Remembering Henry Ford and Handcrafting Excellence

Its been a 100 years since Henry ford introduced the mass-assembly line for his Model-T automobile- an event which changed the entire history of manufacturing- an event which has been surprisingly remembered by very few people now. Whenever I pass by a road side shop, or even an impromptu pavement shop(hogging the sidewalk)- like on the banks of the Cooum River on Harrington Road, Chetput- where those who look like (not sure) migrants from north India seem to be painstakingly crafting hand-woven cane chairs- I always recollect Henry Ford and his assembly line.

That epochal invention enabled Ford to churn out his cars at the rate of one every 90 Minutes (source:Wiki)- a mind boggling rate of turnover for the first time in history. Despite all the cribbing about the lack of personal care in mass production- the fact that the consumers (the entire world) shifted over to the system- proves that mass assembly line wins hands-over when compared to the lonely craftsman in his little cottage working on the skills passed over to him over generations to craft a single piece for a discerning customer. Now, we get the same quality at a lesser price due to mass production.

The quality of the workers life increased with more leisure time and their collective bargaining power through the formation of unions has increased their economic strengths (despite the communists denying that fact). For, despite whatever Mahatma Gandhi thought of village-based cottage industries they were not merely inefficient for a generation with more purchasing power- they also condemned those workers and their future generations to that narrow way of life and same profession. Now, anyone can become anything with a little hard work, diligence and education- there are no vocations-for-life to buttonhole someone from birth.

The next logical step up the evolutionary scale for mankind is total automation- preferably robots. As demonstrated over the past century, machines- designed for it- work faster, better and are in the long run cheaper. which is why i greatly admire Japan, which as a society has been open minded enough to accept robots and robotics in greater ease compared to some other paranoid countries which look on automation with dis-favour even after so many years. The Japanese have proved with their economic success that the way forward is more automation with robots than less and there is simply no other way to support the earths burgeoning population with the ease to which we all aspire.

And once mass-market robots come into everyday use- at least industrially- the human race is going to evolve in to a whole new something else. With plenty of leisure time (and thinking time) available to everyone (and not merely the elite or moneyed)- I predict a whole new revolution in arts and science- when everyone is able to do what they wish to do- than have to do.

The coming century promises to be one full of wondrous hope- when we are all going to achieve great things- unlike what the prophets of doom and gloom tell us. The world is not coming to an end, so fasten your seat belts people, we are going to pick up speed.

Mid-Summer Madness

As I came out of the "Iconic" Higginbothams building , which is soon to be razed to the ground/or partially demolished (depending on which source you believe) to include a railway station for the Chennai Metro Rail- a project which will signal that the city has arrived on the map of the uber-metropolises of the world, er, that is a different story and I will deal with it on another post.

To re-capitulate, after I exited the Higginbothams book shop after a rather fruitless search for Clive Cusslers latest, which might hit the shores of India maybe an year later, depending on its sales abroad(as I was informed)- I glanced up at the sun beating its harsh glare all over the city. Noon time. A time when mad dogs and Englishmen stay indoors (out of the heat).

As I am neither I ventured forth towards the Mount Road post office building and glancing up at the digital signboard positioned strategically aboard to be visible to all three approaches at the junction of the Mathura Restaurant (one which i can recommend for wholesome veg food on limited budgets-like impromptu birthday parties for large group of friends) building (which now has the Tata Croma Electronics mega-store occupying the lower two floors)I confirmed that my senses did not lie and the digital board confirmed that the temp was past 40*C....when the previously quoted mad dogs curl up in the shade for a snooze while the Englishmen used to have a dripping cold beer and then curl up in the shade too (with their memsaab's I presume)- the people were all hurrying past with a strange sense of purpose which one does not usually see in the rambling walk of the pedestrians.

I could only attribute this hurried walk to the blazing hot noon sun- strange how it wasnt affecting me that bad. But then as a kid, I remember how we used to play street (and terrace) cricket all through the day without giving a thought to the sun or how it might affect our complexion. I dont recall a single kid in those days complaining about the hot sun- in the long looked for summer hols (april & may) when the vacations came...so what is it about becoming an adult which makes us less adventurous? (or more finicky?)

So, I walked on towards my ultimate destination- Richie street the paradise of electronics aficionados. What i was looking for to purchase was an open secret- the latest hollywood blockbusters in DVD rip formats- the films which i do not have the leisure time to catch up in the theatre but dont want to miss all the same...So i entered the shop, made my selections and the order was transmitted to the storage keeper (at a different location) for immediate delivery to the shop where i would pay the bill and be handed the anonymous parcel. The talk in the shop was all about two things...

The first was that the shop keepers were all celebrating the fall of the previous government. the former Cm had hastily and haphazardly constructed a new secretariat building at the Govt Estate opposite Ritchie St and the ever zealous police force had issued eviction notices to the shop-owners deeming them a security risk to the govt officers. The flabbergasted shopkeepers were planning whether to move the courts and face all the attending legal hassles or simply wind up and move when the electorate gave them a pleasant shock by routing out the govt lock, stock and barrel. The talk was all about the shop keepers relief and celebrations on the fall of the govt and boasting about how their votes too might have made the difference in crucial constituencies. On such little things, do the mighty fall.

The other reason the shop-keepers were in a celebratory mood was that the new govt had promised lap-tops to all the school children. This, one of them commented was going to turn into a windfall to them - as almost half the laptops to be provided to the kids would in due course of time (as soon as possible) wind up in Ritchie street for re-selling to college kids and software engineers. As the shop keeper told me "avvangalukku value theriyadhu sir". roughly translated - they wont appreciate it (if they get it free) and poor working class families and drunkard fathers would view it as a redeemable (liquid) asset- mortgaging it as soon as they recieve it. I just hope that this prediction turns out be false. But these are sharp businessmen and they know the pulse of the people.

Hving made my purchases I left the shop and headed back home with an afternoon of the hottest summer blockbusters to look forward too and strangely, the sun didnt seem so harsh now.....

Fools Advice...Wise Do

People who are married automatically assume that they are qualified to give singles advice on marital affairs..inspite of the fact that the singles maybe so much more cleverer and successful in life than the married idiots. Merely getting married does not qualify you as an expert in marital affairs- thats what paid counsellors are for. The reason I am delaying getting married is I am still searching for someone to choose who fits my requirements and I will do so - the minute that person turns up.

After getting a lot of unsolicited advice on what "kind" of girl to choose to marry....I am frankly fed up of all the people who tell me to marry ugly girls...Just because they have had the bad luck to end up with women who turn their stomachs, should I do too? Tell me the truth, would anyone marry an ugly person, if they had a better choice or option? willingly choose to commit suicide or what?

Am I not old enough to know what I want? to choose a life partner for myself? The only thing I want my wife to be is

" YOUNG AND SLENDER
SOFT AND TENDER"

That is my mantra for searching a bride....unfortunately no one (including my parents) understand this- they look for stuff like status, family background etc without taking into consideration that the secret of success in a marriage is sexual compatibility. If you cannot get a raise on seeing your wife- your marriage is doomed. All other things like education, job, horoscope match are absolutely of no interest to me.

Besides, I have everything else- money, status etc. All I want is a beautiful girl to spice up my life and make my blood heat-up....and I will give her everything she wants..now where can I find such a girl?