With the resurgence in the Bull market ... those who had been sitting on the sidelines for that much awaited "correction" - have given in to the lure of the market and have finally entered the fray ...
I was "inspired" (Ha!) by the song from BluffMaster (so appropriate !) and thought what if the words were actually sung by a Miss Sen-sex, who is luring the retail investors to Come into the Market .. well here goes ...
(Sung to the tune of "Right Here Right Now" ... the words in Italics belong to the extended Hip-Hop version)
I wanna say heya to my market player Ramesh J
Large Caps to Small Caps and some Caps Middy
My crew the fundmaster movie
And those SENSEX fakers – loosers and shakers
Here we go!
Come to me bhool jaaye sara Hisaab
Come to me hum banale sirf apni Kitaab
Come to me bhool jaaye sara Hisaab
Come to me hum banale sirf apni Kitaab
Listen up Bull
Ek main aur ek tu hai, aur Market mein Rumour hai
Brokers bekabu hai, samjho saare Reports jaali
Funds ka kya bharosa, Basket-sell kar jaaye
Kal agar na mil paaye, reh na jaaye Target baaki
Right here right now, hain Futures ka samaa
Book your Profit one time
Right here right now, kum hai Margin yaha
Book your Profit two time
Bhool jaao, Maallaao, reh na jaaye, Profit saari
Ek main aur ek tu hai, Mutual Fund mein golmaal hai
Managers bekabu hai, samjho saare NAV jaali
FED ka kya bharosa, Rates upar le jaaye
Kal Nikkei neeche khul jaaye, reh na jaaye haath khaali
Come to me
Come to me
F-U-N to the big D masta let’s push it up this Stocks’ too sasta
Yeah its a Short call ..
But im a Big Bull ..
Buy in the club, or in your car, or in your bar, Bull
Fund Manajah rides a Maybach, while u don’t get no pay back
SEBI inquires and finds all those kick backs
They fine, a small fine, and Manajah keeps on smiling
Tells nice lies for short trading
Aao mil jaayen hum tum, aur Price ko yu giraye
Never gonna let it rise, Bull
Never gonna let it rise no no no no
Na koi Support bane, na ho stop loss
Never gonna let it rise, Bull
Never gonna let it rise no no no no
Right here right now, hain Support ka nishaan
Call your Broker one time
Right here right now, arre woh hai kahaan
Call your Broker two time
Bhool jaao, ‘net kholo, direct karo, apni kharidi
I’m the Manajah of the Fund stuff,
I take it smooth but put u thru the ruff stuff
The oldies just cant be getting enuff of the SIP stuff
Now I can be easy or I can be givin yea junk stuff
Ek main aur ek tu hai, aur sab Charts bekaar hai
NIFTY bekabu hai, samjho naye Highs baaki
Trend ka kya bharosa, hum Traders phas jaaye
Market crash kar jaaye, reh na jaaye Margin khaali
Come to me bhool jaaye sara Hisaab
Come to me hum banale sirf apni Kitaab
Come to me bhool jaaye sara Hisaab
Come to me hum banale sirf apni Kitaab
------
My apologies to all those whose sensibilities have been offended.. but ..
Well ... and that's how I feel ...
Saturday, September 30, 2006
Sunday, September 24, 2006
Why the ban on Coke is a real Joke !
We, as consumers, today are a lot more conscious about what we buy and what we eat - which is a good sign. The increasing alertness about our eating habits and our lifestyle has led to a series of changes that have happened all around us.
- Food manufacturing companies are giving more nutritional information on the packs.
- Fitness Equipment Manufacturing companies have increased their visibility.
- Healthy Food alternatives have "mushroomed".
Overall, we are more aware about how, what we do, affects our health.
THE NEW HIT-LIST
Gone are the usual suspects .. drugs, tobacco and alcohol. The latest entrants to our "hit list" are .. Sugar, Trans Fat, Carbohydrates, Caffeine, Calories and even Sodium and Calcium ! Its Ironic, that till some time back most of these were considered to be actually healthy for us. Well, no more !
It is now an acknowledged fact that "lactose intolerance" is a valid reason for excusing someone from drinking milk. My kids would love to use that one !
FAST FOOD vs. JUNK FOOD
Fast Food is now synonymous with Junk Food and the two phrases are often (mis)used for each other. Pizzas, Burgers, French Fries, Hot Dogs - are all viewed with a jaundiced eye - and so are Colas. It's surprising how Colas have got automatically connected with Junk Food - speaks volumes for the marketing prowess of Fast Food proponents like McDonalds, Burger King, Pizza Hut and Wimpeys. Their combo deals of Burgers+Fries+Cola have ensured that all these food categories now enjoy (?) the same fate.
COLAS DISSOLVE TEETH ? .. YES !
Corporate marketing genius notwithstanding, personally, I'd stay away from a Cola. Yes, that stuff dissolves teeth - and I've seen it happen. I put my daughter's (broken, milk) tooth in a cup of Cola and it actually dissolved in 2 days' time.
Probably nothing to do with the Pesticide content, but more to do with the Phosphoric Acid (or some such component, they'll never tell us, will they ?) inherent in Cola drinks.
GOVERNMENT IS "MOVED"
This new found awareness has also led the consumer movement to "move" the Government and it has risen to the occasion. It's one of those rare times that the Government has actually reacted - even though it has done so in its typical bureaucratic, knee-jerk, haphazard, unthinking, tunnel-visioned way !
Which brings me to the recent "ban" on Colas .. and the even more recent "lifting" of the ban. The big ruckus started with one Lab report that there was a high content of Pesticide found in the Colas.
THE JPC REPORT
Now this is not something new. A few years back, there was a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) Report that spoke volumes (literally) about the harmful effects of Colas. and surprisingly, the Government chose to do nothing till now.
In fact, this matter came to the fore again when Swami Ramdev (who in his own inimitable style) raised the issue repeatedly in his yoga discourses .. his catch phrase was "thanda matlab toilet cleaner". I'm sure when the cat is out of the bag, he may well be proved right !
Anyway, in spite of the JPC Report it seems we still don't have a law for Cola companies to adhere to, which I believe was their legal defence. They probably said, "Tell us clearly what the law specific to Cola manufacturing is and prosecute us if we don't comply".
Much as I do not like the stuff myself, I'm willing to grant them this concession. Sounds pretty fair to me !
COLA COMPANIES IN "DAMAGE CONTROL" MODE
Incidentally, while Aamir Khan actually put his mouth where his money is ... did you notice that the Pepsi CEO didn't actually "drink" the stuff !
I would have really loved to see Pepsi's entire Board of Directors' families drink the stuff ... kids and grand kids, included. And don't try and tell me that the Advertising Standard Council of India has banned the depiction of children in Ads, etc. etc. If they can be shown consuming Horlicks, Maggi, Real Juice and Boomer gum, well they can be shown drinking Coke and Pepsi.
So whether it contains Pesticides or not, I'm not going to let my kids drink that stuff and I don't care if Aamir Khan and the CEO of Pepsi run their Ads every 5 minutes.
POLITICAL MILEAGE
There are still a few misguided people whose actions are, well .. misguided to say the least ! Other than sensational political mileage, what good can come out of raiding the warehouses and godowns of the Cola manufacturing companies ? It’s just a cheap publicity gimmick - just like saying, "Don't write us off, we're alive!"
If they're really interested in the common good, they should get their own "experts" to draft a policy and submit that to their partners in the UPA Government, and force the Government into approving it. Once it becomes a law, then get the Cola companies to tow the line.
FUNNY GOVERNMENT ... FUNNY LAWS
But, our Government has a sense of humour - and it just loves to be ambiguous. They have recently passed a "Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA), 2006".
The FSSA supercedes (and repeals) at least SEVEN different current laws including The Prevention of Food Adulteration (PFA) Act 1954, The Milk and Milk Products Order (MPO) 1992, The Fruit Products Order (FPO) 1955, The Meat Food Products Order 1973, The Vegetable Oil Products (Control) Order 1947, The Edible Oil Packaging (Regulation) Order 1998, The Solvent Extracted Oil, DeOiled Meal and Edible Flour (Control) Order 1967.
What is really very amusing is that the FSSA is dated August 23, 2006, while there has been a PFA (Seventh) Amendment Rules passed on August 21, 2006 !!
The PFA Amendment lays down strict guidelines for labelling instructions, including the mention of and two days later another law is enacted that repeals the PFA Act completely ! So what are the food manufacturing companies going to do ? Do they follow the labelling requirements .. or not ?
It is this ambiguity that permits ridiculous things to happen. For instance, pick up a bottle of Coke .. and check the label. You will find some Nutritional Information like Carbohydrates and Proteins mentioned per 100 ML (millilitre). It’s easy to figure out how much does the whole bottle contain, as the product sold is by volume, i.e. 500 ML, 1 Litre, etc.
But, here's the catch .... (you knew there was one, didn't you ?). "Added Sugar" is mentioned very prominently, as "10.2g/100gm" ... !!!!!!
