of voilence against Indians in Australia.

Time reports that :
Some 17,000 people turned out on Feb. 24 in cities across Australia to eat dinner at Indian restaurants as part of Vindaloo Against Violence. The mass-dining campaign started as a 100-person Facebook event but soon grew into a show of solidarity with Australia's 450,000-member Indian community.
Read more

I wish I had heard of this before. Eating at restaurants for a good cause is not new here in the US and I am glad the response to this was good. This blog has come details of the Vindaloo Against Voilence.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Australia probes Indian boy death (news.bbc.co.uk)
• Australians curry Indian favour in anti-racism drive (news.bbc.co.uk)
• Australia Condemns Racial Attacks (online.wsj.com)
• Fewer Indians 'to study in Australia' (news.bbc.co.uk)

Help Keep Asian Carp Out of the Great Lakes

I am a member of the NPCA and love the fact that they are a organization that helps keep our National Parks natural.

Got a appeal from them about this issue and think its important enough for all of us to act.

The Great Lakes have been changing--and for the better! For years we have been investing in their care and in the national parks around them. But now, an invasive species--the Asian carp--has emerged and could reverse much of the good we have accomplished.
Asian carp are voracious eaters that can grow four feet long and weigh 100 pounds. They threaten to wipe out native lake trout, lake sturgeon, coaster brook and rainbow trout found in our Great Lakes and their parks. By gobbling up the same food that sustains native fish populations or by erratically leaping out of the water, Asian carp can quickly dominate entire aquatic ecosystems.
As the water warms with the arrival of spring, the carp will be on the move, increasing their chances of entering the Great Lakes. The impact of the Asian carp would be irreversible to the national parks of the Great Lakes and to the people, wildlife, and economies that rely upon the Lakes. We must act now to stop this invasive species! There are no second chances.
Take Action: Write to Congress now and tell them to hold federal agencies accountable so that every action possible is taken to keep Asian carp out of the Great Lakes and our Great Lakes national parks

Metro fares to increase 10c and may drive more people to driving

The economics of public transport do not make it worth your while and the public transport is not getting any faster either.Ten-cent Metro fare increase is effective February 28 through June 26 and the Metro press release says “Additional fare changes likely this summer”

Fare changes effective February 28 through June 26, 2010
Metrorail regular fare changes
• The base boarding charge will increase from $1.65 to $1.75;
• Maximum fare on the rail system will increase from $4.50 to $4.60; and
• Metrorail fares for senior citizens and people with disabilities will increase from 80 to 85 cents.
Metrorail reduced fare changes
• The charge for the first seven miles of travel during off-peak periods will increase from $1.35 to $1.45;
• The charge for travel between seven and 10 miles during off-peak periods will increase from $1.85 to $1.95; and
• The charge for travel over 10 miles during off-peak periods will increase from $2.35 to $2.45.
Metrobus fare changes
• The Metrobus cash boarding charge will increase from $1.35 to $1.45, and the SmarTrip® boarding charge will increase from $1.25 to $1.35;
• The Metrobus express service cash boarding charge will increase from $3.10 to $3.20, and the SmarTrip® boarding charge will increase from $3 to $3.10;
• Metrobus fares for senior citizens and people with disabilities will increase from 60 to 65 cents.
MetroAccess fare changes
• The MetroAccess fare will increase from $2.50 to $2.60.
Changes to Metrorail passes
• The Metrorail One Day Pass will increase from to $7.80 to $8.30;
• The Metrorail Seven-Day Short Trip Pass will increase from $26.40 to $27.90;
• The Metrorail Seven-Day Fast Pass will increase from $39 to $40.50;
• DC Student 10-trip fare cards will increase from $8 to $8.50; and
• The Metrorail Transit Link Card (MARC and VRE) will increase from $80 to $84.
Changes to Metrobus passes
• The Metrobus Weekly Flash Pass will increase from $11 to $12;
• Adult tokens (10-pack) will increase from $13.50 to $14.50;
• DC student tokens (10-pack) will increase from $6.25 to $6.75;
• The weekly Senior Flash Pass will increase from $6 to $6.60; and
• The weekly Disabled Flash Pass will increase from $6 to $6.60.

Pune Blasts : Message to the world is to always remain alert

A few hours ago (Feb 13th 2010) a bomb went off popular cafe ‘German Bakery” in Pune India. At the time of posting this the press were reporting that 8 people had died and about 40 injured in this blast which left the bodies charred beyond recognition. The bakery is a popular spot with foreign tourists. The first information I got about 1.5 hours after the blast from one of my Twitter followers. At that time the incident had not even hit the mainstream media. I tipped of WTOP and they carried the news ( They may have got it from other sources)

Picture courtesy http://twitpic.com/photos/abhi_bol

WARNING: DO NOT ATTEMPT TO OPEN ANY INDENTIFIED BAG AND NOTIFY POLICE(applies anywhere in the world). According to initial someone tried to prise open a  unidentified bag at the German Bakery which may have triggered the blast.

Here are some observations:

• This comes a day after both India and Pakistan agreed to resume talks that had been halted since the Mumbai attacks in 2008. ( 14 months ago )
• David Headley currently in a Chicago jail had visited Pune to surveyed the Osho Ashram near the blast site
  • The blast site is near the Pune Chabad house and the Mumbai Chabad House was a  target in the 26/11 attacks in 2008.
• The blast area is near the Osho Ashram frequented by tourists another similarity to the Mumbai 2008 blasts.

