Well here's the news: Hasan Gafoor, Commissioner, Mumbai Police, has been transferred or 'Shunted' speaking in the regular Bureaucratic jargon. Taking a Peek @ facts:
1. Terrorists struck Mumbai.
2. Would have been no big deal, had it been some obscure temple in Banaras, but since it was Mumbai, which houses one of the two things India is known for abroad, Bollywood; it so happened that somebody's head was wanted.
(In case you are wondering what the other thing is: Outsourcing)
3. Obviously, Pakistan can't be touched.(Uncle Sam won't like that.)
4. So who will be the scapegoat?
5. Why of course the top cops! So A.N Roy, the DGP, had to go.
6.Nobody remembers the Mumbai attacks anymore.
7.Hey, hold on, a committee has been set up, Right?
8. Guess we will do away with the commissioner too, no sweat!
Fine! That quite put it into perspective, right?
But what about these two things: 1.Ethics, 2.Accountability? Police guys have been relegated to obscurity, where they might be dealing with Red Tape-bound hassles, but why did the Political leadership fail to find it's weak links? Why didn't the HRD Minister resign? Or the CM of Maharashtra? (He did finally resign, owing more to the pressure oopar se than anything else, at a time when they realised the electoral fortunes of the High Command were at stake.) Ironically, my sister's text book wants her to know that Lal Bahadur Shastri resigned from Railway ministry when a random accident took place. Overkill? I will fight tooth and nail it's not. And c'mon, let's just see a fraction of that coming from these guys.
The other point worth mentioning is the current state of Indian Bureucracy. Leaving alone Corruption talk, even asking for humanity, level-headedness and character seems too much. Do we have a system that takes only invertebrate people? Or does it manufacture them? Why can't they stand up and demand the same fate for their Khadi-clad mastrers, as they are ordered for? It's an early childhood memory that Grampas would cajole and inspire kids to be IAS and IPS officers or (sic) 'Collectors'. Wonder if this 'Collector' word was taken too literally.
Anyways, this is not getting nowhere. A trial has been started which will go on sine die. Committees will Probe issues, then new committees will probe older committees and still newer committees will probe committees that probed other committees. (Care to find out what happened to Godhra victims? Or '84 riots' victims?) Status quo will be maintained.
And yet another news occupied a non-descript corner in an interior page in some local newspaper: " 17 Cops Slain by Naxalites in Jharkhand and Orissa".
Nobody reads. Nobody cares.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Role Models
- Che Guevara, because "At the cost of sounding ridiculous, let me say that a true revolutionary is guided by love."
- Steve Jobs, because "Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish."
- Neo, because "There's no spoon, only you."
- Kurt Cobain, because "...Light my candle with a daze..."
- Virendra Sehwag, because "I play the ball. Not the bowler."
- George Orwell, because "Under the spreading Chestnut tree, I sold you and you sold me..."
- Forrest Gump, because "Life is a box of chocolates...you never know what you gonna get..."
- Yehudi Menuhin, because " 'I'd give my life to Play the way you do.' 'I did.' "
The Calvin and Hobbes Classics #1
Well here's the first of what you can call one of my regular columns over here: a striP of Calvin and Hobbes. ExPect to see more of these later. The images may be CoPyright Protected but like I care... ;-) (Bill Watterson hated merchandising after all...right?)
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Voodoo Economics
I read this one on the Internet some time ago, and couldn't resist copying down, it's a little tedious to read but if you can be patient enough, it's great information:
Once there was a little island country. The land of this country was the tiny island itself. The total money in circulation was 2 dollars as there were only two pieces of 1 dollar coins circulating around.
There were 3 citizens living on this island country. A owned the land. B and C each owned 1 dollar.
B decided to purchase the land from A for 1 dollar. So, now A and C own 1 dollar each while B owned a piece of land that is worth 1 dollar.
The net asset of the country now = 3 dollars.
Now C thought that since there is only one piece of land in the country, and land is non producible asset, its value must definitely go up. So, he borrowed 1 dollar from A, and together with his own 1 dollar, he bought the land from B for 2 dollars.