Now how in God's name are we to figure out how many ML of Coke weighs how many GMS ?? Who is the person responsible for this rule and who cleared it ? I want to know (RTI et al) and I want him accountable for the agony it has caused me trying to calculate ! I want it changed so that we don't have to become mathematical geniuses to figure out what to eat !
LEARNED STATE
This is one of the main reasons why I feel that any talk of a ban on Pepsi and Coke .. is .. well .. a cruel joke, on the common man. The Kerala State Government banned the manufacture and sale of Colas under the Kerala State PFA Act and the High Court reversed it saying that the Government has no authority to ban the manufacture and sale of a product under this Act !
Now didn't the Kerala State Government know this ? What with the highest literacy in the country .. these smart guys didn't know it ?? Or was there an ulterior motive of the ruling political party of that State in gaining some mileage ?
But seriously, if this happens in the State with the highest literacy in the country ... where does that leave us commoners ??
... And what was that about common sense being so uncommon .... ?
Well ... and that's how I feel ...
- Food manufacturing companies are giving more nutritional information on the packs.
- Fitness Equipment Manufacturing companies have increased their visibility.
- Healthy Food alternatives have "mushroomed".
Overall, we are more aware about how, what we do, affects our health.
THE NEW HIT-LIST
Gone are the usual suspects .. drugs, tobacco and alcohol. The latest entrants to our "hit list" are .. Sugar, Trans Fat, Carbohydrates, Caffeine, Calories and even Sodium and Calcium ! Its Ironic, that till some time back most of these were considered to be actually healthy for us. Well, no more !
It is now an acknowledged fact that "lactose intolerance" is a valid reason for excusing someone from drinking milk. My kids would love to use that one !
FAST FOOD vs. JUNK FOOD
Fast Food is now synonymous with Junk Food and the two phrases are often (mis)used for each other. Pizzas, Burgers, French Fries, Hot Dogs - are all viewed with a jaundiced eye - and so are Colas. It's surprising how Colas have got automatically connected with Junk Food - speaks volumes for the marketing prowess of Fast Food proponents like McDonalds, Burger King, Pizza Hut and Wimpeys. Their combo deals of Burgers+Fries+Cola have ensured that all these food categories now enjoy (?) the same fate.
COLAS DISSOLVE TEETH ? .. YES !
Corporate marketing genius notwithstanding, personally, I'd stay away from a Cola. Yes, that stuff dissolves teeth - and I've seen it happen. I put my daughter's (broken, milk) tooth in a cup of Cola and it actually dissolved in 2 days' time.
Probably nothing to do with the Pesticide content, but more to do with the Phosphoric Acid (or some such component, they'll never tell us, will they ?) inherent in Cola drinks.
GOVERNMENT IS "MOVED"
This new found awareness has also led the consumer movement to "move" the Government and it has risen to the occasion. It's one of those rare times that the Government has actually reacted - even though it has done so in its typical bureaucratic, knee-jerk, haphazard, unthinking, tunnel-visioned way !
Which brings me to the recent "ban" on Colas .. and the even more recent "lifting" of the ban. The big ruckus started with one Lab report that there was a high content of Pesticide found in the Colas.
THE JPC REPORT
Now this is not something new. A few years back, there was a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) Report that spoke volumes (literally) about the harmful effects of Colas. and surprisingly, the Government chose to do nothing till now.
In fact, this matter came to the fore again when Swami Ramdev (who in his own inimitable style) raised the issue repeatedly in his yoga discourses .. his catch phrase was "thanda matlab toilet cleaner". I'm sure when the cat is out of the bag, he may well be proved right !
Anyway, in spite of the JPC Report it seems we still don't have a law for Cola companies to adhere to, which I believe was their legal defence. They probably said, "Tell us clearly what the law specific to Cola manufacturing is and prosecute us if we don't comply".
Much as I do not like the stuff myself, I'm willing to grant them this concession. Sounds pretty fair to me !
COLA COMPANIES IN "DAMAGE CONTROL" MODE
Incidentally, while Aamir Khan actually put his mouth where his money is ... did you notice that the Pepsi CEO didn't actually "drink" the stuff !
I would have really loved to see Pepsi's entire Board of Directors' families drink the stuff ... kids and grand kids, included. And don't try and tell me that the Advertising Standard Council of India has banned the depiction of children in Ads, etc. etc. If they can be shown consuming Horlicks, Maggi, Real Juice and Boomer gum, well they can be shown drinking Coke and Pepsi.
So whether it contains Pesticides or not, I'm not going to let my kids drink that stuff and I don't care if Aamir Khan and the CEO of Pepsi run their Ads every 5 minutes.
POLITICAL MILEAGE
There are still a few misguided people whose actions are, well .. misguided to say the least ! Other than sensational political mileage, what good can come out of raiding the warehouses and godowns of the Cola manufacturing companies ? It’s just a cheap publicity gimmick - just like saying, "Don't write us off, we're alive!"
If they're really interested in the common good, they should get their own "experts" to draft a policy and submit that to their partners in the UPA Government, and force the Government into approving it. Once it becomes a law, then get the Cola companies to tow the line.
FUNNY GOVERNMENT ... FUNNY LAWS
But, our Government has a sense of humour - and it just loves to be ambiguous. They have recently passed a "Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA), 2006".
The FSSA supercedes (and repeals) at least SEVEN different current laws including The Prevention of Food Adulteration (PFA) Act 1954, The Milk and Milk Products Order (MPO) 1992, The Fruit Products Order (FPO) 1955, The Meat Food Products Order 1973, The Vegetable Oil Products (Control) Order 1947, The Edible Oil Packaging (Regulation) Order 1998, The Solvent Extracted Oil, DeOiled Meal and Edible Flour (Control) Order 1967.
What is really very amusing is that the FSSA is dated August 23, 2006, while there has been a PFA (Seventh) Amendment Rules passed on August 21, 2006 !!
The PFA Amendment lays down strict guidelines for labelling instructions, including the mention of and two days later another law is enacted that repeals the PFA Act completely ! So what are the food manufacturing companies going to do ? Do they follow the labelling requirements .. or not ?
It is this ambiguity that permits ridiculous things to happen. For instance, pick up a bottle of Coke .. and check the label. You will find some Nutritional Information like Carbohydrates and Proteins mentioned per 100 ML (millilitre). It’s easy to figure out how much does the whole bottle contain, as the product sold is by volume, i.e. 500 ML, 1 Litre, etc.
But, here's the catch .... (you knew there was one, didn't you ?). "Added Sugar" is mentioned very prominently, as "10.2g/100gm" ... !!!!!!
Now how in God's name are we to figure out how many ML of Coke weighs how many GMS ?? Who is the person responsible for this rule and who cleared it ? I want to know (RTI et al) and I want him accountable for the agony it has caused me trying to calculate ! I want it changed so that we don't have to become mathematical geniuses to figure out what to eat !
LEARNED STATE
This is one of the main reasons why I feel that any talk of a ban on Pepsi and Coke .. is .. well .. a cruel joke, on the common man. The Kerala State Government banned the manufacture and sale of Colas under the Kerala State PFA Act and the High Court reversed it saying that the Government has no authority to ban the manufacture and sale of a product under this Act !
Now didn't the Kerala State Government know this ? What with the highest literacy in the country .. these smart guys didn't know it ?? Or was there an ulterior motive of the ruling political party of that State in gaining some mileage ?
But seriously, if this happens in the State with the highest literacy in the country ... where does that leave us commoners ??
... And what was that about common sense being so uncommon .... ?
Well ... and that's how I feel ...
Sunday, September 10, 2006
"Adult Content" on TV
Over the past few weeks, there has been a big hue and cry over "adult content" on television, leading to suspension of services by certain Cable Operators ONLY in Mumbai (Ha!)
Apparently a PIL (Public Interest Litigation, for the uninitiated) had been filed by a concerned citizen over the nature of "adult content" being shown on TV and the High Courts promptly ruled (surprising how they can make decisions on some issues much faster) that Cable operators have to discontinue showing films with "Adult" certification.
As usual, the general fracas followed ... public outrage, self-appointed moralists going on a rampage, police being authorised to seize equipment of defaulting operators, operators in turn accusing channels for being responsible for content ... etc, etc.
Definition of Adult Content
From the Press reports it seems that only foreign films with an "A" certification are "adult content."
Hindi films like "Gangajal" (*ing Ajay Devgan) continue to be broadcast. So do Reality shows like "America's Top Model", warped soaps like "Kasauti Zindagi..." and lifestyle channels like FTV and VH1 continue, while ONLY HBO and Star Movies are still off the air !
With due respect, I don't think the issue has really been addressed by the PIL. I don't think we have gotten to the root of what is adult content.
Not that I am an expert at this ... but in a very layman way ... I would define adult content as that which is unsuitable for children to watch for the reason that they may not comprehend the intracacies, nuances or implications. I would rather prefer the term "mature content."
Children, and maybe even preteens, are not really able to grasp or understand certain issues ... like maybe Gay marriages ... but yet are "exposed" to these. Short-sighted people (and I'm not talking about the ones who are literally short-sighted), would like to generalise .. that all "mature content" = PORNOGRAPHY ! The truth couldn't be further away !!
