Hari's Corner

My caricature of a modern day Yoga Master.

Another year, another sitewide theme change. In fact, I've lost count of the number of looks this blog has sported since its hallowed inception in 2005 . I like the plainer and cleaner format and the Serif font style as a change, but of course your mileage may vary.

As always, I invite readers to submit feedback and suggestions on the new theme via the comments section.

Papa Hari News Service

Hot on the heels of the SOPA and PIPA, a new law, this time enacted by the Papa Hari World Government, titled SODHA has officially come into force today. According to official Papa Hari World Government sources, the SODHA law is a revolutionary act of legislation that would actually determine the future of the entire World, but the exact details are yet to be worked out. "The Act will have a major impact on the entire World, but the actual details, including specific provisions in the enactment are not determined as of now," said a spokesperson of the Papa Hari World Government.

When asked what SODHA expanded to, the spokesperson was guarded and stated that the Law Ministry was working day and night to determine a proper and meaningful sequence of words that would fit the acronym. "It is too cool an acronym to give up," he added. He also reiterated that the law would have a major impact on the entire World. "This is the first time in history that a formal codified law has been enacted even before a first draft," he said, "The future is here!"

Protesters all over the world took to the streets and shouted anti-SODHA slogans. When our reporter asked a student why he was protesting he appeared confused and at a loss for words, but an enlightened professional protester took over and said, "Anything beginning with SO- is bad for Free Speech. It probably means Stop Online- something or the other and that is absolutely unacceptable." When it was pointed out that SO could also stand for "Start Online", "Start Offline", "Start Ordering", "Stay Outside" and a host of other expansions, the protester sniffed cynically and stated that no Government enacts anything positive. "It's always about stopping."

Legal Experts questioned the validity and constitutionality of the Act, but Papa Hari dismissed all such concerns stating that since the Papa Hari World Government has no written constitution, there would be no question of any law being in violation of it.

In related news, a Papa Hari Law Ministry press release also hinted at a new Law for the future entitled Anti Internet Idiocy Act (AIIA). He stated that such a law would bring to an end all kinds of online stupidity protecting the millions of innocent subjects of the Papa Hari World Government from loss of IQ caused by reading nonsense online. Protesters are already working out a campaign against the proposed law. "Stupidity is our birthright and we shall have it and no law of man can deny us the privilege," declared an activist.

Being a professionally qualified individual myself, I think it is fair to say that most of us have some reasonable expectations of what we want from our jobs. I think it all boils down to the following aspects:

1. Expectation of proper, proportionate reward in return for the application of expertise to solving problems. The reward may be a combination of job satisfaction, recognition and also monetary and material compensation.
2. Reasonable independence of thought and action in following a career path, subject of course to the guidance of experts and more knowledgeable professionals in the field.
3. Lack of restraints on our working environment and the flexibility to work within our comfort zone, subject of course to the inevitable deadlines and time constraints.
4. An aversion to close or constant supervision by colleagues or superiors.

Of course, some of these points also apply to non-professionals but I think professionals are a bit more sensitive on these points, particularly the last two. I think most of us are far more interested in the quality of the actual job we do than on the peripheral aspects of how it is done. The difference, I think, between professionally qualified folk and the rest, is that we professionals actually prefer to determine these parameters on the basis of a considered judgement formed of collective experience, norms and standards set out by the larger community of the particular profession rather than those determined by the immediate boss.

In return for these perquisities, professionally qualified people have a greater degree of responsibility and answerable to not just clients or immediate superiors, but also to the profession and society at large, which may in some cases, also include a legal duty to adhere to a code of conduct as in the case of practising lawyers/advocates.

Here's my rendering of one of India's greatest revolutionary freedom fighters, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose.

I've been reading a lot about this great man, both online and from books lately and his life story is an inspiration to all patriotic Indians.

Here's wishing a very happy new year to all my friends and blog readers in advance. Have a great time.

Hopefully 2012 will bring cheer and good news to all.