Thursday, January 22, 2009

Hyundai i20 review


With the success story of Hyundai-i10 and inspired by instincts, Hyundai launched its latest hatchback variant Hyundai-i20 only to reiterate its tagline Drive your way with a difference. The heat is ignited with dynamic imagination, innovation and intelligence of the designers. These engineers and manufacturers of Hyundai who placed this new Hyundai- i20 a little higher up to Hyundai Getz thus giving a threat to market of the Maruthi Swift. Hyundai Motors have been innovating to provide innovative solutions to the busy Indian roads; the small car Santro, the smart Hyundai-i10 or now the latest and smarter Hyundai-i20 reiterate the same.

Designed and developed in Germany, Europe the company says that the manufacturing of Hyundai-i20 will be done in India and then exported to the other countries, adding up to the mini-car segment. Hyundai-i20 doesn't differ too much with its younger brother Hyundai-i10. However, the plus one gets with Hyundai-i20 is that it comes with a 5-year warranty and three variants to chose from- the Hyundai i20 Magna, Hyundai i20 Asta and Hyundai i20 Asta (O). The difference between Hyundai-i20 Asta model and the Asta (O) is that in the latter, Hyundai-i20 comes with side and curtain airbags.
Look: The all new Hyundai-i20 reflects a unique blend of power, energy and luxury. The car is longer, wider and shorter than the Hyundai Getz with an overall appeal that is anytime stronger than Maruthi Swift. As the target segment being the upwardly urban clientele, Hyundai-i20 is stylish with perfect exterior paneling. It sports an athletic look than Maruthi Swift and bears spacious interior design and architecture so that Hyundai Getz pushes into nostalgia. Different from Hyundai-i10 as i20 comes with 5 door with expanded wheelbase. Available in myriad hues of black, blue, white, red, silver and beige, one can simply drive one’s way to an exciting lifestyle with Hyundai-i20. Good large headlamp coupled with sporty fog lamps further adds to its look while the raked steep windscreen merges with the tail section

Performance: All favorite Hyundai-i20 is also equipped with 1197cc Kappa engine-the all aluminum engine that provides with a whopping torque of 110 Nm and 79 bhp @4000 rpm, along with improved fuel efficiency and low CO2 emissions keeping the air clean and green. This new generation futuristic engine generates all time low noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) making the environment eco-friendly. For initial speeding from 0-60 Hyundai-i20 takes just 12.9 seconds. Equipped with 5-speed manual gearbox, it responds swiftly and enthusiastically at the slightest throttle pedal. One can surely derive substantial amount of fun and excitement if not speed driving a Hyundai-i20 back home.

Additionally the interior storage space of Hyundai-i20 is anytime larger than its competitors with its upright tailgate, be it Maruthi Swift or Fabia. The adjustable and the foldable feature of the rear bench, makes Hyundai-i20 quite unique and helps in going for fishing with all its anglers and necessities. The allied comfort features are adjustable head rest (both front and rear), electrically adjusted rear view mirrors that are foldable too, integrated music system in the dashboard with 4 speakers and 2 tweeters while audio can be controlled from the steering. Drive Hyundai-i20 with additional comfort by adjusting the seat in accordance with height and that’s not all one can also adjust the steering for greater visibility.
Hyundai-i20 incorporates enhanced safety features too and that includes air bags, front seatbelt pretensioners, new generation anti-lock brakes, electronic brakeforce distribution and electronic stability control.

Final Verdict: Even after writing this Hyundai-i20 review I would still say that wait before you go ahead to book it as come the first quarter of 2009, all variants of Hyundai-i20 will be fitted with ESP(Electronic Stability Program) and also with CRDi version engine.

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Outplacement-A concept that helps grow amidst loss

With worldwide economic slowdown and market indices touching low, retrenchment, downsizing, work force rationalization, job loss, strategic business units closure, mergers and acquisitions are the most common terms. What are the first-hand consequences of these business terms?

More often it is employees parting from their organization and being forced out of the job before they had planned. It is here that the services of an outplacement agency come in the forefront. Outplacement is a process by which the exit of an employee from the current organization is made smoother by placing the individual in another organization analyzing the potential and skill set of the person.

The outfall of a major business decision in the face of globalization might be parting with few hundred employees to several thousand working people. Thus retrenching becomes the order of the day and it is quite a complex process. An executive business decision for an organization might be a life changing situation for the parting employees. For some, it becomes a blow to their morale and often people begin to suffer from low self-esteem upon this eventuality. Additionally in countries like India, there is no unemployment benefit and neither any social security system exists, further fuelling extremely low self confidence.

It is here that the outplacement consultants can help motivate the parting employees to work effectively for a better opportunity. Outplacement agencies can help people find alternate jobs matching with their skill set without much compromise on the financial standpoint. The services of the outplacement agency can be beneficial for all-for the parting employees who get opportunity to work elsewhere; employees who are working need not to be scared and hence the productivity and efficiency is not hampered as they can feel assured that an alternative is possible and last but not the least the organization benefits from its brand image remaining unscathed.

The outplacement agency provides with programs of counseling, coaching and training to meet a specified personal goal and to achieve greater benefit from a systematic job-search process. Thus, a transition at no cost can be made smoother if the concept of outplacement is more formalized particularly in the emerging economies of the world.

Thus, an outplacement agency can ensure better lifetime career management but one thing must be kept in mind that some norms also need to be put in place so that the under performing employees might not develop any kind of feeling of complacency that might lead to counter-productivity.

With the given economic situation, I feel an efficient outplacement agency can bring forth a win-win situation for all.