A has a loan to C of 1 dollar, so his net asset is 1 dollar. B sold his land and got 2 dollars, so his net asset is 2 dollars. C owned the piece of land worth 2 dollars but with his 1 dollar debt to A, his net residual asset is 1 dollar. Thus, the net asset of the country = 4 dollars.
A saw that the land he once owned has risen in value. He regretted having sold it. Luckily, he has a 1 dollar loan to C. He then borrowed 2 dollars from B and acquired the land back from C for 3 dollars. The payment is by 2 dollars cash (which he borrowed) and cancellation of the 1 dollar loan to C.
As a result, A now owned a piece of land that is worth 3 dollars. But since he owed B 2 dollars, his net asset is 1 dollar. * B loaned 2 dollars to A. So his net asset is 2 dollars. * C now has the 2 coins. His net asset is also 2 dollars. * The net asset of the country = 5 dollars. A bubble is building up.
B saw that the value of land kept rising. He also wanted to own the land. So he bought the land from A for 4 dollars. The payment is by Borrowing 2 dollars from C, and cancellation of his 2 dollars loan to A.
As a result, A has got his debt cleared and he got the 2 coins. His net asset is 2 dollars. B owned a piece of land that is worth 4 dollars, but since he has a debt of 2 dollars with C, his net Asset is 2 dollars. C loaned 2 dollars to B, so his net asset is 2 dollars. The net asset of the country = 6 dollars; even though, the country has only one piece of land and 2 Dollars in circulation.
Everybody has made money and everybody felt happy and prosperous.
One day an evil wind blew, and an evil thought came to C’s mind. "Hey, what if the land price stop going up, how could B repay my loan. There is only 2 dollars in circulation, and, I think after all the land that B owns is worth at most only 1 dollar, and no more."
A also thought the same way.
Nobody wanted to buy land anymore.
So, in the end, A owns the 2 dollar coins, his net asset is 2 dollars. B owed C 2 dollars and the land he owned which he thought worth 4 dollars is now 1 dollar. So his net asset is only 1 dollar. C has a loan of 2 dollars to B. But it is a bad debt. Although his net asset is still 2 dollars, his Heart is palpitating. The net asset of the country = 3 dollars again.
So, who has stolen the 3 dollars from the country?
Of course, before the bubble burst B thought his land was worth 4 dollars. Actually, right before the collapse, the net asset of the country was 6 dollars on paper. B’s net asset is still 2 dollars, his heart is palpitating.
B had no choice but to declare bankruptcy. C has to relinquish his 2 dollars bad debt to B, but in return he acquired the land which is worth 1 dollar now.
A owns the 2 coins, his net asset is 2 dollars. B is bankrupt, his net asset is 0 dollar. (he lost everything) C got no choice but end up with a land worth only 1 dollar The net asset of the country = 3 dollars.
End of the story… but…
There is however a redistribution of wealth. A is the winner, B is the loser, C is lucky that he is spared.
A few points worth noting…
When a bubble is building up, the debt of individuals to one another in a country is also building up.
This story of the island is a closed system whereby there is no other country and hence no foreign debt. The worth of the asset can only be Calculated using the island’s own currency. Hence, there is no net loss.
An over-damped system is assumed when the bubble burst, meaning the land’s value did not go down to below 1 dollar.
When the bubble burst, the fellow with cash is the winner. The fellows having the land or extending loan to others are the losers. The asset could shrink or in worst case, they go bankrupt.
If there is another citizen D either holding a dollar or another piece of land but refrains from taking part in the game, he will neither win nor Lose. But he will see the value of his money or land go up and down like a see saw.
When the bubble was in the growing phase, everybody made money.
If you are smart and know that you are living in a growing bubble, it is worthwhile to borrow money (like A) and take part in the game. But you must know when you should change everything back to cash.
As in the case of land, the above phenomenon applies to stocks as well.
The actual worth of land or stocks depend largely on psychology.
…….who is responsible for this? Is it me or you? Or the policymakers or the regulator or the false banking system or the government or all of us?
And now imagine the total rise in the worth of the land if any two guys would start a war of attrition?
Once there was a little island country. The land of this country was the tiny island itself. The total money in circulation was 2 dollars as there were only two pieces of 1 dollar coins circulating around.
There were 3 citizens living on this island country. A owned the land. B and C each owned 1 dollar.