In my opinion, it would have been more appropriate for the Courts to rope in educationists, psychologists and counsellors to first define what constitues "mature content" .. and could then have referred this issue to the already existing Censor Board to take appropriate steps in implementing some kind of compliance.
This typical knee-jerk reaction to populist issues should be avoided.
The Courts have enough on their plate ... the Mumbai Bomb Blast case decision is still pending (inspite of being put on a fast-track special court).
Shooting the Messenger for the Message !
Also, why are Cable Operators responsible? They are merely transporting the signal to end customers.
It's like saying VSNL and MTNL and other ISPs should have their equipment confiscated as there is pornographic material available on various websites !!
Cellphone operators like Hutch, BPL, Airtel should have their towers pulled down ... as they can also carry "unsuitable" material.
Also, I don't see the ASCI (Advertisements Council of india) suspending the newspaper publications for inappropriate or misleading advertisements ...
And while we're on bashing the messengers ... how come DTH operators like Dish TV and Tata Sky ... were excluded from the witch-hunt ? ... Maybe because the police (and/or the Courts) didn't know how to take action against them !!
Individual Rights
Why can't an adult individual be able to go and watch whatever he/she pleases ?
I'm not advocating free uncontrolled public broadcast of mature content ! But yes, just like an adult individual has the right (?) to access mature content over the internet, he/she must be allowed access to mature programming ... and as I mentioned, mature programming DOES NOT always mean pornographic material !
Maybe the implementation of the CAS could actually be hastened, as this would mean that adults could "password protect" certain inappropriate channels and thereby control the access of their children to certain channels that they deem inappropriate for their own children.
Put the control in the hands of the parents themselves. We need to have enough faith in the parenting system and the institution of the family to "self-regulate" what the children of the house watch.
Once a generic law has been laid down and general guidelines given to the Censor Boards ... why do we need the self-appointed moralists, the Courts, the Cable Operators or the Channels to separately regulate our viewing options?
Having put a sensible system in place, let the market forces determine who will watch what - and put a NGO-type autonomous watchdog in place - where the public can refer such issues to ... very much like the ASCI or the CGSI (Consumer Guidance Society of India).
In any case, most advertisements brazenly target children when they really shouldn't be doing that either.
Of all the places .. off-air in Mumbai !
This is a real joke .. only Cable operators in Mumbai faced the brunt ! So according to the learned courts and implementation authorities .. only the children in Mumbai city need to kept away from "adult content."
And the rest of Maharashtra .. and the rest of India can continue to watch all this uninterrupted ! Ha !
Speaks volumes for what the courts think about the quality of parenting in Mumbai ... and I object to this as it is a personal attack on even my parenting skills !
The parents in Orissa, Jharkhand and even Solapur are apparently doing a better job than the parents in Mumbai city ... for the courts to have banned HBO and Star Movies only here .. and left things open for the rest of the country !
Maybe we parents of Mumbai city need to get together and give them a piece of our mind!
Well ... and that's how I feel ...
Apparently a PIL (Public Interest Litigation, for the uninitiated) had been filed by a concerned citizen over the nature of "adult content" being shown on TV and the High Courts promptly ruled (surprising how they can make decisions on some issues much faster) that Cable operators have to discontinue showing films with "Adult" certification.
As usual, the general fracas followed ... public outrage, self-appointed moralists going on a rampage, police being authorised to seize equipment of defaulting operators, operators in turn accusing channels for being responsible for content ... etc, etc.
Definition of Adult Content
From the Press reports it seems that only foreign films with an "A" certification are "adult content."
Hindi films like "Gangajal" (*ing Ajay Devgan) continue to be broadcast. So do Reality shows like "America's Top Model", warped soaps like "Kasauti Zindagi..." and lifestyle channels like FTV and VH1 continue, while ONLY HBO and Star Movies are still off the air !
With due respect, I don't think the issue has really been addressed by the PIL. I don't think we have gotten to the root of what is adult content.
Not that I am an expert at this ... but in a very layman way ... I would define adult content as that which is unsuitable for children to watch for the reason that they may not comprehend the intracacies, nuances or implications. I would rather prefer the term "mature content."
Children, and maybe even preteens, are not really able to grasp or understand certain issues ... like maybe Gay marriages ... but yet are "exposed" to these. Short-sighted people (and I'm not talking about the ones who are literally short-sighted), would like to generalise .. that all "mature content" = PORNOGRAPHY ! The truth couldn't be further away !!
In my opinion, it would have been more appropriate for the Courts to rope in educationists, psychologists and counsellors to first define what constitues "mature content" .. and could then have referred this issue to the already existing Censor Board to take appropriate steps in implementing some kind of compliance.
This typical knee-jerk reaction to populist issues should be avoided.
The Courts have enough on their plate ... the Mumbai Bomb Blast case decision is still pending (inspite of being put on a fast-track special court).
Shooting the Messenger for the Message !
Also, why are Cable Operators responsible? They are merely transporting the signal to end customers.
It's like saying VSNL and MTNL and other ISPs should have their equipment confiscated as there is pornographic material available on various websites !!
Cellphone operators like Hutch, BPL, Airtel should have their towers pulled down ... as they can also carry "unsuitable" material.
Also, I don't see the ASCI (Advertisements Council of india) suspending the newspaper publications for inappropriate or misleading advertisements ...
And while we're on bashing the messengers ... how come DTH operators like Dish TV and Tata Sky ... were excluded from the witch-hunt ? ... Maybe because the police (and/or the Courts) didn't know how to take action against them !!
Individual Rights
Why can't an adult individual be able to go and watch whatever he/she pleases ?
I'm not advocating free uncontrolled public broadcast of mature content ! But yes, just like an adult individual has the right (?) to access mature content over the internet, he/she must be allowed access to mature programming ... and as I mentioned, mature programming DOES NOT always mean pornographic material !
Maybe the implementation of the CAS could actually be hastened, as this would mean that adults could "password protect" certain inappropriate channels and thereby control the access of their children to certain channels that they deem inappropriate for their own children.
Put the control in the hands of the parents themselves. We need to have enough faith in the parenting system and the institution of the family to "self-regulate" what the children of the house watch.
Once a generic law has been laid down and general guidelines given to the Censor Boards ... why do we need the self-appointed moralists, the Courts, the Cable Operators or the Channels to separately regulate our viewing options?
Having put a sensible system in place, let the market forces determine who will watch what - and put a NGO-type autonomous watchdog in place - where the public can refer such issues to ... very much like the ASCI or the CGSI (Consumer Guidance Society of India).
In any case, most advertisements brazenly target children when they really shouldn't be doing that either.
Of all the places .. off-air in Mumbai !
This is a real joke .. only Cable operators in Mumbai faced the brunt ! So according to the learned courts and implementation authorities .. only the children in Mumbai city need to kept away from "adult content."
And the rest of Maharashtra .. and the rest of India can continue to watch all this uninterrupted ! Ha !
Speaks volumes for what the courts think about the quality of parenting in Mumbai ... and I object to this as it is a personal attack on even my parenting skills !
The parents in Orissa, Jharkhand and even Solapur are apparently doing a better job than the parents in Mumbai city ... for the courts to have banned HBO and Star Movies only here .. and left things open for the rest of the country !
Maybe we parents of Mumbai city need to get together and give them a piece of our mind!
Well ... and that's how I feel ...
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
Retro or Remixed and Rotten !
The music scene nowadays has exploded with a vengeance of its own. For those who are not from this blessed land, let me make this clear .. I'm talking about the music scene here in India (and Mumbai, in particular).
Just last night I heard the radio, as I was falling asleep .. and was rudely shaken up by a hindi film song, sung to the tune of "My Way."
Now this is a beautiful English song, sung by many ... popular versions rendered by Frank (Ol' Blue Eyes) Sinatra and Paul Anka ... also Engelbert (?).
It was ghastly, to say the least ! I was shocked .. and angry .. but then spent the rest of the night thinking that well, I guess, creativity gives you the right (?) to do as you please.
Plagarism .. or Inspiration ??? .... a very thin line lies between them ... the same thin line between genius and insanity ???
Well ... and that's how I feel ...
Just last night I heard the radio, as I was falling asleep .. and was rudely shaken up by a hindi film song, sung to the tune of "My Way."
Now this is a beautiful English song, sung by many ... popular versions rendered by Frank (Ol' Blue Eyes) Sinatra and Paul Anka ... also Engelbert (?).
It was ghastly, to say the least ! I was shocked .. and angry .. but then spent the rest of the night thinking that well, I guess, creativity gives you the right (?) to do as you please.
Plagarism .. or Inspiration ??? .... a very thin line lies between them ... the same thin line between genius and insanity ???
Well ... and that's how I feel ...
Saturday, September 02, 2006
Vulgar Celebrations & Fundamental Rights !
There is just one word to describe the way we celebrate our festivals ... VULGAR !
Over the years, we have seen how our celebrations have been degraded into a vulgar display of money, power, clout and attitude. And we have spared no festival, right from Ganesh Chaturthi ... to Janmashtami .... to Christmas ... to Eid .. to Holi.. to Diwali .. to Ambedkar Jayanti (Ha!) to Mahavir Jayanti .. to Navratri .. the list is endless.
