This article from Pradeep's blog is a must read. Also read Jeff's comments on the post for educating yourself.
If someone can provide zero interest loans and ask everyone to clear their debts, people will get a fresh start. Is that but possible. At least they will need to take an admin expense
Also, todays economy means debts that you can call as assests and with compound interest make it a growing assets. And then sell them as derivatives. And insurance companies insuring these derivatives. If there is no debt, all these guys are jobless. So the cycle starts again..
Thursday, June 25
ameriCa ameriCa
Obama is past 100 days. People say the honeymoon is over. But I doubt if he really had a honeymoon. He came to a hot seat and he was not sitting tight.
Anyways its interesting he is changing the C of ameriCa. From Corporate to Consumer. From Capitalism to Care for the community (shhhh.. don't call it socialism. Thats a big crime). Instead of pumping money into the rich, waiting for them to spend and revive economy, he decided to pump in money straight - into infrastructure projects.
C for commoners. He wants the common man to understand the chocolate coated dangers of credit cards. And all credits. He is attacking the revenue model and cheating ways of the credit card industry.
The next war is on health insurance. The entire American society runs on fear and insurance that protects from them from this fear. Create fear and protect. Protect you from mistakes that doctors do. Protect doctors from claims you will make. Protect you from liabilities on accidents. Create a lot of What ifs and sell them. Insurance. Saddam did not have a WMD at the end of all the search. Here is a WMD that everyone knows and no one cares to go near. Will Obama really dare to tread?
Americans on an average have a lot of medical awareness. For a headache they are told it is better to take a scan. What if there is a so and so that you miss? You are insured, go take that. Doctors are happy as they order more tests. Labs are happy. And patients are happy too. All the credit and insurance companies are happy. Who is unhappy?
What Americans need is health education. Health is not taking drugs and suppliments. Come out of the fear. There is no end for fear. East less. Eat healthy. Take less medication. Take less tests. Save money.
Anyways its interesting he is changing the C of ameriCa. From Corporate to Consumer. From Capitalism to Care for the community (shhhh.. don't call it socialism. Thats a big crime). Instead of pumping money into the rich, waiting for them to spend and revive economy, he decided to pump in money straight - into infrastructure projects.
C for commoners. He wants the common man to understand the chocolate coated dangers of credit cards. And all credits. He is attacking the revenue model and cheating ways of the credit card industry.
The next war is on health insurance. The entire American society runs on fear and insurance that protects from them from this fear. Create fear and protect. Protect you from mistakes that doctors do. Protect doctors from claims you will make. Protect you from liabilities on accidents. Create a lot of What ifs and sell them. Insurance. Saddam did not have a WMD at the end of all the search. Here is a WMD that everyone knows and no one cares to go near. Will Obama really dare to tread?
Americans on an average have a lot of medical awareness. For a headache they are told it is better to take a scan. What if there is a so and so that you miss? You are insured, go take that. Doctors are happy as they order more tests. Labs are happy. And patients are happy too. All the credit and insurance companies are happy. Who is unhappy?
What Americans need is health education. Health is not taking drugs and suppliments. Come out of the fear. There is no end for fear. East less. Eat healthy. Take less medication. Take less tests. Save money.
Tuesday, June 23
Struggling
39
Thats what I updated on my facebook last Friday. What is on my mind now? 39
Facebook is taking a lot of my attention now. I have an Orkut account. I started that to see what is all these social networking is about. Orkut is popular with Indias. May be they are targeting the new economy BRIC? I see lot of Braizilians also there. But I dont do much Orkut these days. And thats not entertaining too if you are not active.
Facebook is different. Thanks to mobile apps, people just update their status on Facebook. And good thing is unlike scraps, these are not specific messages to anyone. This is like telling everyone. A loud thinking. A sigh. Depending on how you set up you see read all these on your main page. Do not have to go anywhere. I am driving. I just stopped. I just filled gas etc. etc. It entertains. Though I still do not write much, I visit facebook everyday. Glancing on the first page, I can get a quick view on whats happening around.
Someone can have a facebook based app for development teams also. And for business teams. Instead of writing weekly reports that are boring, may these these are better for teams to collaborate on information.
39. Four years since I wrote about fading shadows. What did change. The shadow should have started shrinking and I should have started coming out of it now. I am think a bit differently now. The first half was learning. The second half need to be delivering. Am I doing that? Am I falling off?