Location of the German Bakery

View Larger Map

Both India and Pakistan have nuclear devices and that makes any such terrorist attack very dangerous. After the Mumbai blasts India had agreed  to No hot pursuit on terrorists operating from Pak stating that the Israel policy in Gaza is very different from the Indian Sub - continent. How long will this patience last.The Telegraph reports  about this

Britain and the United States played key roles in dissuading India from launching a retaliatory attack on Pakistan following the Mumbai attack in 2008 after it emerged that the fidayeen commando raids on the country's commercial and film capital had been orchestrated from Karachi.

Last month the United States Defence Secretrary, Robert Gates, said India had shown great restraint but he feared another terror attack launched from Pakistan could provoke a new war between the nuclear neighbours.

"I think it is not unreasonable to assume Indian patience would be limited were there to be further attacks," he said during a visit to New Delhi.

The Hindu a national newspaper reported that a terrorist group in Pakistan had warned of attacks on Pune Feb 5th.

One week before a bomb went off in Pune’s German Bakery, the Jamaat-ud-Dawa in Pakistan had warned of the city being a potential target.

Addressing a rally in the Pakistani capital on February 5, Abdur Rehman Makki, deputy to JuD leader Hafiz Saeed said that at one time, jihadis were interested only in the liberation of Kashmir but the water issue had ensured that “Delhi, Pune and Kanpur” were all fair targets.

His remarks were reported by The Hindu’s Islamabad correspondent and published in this newspaper the next day. The JuD is the new name of the Lashkar-e-Taiba, which is a banned organization in Pakistan.

The Washington Post has a Quote from Rabbi Betzalel Kupchik of Chabad :

"We could hear the blast. Thank God we are fine," Rabbi Betzalel Kupchik of Chabad said in a telephone interview, adding that a small group of people at the center felt the explosion just after gathering for prayer to mark the end of the Sabbath. " We will continue our work here. We can't back down."

An unrelated event is the new Shah Rukh Khan movie “ My name is Khan” was released yesterday  Feb 12 2010 In India and all over the world. It caused a controversy in Mumbai with police needing to offer protection to theatres screening the show. The controversy stated with  the Indian Professional League (cricket) being  accused of ignoring the 11 Pakistani cricket players who were available in the auction for sale. The franchises said Pakistani players' availability was not certain and they couldn't risk their money on them. Shah Rukh Khan, was quoted as saying that Pakistani players should be included in India's Twenty20 cricket league. Shah Rukh Khan owns one of the IPL teams Kolkata Knight Riders

The love for your kids can turn you into a artist

Proud of my coloring sketches, originally uploaded by ShashiBellamkonda.

Bollywood stars Kajol and Shah Rukh Khan ring the NASDAQ Opening Bell today

To celebrate the release of the film “My Name is Khan” the stars of the movie Kajol and Shah Rukh Khan rang the NASDAQ Opening Bell this morning (Feb 1. 2010) in New York. The film “My Name is Khan” opens worldwide on February 12 being released by Fox Searchlight (Fox is owned by News. Corp., which also owns and publishes The Wall Street Journal).

Bollywood is now exporting movies worldwide and in several theatres across the US. See the Film’s page at Fox Searchlight or the movie’s blog at http://www.mynameiskhan.org/

Photo credit © 2009, The NASDAQ OMX Group, Inc

 

 

See the trailer here.

My Name Is Khan
by moviestune

Utterz post

Mobile post sent by shashib using Utterli.  Replies.  mp3

Utterz post

Mobile post sent by shashib using Utterli.  Replies.  mp3

State of the Union Live January 27th 2010

JOIN THE LIVE CHAT

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Montgomery County Flood Warning for Wednesday 26th January 2010

Rockville Central has posted a Flood Warning for areas bordering the Potomac River.  The river will be at or above Flood Stage by Wed morning.  Safety precautions should be taken until the water recedes.

Read more http://www.weather.gov/alerts/md.html#MDC031.LWXFLWLWX.211800

Ted Video : 10 Indian Artists to Watch

Utterz post

Mobile post sent by shashib using Utterli.  Replies.  mp3

Lawrence of Afghanistan : Plain speak from US Army Major Jim Gant

Afghan tribes always have and always will resist any type of foreign intervention in their affairs.

says U.S. Army Maj. Jim Gant  who was featured in a Washington post article Jim Gant, The Green Beret who could win the war in Afghanistan. The piece written by Ann Scott Tyson also mentions the document “One Tribe at a Time “ a strategy for success in Afghanistan” written by Major Jim Gant of the United States Army Special Forces

A digital copy (PDF) of this publication is available to the public at
http://blog.stevenpressfield.com. Must read and also see the Washington Post Slide Show

Be nice to other humans even if they are not in a car

Be nice to other humans even if they are not in a car, originally uploaded by ShashiBellamkonda.

White bikes are memorials for cyclists killed in road accidents. Just a reminder that people enjoying walking and riding bikes. On the other hand distractions have increased for drivers.

The white bike movement seems to have originated grass roots and is prevalent in cities around the world. According to ghostbikes.org - The first ghost bikes were created in St. Louis, Missouri in 2003

London Ghost bikes

My interview in the Washington Business Journal

This was like a great end of the year gift being featured in the Washington Business Journal and I consider myself very lucky.

Shashi

in reference to: http://washington.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/2009/12/21/story9.html (view on Google Sidewiki)