I guess only the Parsis have not yet succumbed to this yet .. I have yet to see the friendly "Bawas" make a vulgar display at Pateti ! Kudos to them !!
NEW FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS !
Each such "celebration" has spawned some new Fundamental Rights:
1. The Right To Use The Loudspeaker Whenever (and Wherever) I Want
2. The Right To Erect A Pandal Wherever I Want
3. The Right To Collect Money And Not Be Accountable For Expenses
4. The Right To Block The Road During Processions
5. The Right To Use (and Abuse) The Law In The Name Of My Festival
6. The Right To Use A Political Plank (or Politician) To Further My Religion
I resent the fact that we have allowed these "Rights" to become automatically "enforceable" by those who want them !
What I'd really like to see .. is another set of Rights ... for the common man:
1. The Right To Stop A Procession From Obstructing Traffic
2. The Right To Stop An Offensive Loudspeaker
3. The Right To Remove A Pandal From The Middle Of The Road
4. The Right To Prevent Any Politician or Political Party From Endorsing/Supporting (or Otherwise Participating) In Any Religious Festival
If the first list is a given .. why is it so hard for the second list to become a reality ?
Needs a lot more gumption to do that I guess, but the day we are able to do it, is the day we will truly enjoy an Independent India.
Well ... and that's how I feel ...
Over the years, we have seen how our celebrations have been degraded into a vulgar display of money, power, clout and attitude. And we have spared no festival, right from Ganesh Chaturthi ... to Janmashtami .... to Christmas ... to Eid .. to Holi.. to Diwali .. to Ambedkar Jayanti (Ha!) to Mahavir Jayanti .. to Navratri .. the list is endless.
I guess only the Parsis have not yet succumbed to this yet .. I have yet to see the friendly "Bawas" make a vulgar display at Pateti ! Kudos to them !!
NEW FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS !
Each such "celebration" has spawned some new Fundamental Rights:
1. The Right To Use The Loudspeaker Whenever (and Wherever) I Want
2. The Right To Erect A Pandal Wherever I Want
3. The Right To Collect Money And Not Be Accountable For Expenses
4. The Right To Block The Road During Processions
5. The Right To Use (and Abuse) The Law In The Name Of My Festival
6. The Right To Use A Political Plank (or Politician) To Further My Religion
I resent the fact that we have allowed these "Rights" to become automatically "enforceable" by those who want them !
What I'd really like to see .. is another set of Rights ... for the common man:
1. The Right To Stop A Procession From Obstructing Traffic
2. The Right To Stop An Offensive Loudspeaker
3. The Right To Remove A Pandal From The Middle Of The Road
4. The Right To Prevent Any Politician or Political Party From Endorsing/Supporting (or Otherwise Participating) In Any Religious Festival
If the first list is a given .. why is it so hard for the second list to become a reality ?
Needs a lot more gumption to do that I guess, but the day we are able to do it, is the day we will truly enjoy an Independent India.
Well ... and that's how I feel ...
Mutual Fund Manager under scanner
I hate to tell you .. but "I told you so" ...
Just days after I wrote about Mutual Fund investments being more subject to Fund Managers' inadequacies ... we have the CBI reportedly zeroing on on a few Fund Managers' for their alleged nexus with the head-honchos of a private company in an IPO placement. This apparently resulted in loss of approx Rs.63 crores to the Fund itself.
Ha .. now we have the rest of them on the run ! CNBC recently reported that quite a few Fund Mangers have switched jobs and have moved into "private equity management" .. whatever that means !
The point being, is there no agency that can really hold these guys accountable for the things that they do ?
Yeah sure .. a caveat emptor is fine .. but what about basic ethics ??? Have we become such doormats that MFs can actually turn around and show us the (middle) finger and there is nothing one can do ?
I DO believe that the longer one stays invested in the market, the more certain is the return going to be .. which is exactly what one needs to do .. and one doesn't need a fund manager to do that.
As I said, pick the sensex, nifty and nifty junior stocks, invest equally in all three .. and sit back for three years and enjoy your money doubling ! This is not rocket science !
The Fund managers need to be able to perform much better, at least better than the market - and they need to reward their customers. Failing which, they should be unceremoniously be sacked .. maybe even penalised !
Well .. and that's how I feel ...
Just days after I wrote about Mutual Fund investments being more subject to Fund Managers' inadequacies ... we have the CBI reportedly zeroing on on a few Fund Managers' for their alleged nexus with the head-honchos of a private company in an IPO placement. This apparently resulted in loss of approx Rs.63 crores to the Fund itself.
Ha .. now we have the rest of them on the run ! CNBC recently reported that quite a few Fund Mangers have switched jobs and have moved into "private equity management" .. whatever that means !
The point being, is there no agency that can really hold these guys accountable for the things that they do ?
Yeah sure .. a caveat emptor is fine .. but what about basic ethics ??? Have we become such doormats that MFs can actually turn around and show us the (middle) finger and there is nothing one can do ?
I DO believe that the longer one stays invested in the market, the more certain is the return going to be .. which is exactly what one needs to do .. and one doesn't need a fund manager to do that.
As I said, pick the sensex, nifty and nifty junior stocks, invest equally in all three .. and sit back for three years and enjoy your money doubling ! This is not rocket science !
The Fund managers need to be able to perform much better, at least better than the market - and they need to reward their customers. Failing which, they should be unceremoniously be sacked .. maybe even penalised !
Well .. and that's how I feel ...
Sunday, August 20, 2006
Mutual Fund Investments and the Sensex
Very often we see and hear the statutory byline .. Mutual Fund investments are subject to market risks ...
Its only a half-truth (the Ardh Satya) .. Mutual Fund investments are NOT subject to market risks ... they are subject to FUND MANAGER inadequacies !!!
They tell us that the Mutual Fund (MF) Net Asset Values (NAVs) will go up along with the markets (Sensex/Nifty) and come down also alongwith the markets .. but that these are relatively safer and one should invest in these rather than equities .. yeah, sure !
Yeah ?? Sure ??
Consider this ...the BSE Sensex made crazy highs in the month of April-May 2006, before the infamous "correction" took place. From dizzy heights of 12,500+ the Sensex crashed to 8,500 levels .. and now has crawled its way back up to 11,500 levels.
To be more precise, here's what happened over the past 4 months...
On April 18th 2006, the Sensex closed at 11,821.57
On August 18th 2006, the Sensex closed at 11,465.72
This is now, down just 3% from that April 18th closing.
So if I'm not mistaken, what these MF guys were (are?) trying to tell us is that if anyone has put money in MFs, well .. the value of that investment is also going to come down ... ok .. fair enough .. caveat emptor .. we've been warned !
The flip side being that since these MFs have well-educated and well-trained fund managers with loads of money (yours and mine!) at their disposal, in addition to a battery of experts working for them round the clock, our money is better off handled by them.
Cool, sounds very good.
Now, any "expert" will tell you that its next to impossible to "time the market" .. but it figures that if one has given himself (or herself) up to a multi-crore MF (Reliance, ICICI and SBI are by no mean small) they are probably better equipped to try to time the market, than say .... you or me !
Ok .. we're still cool ..
But, now brace yourselves for the crunch...
THE PROOF OF THE PUDDING
Given below is a brief summary of the performance of a few top ranking MFs (rankings given by www.moneycontrol.com in parentheses).
The first figure is the NAV on April 18th and then the NAV on August 18th ... and the difference.
Magnum Tax Gain (No.1) .... 47.98 .... 44.39 .... -7.5%
Magnum Global (No.2) .... 37.47 ... 33.89 .... -9.6%
Magnum Balanced (No.2) .... 32.6.3 .... 30.43 .... -6.7%
HDFC Tax Saver (No.3) .... 123.71 .... 140.34 .... -11.9%
Magnum Contra (No.3) .... 34.33 .... 30.91 .... -10%
Kotak Balance (No.4) ... 23.736 .... 22.17 .... -6.6%
Birla Buy India (No.4) ..... 17.66 .... 16.55 .... -6.3%
Magnum Multiplier Plus (No.4) .... 44.24 .... 40.62 .... -8.2%
I bet you're surprised, eh ?
If the Sensex is now, down by only 3%, how come the MFs are still down by 6-10% ???
Incidentally, if I'm not mistaken, none of these schemes had declared any dividends during this period either ! Atleast if one would have invested in equity directly, he would have received some dividends .. or some rights .. and maybe, even a bonus ! But here, zilch !
If you're a fund manager, you've already set sail with a barrage of reasons .. ok .. may be you DO have a reason .. but hey, isn't there a sucker born every minute !
Now, here's my question: If MFs are subject to market risks, then why don't they recover equally well ?
Investors in MFs are generally for retired persons with a low appetite for risk and the above data bares the great fraud being committed to them.
SEBI & AMFI should seriously consider taking strict action against MFs who are not able to "manage" OUR "funds."
SOLUTION
In case you are really looking for increasing the value of your investment, over the long term, you should invest half the money in front-line (Sensex/Nifty) stocks and the other half in Nifty Junior stocks .. and forget about it for 4-5 years. You WILL make money !
