Two's Company

You must have heard that slogan of a multi billion dollar company which says, an idea can change your life. You must have heard it, again and again in life to be successful in life, all you need is an idea, that's all. And Idea can change your life and it does in so many ways than one. However, we know that, idea alone can't do anything. Some say perfect execution of idea is much more important than idea itself. There are some who pick a simple idea and convert it into a gold, lets say the choice Warren Buffett makes to pick a company to buy shares.  For that perfect execution of the idea or any idea to convert into gold all you need is one person you is easy to talk with, who makes it easier to walk with that idea in which you have so strong  believe on to make all the difference in life.  

You must have heard of the team of Bill Gates and Paul Allen and then Steve Ballmer of Microsoft company. Anyone from the tech world or outside of it must have heard of name Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak to form an Apple company and then Tim Cook who became the CEO of the company. Larry Page and Sergey Brin who formed Google company always comes together. Rohit Shetty and Ajay Devgan, who surprised the whole world in India with their first four sequel of movies in India that did tremendously good in box office. Movie goers also knows the duos name like Karan Johar and Shahrukh Khan for their series of successful movies to the world, mostly serving only NRI as Farah Khan puts it. Comedy movie lovers knows the domestic name of David Dhawan and Govinda for giving many movies that entertained the Indian diaspora around the globe. Beyonce and her husband and Jay Zee and her successful singing career, Celine Dion with her liquid platinum voice and her husband who is also her manger, Rene's ability to help her grow like bigger than life. I am sure you also have heard of Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen for their billion dollar industry to sell products to twins, which started when they were just six years of age.

I just was watching a BBC journalist trying to understand Warren Buffett whom he found very simple, down to earth yet super rich and brilliant mind. His company is richer than the many countries combined GDP yet his team in Berkshire consist of only twenty people who looks after 150 billion dollar business worldwide. Sure they have more than 1000 other people working in many nation to take care the thousands of its shareholders,  but; team to handle the massive 150 billion is just twenty.

What is interesting to pay attention here is, business partner to be successful could be be your classmate, whether you meet them when you are in school like Bill Gates met Paul Allen in school when he was just 12 years of age or Sergey Brin met Larry Page in College when both of them were there to do their Ph.D. The partner could be the one you can find in your work force like Directors meet their actors with whom they can stick with multiple projects to spin money or record company signing up the singer[s] for multiple album deal or keep them as your wife or spouse for mutual benefit. It could be husband and wife, it could be friends or sibling at times, who can help you to execute the idea what you have in mind to make money and be successful in life. It may not be business partner all the time but picking life partner right is equally important as picking up the business partners. Let's look into those names more closely to understand the gravity of twos company which can play a huge role in your life achievements.

When you know the good company I would like to talk about some company that went wrong after a good partnership only for short term. You must have heard about Mariah Carey's romance, marriage and divorce with Tommy Mottola, who was executive of Sony Music. It was that time, when she was high and rising and hitting all the blockbuster charts. This teaming up to let's make money worked only for the short term. I think both lost in this case. He may have denied having affair and paying her, her share of emotional investment and he may have won some money but in long run it did not serve for both the party. There was time Shania Twain was also high and rising and suddenly her liquid voice of gold lost in the wilderness of the real world cruel reality of teaming up with wrong company to gain something in life.

Being a Neali you must be aware of the team of MAHA jodi. Hari Bansha Describe the friendship of 37 years and counting to sugar cane and madan Krishna describe it as needle and thread without which one can't go alone. If you read both of them in different books or watch them in any interview both would admit candidly that the friendship lasted because staying paid them well. Had it not been money get going together would not have lasted this long. Another important thing  is without respect in a team work it also wouldn't have lasted this long. 

For long term relationship respect among the partners, compatibility and comfort feeling around the partner is more important than just working for money. Karan Johar says, I don't mind taking second position when it comes to Shahrukh Khan. He also says I can say Gauri to shut up but that is something I can never say to Shahrukh. Can you guess how much money it made to Celine Dion when she decided to marry the man who is much older than her ? At the prime of her life she was hitting the chart buster and she is still doing good. Do you know that twin sisters made billion dollars by the time they were just 18 years old ?

Even though we do not know who will be our partner in business, but if we put money first then the end of partnership will be only for short term so all the failed partnership only tells us why its so important to pick business partner wisely.

Where is Money ?

I keep reading Christian religious leaders and it's interesting to read in Loren Cunningham's book, Daring to live on the edge. At one chapter you come across the line that says 2/3 of world's money is with body of Christ. The expert shares his thought with the report that we do not need more money but we need to mobilize the money which we already have.
 

A high ranking police officer whose work station is TIA Airport was roped in the 33 kg lost gold scandal. This gold smuggling has been going on for years now and he was also linked with prior case of hand in gold smuggling. What was his role in the case ? His job was to help the people out from the airport if they came with larger amount of gold, lets say more than five kg. What was interesting in this officer's case that when they sealed his bank account for further investigation, the investigators got puzzled?

