My Name: "Is Meth"

I destroy homes, I tear families apart,
take your children, and that's just the start.
I'm more costly than diamonds, more precious than gold
The sorrow I bring is a sight to behold.

If you need me, rememeber I'm easily found,
I live all around you - in schools and in town.
I live with the rich, I live with the poor,
I live down the street, and maybe next door.

I'm made in a lab, but not like you think,
I can be made under the kitchen sink.
In your childs closet, and even in the woods,
If this scares you to death, well it certainly should.

I have many names, but there's one you know best,
I'm sure you've heard of me, my name is crystal meth.

My power is awesome, try me you'll see,
But if you do, you may never break free.
Just try me once and I might let you go,
But try me twice, and I'll own your soul.

When I possess you, you'll steal and you'll lie,
You do what you have to -- Just to get high.
The crimes you'll commit for my narcotic charms,
Will be worth the pleasure you'll feel in your arms.

You'll lie to your mother, you'll steal from your dad,
When you see their tears, you should feel sad.
But you'll forget your morals and how you were raised,
I'll be your conscience, I'll teach you my ways.

I take kids from parents, and parents from kids,
I turn people from God, and separate friends.
I'll take everything from you, your looks and your pride,
I'll be with you always -- right by your side.

You'll give up everything -- your family, your home,
Your friends, your money, then you'll be alone.
I'll take and take, till you have nothing more to give
When I'm finished with you, you'll be lucky to live.

If you try me be warned - this is no game,
If given the chance, I'll drive you insane.
I'l ravish your body, I'll control your mind
I'll own you completely, your soul will be mine.

The nightmares I'll give you while lying in bed,
The voices you'll hear, from inside your head.
The sweats, the shakes, the visions you'll see,
I want you to know, these are all gifts from me.

But then it's too late, you'll know in your heart,
That you are mine, and we shall not part.
You'll regret that you tried me, they always do,
but you came to me, not I to you.

You knew this would happen, many times you were told,
But you challenged my power, and chose to be bold.
You could have said no, and just walked away,
If you could live that day over, now what would you say?

I'll be your master, you will be my slave,
I'll even go with you, when you go to your grave.
Now that you have met me, what will you do?
Will you try me or not? It's all up to you.

I can bring you more misery than words can tell,
Come take my hand, let me lead you to hell.

This was written by a young Indian girl who was in jail for drug charges, and was addicted to meth. She wrote this while in jail. As you have just read, she fully grasped the horrors of the drug, as she tells in this simple, yet profound poem. She was released from jail, but, true to her story, the drug owned her. They found her dead not long after, with the needle still in her arm.

Courtesy: Manoj of StudentConcepts.Org

NDTV Books Poetry Corner

Hello friends,

I am very happy to inform you all that my poem has been published in NDTV Books Poetry Corner. Check out in http://www.ndtv.com/ent/bookspoetrycorner.asp?id=1885

Cheers

Tech prediction for 2006

Source: Business Line dated 9th January 2006

Sukhasya moolam dharmah, dharmasya mulam arthah

Here are some sutras for executives in Canakya on Management, by Ashok R. Garde

"A sutra is a short, pithy statement or an aphorism about a concept; it is easy to memorise, and to recall whenever required in practice,"

Almost half of the over 450 sutras of Canakya (or Chanakya a.k.a. Kautilya and Visugupta) are on `the principles of management' appropriate for rulers and administrators; and the rest are for the common man.
Though the western schools have compared Canakya to Machiavelli, the 16th century Italian statesman-advisor to kings, who is "well-known for advocating unscrupulous methods to retain/gain power," none of Canakya's sutras indicate "any crooked or unethical advice," points out Garde.

"Sukhasya moolam dharmah," means `basis of happiness is ethics'

"Ethical behaviour is universal, while moral behaviour is often defined by the particular culture of the society."

"Dharmasya mulam arthah," meaning that the basis of ethics is resources. "Even the crooked amongst the Indian traders know that subha (good/auspicious) comes first, and labha (gain/profit) comes afterwards,"

`Not having a chief is preferable to having a chief without humility/morality,' counsels a diktat.

"Keep friendship and consultation separate," is another practical advice. "Do not confide with a friend about your plans simply because he is a friend,"

"Make him a minister who is learned and who has passed the integrity tests," states Canakya, and one wished the suggestion were followed in government.

An important management lesson is that for the work-blind, policy/strategy is the lantern. "When in doubt about whether to take one action or the other, or when quite foggy about what to do next, the policy guidelines help the manager to decide wisely,"

On laziness, Canakya says that the lazy one does not deploy employees. "A lazy person lets things happen to him, or for him."

Four elements that define management excellence are:

1. "gaining possession of non-possessed;
2. protecting that which is gained;
3. making the protected grow;
4. and deployment of employees."

Simple tip on working reads thus:

`Upayapurvam na duskaram syat,' meaning `attended with right means any work does not become difficult to do'.

Also, avoid `antara', that is; `no procrastination ought to be done between works'. When you fail to act and allow too much time to lapse, it can cause the work to perish!

`A-prayatnat karya-vipattih bhavati,' is a straightforward message that `lack of effort turns into difficulties in work'.

And the golden rule, that today's management gurus would also vouch for, is:

"When the number of tasks are many, priority should be given to that work which is most fruitful."

Priority read!

Source: Business Line dated 9th January 2006

HaPpY neW yEaR