I want to get back. On blogging too. Entire 2008, I had 9 posts! Compare that with 35 in 2007 and 57 in 2006. And this is the first in 2009. I thought of moving to Wordpress. But why? What does it help? My problem is not where it is hosted. It is simply that I do not know what to write these days. I have lost of the corner of mind that was used as a scratchpad. At 4 past noon, am I still struggling?
Thats what I updated on my facebook last Friday. What is on my mind now? 39
Facebook is taking a lot of my attention now. I have an Orkut account. I started that to see what is all these social networking is about. Orkut is popular with Indias. May be they are targeting the new economy BRIC? I see lot of Braizilians also there. But I dont do much Orkut these days. And thats not entertaining too if you are not active.
Facebook is different. Thanks to mobile apps, people just update their status on Facebook. And good thing is unlike scraps, these are not specific messages to anyone. This is like telling everyone. A loud thinking. A sigh. Depending on how you set up you see read all these on your main page. Do not have to go anywhere. I am driving. I just stopped. I just filled gas etc. etc. It entertains. Though I still do not write much, I visit facebook everyday. Glancing on the first page, I can get a quick view on whats happening around.
Someone can have a facebook based app for development teams also. And for business teams. Instead of writing weekly reports that are boring, may these these are better for teams to collaborate on information.
39. Four years since I wrote about fading shadows. What did change. The shadow should have started shrinking and I should have started coming out of it now. I am think a bit differently now. The first half was learning. The second half need to be delivering. Am I doing that? Am I falling off?
I want to get back. On blogging too. Entire 2008, I had 9 posts! Compare that with 35 in 2007 and 57 in 2006. And this is the first in 2009. I thought of moving to Wordpress. But why? What does it help? My problem is not where it is hosted. It is simply that I do not know what to write these days. I have lost of the corner of mind that was used as a scratchpad. At 4 past noon, am I still struggling?
Tuesday, October 21
Changes around...
Another long wait is now over
All the rumors and speculations are ending. TI announced the changes to the world. May be a few hours before that it was internally also announced. 1000 people getting laid off immediately. A large part are contractors - so they might not be jobless as such. As long as their employers can find some space for them to earn money. Another 300 people will be at the mercy of someone who can buy the spin off business.
The internal mail came around 3AM in Japan. I was glancing the mails every now and then I open my eyes. Details are not yet known. Decided to spin off so-and-so business. So many people in that business will be at the mercy of the new masters. More people will lose jobs anyways. Starting tomorrow.
Who are the people who lose their job tomorrow? What will they do? Some of them will be getting it in office tomorrow. How many is some of them? How many will come to office expecting an "early release". How many families would expect their dad come back home early tomorrow? Which all houses and cars will suddenly show up as liability suddenly tomorrow? Which all people will be "technically" able to sleep a lot more in the morning, while they actually will not be able to sleep even minimum hours in the night? None of them are getting into the new vaccum because they did anything wrong. This is just because someone at a decision making level made some wrong decisions in the past. The value of the stocks they get part of the compensation is now going down. They have to get it straight. Lay off.
Insha Allah, I want to keep believing that I am not in list that gets the pink slip. May be I will know in a day. The new org. The new bosses. The new dotted lines. The new virtual teams.
Wait is not over. It will never be over actually. Changes will keep happening. You wait or not wait.
All the rumors and speculations are ending. TI announced the changes to the world. May be a few hours before that it was internally also announced. 1000 people getting laid off immediately. A large part are contractors - so they might not be jobless as such. As long as their employers can find some space for them to earn money. Another 300 people will be at the mercy of someone who can buy the spin off business.
The internal mail came around 3AM in Japan. I was glancing the mails every now and then I open my eyes. Details are not yet known. Decided to spin off so-and-so business. So many people in that business will be at the mercy of the new masters. More people will lose jobs anyways. Starting tomorrow.
Who are the people who lose their job tomorrow? What will they do? Some of them will be getting it in office tomorrow. How many is some of them? How many will come to office expecting an "early release". How many families would expect their dad come back home early tomorrow? Which all houses and cars will suddenly show up as liability suddenly tomorrow? Which all people will be "technically" able to sleep a lot more in the morning, while they actually will not be able to sleep even minimum hours in the night? None of them are getting into the new vaccum because they did anything wrong. This is just because someone at a decision making level made some wrong decisions in the past. The value of the stocks they get part of the compensation is now going down. They have to get it straight. Lay off.