As they found there was no record of transactions of money that could have linked with gold smugglings. Remember he has been serving in police force for more than two decade. Not just this, when they looked into the bank details or the investment of the main man known as Gore a son of high ranking police officer they could not find a link. They also checked bank account of the one, who is known to be the good friends of Gore. No, he too did not have money or investments suggesting their involvement in gold smuggling. Two died and many people including those who are in high ranked not in airport but in other areas of government services roped. All newspaper filled with this but no one knows where is gold gone or the money that should trail this case. So where the money is ? Is the big question not just in this case but it has always been the topic we want to know.

Many of you think America is richest nation and its people are richer in the world. You must have read the book Steve jobs by Walter Isaacson. In one chapter he writes that when America was in middle of financial crisis and parliament was in the center of 700 billion bailout topic, Apple Company was richer than American Government. By 2011 it had more than a trillion dollar in its reserve account. It only frightened Tim Cook, the CEO of the company.

About two years ago one video went viral on social networking sites. It was the dress made of gold, I mean a gold dress which had 100s of diamonds studded in it. It is said that that dress costed 90 corod IC [ ]. If you see that video you will know that she sure has the body to flaunt that dress and daddy to pick the bill for Isha Ambani who is the only daughter of the richest man in India, Mukesh Ambani. 

Recently, one team from Kathmandu went to Rukum to buy Yarsagumba. They went there on chartered Helicopter. That team paid Rs 650 per piece of yarsa. Why this per piece rate is so unusual is because it looks like an insect, which is smaller than earth worm, almost half of its size. Some say it's not entirely plant but its half insect and to hammer that saying it looks like that as well. If you count how many of those small insects will be in a kg, they counted it and they found out that there will be 2800 of it. The question is why then, it's sold by the piece and not by the kg ?

Yarsha is a herb, among many uses of this harbal it is good in one particular area and that is, it is regarded best for men's potency. There are people who claim it is as good as Viagra. And the good news is, it is natural. Chinese are the one, who have been consuming it. You might find this information interesting Chinese are also consuming tiger penis soup to get and feel strong in that area. It is said that in china there are more tigers in farm than in jungles. Their bones are consumed for many health reasons.

With that much demand from China one kg of Yarsa cost 1.85 million here in local market. The collected yarsa from local normally sent to China within two days. As for the locals they can buy one time meal if they show one yarsa to the hotels in those area where it grows and gets collected each year.

Some of my friends are going nuts, counting; how much 5 kg gold cost if we have to pay Rs. 55,000 per ten gram of gold ? This tells us why Dawd is rich in Dubai who is considered the man behind the scene who managed that net of gold smuggling in Nepal for many years. It just gave me a reason to look in for more news of gold scandal.

Comedians and God

Couple of years ago there was this participant on the great indian laughter comedy show.  He sure was one of the best and on the day of final, he opened the show saying that I did not pray to god to make him winner today. What If, I pray and I miss out one god out of 360 million; and what if that left out god gets angry ? I might lose the competition. That year Suresh Albela won the competition.    

It is rather interesting to watch comedian and hear their views on god. As they are good at their views not only tickle our funny bones at times it makes us think long and hard about the subject God which is the talk of daily life. Here are some glimpse of it. 

When Hari Bansha Acharya lost his first wife, he was so mad with god; as He gave him a deaf ear to all the prayer he was making to Him during his grieving time. It was that time, he just wanted to change god, [as if He is a politicians who needs to be changed every four year or so]. He also had written a poem on it also but the publisher of his famous autobiography, China Harayako Manchhe  took a very smart decision to remove it from the book when it came out. However, Rabindra Mishra, a popular journalist then, who was at that book release event had published and shared that poem on his facebook wall post. I read that poem , and trust me if you use your basic conscience then you will understand the common sense used by the publisher to omit it from the book. 

God is not someone you blame when things goes wrong or give all the credit to him for all the efforts you have put on it, during all these years; to be or get what you have. The very famous comedian shares in his book very candidly that he never believed in God when he enjoyed tremendous success in his life. Born as a poor, he achieved all, like the dream job, career, love of his life as a wife and has two boys; yet he said God do not have anything to do with all his achievements. That is absolutely understandable because not everyone gives credit to god for all their hard work. 

Then; why he was so angry with God, when he lost his wife ? Why god has to be his anger bag at times, when he is super frustrated ? Who will worship the god which he might pick up one day when he is sad or one day when he is happy with his other wife ? This somewhat offered me answer to that perplexing question which bugged me for years; why there is 360 million Hindu God ? And, we have journalist; even if he has experience of working with BBC for more than a decade found sense in replacing god.