But I also have a suggestion for anyone trying to invest in Mutual Funds for the long term. Be your own funds manager. It's simple ! Here's what you do...
1. Open an online Demat account that allows you to purchase MFs online (www.icicidirect.com is a good one).
2. Identify which MFs are the ones you want to invest in (Visit www.valueresearchonline.com and www.moneycontrol.com for a good run down on these).
3. Decide how much you would like to invest in a calendar year, in each MF. Divide that amount by 52 and every week invest these amounts in the MF of your choice.
This is my own variant of the Systematic Investment Plan (SIP). The upside being that SIP does this once a month on a specific date - but by doing this 4 times a month .. you can get an even better "average" cost of purchase.
Unless, of course, you're just looking for someone to place the blame on !
Well ... and that's how I feel ...
Its only a half-truth (the Ardh Satya) .. Mutual Fund investments are NOT subject to market risks ... they are subject to FUND MANAGER inadequacies !!!
They tell us that the Mutual Fund (MF) Net Asset Values (NAVs) will go up along with the markets (Sensex/Nifty) and come down also alongwith the markets .. but that these are relatively safer and one should invest in these rather than equities .. yeah, sure !
Yeah ?? Sure ??
Consider this ...the BSE Sensex made crazy highs in the month of April-May 2006, before the infamous "correction" took place. From dizzy heights of 12,500+ the Sensex crashed to 8,500 levels .. and now has crawled its way back up to 11,500 levels.
To be more precise, here's what happened over the past 4 months...
On April 18th 2006, the Sensex closed at 11,821.57
On August 18th 2006, the Sensex closed at 11,465.72
This is now, down just 3% from that April 18th closing.
So if I'm not mistaken, what these MF guys were (are?) trying to tell us is that if anyone has put money in MFs, well .. the value of that investment is also going to come down ... ok .. fair enough .. caveat emptor .. we've been warned !
The flip side being that since these MFs have well-educated and well-trained fund managers with loads of money (yours and mine!) at their disposal, in addition to a battery of experts working for them round the clock, our money is better off handled by them.
Cool, sounds very good.
Now, any "expert" will tell you that its next to impossible to "time the market" .. but it figures that if one has given himself (or herself) up to a multi-crore MF (Reliance, ICICI and SBI are by no mean small) they are probably better equipped to try to time the market, than say .... you or me !
Ok .. we're still cool ..
But, now brace yourselves for the crunch...
THE PROOF OF THE PUDDING
Given below is a brief summary of the performance of a few top ranking MFs (rankings given by www.moneycontrol.com in parentheses).
The first figure is the NAV on April 18th and then the NAV on August 18th ... and the difference.
Magnum Tax Gain (No.1) .... 47.98 .... 44.39 .... -7.5%
Magnum Global (No.2) .... 37.47 ... 33.89 .... -9.6%
Magnum Balanced (No.2) .... 32.6.3 .... 30.43 .... -6.7%
HDFC Tax Saver (No.3) .... 123.71 .... 140.34 .... -11.9%
Magnum Contra (No.3) .... 34.33 .... 30.91 .... -10%
Kotak Balance (No.4) ... 23.736 .... 22.17 .... -6.6%
Birla Buy India (No.4) ..... 17.66 .... 16.55 .... -6.3%
Magnum Multiplier Plus (No.4) .... 44.24 .... 40.62 .... -8.2%
I bet you're surprised, eh ?
If the Sensex is now, down by only 3%, how come the MFs are still down by 6-10% ???
Incidentally, if I'm not mistaken, none of these schemes had declared any dividends during this period either ! Atleast if one would have invested in equity directly, he would have received some dividends .. or some rights .. and maybe, even a bonus ! But here, zilch !
If you're a fund manager, you've already set sail with a barrage of reasons .. ok .. may be you DO have a reason .. but hey, isn't there a sucker born every minute !
Now, here's my question: If MFs are subject to market risks, then why don't they recover equally well ?
Investors in MFs are generally for retired persons with a low appetite for risk and the above data bares the great fraud being committed to them.
SEBI & AMFI should seriously consider taking strict action against MFs who are not able to "manage" OUR "funds."
SOLUTION
In case you are really looking for increasing the value of your investment, over the long term, you should invest half the money in front-line (Sensex/Nifty) stocks and the other half in Nifty Junior stocks .. and forget about it for 4-5 years. You WILL make money !
But I also have a suggestion for anyone trying to invest in Mutual Funds for the long term. Be your own funds manager. It's simple ! Here's what you do...
1. Open an online Demat account that allows you to purchase MFs online (www.icicidirect.com is a good one).
2. Identify which MFs are the ones you want to invest in (Visit www.valueresearchonline.com and www.moneycontrol.com for a good run down on these).
3. Decide how much you would like to invest in a calendar year, in each MF. Divide that amount by 52 and every week invest these amounts in the MF of your choice.
This is my own variant of the Systematic Investment Plan (SIP). The upside being that SIP does this once a month on a specific date - but by doing this 4 times a month .. you can get an even better "average" cost of purchase.
Unless, of course, you're just looking for someone to place the blame on !
Well ... and that's how I feel ...
Saturday, August 19, 2006
Have you ever wondered ...
Have you ever wondered .. whatever happened to ...
... Jennifer Grey (that young girl in the movie, Dirty Dancin')
... Macaulay Culkin (the Home Alone lad)
... Harold Faltermeyer (the guy who did Axel F, the theme of Beverly Hills Cop)
For more answers ... please visit www.weht.net (great site ... for those nostalgia buffs) trying to come to terms with what happened to the yesteryears' stars. Be ready for some rude shocks though !
We need to build a similar one here to quench our local thirst for knowledge (and trivia) ... for starters I have a few (and please feel free to grow this list).
Whatever happened to ...
... the first Liril girl (Carol Lunel, I think ?)
... the guy in the Lifebuoy soap Ad
... Amin Sayani
... the girl in the Nirma Ad
... Lalitaji (of the Surf Ad)
... Lajoji (Anita Kanwar) of Hum Log
Quite a varied list.. anyone having answers to the above, please post them to "comments."
In any case, as I mentioned once earlier, public memory is very shortlived, we tend to forget things pretty soon ... but then I guess that's how we are supposed to be.
Just think, if we were to carry around with us .. all the baggage (that we've seen and/or heard throughout our lives).. forever ! Woah ! That's more than a brainfull of unnecessary stuff.
Well ... and thats' how I feel ...
... Jennifer Grey (that young girl in the movie, Dirty Dancin')
... Macaulay Culkin (the Home Alone lad)
... Harold Faltermeyer (the guy who did Axel F, the theme of Beverly Hills Cop)
For more answers ... please visit www.weht.net (great site ... for those nostalgia buffs) trying to come to terms with what happened to the yesteryears' stars. Be ready for some rude shocks though !
We need to build a similar one here to quench our local thirst for knowledge (and trivia) ... for starters I have a few (and please feel free to grow this list).
Whatever happened to ...
... the first Liril girl (Carol Lunel, I think ?)
... the guy in the Lifebuoy soap Ad
... Amin Sayani
... the girl in the Nirma Ad
... IK Gujral (ex-PM)
... the baby on the Parle-G biscuit pack... Lalitaji (of the Surf Ad)
... Lajoji (Anita Kanwar) of Hum Log
Quite a varied list.. anyone having answers to the above, please post them to "comments."
In any case, as I mentioned once earlier, public memory is very shortlived, we tend to forget things pretty soon ... but then I guess that's how we are supposed to be.
Just think, if we were to carry around with us .. all the baggage (that we've seen and/or heard throughout our lives).. forever ! Woah ! That's more than a brainfull of unnecessary stuff.
Well ... and thats' how I feel ...
Shorter memories and growing resilience
Despite what all the psychoanalysts (and psychologists, in case they are a different set) say .. I am firmly of the belief, that public memory is generally shortlived ...
There are innumerable examples, right before our eyes ... issues that had taken us all by storm- made front page news for days together - taken up valuable (ha !) Parliament time ... just gone .. POOF .... vanished into thin air !
Whether it is the scams, the rackets, the burning social issues, the natural disasters, the infrastructural failures, exposed corruption ... whatever the issue, sooner or later, we have forgotten them, moved on and claim to have become "wiser" and more "resilient" with the experience !
I think there's more to it than just that. I feel it's a way of insulating ourselves from the "bad" things that have happened. Much like having an attitude of "Let's put all this behind us and look ahead and move forward ..."
Sure, one must always keep looking forward - but as it has been wisely said, "Those who forget History, are condemned to repeat it !" Not that we need to keep looking over our shoulder, but what amazes me is the way in which we "bounce back"(pretty much like the Sensex, that crashed to sub-9000 levels and then is back at 11500 levels to smash the Cassandras).
Look at what we've been through .. and honestly, ask yourselves ... do you really know what eventually happened to .... the Harshad Mehta Stock scam ... the Fodder scam ... the Telgi Stamp paper scam ... the Tehelka scam ... the Kargil Coffin scam ... the Diesel adulteration scam ... the Milk adulteration racket ... the post-26/7 Disaster management plan ... the actual benefits of the plastic ban ... the great Bombay First plan ... the Dance Bar-girl rehab plan ... the Ghatkopar Bomb blast case ... the call-center girls' security issue .... the list is endless !