B decided to purchase the land from A for 1 dollar. So, now A and C own 1 dollar each while B owned a piece of land that is worth 1 dollar.
The net asset of the country now = 3 dollars.
Now C thought that since there is only one piece of land in the country, and land is non producible asset, its value must definitely go up. So, he borrowed 1 dollar from A, and together with his own 1 dollar, he bought the land from B for 2 dollars.
A has a loan to C of 1 dollar, so his net asset is 1 dollar. B sold his land and got 2 dollars, so his net asset is 2 dollars. C owned the piece of land worth 2 dollars but with his 1 dollar debt to A, his net residual asset is 1 dollar. Thus, the net asset of the country = 4 dollars.
A saw that the land he once owned has risen in value. He regretted having sold it. Luckily, he has a 1 dollar loan to C. He then borrowed 2 dollars from B and acquired the land back from C for 3 dollars. The payment is by 2 dollars cash (which he borrowed) and cancellation of the 1 dollar loan to C.
As a result, A now owned a piece of land that is worth 3 dollars. But since he owed B 2 dollars, his net asset is 1 dollar. * B loaned 2 dollars to A. So his net asset is 2 dollars. * C now has the 2 coins. His net asset is also 2 dollars. * The net asset of the country = 5 dollars. A bubble is building up.
B saw that the value of land kept rising. He also wanted to own the land. So he bought the land from A for 4 dollars. The payment is by Borrowing 2 dollars from C, and cancellation of his 2 dollars loan to A.
As a result, A has got his debt cleared and he got the 2 coins. His net asset is 2 dollars. B owned a piece of land that is worth 4 dollars, but since he has a debt of 2 dollars with C, his net Asset is 2 dollars. C loaned 2 dollars to B, so his net asset is 2 dollars. The net asset of the country = 6 dollars; even though, the country has only one piece of land and 2 Dollars in circulation.
Everybody has made money and everybody felt happy and prosperous.
One day an evil wind blew, and an evil thought came to C’s mind. "Hey, what if the land price stop going up, how could B repay my loan. There is only 2 dollars in circulation, and, I think after all the land that B owns is worth at most only 1 dollar, and no more."
A also thought the same way.
Nobody wanted to buy land anymore.
So, in the end, A owns the 2 dollar coins, his net asset is 2 dollars. B owed C 2 dollars and the land he owned which he thought worth 4 dollars is now 1 dollar. So his net asset is only 1 dollar. C has a loan of 2 dollars to B. But it is a bad debt. Although his net asset is still 2 dollars, his Heart is palpitating. The net asset of the country = 3 dollars again.
So, who has stolen the 3 dollars from the country?
Of course, before the bubble burst B thought his land was worth 4 dollars. Actually, right before the collapse, the net asset of the country was 6 dollars on paper. B’s net asset is still 2 dollars, his heart is palpitating.
B had no choice but to declare bankruptcy. C has to relinquish his 2 dollars bad debt to B, but in return he acquired the land which is worth 1 dollar now.
A owns the 2 coins, his net asset is 2 dollars. B is bankrupt, his net asset is 0 dollar. (he lost everything) C got no choice but end up with a land worth only 1 dollar The net asset of the country = 3 dollars.
End of the story… but…
There is however a redistribution of wealth. A is the winner, B is the loser, C is lucky that he is spared.
A few points worth noting…
When a bubble is building up, the debt of individuals to one another in a country is also building up.
This story of the island is a closed system whereby there is no other country and hence no foreign debt. The worth of the asset can only be Calculated using the island’s own currency. Hence, there is no net loss.
An over-damped system is assumed when the bubble burst, meaning the land’s value did not go down to below 1 dollar.
When the bubble burst, the fellow with cash is the winner. The fellows having the land or extending loan to others are the losers. The asset could shrink or in worst case, they go bankrupt.
If there is another citizen D either holding a dollar or another piece of land but refrains from taking part in the game, he will neither win nor Lose. But he will see the value of his money or land go up and down like a see saw.
When the bubble was in the growing phase, everybody made money.
If you are smart and know that you are living in a growing bubble, it is worthwhile to borrow money (like A) and take part in the game. But you must know when you should change everything back to cash.
As in the case of land, the above phenomenon applies to stocks as well.