Insha Allah, I want to keep believing that I am not in list that gets the pink slip. May be I will know in a day. The new org. The new bosses. The new dotted lines. The new virtual teams.
Wait is not over. It will never be over actually. Changes will keep happening. You wait or not wait.
Monday, October 20
Credit Crunch
Picture of a houseboat on the backdrop of beautiful Kerala backwaters. He and she tucked away into the scenic silence.
If you can afford this vacation today, why wait?
So says the billboard that used to catch my attention - and made me lose my temper everytime - off Airport road in Bangalore three years back. Well, why should I worry?
The second line is what I hate - the new means of "affording" luxury - xxxBank Personal Loans. No collateral needed. They will give you a loan. Take it, spend it. The resort owners also have taken a loan. So the money flow from bank back to bank has to happen through you. Economic activity. You pay for the vacation, interest to the loan you took, interest for the loan resort owner has taken, pay your part for the billboard that invited you into the deal and then the profit for the resort. The value of the vacation is probably only 20% of what you spend in total. But still they know the art of making you feel you are happy. That you just could "afford" a vacation that you "deserved".
Vacation was not a word for working class in our childhood. We had Onam vacation, Christmas vacation and annual vacation for schools. When we go to our grandparents place. That was our vacation. It used to be save, save, save for our parents. Save for your childrens education - though education was close to free. Still, save for building your house. The primary need and the most important and many times first asset.
They say its spend, spend, spend for Indians now. Take loans and spend. Buy a car - why not buy a 10L+ car? You just pay so-and-so per month. You can afford that, can't you? Buy vacations. You work so hard (yeah spending time on orkut and facebook), don't you? Buy all "affordable" luxuries. Come on, kids can wait. Before that let us see life. Swipe the plastic card when you see something good. Don't worry about your savings. You know banks are helping you a great deal. The more cards, the more you "afford". Build up the liabilities day by day. Not assets. But believe, get convinced, that you are the proud owner of all these.
Our moms saved a lot of gold. For them gold was an asset that helped them in need. Their daughters now collect more gold credit cards. And monthly statements on each one of them.
I welcome a recession now. I know its hard. Many lose jobs. (May be its me. I am glancing on my mails every 10 min for the pending reorg announcement). But I think its better than later. Better fall from a 5 storeyed building than from a 10 storeyed one. When I wrote about loans couple months back, the Generation Y did not understand. People cannot wait for that vacation. Enjoy life today. Just remember one thing - you are able to jump start your life because your parents got you a safe jumping board. Not a set of loans that you should start paying back. Never its too late. Just compare with the worse. Comfort is a comparative feeling. And so is hardship too.
Why this recession? Because everyone went on loans. Money was made as a tool for virtualising barter system. Now money itself is being traded. Money market - I fail to comprehend this level of abstraction. Someone was telling me six months back - housing market is bad, but money is still cheap. I guess it means a low interest loan. I think if these loans were not there, the overall price index should come down. Now they create customers by giving loans. When people can "afford" more, the price goes up. A vicious cycle where only the bank officials make money (banks do not - they only have paper assets. Thats why they fail)
You dont have to be forced out of loans. You can decide by yourself to remain where you are and stop pursuing more luxuries. If you know the building foundation is not really good, you should start climbing down. Not climbing up. But they don't tell you that. All of them tell you banks are still safe, they still give you money and make you pay up their salaries. Just hold off. No more loans for another 5 years. After that you probably will get used to it. And might not need loans to pay back your loans. Can we do that?
If you can afford this vacation today, why wait?
So says the billboard that used to catch my attention - and made me lose my temper everytime - off Airport road in Bangalore three years back. Well, why should I worry?
The second line is what I hate - the new means of "affording" luxury - xxxBank Personal Loans. No collateral needed. They will give you a loan. Take it, spend it. The resort owners also have taken a loan. So the money flow from bank back to bank has to happen through you. Economic activity. You pay for the vacation, interest to the loan you took, interest for the loan resort owner has taken, pay your part for the billboard that invited you into the deal and then the profit for the resort. The value of the vacation is probably only 20% of what you spend in total. But still they know the art of making you feel you are happy. That you just could "afford" a vacation that you "deserved".
Vacation was not a word for working class in our childhood. We had Onam vacation, Christmas vacation and annual vacation for schools. When we go to our grandparents place. That was our vacation. It used to be save, save, save for our parents. Save for your childrens education - though education was close to free. Still, save for building your house. The primary need and the most important and many times first asset.