I wonder if any one of us even remembers (as far back as) the 1984 riots ! ... and I don't even want to venture further back ... into investigating Subhash Chandra Bose's and Lal Bahadur Shastri's deaths !
Another thing I have noticed is that the moment we have a scam that breaks out into the open - we immediately, as an official response, get a "committee" to investigate into it !
Answer me these ...
- How many conclusive (or for that mater, inconclusive) reports do you recall having seen or read ???
- Why aren't these reports made public - after all it IS in the Public Interest, right ?
- Why doesn't the Government post these on the Internet ?
There is just no accountability ... we have had 7 blasts less than a month back across the city, great big brouhaha .. big noise .. VIP visits (which upset the administrative framework even more) and then what ?? ... an investigative committee (or ATS, whatever), which is still struggling to get leads !
Look at the British intelligence ... Hat's off to them !
They caught the guys BEFORE they blew up the airplanes .. and here we are .. 6 weeks later .. and still sifting for clues ! It's probably no wonder, why James Bond is such a cult figure - after all he was (is ?) a British agent !
I read Shobha De mention that the less said about Mumbai's spirit of resilience and ability to bounce back, the better. She's right ! We need to be really angry at what has happened to us ... and not sleepwalk around saying .. "Well, this is life .. and we need to get on with it !"
The general public likes to get over things quickly especially if they are negative thoughts (a good thing in a twisted way, though). But it seems to be more of a question of "mind over matter" ... if you don't mind, well .. it doesn't matter !
Well ... and that's how I feel ...
There are innumerable examples, right before our eyes ... issues that had taken us all by storm- made front page news for days together - taken up valuable (ha !) Parliament time ... just gone .. POOF .... vanished into thin air !
Whether it is the scams, the rackets, the burning social issues, the natural disasters, the infrastructural failures, exposed corruption ... whatever the issue, sooner or later, we have forgotten them, moved on and claim to have become "wiser" and more "resilient" with the experience !
I think there's more to it than just that. I feel it's a way of insulating ourselves from the "bad" things that have happened. Much like having an attitude of "Let's put all this behind us and look ahead and move forward ..."
Sure, one must always keep looking forward - but as it has been wisely said, "Those who forget History, are condemned to repeat it !" Not that we need to keep looking over our shoulder, but what amazes me is the way in which we "bounce back"(pretty much like the Sensex, that crashed to sub-9000 levels and then is back at 11500 levels to smash the Cassandras).
Look at what we've been through .. and honestly, ask yourselves ... do you really know what eventually happened to .... the Harshad Mehta Stock scam ... the Fodder scam ... the Telgi Stamp paper scam ... the Tehelka scam ... the Kargil Coffin scam ... the Diesel adulteration scam ... the Milk adulteration racket ... the post-26/7 Disaster management plan ... the actual benefits of the plastic ban ... the great Bombay First plan ... the Dance Bar-girl rehab plan ... the Ghatkopar Bomb blast case ... the call-center girls' security issue .... the list is endless !
I wonder if any one of us even remembers (as far back as) the 1984 riots ! ... and I don't even want to venture further back ... into investigating Subhash Chandra Bose's and Lal Bahadur Shastri's deaths !
Another thing I have noticed is that the moment we have a scam that breaks out into the open - we immediately, as an official response, get a "committee" to investigate into it !
Answer me these ...
- How many conclusive (or for that mater, inconclusive) reports do you recall having seen or read ???
- Why aren't these reports made public - after all it IS in the Public Interest, right ?
- Why doesn't the Government post these on the Internet ?
There is just no accountability ... we have had 7 blasts less than a month back across the city, great big brouhaha .. big noise .. VIP visits (which upset the administrative framework even more) and then what ?? ... an investigative committee (or ATS, whatever), which is still struggling to get leads !
Look at the British intelligence ... Hat's off to them !
They caught the guys BEFORE they blew up the airplanes .. and here we are .. 6 weeks later .. and still sifting for clues ! It's probably no wonder, why James Bond is such a cult figure - after all he was (is ?) a British agent !
I read Shobha De mention that the less said about Mumbai's spirit of resilience and ability to bounce back, the better. She's right ! We need to be really angry at what has happened to us ... and not sleepwalk around saying .. "Well, this is life .. and we need to get on with it !"
The general public likes to get over things quickly especially if they are negative thoughts (a good thing in a twisted way, though). But it seems to be more of a question of "mind over matter" ... if you don't mind, well .. it doesn't matter !
Well ... and that's how I feel ...
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
Independence Day - just another holiday ??
India celebrated it's 60th Independence Day on August 15, 2006.
For most people, it was just another holiday, a chance to spend time with friends and family. I guess the only people really busy were those involved in education and politics (including the government agencies). They are the only ones (barring a few NGOs, Corporates and Housing Societies) who unfurl the National Flag.
Which brings up a few questions ...
1. Do we really understand the relevance that Independence Day has today ?
2. Why do we celebrate it the way we do ?
3. Why do we celebrate 2 national days (Republic Day is on January 26th) ?
4. Is it just another holiday ?
Honestly, I don't have any answers to this .. just more questions ... and a few thoughts.
I wasn't around when Independence happened, but yet, when in school, we attended the celebrations (though, reluctantly, I must admit) and sang the usual patriotic songs, heard a variety of patriotic speeches (in English, Hindi and Marathi) .. and generally waited for it to get over !
The sad thing was that while we were in school doing this, we usually missed the fun part - watching the Nation celebrate it on TV. Of course, this is nothing compared to the show we get to see on Republic Day ... and that was always the trade off ... miss school and get to see the Parade. Once college started, it was up to us whether to attend or not, and the choice was pretty clear !
Those of us who read the newspapers and watched TV must've noticed nothing new this year around ... the same "forced" carmaderie .. the forced patriotism .. the forced nationalism ...
Even the PM's address to the nation echoed of the same run-of-the-mill threats to anti-national forces, infrastructural development and the call for upliftment of the poor. Sounded much like Nehru's speech ... and if we haven't got it right for 59 years ... we better start doing this differently or hey, even maybe different things (with apologies to Mr. Shiv Khera).
Coming back .. it makes me wonder why do we even celebrate the two days separately ... in my opinion (and I could be terribly wrong here !) ... I believe that Independence Day has a whole lot more relevance than Republic Day .. and yet we do a much better job on Republic Day - what with the grand parade, show of military strength, etc.
The common man on the street may be able to point out the difference between the two days very easily (for those who are still guessing .. Independence Day is the day the British stopped ruling over India ... and Republic Day is the day India adopted its Constitution). Now do we really need to put the nation through TWO days of Nationalism ? Why don't we celebrate just one day .. and go the whole hog on that day ?
I don't believe that a grand show of (forced?) nationalism twice can get us to be a better nation .. and we can definitely do without the extra holiday. I don't really think we can afford to have even one more holiday !
Our country has, possibly, the highest number of Public Holidays in a calendar year ... The official Central Government list puts it at 13 (Ha !) .. but being the "secular" country that we are ... we are benevolent enough to allow the State Governments to add their own special days ... and then there are the Banks .. who have their own list, which may or may not synchronise with either of the Government lists !!
In addition to this, we celebrate birth anniversaries and death anniversaries of various Gods, Goddesses and National personalities .. and that's not all .. we also have a few "observed" days .. like National Integration Day .. Communal Harmony day ...
For a sample list of festivals, one can visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holidays_in_India
If I'm not mistaken, this year (2006), the banks have a total list of 50 (yup, that's right) Bank Holidays, spread across various States !
One such list is available at http://www.bankofbaroda.com/holidays.asp (no offence intended to the particular Bank).
The actual number of non-working days increases a lot more .. taking into account the various other problems that we face ... Strikes ... Bandhs ... Floods ... Terrorist Attacks ...
Which brings me back to the real relevance of celebrating Independence Day. The common man is happy (and even grateful) to enjoy the Independence he has ... but I don't think that THIS is what our fore-fathers had in mind when they laid down their lives.
We definitely have the independence to rule ourselves ... no outsiders involved now .. right on ! But do we really enjoy the quality of life that we were supposed to get out of this foreign rule oppression ? The way in which the Government functions sometimes makes you feel that we need to have another war of Independence ! We seem to have merely replaced one set of oppressors, with another !
Yesterday, I saw Rajdeep Sardesai say on TV that in a survey taken, a majority of the youth-respondents actually were aspiring to earn just about Rs. 5,000 a month ... while less than a third were aiming for Rs. 20,000 ! Our sights are set so low for the majority, and yet we are unable to fulfill these aspirations .. and we wonder why so many take to unscrupulous activities.
These (misguided ?) youths don't really care for the fight for Independence ... One dialogue in a recent movie, Dus, probably summed it up for these guys ... when asked by the main protagonist as to why a member of the protection squad had betrayed his team members (and country) he said ... something to this effect .... "My father retired at Rs. 18,000 .. I probably will at Rs. 22,000 ... they (meaning the "enemy") named a sum of money that I couldn't even dream of .. and my scruples and principles just crumbled before it."
