A Clean desk is devil’s den

A clean desk is devil’s den. That is why I keep my desk always full of files and untidy (and not because I could not deal the files in time!) But a clean room is definitely not devil’s den. That’s why I decided to clean my room. I just don’t know when it was cleaned the last time. This is an old heritage building carrying the nostalgia of great luminaries who chaired the office, spent time , even before I was born. Tamperfinder always has the nostalgic feeling and can often easily go back to those days (not physically) This heritage building belongs to a part of the electricity department of an erstwhile royal dynasty. Yes, the room needs urgent cleaning, tamper finder decided. Coz, the other day he found a cockroach nearby... During cleaning work tamperfinder found a mouse running away from his room and took shelter nearby! Another One is driven out of room by the cleaners. Two” mouses”……….no……only … mice………. are taken away….. If mouse become mice, why can’t a house become “hice”? Why not? He said to himself. The cleaners are busy with there work. One man is hitting the carpet to drive out the dust. He is beating the carpet gently as if it may hurt the carpet. Two other are trying with a mop Top, Pop….the similar words came to his mind Tamperfinder again thought for a while inhaling all the dust. If ‘Pop’ is father, ‘Mop’ must be mother. Yes,Mothers are often seen with mop and not fathers with it.!!! Mop? What is the origin... Maintenance Operation Protocol, Muriate Of Potash, Manual Of Practice, Method Of Production, Mother Of Pearl. Manual of Office Procedures etc…………….. But None of these mops s will clean my room however! As cleaning progressed, a colleague came. There is a sprain on his foot. He is limping. ‘Put a boot of the feet’, I told him ‘It won’t look nice, sir’ he said ‘if I put it on single foot’. ‘So put it on two feet’ .Then again got confused, if foot becomes feet, why can’t a ‘boot’ become ‘beet’? ? I’ve already joined with the cleaning work, but my friend simply looking the work Yes, He is a looker. I saw the security man cooking something in a near by room. If my friend who simply looks at the work is a looker, the other man who cooks must be a ‘cooker’. A metal pan with a stand is traced from the corner side of the room by a man. It belongs to yester years with engravings of some sort of art work. If ‘man’ becomes ‘men’, will the ‘pan’ be a ‘pen’? No. The driver came. ‘Shall we move’? Nodded tamperfinder. ‘Yes, where is the vehicle’? ‘Sir, due to this heavy dust, I parked it out in ‘driveway’.’ ‘Good’, ‘we shall now drive in the parkway’, said tamperfinder putting end to his wild thoughts.

A LOAD SHEDDING TIME WITH MY FAVORITE

It is load shedding time in the city. No TV or Music, no noise except few vehicles. The vehicles are off the road today due to shortage of fuel. How to tide over the ½ hour time? Usually I prefer to stay out during this time but today could not. I was simply sitting in the settee. Soon I felt her presence. Yes, she is sitting near to me! I can see her eyes at candle light She’s looking at my face only ,………her eyes reflect like a precious stone Yes, she adores me! She has no shame in sitting with a grown up man, especially when the lights are off and others are busy with their works. I was not wearing a shirt since it’s too hot. She moved close to me …..Little by little expecting support from me.. I looked at her face. Yes, she loves me. Her nails are shaped beautifully. The nature has given all necessary ingredients of beauty to her. The nail polish is brown and shining, very suitable to her dresses (?) . Yes, she is colour conscious. Her eyes are blinking. The eyebrows are not touched but in good shape, may be she is visiting beautician frequently. The curly hair is falling on her face and ears.. She is not bothered to comb it properly. Yes, she is a careless beauty. Her lipsticks definitely need a touch up, but she is not cared. I just don’t know what she wears…its pitch dark and I could see only a red necklace I touched her shoulders just to discourage her from coming nearer and nearer. What others think of me when sitting with a careless beauty? She is again coming nearer and nearer, pushing me to the other end of the settee. Now, I cannot move further. Yes, she is shameless. I said to myself. There is time and place for any thing and everything. ‘This is load shedding time. Electricity may restore now, please move a little’ I said in a soft voice. She has no mood to hear me , but placed her soft hand on my body……..pressing the shaped nails ….. ‘No this is not a fair time’……I pushed her back, but she is in no mood to listen me…and put both her hands on me… Yes, she is adamant. I tried to get up but prevented by both her hands. She pressed her face on me and kissed.. …I could feel the wetness of her lips… Yes…she could not suppress her love and emotions as she missed me during day time. She kissed me again …but this time I felt itching rather than any emotion. I pushed her back. And gave her a small blow on her tail……she jumped down, crossed her fingers to me and went away.. Yes,she is my favorite dashund.