They say its spend, spend, spend for Indians now. Take loans and spend. Buy a car - why not buy a 10L+ car? You just pay so-and-so per month. You can afford that, can't you? Buy vacations. You work so hard (yeah spending time on orkut and facebook), don't you? Buy all "affordable" luxuries. Come on, kids can wait. Before that let us see life. Swipe the plastic card when you see something good. Don't worry about your savings. You know banks are helping you a great deal. The more cards, the more you "afford". Build up the liabilities day by day. Not assets. But believe, get convinced, that you are the proud owner of all these.
Our moms saved a lot of gold. For them gold was an asset that helped them in need. Their daughters now collect more gold credit cards. And monthly statements on each one of them.
I welcome a recession now. I know its hard. Many lose jobs. (May be its me. I am glancing on my mails every 10 min for the pending reorg announcement). But I think its better than later. Better fall from a 5 storeyed building than from a 10 storeyed one. When I wrote about loans couple months back, the Generation Y did not understand. People cannot wait for that vacation. Enjoy life today. Just remember one thing - you are able to jump start your life because your parents got you a safe jumping board. Not a set of loans that you should start paying back. Never its too late. Just compare with the worse. Comfort is a comparative feeling. And so is hardship too.
Why this recession? Because everyone went on loans. Money was made as a tool for virtualising barter system. Now money itself is being traded. Money market - I fail to comprehend this level of abstraction. Someone was telling me six months back - housing market is bad, but money is still cheap. I guess it means a low interest loan. I think if these loans were not there, the overall price index should come down. Now they create customers by giving loans. When people can "afford" more, the price goes up. A vicious cycle where only the bank officials make money (banks do not - they only have paper assets. Thats why they fail)
You dont have to be forced out of loans. You can decide by yourself to remain where you are and stop pursuing more luxuries. If you know the building foundation is not really good, you should start climbing down. Not climbing up. But they don't tell you that. All of them tell you banks are still safe, they still give you money and make you pay up their salaries. Just hold off. No more loans for another 5 years. After that you probably will get used to it. And might not need loans to pay back your loans. Can we do that?
Sunday, October 19
Time to Tokyo
Time to Tokyo was 13.5 hrs when we started. When the altitude as zero.
Time to Tokyo: xx hrs
I did not look at the screen for a long time. I had bought a Paulo Coelho novel - the Zahir - and was immersed in that.
I always go for an aisle seat on my flights. This time I could not get one. So I was stranded on a window seat. The only way to get out was to open the window and feel that I am not sitting down. The view beneath was too good to miss. A vast vast land of pure white snow. Looks like some small hills and valleys - but all white snow. Nowhere could I see a trace of life. Looked up the screen again.
Time to Tokyo: xx hrs
Altitude: 30000 feet
We are flying over Alaska. Alaska is now a fame thanks to the pageant VP candidate Sarah Palin. By the way, just checked Alaska on Google Maps Satellite map. Man, its so gorgeous! Much much more than Sarah Palin. Reminded me of the old Bombay Dyeing advertisement - a model clad in a designer bed sheet. Have a look today - around Anchorage.
I did not know Alaska was so much of ice. To me it looked like my mind. It has been so frozen for a long time. No reading, no writing. I tried hard to start jotting down at least a couple. I failed. The frozen mind stays solid. I say I am busy. Yes, I am. Doing what? What if my body and brain does a hundred push ups but my mind does not move? What I call so busy are like the small streams that flow on top of the snow. The speed of the stream just shows its ignorance. As if it is going to move the entire snow.
I want to read more and more. Today's pick was really good. Paulo Coehlo is such an inspired author. I am not qualified to understand even 10% of what he wrote. But that small percentage is good enough to do some mowing on the snow. A constant mowing is what is needed. I want the ability to mow when I think it need to be.
Ability - that's the key. Freedom is the ability to be free when you want to. For a short interval. Freedom to choose between different masters. To decide on the kind of slavery. Paulo Coelho sets out his journey to seek knowledge. What is knowledge? What do we learn in school. Mathematics - there is no knowledge. We only learn a way to solve a problem. Problems to be solved in pursuit of knowledge. Science says how things work. Basic need-to-knows when you want to learn something more. The ability to learn more. History is how mankind learned to learn. To know the footsteps that took us so far. Trace back to trails just to know how to know.
What is knowledge? Back to the Zahir..