I think we need to do a lot more ... not by merely increasing awareness of the relevance of the Independence Day, not by having more cultural programs, not by unfurling more flags, not by singing more songs, not by making/delivering more speeches .. but by actually instilling a sense of belonging and ownership in the common man. Yeah, right .. I know .. easier said than done !
Each one of us needs to believe that we have a responsibility towards giving ourselves and our neighbours a better life .. and that we CAN do it.
I believe its this sense of helplessness, this futility of effort, this "chalta hai" attitude, this fatalistic view of life, that really needs to be overcome first, before we can really begin to see some changes ...
Well ... and that's how I feel ...
For most people, it was just another holiday, a chance to spend time with friends and family. I guess the only people really busy were those involved in education and politics (including the government agencies). They are the only ones (barring a few NGOs, Corporates and Housing Societies) who unfurl the National Flag.
Which brings up a few questions ...
1. Do we really understand the relevance that Independence Day has today ?
2. Why do we celebrate it the way we do ?
3. Why do we celebrate 2 national days (Republic Day is on January 26th) ?
4. Is it just another holiday ?
Honestly, I don't have any answers to this .. just more questions ... and a few thoughts.
I wasn't around when Independence happened, but yet, when in school, we attended the celebrations (though, reluctantly, I must admit) and sang the usual patriotic songs, heard a variety of patriotic speeches (in English, Hindi and Marathi) .. and generally waited for it to get over !
The sad thing was that while we were in school doing this, we usually missed the fun part - watching the Nation celebrate it on TV. Of course, this is nothing compared to the show we get to see on Republic Day ... and that was always the trade off ... miss school and get to see the Parade. Once college started, it was up to us whether to attend or not, and the choice was pretty clear !
Those of us who read the newspapers and watched TV must've noticed nothing new this year around ... the same "forced" carmaderie .. the forced patriotism .. the forced nationalism ...
Even the PM's address to the nation echoed of the same run-of-the-mill threats to anti-national forces, infrastructural development and the call for upliftment of the poor. Sounded much like Nehru's speech ... and if we haven't got it right for 59 years ... we better start doing this differently or hey, even maybe different things (with apologies to Mr. Shiv Khera).
Coming back .. it makes me wonder why do we even celebrate the two days separately ... in my opinion (and I could be terribly wrong here !) ... I believe that Independence Day has a whole lot more relevance than Republic Day .. and yet we do a much better job on Republic Day - what with the grand parade, show of military strength, etc.
The common man on the street may be able to point out the difference between the two days very easily (for those who are still guessing .. Independence Day is the day the British stopped ruling over India ... and Republic Day is the day India adopted its Constitution). Now do we really need to put the nation through TWO days of Nationalism ? Why don't we celebrate just one day .. and go the whole hog on that day ?
I don't believe that a grand show of (forced?) nationalism twice can get us to be a better nation .. and we can definitely do without the extra holiday. I don't really think we can afford to have even one more holiday !
Our country has, possibly, the highest number of Public Holidays in a calendar year ... The official Central Government list puts it at 13 (Ha !) .. but being the "secular" country that we are ... we are benevolent enough to allow the State Governments to add their own special days ... and then there are the Banks .. who have their own list, which may or may not synchronise with either of the Government lists !!
In addition to this, we celebrate birth anniversaries and death anniversaries of various Gods, Goddesses and National personalities .. and that's not all .. we also have a few "observed" days .. like National Integration Day .. Communal Harmony day ...
For a sample list of festivals, one can visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holidays_in_India
If I'm not mistaken, this year (2006), the banks have a total list of 50 (yup, that's right) Bank Holidays, spread across various States !
One such list is available at http://www.bankofbaroda.com/holidays.asp (no offence intended to the particular Bank).
The actual number of non-working days increases a lot more .. taking into account the various other problems that we face ... Strikes ... Bandhs ... Floods ... Terrorist Attacks ...
Which brings me back to the real relevance of celebrating Independence Day. The common man is happy (and even grateful) to enjoy the Independence he has ... but I don't think that THIS is what our fore-fathers had in mind when they laid down their lives.
We definitely have the independence to rule ourselves ... no outsiders involved now .. right on ! But do we really enjoy the quality of life that we were supposed to get out of this foreign rule oppression ? The way in which the Government functions sometimes makes you feel that we need to have another war of Independence ! We seem to have merely replaced one set of oppressors, with another !
Yesterday, I saw Rajdeep Sardesai say on TV that in a survey taken, a majority of the youth-respondents actually were aspiring to earn just about Rs. 5,000 a month ... while less than a third were aiming for Rs. 20,000 ! Our sights are set so low for the majority, and yet we are unable to fulfill these aspirations .. and we wonder why so many take to unscrupulous activities.
These (misguided ?) youths don't really care for the fight for Independence ... One dialogue in a recent movie, Dus, probably summed it up for these guys ... when asked by the main protagonist as to why a member of the protection squad had betrayed his team members (and country) he said ... something to this effect .... "My father retired at Rs. 18,000 .. I probably will at Rs. 22,000 ... they (meaning the "enemy") named a sum of money that I couldn't even dream of .. and my scruples and principles just crumbled before it."
I think we need to do a lot more ... not by merely increasing awareness of the relevance of the Independence Day, not by having more cultural programs, not by unfurling more flags, not by singing more songs, not by making/delivering more speeches .. but by actually instilling a sense of belonging and ownership in the common man. Yeah, right .. I know .. easier said than done !
Each one of us needs to believe that we have a responsibility towards giving ourselves and our neighbours a better life .. and that we CAN do it.
I believe its this sense of helplessness, this futility of effort, this "chalta hai" attitude, this fatalistic view of life, that really needs to be overcome first, before we can really begin to see some changes ...
Well ... and that's how I feel ...
Monday, August 07, 2006
Pathetic State of Mumbai Roads
Another rainy day ... and another tryst with the Mumbai roads !
I get the distinct feeling that one of the two things have happened:
1) Vehicles plying in Mumbai City have wheels which "erode" the roads
2) Road Construction companies have started using infinitely substandard construction material
Any which way, its the road traveller who suffers .. . giving a new dimension to the Hindi word for journey ... "safar" ... which till now just bore its similarity to the pronounciation !
For those who speak the new variant mix of Hindi-English ... called Hinglish ... "I'm going on a safar" could very well mean that they'd be making a road trip in Mumbai city !
With technology improving and with manufactuers getting more innovative, one would have thought that something as basic as building roads for a coastal, tropical city would not be equal to rocket science ! But our guys have made it out to be just as difficult !
Well, actually, maybe not ... maybe they'd just like the roads to be reconstructed every other year or how else would they stay in business ... oops, how else would they ensure everyone else stays in business !
A win-win for all ... constant employment for road construction workers, stable demand for material ... and something easy for the Municipal Corporators to keep themselves busy with ... what with preparing Tender specifictaions and vendor shortlisting and reading reports and having interminable committee meetings ...
Here, in Mumbai, we often hear these politicians tout phrases about how they'd like Mumbai to be like Shanghai ... yeah sure, that's one plan that's going to get Shanghaied ... and the less said about the tout-ing, the better !
Well ... and that's how I feel ...
I get the distinct feeling that one of the two things have happened:
1) Vehicles plying in Mumbai City have wheels which "erode" the roads
2) Road Construction companies have started using infinitely substandard construction material
Any which way, its the road traveller who suffers .. . giving a new dimension to the Hindi word for journey ... "safar" ... which till now just bore its similarity to the pronounciation !
For those who speak the new variant mix of Hindi-English ... called Hinglish ... "I'm going on a safar" could very well mean that they'd be making a road trip in Mumbai city !
With technology improving and with manufactuers getting more innovative, one would have thought that something as basic as building roads for a coastal, tropical city would not be equal to rocket science ! But our guys have made it out to be just as difficult !
Well, actually, maybe not ... maybe they'd just like the roads to be reconstructed every other year or how else would they stay in business ... oops, how else would they ensure everyone else stays in business !
A win-win for all ... constant employment for road construction workers, stable demand for material ... and something easy for the Municipal Corporators to keep themselves busy with ... what with preparing Tender specifictaions and vendor shortlisting and reading reports and having interminable committee meetings ...
Here, in Mumbai, we often hear these politicians tout phrases about how they'd like Mumbai to be like Shanghai ... yeah sure, that's one plan that's going to get Shanghaied ... and the less said about the tout-ing, the better !
Well ... and that's how I feel ...
Sunday, August 06, 2006
Accurate Mumbai Weather Forecast !
I have noticed that the weather reports that appear in our newspapers .. are invariably at least 24-36 hours LATE !!
After having poured and poured for 24-48 hours the reports will wake up and forecast another 24-48 hours of Heavy to Very Heavy rainfall ... and more often than not, those are just about the brightest days of the week !
Well .. okay .. I may be exaggerating just a bit !