Call it a day on a high note. Stop singing when the voice is good (or stop using mobile before its range is out!!!) Tamperfinder has been the Public Relations Officer of God’s own utility and has been (mis)handling the vivacious media in God’s own country for the Last two years. As Gods do mischief, so does his media in his own country and utility. ‘God’s own utility’ is a source of news for media for quite some time. The vibrant media don’t like any voids and want news all the time. If not properly informed, they may get information from some other sources; usually from the unofficial PROs and the interpretations need not be correct. My utility deals about 10 million customers, a quarter century employees and equally, older employees. The modern concept of the management says each and every employee should act as a PR manager, and at the time of crisis, the CEO himself will act as the PR Manager. In tamper finder’s industry, the unofficial PR Managers will come into picture when they quarrel with their higher ups for denial of leave or promotion of some other categories, or late arrival marked in muster roll etc.As mentioned earlier, few media persons moving in tandem with these so called PR managers causing hard time to the real PRO. All important policy decisions are to be informed to PR wing as soon as it is arrived. It’s for the management to decide whether it should be made known to the public or not. The PR manager need not be a jack of all trades but should know who the actual person to disseminate the ideas.Tamperfinder gets information of decisions by his own efforts only and there is no official channel which automatically informs him of decisions. When certain informations, not meant for the intimation to public is made available to tamper finder, as if a positive news and later causing embarrassment to the management, something is wrong somewhere. There was only one government owned news channel in God’s own country few years back and now it has reached to two dozens with 4-5 exclusive news channels! Tamperfinder has two mobile phones and two land line phones but has only two ears!. One of his friends walked out of room as tamperfinder was busy on phone could not attend to him for 10-15 minutes. The PR manager has to liaison with all stake holders. The PR dept has to be informed with all important decisions which may be useful if shared with public rather than sharing news which causes embarrassment to public and stake holders. The difference between these two are very narrow and tamper finder had to apply mind to study why this information is passed / not passed, before putting in the press information system. He had to read the related decisions in this regards and analyze how the stake holders responded in similar situations earlier. (tamper finder can easily (?) read the mind of Management, Media and Masses but very poor in reading between lines!!!!!) So………. Stop singing when the voice is still good. Or Stop using mobile before the range is out.

The Funny ICICI bank

The Funny ICICI bank This is the experience I had with ICICI bank today morning. Tamperfinder was quite happy when the Distance Education University asked him to remit the tuition fee by DD preferably thro’ ICICI bank, not because he likes private new generation banks, but this bank exempt DD commission for tuition fee for my university. Very good As I tendered my application for DD for a small amount less than 10000, the chocolate boy at counter asked me whether I possess necessary identification documents with me. ‘Identification for this small amount?’ Whispered tamper finder. ‘Yes sir’,This is our rule and have to follow it scrupulously. ‘Bhayya,…I’m an SB account holder of this bank, still want identification for this just 4 figure amount?’ ‘Yes that’s our rule, we have to follow scrupulously’ OK.. Tamperfinder gave the original identity card, a driving license, first scrutinized by Asst manager, then by deputy manager and finally by the Branch Manager himself. Finally he handed it over to the security, who simply disappeared??!!! 5 minuets passed……… no response. ‘Sir……….. we will get u everything within 10 minutes’ one of the ‘boys ‘said…. ‘This is our rule’ we have to follow scrupulously’ ???? 10 minutes passed. One gentle man came to withdraw 500000 rupees. No cross checking…….. Simply arranged the money. Another came for depositing a bunch of 500 notes. No checking, but with a smile they ‘snatched’ the amount and deposited. Tamperfinder is in double trouble. He gets neither the DD nor his identity card. They may get a duplicate of this? Why cant? No? These people are not like this, tamperfinder consoled by him. Again few minutes passed ? ‘Sir, this is our rule we have to follow scrupulously’. Very good Again time passed ??? ‘Sir the system is slow, the printer is not responding’ that’s why the DD getting delayed.’ ‘Yes …the printer may also verify the genuineness and it also has to follow the rule scrupulously,’ the tamper finder said to himself. Tamperfinder had a long relationship with ICICI bank. Once his account was freezed by the authorities Not because any Government orders… Not because any court orders….. But one of the staff, by error has done it Later the Branch manager visited tamperfinder’s house at night with a bunch of orchid and an apology letter. All these things flashed to his mind ‘Sir, here is your DD,the same gentleman standing in front of me, making abrupt end to my memories. He soon left the bank. Ssssssssssssssssiiiiirrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr……….. One man is running towards him? Why???? tamperfinder also start running as if something caught fire ? Any security problem? ‘Sir, You have to put two signatures on photo copy of ID card and attest the identification card of which we have scanned a copy to keep with us…………” He completes all in single breathe. “And that’s our rule and we…………” …….”Have to follow scrupulously…” this time completed by tamperfinder The only error tamper finder has done is still operating a SB account with them in spite of all these underprivileged dealings and spent unnecessary time for availing the facility of free DD. For saving 25 rupees, he gas to spend 25 minutes .Tamper finder is pennywise and pound foolish. The Funny ICICI bank!!!!!!!!!