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Hope of Change as Obama delivers his inaugural speech

My blog had posts of Hilary Rodham Clinton running for the Presidential election, there was few knocks and punches of words that found space in my thoughts and hence in my writing between Mc. Cain and Barack Obama as they raced for their seat in White House and finally when it was President elect Barack Obama won an overwhelming victory, I chose to write few lines on people’s expectations of a change.

And today when the 44th President of United States of America takes oath, the whole world looks up to him with a ray of hope for streak of changes that would leave an indelible mark in the lives of millions and especially on the ailing US economy.

From Cuba to China from Kongolo to Japan all is geared up to witness a historic moment in the international arena, only showcasing the fact that there is no geographical barrier to celebration. And what an appeal the man has made with his true statesmanship.

Kongolo being Obama’s birth place will soon witness a transformation into a great tourist hot-spot. And do you know even in Japan, the name is selling and people are making money? Yes, in the land of the rising sun, several hundred thousand masks of Obama is being sold as the inauguration has generated scintillating senses of excitement even amidst deep feeling of insecurity.

As Barack Obama takes his oath on the Bible used by Abraham Lincoln, speculation on the content of his speech is far too many. According to him the road ahead would be long and the climb would be steep but he says “Its not a day to pause and reflect-it’s a day to act”

So said, with an inspiring life story of Barack Obama and his great oratorical ability to instill and infuse confidence into the hearts and minds of millions, he is inheriting a weak global staggering economy, innumerable cases of bankruptcy, aftermath of war, nuclear proliferation to climate change…

Here are we on the other side of the subcontinent waiting for the wave of Change to engulf one and all for a better and brighter tomorrow.

Monday, January 19, 2009

Ghajini : Film in the name of a Villain


Count his packs.....????



After almost a year, actor Aamir Khan resurfaces from the role of teacher in the movie Taare Zameen Par that is already buzzing with Oscar nominations. The new avatar is in eight packs ready to uproot the evils that shook his living and killed his beloved. A story of love and revenge.

There is the same cliché... A rich boy falls in a love with a poor next-door kind of girl. And this falling in love of Sunil Singhania (Aamir Khan) is more of Kalpana’s (Asin) Mother Teresa kind of attitude. She takes care of the old, orphan and special children with a smile of love, care and tenderness. However, the romance that was yet to bloom was nipped in the bud by Asin's sudden killing whereas she was unaware about the identity of her beloved (sachin or sanjay). Viewers can enjoy some moments of fun and expression of emotion as Asin talks laughs and feels for Sachin.


The story vibrates in flashback and thanks to the 2 year memoir written by Sanjay Singhania. This Sanjay Singhania was hit when his love was killed and he suffered from short term memory loss.

Where is the punch line?
It is how Sanjay Singhania takes revenge of his love not knowing as to who killed Asin except one name that was lipped in his ears as Asin breathed last. As he suffered from memory loss so he made his killing plans through taking notes, photos in Polaroid and above all by tattooing his body with his mission to kill.

However with reverberating music of A R Rehman and utter perfectionist mode of acting of Aamir Khan that the movie holds you on the edge though you know that what the end looks like. But here again, I felt that most songs are forced.

It can be a weekend evening entertainment where the character begins a new life with every fifteen minutes as he suffered from anterograde amnesia for the whole three hour movie. The story basically unfolded with the medical student (Jiah Khan) exploring the life of Sanjay Singhania as a project case.

My last verdict on Ghajini
A total Hindi-masala movie that runs on script stolen from Memento. And if you take out youthful, fresh-faced Asin from the movie there is just nothing in it. And oh yes… how much did Aamir Khan tried to save A. R. Murugadoss through his brilliant performance and those muscular looks is for you to watch and find.




Friday, January 16, 2009

Fight life with Fear staying United

As another day dawns and you sit with a morning cup of steaming coffee to browse through the newspaper, you should not be surprized to read churches are attacked, suicidal rates are increasing and your value of money is experiencing a free fall. Thus, we are being asked consciously, carefully and categorically to live in fear each day with… rising prices, job cuts, scams, frauds and getting killed or paralyzed by a terrorist.
Everywhere the tittle-tattle is on, living amidst Fear but who cares?

As we get up to tie the snicker laces for a half-a-mile jogging on the tracks, we forget that the news write-ups have affected someone somewhere. We fail to recognize them or feel repulsive or even impulsive to act just because it did not happen to me. However, it is believed that we cannot blame us. As because the system is running and if we you fail to take the lead, the axe might be on your shoulder. So, our daily chores force us to move ahead trampling anything and everything that comes under our feet. So, live your life first is the motto of this generation. But, not being collective brings with it the horror of terror-driven life, where no one is bothered about none, and everyone thus living in fear that it might happen to them one day.

The thought needs a change, action needs a reaction… the undeniable truth is Unity is Strength, so why not we unite under the umbrella of Humanity and take a step forward to feel for each to live free. Instead of a robotic way of life, why can’t each one of us spare some time and share a joke or ask with empathy as to how are your next door neighbor’s family people? Will it take too much of your measured time? The answer is a vehement NO. Just try out and you can feel the change, start it with one to make it with the Rest…

Take a kit-kat break on a monotonous daily life to add humor to it, instead of taking stress reliever pills. Why not, laugh aloud, instead of timing your workouts? It is well researched, surveyed and published in varied journals, that advocates happiness is the key to a successful, stress free and longer living. So, no need to restrict carbs on diet or put facial packs, instead feel happy from within to reflect cheerful demeanor and radiant skin.

The adage “Don’t worry, Be happy” needs to be implemented consciously to tide over volatile situations, joining hands all together, apart from defining a Purpose of Life to live longer and healthier than the rest.

It should not be I am existing in Fear instead it should be We are Fighting Fear to be Happy !!!