Saturday, September 6
Google Chrome
Google is again in the news. Thats not a news.
This time they surprised many with a new browser. People who downloaded and used was not surprised though. Do I see a major GOOG difference out there? No. There is no menu bar and there is more space to view. Come on. I did not care about the extra inch. I dont have that in many apps anyways and I am not used to work on that top margin of my display anyways.
The tabs can be dragged out as a window. So what?
Apps can have shortcuts and they run on a disguised browser when clicked. Hmmm
Google says the browser is not any more a tool that is used to view pages. This is a platform for running apps. I vote mutiple times on this. This is the key. Web is now a new Ultra High Level OS. Not a window anymore. This is a door where you can walk into and play your role. This is a place for interaction.
I believe this is a browser for their Android. Happened to be for computers too. They wanted something like a Safari on iPhone. I dont believe they will compete in the PC market where IE still holds 60% share. But on Android they will have 100% share. They can create iPhone and S60 version of the browser and let users download. Again, not a browser. The Google Apps package. Google Gears.
You can also browse
This time they surprised many with a new browser. People who downloaded and used was not surprised though. Do I see a major GOOG difference out there? No. There is no menu bar and there is more space to view. Come on. I did not care about the extra inch. I dont have that in many apps anyways and I am not used to work on that top margin of my display anyways.
The tabs can be dragged out as a window. So what?
Apps can have shortcuts and they run on a disguised browser when clicked. Hmmm
Google says the browser is not any more a tool that is used to view pages. This is a platform for running apps. I vote mutiple times on this. This is the key. Web is now a new Ultra High Level OS. Not a window anymore. This is a door where you can walk into and play your role. This is a place for interaction.
I believe this is a browser for their Android. Happened to be for computers too. They wanted something like a Safari on iPhone. I dont believe they will compete in the PC market where IE still holds 60% share. But on Android they will have 100% share. They can create iPhone and S60 version of the browser and let users download. Again, not a browser. The Google Apps package. Google Gears.
You can also browse
Wednesday, September 3
Politics heating up
They are going to decide who the next Uncle Sam is. For a change some thought it would be an Aunt Sam. Not there yet though.
The US elections are really interesting. This year too so. There are only two contendors. This is a place they spend more time battling their own party men than fighting the real opposition. Too much focus on individual. Of course they election is for a monarch for the next five years. So it has to be vetted at the personal level. Less experience, young Obama with an older Biden against experienced old McCain with a young beauty queen Palin. Reformist Democrats vs Reformist Conservatives (!). Reform is one word they want to win. Though it is basically between War and no War. Tax cut for business vs Tax cut for low income. Abortion vs Pro-life.
They call it democracy. But the billions they spend in the professional exercises that last for years is mostly coming from businesses. What for? This is a democracy where if you pay $2300 you get to shake hands with Obama (at least during primary). All the payers are rewarded with access into the "democratic" system.
Good to watch on!
The US elections are really interesting. This year too so. There are only two contendors. This is a place they spend more time battling their own party men than fighting the real opposition. Too much focus on individual. Of course they election is for a monarch for the next five years. So it has to be vetted at the personal level. Less experience, young Obama with an older Biden against experienced old McCain with a young beauty queen Palin. Reformist Democrats vs Reformist Conservatives (!). Reform is one word they want to win. Though it is basically between War and no War. Tax cut for business vs Tax cut for low income. Abortion vs Pro-life.
They call it democracy. But the billions they spend in the professional exercises that last for years is mostly coming from businesses. What for? This is a democracy where if you pay $2300 you get to shake hands with Obama (at least during primary). All the payers are rewarded with access into the "democratic" system.
Good to watch on!
Tuesday, August 26
Back after Ijtima
Had been to Hudson Valley NY for MKA Ijtima. Three days and nights and back home to see Aiden and Ian getting sick - fever and body pain. So working from home today
Friday, August 22
New York this weekend
I am leaving for New York tonight. Khuddamul Ahmadiyya National Ijtima. This is the second time I will be in NY. First after 2001 - the WTC towers did exist at that time. I dont have time to check the non existent towers this time though..
Wednesday, August 20
Getting back online
Six months. Aiden is now a happy boy. He sits down, smiles, coos, plays with his soft toys. He kept us all busy all these days. Now he is part of our daily life. Cant even think of the days when he was not around..
Let me try get back online. A few lines a day..
Let me try get back online. A few lines a day..