However, it's not just him who has such conflicting idea of existence of god. Comedians  around the world keep giving you their viewpoint to think on the subject matter, and that is God. It's pretty interesting to know that comedian's take on god is a rather hilarious. And sometimes it's more than hilarious, like Ricky Gervais says, if there is god, then why he made me an atheist ? I watched Animal by Ricky Gervais who is a British comedian. In one of his show once he said Jesus is a free babysitter [my mom could not afford]. Other of his opinions on god is equally hilarious. He always find god or the people who tells us story of God are funny and gives us his take on Bible too, which will make you think hard. 

God is forgiving, so forgive and forget concept has been going on for some time in Christians society. One day, Howie Mandel was talking with Ellen on her show, out of nowhere he said, I forgive you. She asked why ? He said, I forget. He repeated this line not once, not twice but more than three times in that small video cut of about less than five minutes show. It's not hard to guess where it came from. It was his take on this thought which normally religious gurus preach. One of the reason it was said is, to heal yourself or free yourself from unnecessary worries that chews up your mind, you should forgive and forget. However, how that advice works on people who are worry wart ? how practical it is, is the big question in itself but when a comedian raise issue relating to God it's really funny and that really makes you to ponder over about god and religion. Howie Mandel is a Canadian Comedian.  He is also good with his understanding on how to achieve what you want.

Steve Harvey is another world famous comedian whose comment on God makes the church ladies rebellious. What is more interesting here is; they feel that way on his show not in their church. It's even more interesting for me to watch his show as more and more god believing and church going people mostly women come to his show regularly, even if this is Ask Steve not ask Pastor program. There comes a girl to ask him question like this, me and my boyfriend go to the same church which is also attended by his ex. She still eye him and  sending message to my boyfriend at night, what should I do ? Or on other day an  old woman who goes to church regularly asked him, I lied once to my friends of 50 years  and now they think I lie all the time, what should I do ? He has to face question like this in his show and he is not even that religious person. On his show, he talks things that is not appropriate to talk with those who are god believing. However, it's pretty interesting to hear him speak candidly, especially; when it comes to his take on, God as a giver. What more you need to know about this comedian is that he is raised by a mother who was a Sunday school teacher.

Ellen's famous call to God for her being gay; changed her life upside down. As a gay woman it was not easy for her to be accepted by the society, then. She was dumped and her show was cancelled when she came out as a gay. It was then she had this talk with God on one of the famous show of America. That changed her life forever. One of her friend had asked her how everything has changed after you were out of all the shows ? Her response was that I am a writer and I can write anything to change the story. She now is much loved person in America. Be kind to one another is one of her life motto. 

Secret Recipe for a Success

One of my favorite movies is `Kung Fu Panda'. Okay, I got to admit it; not until five half views, I fell in love with this movie. In all those half views it started with flying snake, doing tough marshal art stunts by a tiger and a panda whose father was a duck, a tortoise who stays on top of the stick so and so. Honestly speaking,  I just did not like flying animals doing all the marshal art stunts. 

After those initial five half views, I finally saw the whole picture and then I truly got the clear picture. It has a lesson of a lifetime. 

The lessons of this picture is, there is no secret recipe for a success, any body can make it in life just like those animals flaunting their marshal art skill and stunts. If there is no one's name written there, it may be you who is meant to do the unthinkable and remember there is nobody's picture on the mirror. You stand in front of it and you are the one. The other one is : some well experience eyes always see potential in you and some equally experienced eyes always doubt in your true potential. Trust yourself and believe in you, even if; nobody believes in you.

There are people who hold on some baseless things, like success or failure are written on your hand long before you are born and your family and its background helps you to be where you want to be.  At times, it may be true but the end result is you will be there where you want to be and where you dream to be. If you don't dream your dream, it never becomes true and then how come you ever live to tell it to your children and grand children I lived my dream life.

Let me give you one common example of real life. Bobby Deol & Kangana Ranaut is a known name in Bollywood. Bobby has a family who are from movie industry and yes he did have some movie due to his family back ground and okay due to his youthful look also. And then there is Kangana Ranaut from Himanchal Pradesh. She comes from very middle class family with no link in Bollywood. Kangana Ranaut gave some blockbuster movie like Gangster, Lamhe, Fashion, Queen and once upon a time in Mumbai to Bollywood. I can't remember which one was Bobby's block buster movie, can you remember one ?

When I am writing this, I remember one story from the book 'You Can Win' about a balloon seller; who would let go colorful balloons in the sky every time there was sort of sales and every time after seeing flying balloons in the sky more children came to buy it, more than his expectations. One day, when he was letting lose some colorful balloons from his hands, mainly red, blue, green and orange in the sky, he got his shirt pulled by one tiny colored boy. Who wanted to ask him a question "will it fly if the color of balloon is black ?" Then the seller told him "of course, it will; a balloon flies not because what's on the outside but because what's in the inside of it."

When some body believes in you, and say you can do this, just believe him/her and most importantly believe in yourself. Mirror has tremendous power in it, look into the mirror and say you can do it and trust yourself.

Note : This post has already been published in  Shades of Life in April 2011.

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