Okay, so the title might be a bit off, because i was going to write about the new Financial Crisis Responsibility Fees that the Obama administration is proposing to get back some of the vanished TARP money that was lent to the financial institutions to bail them out of their misery (http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=auzqsRLscCSY&pos=7). They only woke up once the bonuses on wall street agan came to sight. The brilliant thing is that even before the fees is approved by the house, people are thinking of structured products and tax loopholes to minimise it, you have to love the financial minds.
Ah, i remember now where i thought of the title from. There was this article i was reading earlier (http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE60C4W020100113 ) about some country's hippo escaping the zoo. Apparently, the beast was massive, 2 tons it says, and it was the country's only Hippo, and during a calamity, some floods, it happened to escape the zoo. The floods were seasonal, so they should've been expected, (like cycles, you know, the boom and trough kinds), and the cage should've been built accordingly, but it wasn't done, and it broke out into the wild. And even after it broke out, what did the officials do? They let just one guard keep an eye on her, and even continued to feed her in the wild. So much so that even the people's hay is being used as fodder for the beast.
Maybe it was a wierd segue.....or was it, go figure.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Monday, January 11, 2010
And i'm proud again
Was going through the news (fine, just the gossip section) when i came across another brilliant piece about my countrymen - unruly behaviour on a flight under the influence of alcohol.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Drunk-Indians-harass-crew-in-business-class-offloaded-in-Hong-Kong/articleshow/5434537.cms
Well, nothing new there, i've seen that happening so many times on the Delhi buses and trains throughout the country, and well on a flight is also not too much out of the ordinary. So what, they were asking for alcohol on a flight, everyone likes to drink on an air journey, be sloshed and start the hangover on the flight itself. So what that they were flirting a bit excessively with the airline crew, everybody does that, right (As long as the subject is better than average looking, i'm a strong proponent of flirting).
What really pissed me off is that the said incident occured on December 30th 2009, and my paper printed it on Jan 12th 2010. What use is the paper if it reports important, and interesting occurences a fortnight late. If it had sent me that particular piece at the correct time, i'd have a Happy new year, using the incident to complement my booze filled escapades with the ladies.
Oh well, another reason to be sore with the press!
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Drunk-Indians-harass-crew-in-business-class-offloaded-in-Hong-Kong/articleshow/5434537.cms
Well, nothing new there, i've seen that happening so many times on the Delhi buses and trains throughout the country, and well on a flight is also not too much out of the ordinary. So what, they were asking for alcohol on a flight, everyone likes to drink on an air journey, be sloshed and start the hangover on the flight itself. So what that they were flirting a bit excessively with the airline crew, everybody does that, right (As long as the subject is better than average looking, i'm a strong proponent of flirting).
What really pissed me off is that the said incident occured on December 30th 2009, and my paper printed it on Jan 12th 2010. What use is the paper if it reports important, and interesting occurences a fortnight late. If it had sent me that particular piece at the correct time, i'd have a Happy new year, using the incident to complement my booze filled escapades with the ladies.
Oh well, another reason to be sore with the press!
Friday, January 8, 2010
My leaders confuse me
So the great debate is still on, by how much the Indian GDP will grow this fiscal. And the responses -
First up, the dear finance minister, 'cos, let's face it, he's got all the books open in front of him, all the adminstrative force crunching numbers, using sophesticated wishful forecasting softwares (i'm guessing it involves darts and a board) and what not.
So he says it COULD be 7.75%, hear hear, that is a good figure, right? Better than the 6.7% last year.
But wait, there's someone else voicing his brilliantly deduced figure, well its the country's premier, the Prime Minister. And he says we'll soon reach the 9-10% figure, hummm. Nothing great, i was on that same figure when i was on the shit pot in the morning, and i didn't even have to rack my brain for it. Come to think of it, i believe he did the same as well, just referred to the barrage of intellectuals in his advisory council to come to that figure.
Anyways, the point is whether it might grow at 8%, i think it probably will, and that'll give everyone to rejoice at how the expectations were surpassed. Guess i'll go work on the global warming piece now, the bathroom beckons....
First up, the dear finance minister, 'cos, let's face it, he's got all the books open in front of him, all the adminstrative force crunching numbers, using sophesticated wishful forecasting softwares (i'm guessing it involves darts and a board) and what not.
So he says it COULD be 7.75%, hear hear, that is a good figure, right? Better than the 6.7% last year.
But wait, there's someone else voicing his brilliantly deduced figure, well its the country's premier, the Prime Minister. And he says we'll soon reach the 9-10% figure, hummm. Nothing great, i was on that same figure when i was on the shit pot in the morning, and i didn't even have to rack my brain for it. Come to think of it, i believe he did the same as well, just referred to the barrage of intellectuals in his advisory council to come to that figure.
Anyways, the point is whether it might grow at 8%, i think it probably will, and that'll give everyone to rejoice at how the expectations were surpassed. Guess i'll go work on the global warming piece now, the bathroom beckons....
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
The credit punch hurts
Never thought that I'd live to see this day - the day when one of my credit cards gets cancelled!
When the cellphone lights up with a message in the morning, i never expected it to read 'Dear customer, we regret to inform you that your card # #@*&%$@*&%$#@$#* has been canceled due to non usage and your credit limit reduced to 0.00'.
Heartless, pure heartless i say. And the nerve to address me in the same endearing tone as if nothing has changed. Did i do anything wrong, I still have my dear friend with me, but now its just plastic, lifeless, without the will to bring me joy by buying all those useless things that make me happy.
O, where have the days of loose credit standards and faulty checks gone? Those were truly the golden days, when the cards were plenty to come by, and you did not have to worry about cash, rather credit, at your disposal.
May my dear friend that lent me money without question everytime, rest in pieces - literally!
To be fair to the card company, i did carry around the gold plastic in my wallet for more than 2 years without putting it to use. Guess i just have to wait for someone to give me a platinum one now.
When the cellphone lights up with a message in the morning, i never expected it to read 'Dear customer, we regret to inform you that your card # #@*&%$@*&%$#@$#* has been canceled due to non usage and your credit limit reduced to 0.00'.
Heartless, pure heartless i say. And the nerve to address me in the same endearing tone as if nothing has changed. Did i do anything wrong, I still have my dear friend with me, but now its just plastic, lifeless, without the will to bring me joy by buying all those useless things that make me happy.
O, where have the days of loose credit standards and faulty checks gone? Those were truly the golden days, when the cards were plenty to come by, and you did not have to worry about cash, rather credit, at your disposal.
May my dear friend that lent me money without question everytime, rest in pieces - literally!
To be fair to the card company, i did carry around the gold plastic in my wallet for more than 2 years without putting it to use. Guess i just have to wait for someone to give me a platinum one now.
Monday, January 4, 2010
The curious case of the lungis and the BMWs
Fine, call me a callous pig (though i prefer you wouldn't), but it seems very wierd and highly humourous to me everytime i see this spectacle. A nice big car stops close to you and you expect to see some designer clothing or some shapely legs descend once the door opens. Couldn't be farther from the reality; what comes out is a hairy pair of legs clad in a lungi (i'm guessing its not a designer one even). It might still be okay if it was just that, but as is the norm, the 'lungi' is folded way up to reveal most of the unshapely legs.
I know, its not a great mental picture, but it sure is hilarious!
I know, its not a great mental picture, but it sure is hilarious!
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