When questioned on the inaccuracy, the main reason being cited is that ... the "poor" BMC .. the "poor" cash-strapped State Government and the "poor" Central Government cannot afford to have a Doppler Radar for Mumbai .. so that they can keep the country's Financial capital "afloat" !
.. and guess what .. now the latest in the line of excuses (oops, reasons) is that they have the funds .. but have not found the ideal location to install this Radar !!!
For crying out loud .. we have enough of the sea that is being reclaimed - some of it, even unauthorisedly .. so I'm sure the CRZ authorities can make a concession for something as critical as this !!!
So I decided to try and find out on my own .. about when will it rain and when it won't ... and I came across a site which had fairly accurate weather reporting for Mumbai city ... here it is for those of you who are also struggling ...
http://www.weather-forecast.com/locations/Bombay.1to3.shtml
(Disclaimer: I have no financial interest in this website !)
Meanwhile, the authorities (and maybe even the media) can refer to this website and publish, relatively more or less, accurate info !
Well ... and that's how I feel ...
After having poured and poured for 24-48 hours the reports will wake up and forecast another 24-48 hours of Heavy to Very Heavy rainfall ... and more often than not, those are just about the brightest days of the week !
Well .. okay .. I may be exaggerating just a bit !
When questioned on the inaccuracy, the main reason being cited is that ... the "poor" BMC .. the "poor" cash-strapped State Government and the "poor" Central Government cannot afford to have a Doppler Radar for Mumbai .. so that they can keep the country's Financial capital "afloat" !
.. and guess what .. now the latest in the line of excuses (oops, reasons) is that they have the funds .. but have not found the ideal location to install this Radar !!!
For crying out loud .. we have enough of the sea that is being reclaimed - some of it, even unauthorisedly .. so I'm sure the CRZ authorities can make a concession for something as critical as this !!!
So I decided to try and find out on my own .. about when will it rain and when it won't ... and I came across a site which had fairly accurate weather reporting for Mumbai city ... here it is for those of you who are also struggling ...
http://www.weather-forecast.com/locations/Bombay.1to3.shtml
(Disclaimer: I have no financial interest in this website !)
Meanwhile, the authorities (and maybe even the media) can refer to this website and publish, relatively more or less, accurate info !
Well ... and that's how I feel ...
The Plastic Ban .. one year later ...
It's been over a year since Mumbai city was flooded ...
The main reason for the flooding was cited to be the indiscriminate use of plastic bags .. especially the thinner variety (20 microns and less). Since thin plastic apparently has an "ability" to get into the drains and clog them ...
Nothing, obviously, was mentioned about the non-existent waste management programme of the BMC. Waste management .. waste disposal .. waste recycling .. a lot of words .. very little importance accorded to them by the powers that be !
In its anxiety to show the people of Mumbai that it had done something worthwhile .. the Government went right ahead and "banned" the use of thin variety of plastic. The law formally came into place this year .. and the minimum thickness was raised from 20 micron to 50 micron ! Good show, guys !!
Well .. now that we are supposed to have banned the 20 micron bags and forced all manufacturers to switch over to thicker 50 micron bags .. there shouldn't have been any flooding this year, right ? Wrong .. the bags which earlier used to "go with the flow" .. have started clogging drains earlier .. since they are thicker now !!
The ban has not really made people switch away from plastic .. they have just moved to the thicker variety ! Result ? Prices of all plastic raw materials have gone up by about 15-20% over the past few months ... and guess who is paying for all of this ? .. You and I are.
.. and the manufacturers of these basic raw materials are laughing all the way to the bank, since they now are getting a higher price on account of the sudden demand increase; and are also actually selling more volumes !!
Other manufacturers who use this plastic to pack their products in .. are facing increases in packaging costs, which they promptly pass onto the unwitting customers .. you and me .. and it's Double Jeopardy for us .. not only does the flooding continue, but we now have to bear these increases as well .. Great going, guys !
Meanwhile, the Government is completely silent on the much needed Waste Management, Waste Disposal and Waste Recycling plans.
Hat's off to the politicians ... I hope the delimitation of constituencies which plans on giving more seats to the urban areas will force these guys to "look after" their vote banks .. if not out of their own civic sense, but at least out of their own selfish needs to "preserve" their seats !
Maybe we should also ban a few politicians who make irresponsible rules without getting into the consequences of the laws they promulgate, or is it the bureaucrats who are responsible ... we will never know .. or will we ?
Well ... and that's how I feel ...
The main reason for the flooding was cited to be the indiscriminate use of plastic bags .. especially the thinner variety (20 microns and less). Since thin plastic apparently has an "ability" to get into the drains and clog them ...
Nothing, obviously, was mentioned about the non-existent waste management programme of the BMC. Waste management .. waste disposal .. waste recycling .. a lot of words .. very little importance accorded to them by the powers that be !
In its anxiety to show the people of Mumbai that it had done something worthwhile .. the Government went right ahead and "banned" the use of thin variety of plastic. The law formally came into place this year .. and the minimum thickness was raised from 20 micron to 50 micron ! Good show, guys !!
Well .. now that we are supposed to have banned the 20 micron bags and forced all manufacturers to switch over to thicker 50 micron bags .. there shouldn't have been any flooding this year, right ? Wrong .. the bags which earlier used to "go with the flow" .. have started clogging drains earlier .. since they are thicker now !!
The ban has not really made people switch away from plastic .. they have just moved to the thicker variety ! Result ? Prices of all plastic raw materials have gone up by about 15-20% over the past few months ... and guess who is paying for all of this ? .. You and I are.
.. and the manufacturers of these basic raw materials are laughing all the way to the bank, since they now are getting a higher price on account of the sudden demand increase; and are also actually selling more volumes !!
Other manufacturers who use this plastic to pack their products in .. are facing increases in packaging costs, which they promptly pass onto the unwitting customers .. you and me .. and it's Double Jeopardy for us .. not only does the flooding continue, but we now have to bear these increases as well .. Great going, guys !
Meanwhile, the Government is completely silent on the much needed Waste Management, Waste Disposal and Waste Recycling plans.
Hat's off to the politicians ... I hope the delimitation of constituencies which plans on giving more seats to the urban areas will force these guys to "look after" their vote banks .. if not out of their own civic sense, but at least out of their own selfish needs to "preserve" their seats !
Maybe we should also ban a few politicians who make irresponsible rules without getting into the consequences of the laws they promulgate, or is it the bureaucrats who are responsible ... we will never know .. or will we ?
Well ... and that's how I feel ...
First Post
Well ... and that's how I feel ...
Aug 6th. First Post....
More rain in Mumbai. Spent the day at home reading two newspapers (The Hindustan Times and DNA) refreshing break from the Times, which I was used to, ever since I could remember reading the morning newspapers.
Too many issues that I find unacceptable.
Let's start with them one by one ... the failure of the civic administration, my pet peeve ..!
I heard the Municipal Commissioner say that our Mumbai city's drainage system is very old, upgradation would take about 2-5 years and that it cannot handle something more than 3 inches of rainfall per hour .. or something to that effect. I wonder if Mumbai's rainfall has increased that much only over the past 2 years .. at least till then there didn't seem to be as much flooding. I find it hard to believe that Mumbai's rainfall has increased substantially over the past few years .. is there any statistical data to substantiate this ?
Can anyone from the Met. Dept (IMD, I think) actually verify whether rainfall in Mumbai city has actually increased over the past 2 years ??? I think not ...
The only good thing that seems to have come out of our last years' flooding experience is that we now have a few telephone numbers to contact the BMC's "Disaster Management Cell." For what it's worth .. they actually work .. I've tried it ! They actually give out relevant information - Surprise ! Surprise !! Makes you feel that there is hope ... and we need to keep trying.
... now if they only get their own teams to call up each other and figure out what needs to be done in a "Disaster" .. we'd all be better off !
Well ... and that's how I feel ...
Aug 6th. First Post....
More rain in Mumbai. Spent the day at home reading two newspapers (The Hindustan Times and DNA) refreshing break from the Times, which I was used to, ever since I could remember reading the morning newspapers.
Too many issues that I find unacceptable.
Let's start with them one by one ... the failure of the civic administration, my pet peeve ..!
I heard the Municipal Commissioner say that our Mumbai city's drainage system is very old, upgradation would take about 2-5 years and that it cannot handle something more than 3 inches of rainfall per hour .. or something to that effect. I wonder if Mumbai's rainfall has increased that much only over the past 2 years .. at least till then there didn't seem to be as much flooding. I find it hard to believe that Mumbai's rainfall has increased substantially over the past few years .. is there any statistical data to substantiate this ?
Can anyone from the Met. Dept (IMD, I think) actually verify whether rainfall in Mumbai city has actually increased over the past 2 years ??? I think not ...
The only good thing that seems to have come out of our last years' flooding experience is that we now have a few telephone numbers to contact the BMC's "Disaster Management Cell." For what it's worth .. they actually work .. I've tried it ! They actually give out relevant information - Surprise ! Surprise !! Makes you feel that there is hope ... and we need to keep trying.
... now if they only get their own teams to call up each other and figure out what needs to be done in a "Disaster" .. we'd all be better off !
Well ... and that's how I feel ...
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