Friday, February 1
Wednesday, September 12
60 days and ticking
60 days are over. Was on 4th of July 2007 that we landed in Dallas FortWorth Airport.
Getting settled. After a month, moved to a house. After a gap of 8 years, staying in an independent house again. The sight of squirrels, the chirping of birds and the hopping wild hares bring back the memories of early days in Kalamassery. There is but no kids coming out to play in the evening. The nearby park has been an attraction for kids. And the unlimited checkout from the city library. In past one month, kids have mugged up more than 100 books. I thought backyard would be a good attraction for them. But they prefer indoors. They says theres more space inside than in the backyard. And Dallas heat is terrible. They say its a cool summer this year! Thanks to the rains in Jul and now again in Sep.
On Aug 15 I started behind the wheel of my own car. My own - no loans. Drivers license is a big step here. No Drivers license? You really you? For many Americans, DL is THE identity card. Passport? Whats that? Oh, ok, let me check with my boss if that can be accepted as a proof of identity. So it goes. Now I am better off.
Driving is not bad. 35 min one side. I dont use freeways. And I use a slower road of 35mph speed limit. Cool drive listening to FM radio. The news and talk shows. Get to know a good lot of contemporary stuff. Starting with Dianne Reem show in the morning to All things considered on 90.1FM. The Hillary Clinton - Obama duels. The Katrina stories. Bush and war hate stories. The Iraq stories. Not just for the news. But for the language. The English in America is not the same English we have in India. This sounds all the way different. From the unvoiced Ps and the cutting Cs, the lengthening that reflects the ending of a word (quick nap vs a prolonged na...b), the rhythm to be embedded into every word to the rhythm that connects the parts of speech. Some are quite simple that at least I had overlooked. I never knew it makes so much of a difference between the sounds of w and v. But it is indeed sad that Americans dont know that English has been formed by distorting the original pronunciation of words from other languages. They might find me making mistake when I say guru. My accent trainer is fair in that. She never says right or wrong. She says American way and Indian way. And some are British way.
Facilities - not bad. Don't compare with Japan. Thats like comparing a PC with a Mac. Here you get a choice PC. You can choose the hardware, choose the OS and choose the apps. What you realize finally is that you are running on an Intel no matter what you did. Thats where you would appreciate a Mac. You bought home the machine. You had less choices. Yes, less choices. Jobs has decided everything for you. And you trust him. Thats what you want - a system you can trust. Not an option from the garbage. No wonder why Japan is costly. Again thats why democracy does not always deliver. And a good autocrat is the best option. The American democracy will go nuts if the President is not given so much autocratic power.
Folks back in India have a lot of appreciation of the American system. I don't say it is totally unfounded. But if someone takes US and India, strip off what both has built up so far and then put back again on a level playing field, I doubt the American dream remains dream for a longer term. At least thats what the Katrina example demonstrated and still demonstrating. With all the might and technology and the lessons from a huge human catastrophe at the Asian Tsunami, the American machinery could not work to get the people out of New Orleans. They were left to have their own choices. But the options were limited. Many had between life and death. For those who chose the former, a new set of options came - in the form of hunger and robbery. And this continues even now. One of the reporters goes on the radio that the local government is "anywhere between total incapability and non-existence". She is referring to the situation two years after the storm hit. A good vehicle is not the one which can just keep moving at high speeds. It is the one which can slow down when needed, and can restart after a complete stop.
"People" are calling for change. There are only two kinds of people again. Democrats and Republicans. The choice of the ruler for the longest run democracy comes from a choice between these two people. Anyway this time both these groups are calling for a change. Change in what? Not sure if republicans are serious about the next Presidency. The race at this time has come down between Obama and Hillary for the prelims. Both of them says change too. Hillary wants to "bring the experience" that she gained during her days as the first lady. (remember those days of impeachments and references to "that lady" and the Lewinsky tapes? she must have had a great experience for sure) And Obama wishes to bring the change from outside. He defends by offending Hillary's experience. He accepts not to have the experience Washington looks for, but he claims to have what America wants. I did not see anyone promising to put New Orleans back into life. America is not a peoples republic. It is a corporate republic.
Life is settling in. The texas summer is soon to leave for another 9 months. Ramadan is back in a week. What did I gain in last one year? What did I deliver?