The actual worth of land or stocks depend largely on psychology.
…….who is responsible for this? Is it me or you? Or the policymakers or the regulator or the false banking system or the government or all of us?
And now imagine the total rise in the worth of the land if any two guys would start a war of attrition?
Monday, June 8, 2009
Windows Errors in Haiku
Here's an interesting e-mail forward doing the round nowadays:
Microsoft Windows Errors - in Haiku
The Web site you seek
Cannot be located,
butCountless more exist.
-----------------------------------------------
Chaos reigns within.
Reflect, repent, and reboot.
Order shall return.
-----------------------------------------------
Program aborting:
Close all that you have worked on.
You ask far too much.
------------------------------------------------
Windows NT crashed.
I am the Blue Screen of Death.
No one hears your screams.
--------------------------------------------------
Yesterday it worked.
Today it is not working.
Windows is like that.
---------------------------------------------------
Your file was so big.
It might be very useful.
But now it is gone.
-------------------------------------------
Stay the patient course.
Of little worth is your ire.
The network is down.
---------------------------------------------------
A crash reduces
Your expensive computer
To a simple stone.
--------------------------------------------------
Three things are certain:
Death, taxes and lost data.
Guess which has occurred.
---------------------------------------------------
You step in the stream,
But the water has moved on.
This page is not here.
---------------------------------------------------
Out of memory.
We wish to hold the whole sky,
But we never will.
------------------------------------------------
Having been erased,
The document you're seeking
Must now be retyped.
---------------------------------------------------
Serious error.
All shortcuts have disappeared.
Screen. Mind. Both are blank.
---------------------------------------------------
Microsoft Windows Errors - in Haiku
The Web site you seek
Cannot be located,
butCountless more exist.
-----------------------------------------------
Chaos reigns within.
Reflect, repent, and reboot.
Order shall return.
-----------------------------------------------
Program aborting:
Close all that you have worked on.
You ask far too much.
------------------------------------------------
Windows NT crashed.
I am the Blue Screen of Death.
No one hears your screams.
--------------------------------------------------
Yesterday it worked.
Today it is not working.
Windows is like that.
---------------------------------------------------
Your file was so big.
It might be very useful.
But now it is gone.
-------------------------------------------
Stay the patient course.
Of little worth is your ire.
The network is down.
---------------------------------------------------
A crash reduces
Your expensive computer
To a simple stone.
--------------------------------------------------
Three things are certain:
Death, taxes and lost data.
Guess which has occurred.
---------------------------------------------------
You step in the stream,
But the water has moved on.
This page is not here.
---------------------------------------------------
Out of memory.
We wish to hold the whole sky,
But we never will.
------------------------------------------------
Having been erased,
The document you're seeking
Must now be retyped.
---------------------------------------------------
Serious error.
All shortcuts have disappeared.
Screen. Mind. Both are blank.
---------------------------------------------------
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Curtain Raiser
Check 1..2...3...
Alright so Blogger works...well so does Tumblr...and Worpdress...and what not...but the Point is that I now have a Piece of the information suerhighway and my utterly craPPy musings will be showered on you at regular intervals...(Amen!). So the first thing i gotta do is add the feeds from the half a dozen (content-free) blogs I have created with a multitude of highly forgettable URLs...but i can manage that...more to come...do subscribe. Peace!
P.S.-notice the caital P's? well the keyboard has got some serious comPatibility issues with this alPhabet thanks to which I now know the utterly useless fact that the ASCII code for P is alt+0080...and the on-screen keyboard is a Pain in the...ahem...you know where...so...well, such is life.
Alright so Blogger works...well so does Tumblr...and Worpdress...and what not...but the Point is that I now have a Piece of the information suerhighway and my utterly craPPy musings will be showered on you at regular intervals...(Amen!). So the first thing i gotta do is add the feeds from the half a dozen (content-free) blogs I have created with a multitude of highly forgettable URLs...but i can manage that...more to come...do subscribe. Peace!
P.S.-notice the caital P's? well the keyboard has got some serious comPatibility issues with this alPhabet thanks to which I now know the utterly useless fact that the ASCII code for P is alt+0080...and the on-screen keyboard is a Pain in the...ahem...you know where...so...well, such is life.
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