National Day Rally 2012 : My Feedback

Hi,

The annual National Day Rally (2012) was held yesterday (Sunday 26 August 2012). I was watched the speech enthusiastically with my wife.

Some of the pointers by the PM were something to think about. The points where he emphasised on the need to keep healthy and self-reliant as much as possible especially during the old age, and urging parents to allow their children to enjoy their childhood and preschool years and not stress them too much with academic and primary one work are excellent. But I was truly disappointed by this year's rally.

It appeared to me as though there are no Indian MPs or Ministers who are as capable enough to give the short speech together with Mr Lawrence Wong, Mdm Halimah Yakob and Mr Heng Swee Keat. It also appeared to me as thought there are no single Indian Singaporean role models (active senior citizens, youths, entrepreneurs and others) who are worth being mentioned in this year's national day rally.No Indian cultural centre development-related matters mentioned too unlike the Geylang Serai project and the proposed chinese cultural centre development beside singapore conference hall.

So, this rises the question in me about the position of Indians and their progress so far in Singapore. As in previous years and like the past PMs, this year too there were no mentions about the Indians in the national day rally. As a Singaporean, I felt sort of inspired by the consultative process that is being undertaken to write the next chapter of the Singapore's story, but as an Indian singaporean, I personally felt insulted, embarrassed and disappointed by this year's national day rally.

PM's Rally speech : http://www.channelnewsasia.com/annex/ND2012_PMLEE_ENGTEXT.pdf

Best regards

Kumaran RN

KRN Movie Review: The Dark Knight Rises

Hi,

I watched the wonderful 3 hours movie (on 28 July 2012) "The Dark Knight Rises" with my darling wife Mageswari.

This is the 7th installment of the Batman franchise and the 3rd one from Christopher Nolan which is fitting and memorable. Will there be another one in future?

Well, we may need to wait to find out, but this particular movie, like the other three predecessors, is on par in terms of its extended plots, excellent screenplay and direction. The actors who portrayed the main characters were excellent choices. The BGM was booming and added to the thrill of the movie. A hero who withholds the justice can be down but not out. A hero is in all of us. We need to believe in it and bring them out with full believe and strength especially in times of crisis. A single hero is of no use if there are no like-minded supports in terms of people. Technological gadgets help too if used creatively.

One portion of the movie that was funny was the time bomb countdown times. Like some Indian masalas, the 10 mins, 5mins and even 1min looks rather looks especially when a deep kiss can also be exchanged withing that one movie. But puting that aside, the thrill factor and the subtle messages conveyed via the movie are excellent.

My all-time favourite comic hero since young and always, Batman, rises excellently to the occassion in a motivating manner. He has always been an inspiration to me. Anyway, this is a movie worth watching in cinemas and it is worth the ticket price.

KRN Movie Review will give 4.5 stars out of 5 for The Dark Knight Rises.

Best regards.

Kumaran RN

KRN Movie Review: Billa II

Hi,

I watched Billa II with my darling wife Mageswari. A quality ganster movie in Tamil on par with a hollywood movie.

Ajit Kumar has portrayed the character Billa excellently with his acting skills, dialogue delivery, body language and style. The actors who portrayed as the villains Abbasi and Dimitri has done an excellent job especially the Dimitri guy.. so stylish and yet apt. The pace of the movie, screenplay being in focus, the special effects, the action sequences, the cinematography, the background music score and title music by Yuvan Shankar Raja and finally the direction by Chakri Toleti who also wrote the story and screenplay with a few others, are excellent and of quality. Chakri Toleti's second movie after Unnai Pol Oruvan, and he has proven that he is not a flash in the pan. The story is thin, but worth watching.

KRN Movie Review verdict: a movie worth watching and especially on the big screen with the digital sound system. I watched the digital version of the movie. I will give 4 stars out of 5.

Best regards.

Kumaran RN

A Thought-Provoking website by Gilbert Goh

Hi,

Recently in my facebook, a good friend of my Dharmendra Yadav, who himself is maintaining a thought-provoking blog entitled "Think Happiness", posted an article from the website called Transitioning.org which is maintained by Gilbert Goh.

I have read numerous comments by Gilbert in the forum pages of The Straits Times. His articles many times address the issues related to Singaporeans from the view point of a common man on the ground. Many of his articles in the website a are simple, straight and yet thought-provoking. I have began to visit the website regularly to read his latest comments. His latest on "7 Ways To Improve Population Growth" is some that was lingering in my mind for a while and he has put it in words in the right way, especially the first point on revamping the employment act.

Adding to that point, I feel that the current working 44 hours work per months should be reduced. Either the total working hours be reduced to 35-38 hours or ensure work ends at 3pm on every Wednesday and Friday. That will create more time for the couples and families to spend quality time with their loved ones.

The 44hrs work was started (I think) during the industrial revolution and when manufacturing was the main sector where productivity mattered as that was tied to the number of hours worked. In the current knowledge economy, I feel that the KPIs, quality of work and the results are more important rather than the number of hours spent in office. We all know that not all of us are continuously working the whole 44 hours. There are definitely slack times excluding lunch and tea-breaks. These are unproductive times that when saved can be used for other better and personal uses and to spend time with the loved ones and also self-improvement. I am not sure why the government still keeps on sticking to the 8 hours work days and 44 hours work month for many work sectors.

Anyway, I hope the revamp of the employment act is timely, rather late then never.

There are of course other thought-provoking articles that I like in this website written by Gilbert Goh and others too. Enjoy reading the articles. Once again it is Transitioning.org.

Best regards.