Getting settled. After a month, moved to a house. After a gap of 8 years, staying in an independent house again. The sight of squirrels, the chirping of birds and the hopping wild hares bring back the memories of early days in Kalamassery. There is but no kids coming out to play in the evening. The nearby park has been an attraction for kids. And the unlimited checkout from the city library. In past one month, kids have mugged up more than 100 books. I thought backyard would be a good attraction for them. But they prefer indoors. They says theres more space inside than in the backyard. And Dallas heat is terrible. They say its a cool summer this year! Thanks to the rains in Jul and now again in Sep.
On Aug 15 I started behind the wheel of my own car. My own - no loans. Drivers license is a big step here. No Drivers license? You really you? For many Americans, DL is THE identity card. Passport? Whats that? Oh, ok, let me check with my boss if that can be accepted as a proof of identity. So it goes. Now I am better off.
Driving is not bad. 35 min one side. I dont use freeways. And I use a slower road of 35mph speed limit. Cool drive listening to FM radio. The news and talk shows. Get to know a good lot of contemporary stuff. Starting with Dianne Reem show in the morning to All things considered on 90.1FM. The Hillary Clinton - Obama duels. The Katrina stories. Bush and war hate stories. The Iraq stories. Not just for the news. But for the language. The English in America is not the same English we have in India. This sounds all the way different. From the unvoiced Ps and the cutting Cs, the lengthening that reflects the ending of a word (quick nap vs a prolonged na...b), the rhythm to be embedded into every word to the rhythm that connects the parts of speech. Some are quite simple that at least I had overlooked. I never knew it makes so much of a difference between the sounds of w and v. But it is indeed sad that Americans dont know that English has been formed by distorting the original pronunciation of words from other languages. They might find me making mistake when I say guru. My accent trainer is fair in that. She never says right or wrong. She says American way and Indian way. And some are British way.
Facilities - not bad. Don't compare with Japan. Thats like comparing a PC with a Mac. Here you get a choice PC. You can choose the hardware, choose the OS and choose the apps. What you realize finally is that you are running on an Intel no matter what you did. Thats where you would appreciate a Mac. You bought home the machine. You had less choices. Yes, less choices. Jobs has decided everything for you. And you trust him. Thats what you want - a system you can trust. Not an option from the garbage. No wonder why Japan is costly. Again thats why democracy does not always deliver. And a good autocrat is the best option. The American democracy will go nuts if the President is not given so much autocratic power.
Folks back in India have a lot of appreciation of the American system. I don't say it is totally unfounded. But if someone takes US and India, strip off what both has built up so far and then put back again on a level playing field, I doubt the American dream remains dream for a longer term. At least thats what the Katrina example demonstrated and still demonstrating. With all the might and technology and the lessons from a huge human catastrophe at the Asian Tsunami, the American machinery could not work to get the people out of New Orleans. They were left to have their own choices. But the options were limited. Many had between life and death. For those who chose the former, a new set of options came - in the form of hunger and robbery. And this continues even now. One of the reporters goes on the radio that the local government is "anywhere between total incapability and non-existence". She is referring to the situation two years after the storm hit. A good vehicle is not the one which can just keep moving at high speeds. It is the one which can slow down when needed, and can restart after a complete stop.
"People" are calling for change. There are only two kinds of people again. Democrats and Republicans. The choice of the ruler for the longest run democracy comes from a choice between these two people. Anyway this time both these groups are calling for a change. Change in what? Not sure if republicans are serious about the next Presidency. The race at this time has come down between Obama and Hillary for the prelims. Both of them says change too. Hillary wants to "bring the experience" that she gained during her days as the first lady. (remember those days of impeachments and references to "that lady" and the Lewinsky tapes? she must have had a great experience for sure) And Obama wishes to bring the change from outside. He defends by offending Hillary's experience. He accepts not to have the experience Washington looks for, but he claims to have what America wants. I did not see anyone promising to put New Orleans back into life. America is not a peoples republic. It is a corporate republic.
Life is settling in. The texas summer is soon to leave for another 9 months. Ramadan is back in a week. What did I gain in last one year? What did I deliver?
Friday, August 3
Loan
I have not decided on a car yet. I am looking for a cheap used car. Something that I can afford. Without much economics or excel sheet or banker advice, I should know what I can afford. My loan application is still with me. I am still wondering if I should apply or not.
Texans CU has a special deal for multinational (?) new employees. For those who have not proved they are "credit worthy". By default, none is worthy of a loan. You take more loans and pay them back, you are more eligible for a loan in need. If you are that old man with principles and values, who still prefers the giving hand over the begging hand, chances are that you will not get help when in need. If you are that guy in college, who used to borrow from someone and payback someone else every monday, you are termed "credit worthy" and people are ready to help you even when you are not in need. You have a healthy credit history.