OVERLOAD

The Power Sector all over the world is crippled with insufficient generation, pitiable transmission and distribution network, mis use and theft. New consumers are supplemented to the net work day by day making the system further frail. The generation remains almost constant and its gap between demand is diverging. The revenue scenario is also in a disorganized condition since the entire process in controlled by the regulatory regime The fiction 'OVERLOAD' written by Sir Arther Hailey, way back, is a true reflection of the pathetic situation of power sector all over the world. The novel begins with the challenging role of the Public Relations Manager of the utility, ‘Golden State & Power’. It clearly describes the role of managers at load dispatch centre, who usually act as trapezium managers, during peak hours in under developed countries; even after imposing various system restrictions like blackout and brownouts, to avoid total shutdown. Though written years back, its significance is still immense. The book is written in simple language, but knowledge of technical terms of power sector would be an added advantage to digest the ingredients ,appearing through out the book.

Simple steps, big savings

Here are tips to help us in these times of shooting power costs. SIMPLE SOLUTION: One simple way of saving electricity will be to remember to turn the switches off. With power cut and a thermal surcharge in place, electricity consumers are scurrying for tips to save power and optimise energy use. From energy audits to sparing the use of the electric iron, consumers leave nothing unattended to save electricity because family budgets and corporate budgets threaten to go haywire in the middle of the financial year. The most important question now being asked is, Can we enjoy a better lifestyle with much-reduced consumption of electricity? G. Sreenivasan, Public Relations Officer, Kerala State Electricity Board asked this in his blog on World Energy Day (http://meet-tamperfinder. blogspot.com/2007/12/ december14- world-energy-day.html). If sufficient attention is given to the design of the house, use of artificial lighting can be controlled. Windows and ventilators should be placed in such a way to maximise the use of natural light. If the placing of the windows and other openings are right, no artificial lighting will be needed during the daytime. In the same way, use of the right paints can enhance the light effect. Lampshades should be cleaned regularly. Lighting equipment, fans and refrigerators are the key items used in a middle-class family which account for the bulk of the power consumption. The ordinary incandescent bulb is the major culprit in electricity wastage. Only five per cent of the power drawn by an electric bulb is converted into light. The fluorescent lamp is a better source of light and gives 50 times more light than an ordinary bulb of the same wattage can. Using electronic chokes increases its efficiency. Compact fluorescent lamps (CFL) are more energy efficient than fluorescent lamps, but they should be avoided in study rooms and laboratories where the strain on the eyes have to be taken into consideration. In a broad and spacious dining room, one or two CFLs of 12 watts each will be sufficient. The CFLs are recommended for the kitchen where light has to be on for five to six hours, portico, TV room, prayer room and so on. In short, a CFL gives the same light as that of an ordinary bulb with only 15 per cent of the latter’s energy consumption. Use task-lighting rather than whole room lighting when a small amount of light is required. The best way to control power consumption is to switch off the lights when no one is in the room. It is estimated that 10 per cent of the average home expenditure on power can be controlled by switching off lights that are not needed. The myth of the ‘zero-watt’ bulb has to be busted. If a so-called zero-watt bulb is on for 24 hours a day, as in most cases it is, it consumes seven to 10 units of power a month. Using electronic regulators can help reduce power consumption in running fans. Old fans may need attention. Cold facts Refrigerators are the biggest consumers of power in an ordinary home. An ordinary single-door 165-litre refrigerator requires between 30 and 35 units of power a month and a 10-year-old refrigerator will consume one-and-a-half times more power than that. Use of the refrigerator has to be regulated. Open them only when needed. Keep the doors closed properly. Repair them regularly and replace old refrigerators. When moving out of station for more than a day or two, keep the refrigerator off. One straight way is to ensure buying an energy-efficient refrigerator as about 40 per cent of the power consumption in a middle-class family is attributed to the refrigerator. Use of electric irons as and when one requires leads to electricity wastage. Ironing all the clothes at a time can save a lot of power. Turn off the plug switches of television sets and DVD players instead of using only the remote to put off the equipment. Unplug appliances that are not in use. Using the washing machine in a planned manner can save power. For example, load the machines so as to use its optimum capacity. The instructions on maintaining the water level should be followed to optimise power consumption. The computer monitors can be switched off when listening to music on the computer so that power can be saved. Old wirings and leakages are other culprits that cause loss of electricity. These have to be attended to on a regular basis. (Courtesy “The Hindu”)