Kumaran RN

"7 Steps Goal Setting Process" by Zafar H

Hi,

I like to share an enlightening article written by my communications guru Zafar H on goal setting. It is as follows:-

A seven steps process that you can go through to set any goal whether personal or professional. To be effective, the goal you choose must include all seven of the following steps:


1. Identify your goal by writing it down

2. Set a deadline for the achievement. Put a date on it.

3. List the obstacles to overcome in accomplishing your goal.

4. Identify the people and groups you need to work with to reach your goal.

5. List the skills and knowledge required to reach your goal. (What do you need to know?)

6. Develop a plan of action to reach your goal.

7. Write down the benefits of achieving your goal. ("What is in it for me?")


On a periodic basis, it is important to re-evaluate your goals to make certain that they are in alignment with what you truly value and want out of life. Remember, goal-setting is a life-long process. Once you have completed one goal, be sure to replace it with something else. This way you will always reap the benefits that goal-setting provides.

Whether or not people ever reach their goals they have set, people who set big, long-range goals have been found to have higher self-confidence, higher self-esteem, and greater personal motivation. The bottom line is that more than half the rewards and benefits achieved from goal-setting come from actually taking your first step in that direction, regardless of the consequences. ++ Zafar H

Best regards.

Kumaran RN

My Toastmasters Speech: What is Happiness To You ?

Hi,

Are you happy with your life now, this moment?

If you are then join me and laugh out loud ! (HAHAHAHAHA)

Are you happy now ?

Good evening Toastmaster of the Evening, fellow toastmasters and friends.

You would have heard about the Gross National Happiness Index and the New Economic Foundation's Happy Planet Index in the year 2006 that ranked Singapore very low together with other countries like Australia and USA.

We would also have read about Bhutan that has the highest Gross National Happiness even though many in the country still live in the rural areas of the country and have limited access to technology. There were also discussions on forums, think-tanks and politicians on the need to improve Singapore’s Gross National Happiness index.

The issues on happiness are slowly becoming an important national and international matter. There is also a website dedicated to happiness (www.happiness.com) that lists the 10 life characteristic and practices that can make a person happy by following them. It may not also be a surprise if new certificate, diploma, degree or even doctorate studies on happiness may be started in the near future. It may even become a big money spinner and a hype thing to associate with. Happy theme parks, clubs, dedicated television channels, and the list can go on and on.

Let us pause for a moment now.

Let us ponder :-

• Can happiness be measured?

• Can laughing alone make a person happy?

Happiness is subjective and there are no measuring tools or specific indices that can be used to measure happiness as one person’s happiness may not be another person’s happiness.

Of course there are people who like to be made happy but they will not make another person happy. There are also people who like to make another person happy without expecting any favours.

"Experience praises the most happy the one who made the most people happy." -- Karl Marx

"As for happiness, it is not something you experience, it's something you remember" --Mark Twain

How true.

Everyday, let us do something that will make us happy. If the action is evil-related, then do also understand that for every action there is an equal an opposite reaction. So be ready to face the consequences of your action that made you happy.

I know what is happiness to me. Do you know what is happiness to you ?

Toastmasters of the evening.

(yet to present this speech)

Best regards.

Kumaran RN

My Toastmsters Speech: Newton’s 3rd Law of Motion

Hi,

I hate being here ! I hate this room ! I hate you all ! You all make me sick ! AAAAAHHHHH !!!!!!

(show your back to audience)

(turn back and face the audience coolly)

Good evening to the club president, fellow toastmasters and friends.

How did you feel when I threw so many HATE words around this room ?

I am sure many of you felt like giving your piece of mine to me.. not literally though!

And knowing the way I behaved – what do you think .. I was ready to accept the reaction?

YES,… I should ! Because That is what Newton’s 3rd law of motion states and this law is not only for motion but it is applicable to our daily lives too.

So what is Newton’s 3rd law of motion … For Every Action, There Is An Equal And Opposite Reaction.

Yes, ladies and gentlemen. When I threw out the Hate words just now, I am sure many of your hated me and I should be prepared to accept the reaction or consequence to that action.

When we start to walk or even talk, is there a opposite reaction ? Oh yes ! we lose our energy. When we say or think negative words, what we will get back will be negative reactions, and positive thoughts and words will bring back positive reactions. When I understood this concept I had a better understanding of the book “Think and Grow Rich”.

The reactions maybe immediate, … if you have been strangers, I am sure you would thrown something at me for being so rude … OR the reaction maybe within hours, days, weeks or even years, but we will definitely get back a reaction like a ball bouncing back to us when we throw it on a hard ball. What goes around will come around because For Every Action, There Is An Equal And Opposite Reaction.

That is why the wise people tell us to think before you say or do something. This is not always possible but we should always keep in mind Newton’s 3rd Law of Motion and that is (as the audience)……

You are right. Regardless of whether we belief in karma or not prepared to accept the consequences of our actions, we will still have face the consequence of our actions.

We start saving some of our income, it will be helpful to us someday. When we eat more unhealthy food, that will lead to obesity or other illness in future (diabetes, heart problems and so on). If you treat our employees and colleagues properly and motivate them, then we may get better benefits back to ourselves and even our company. If we treat our friends and employees badly, then we will get that reaction back one day like for example : when we need help on a crucial project, the colleagues may not cooperate, resignation of our key employee, sabotages from employees, and many more.

That is MAY also be how we behave to our friends, family and those around us.

Imagine if we are nice , kind and courteous to others .. they are also going to behaving the same way to us. So, ladies and gentlemen, please repeat after me :-

I accept the reactions to my actions (3x). 3 is too much ! Try once if the response is not too good another time max twice)

See! When I asked you all nicely, you obliged. Thank you.

I like you all.

That is the universal law. That is Newton’s 3rd Law.

For Every Action, There IS An Equal And Opposite Reaction.

Toastmasters of the evening.

(January 2008)

Best regards.

Kumaran RN