Weird.
I now understand why Yunus got a Peace price and not price for Economy. Nobel authority still believes in the loans and credit worthiness. Otherwise they should have given him a Economics Nobel price. Someone who created a new economy, created a good society out of it, has been awarded for the results he produced. Peace. Not the common theory of loans and credits the he disproved.
Weird indeed.
If I have a million rupees worth land, I can mortgage and take a loan. Then invest in a business. Pay back regular. I increase my wealth. My land becomes free. My credit history improves. I then apply for a bigger loan. I get a better deal. I keep on growing my wealth.
I need a market too. So I give loan options for the poorer section of the society. Make sure their money is not invested to grow their wealth. They bet their future money into "comforts" that they do not deserve now. Their thirst for comforts grow. Their future earnings shrink. Their wealth shrinks. They grow thin as I put on weight. I call it free economy. They got choices, they made the wrong choice. I made the right choice. Haves keep growing and Have nots become more and more so. The gap never ends. Then dogs and fences and alarms come to guard the gaps. Wars and treaties fill up the air.
Banks are not something that the needy can bank on. In Yunus' words, banks have been asking people "Are you credit worthy?". Its time we ask them back "Are you bankworthy?"
പണമുള്ളോറ് നിറ്മ്മിച്ച നീതിക്കിതിലൊന്നും
പറയുവാനില്ലേ.....ഞാ൯ പി൯വലിച്ചു(ചങ്ങമ്പുഴ)
Texans CU has a special deal for multinational (?) new employees. For those who have not proved they are "credit worthy". By default, none is worthy of a loan. You take more loans and pay them back, you are more eligible for a loan in need. If you are that old man with principles and values, who still prefers the giving hand over the begging hand, chances are that you will not get help when in need. If you are that guy in college, who used to borrow from someone and payback someone else every monday, you are termed "credit worthy" and people are ready to help you even when you are not in need. You have a healthy credit history.
Weird.
I now understand why Yunus got a Peace price and not price for Economy. Nobel authority still believes in the loans and credit worthiness. Otherwise they should have given him a Economics Nobel price. Someone who created a new economy, created a good society out of it, has been awarded for the results he produced. Peace. Not the common theory of loans and credits the he disproved.
Weird indeed.
If I have a million rupees worth land, I can mortgage and take a loan. Then invest in a business. Pay back regular. I increase my wealth. My land becomes free. My credit history improves. I then apply for a bigger loan. I get a better deal. I keep on growing my wealth.
I need a market too. So I give loan options for the poorer section of the society. Make sure their money is not invested to grow their wealth. They bet their future money into "comforts" that they do not deserve now. Their thirst for comforts grow. Their future earnings shrink. Their wealth shrinks. They grow thin as I put on weight. I call it free economy. They got choices, they made the wrong choice. I made the right choice. Haves keep growing and Have nots become more and more so. The gap never ends. Then dogs and fences and alarms come to guard the gaps. Wars and treaties fill up the air.
Banks are not something that the needy can bank on. In Yunus' words, banks have been asking people "Are you credit worthy?". Its time we ask them back "Are you bankworthy?"
പണമുള്ളോറ് നിറ്മ്മിച്ച നീതിക്കിതിലൊന്നും
പറയുവാനില്ലേ.....ഞാ൯ പി൯വലിച്ചു(ചങ്ങമ്പുഴ)
Friday, July 27
Choices
At 12, it used to be the lunch break. A few of us will walk down the trail across the Ladies Hostel and downhill to the college junction. Across the bus workshop and behind the row of small shops, we would go to the shabby shop with two rows of desks put across each other. Most of the time, there is a wait time. For the maximum occupancy for Eliyas Chettan's kanhikkada was only 8. So we would wait while Eliyas Chettan serves the kanhi and keeps it ready to cool down to what he calls "room temperature" There was nothing to be separately ordered - for most days. Some days he will have special beef fry or mathi (iwashi) fry or some bigger fish.
Know what I am reading now? Vaccum cleaner reviews. I want a vaccum cleaner. Back in India, I would have called up Eureka Forbes. Or would have gone to a shop and would have looked around for options. Done. Here in this world of market economy where consumer is supposed to rule the world, I am struggling. There are so many models around. Upright, stick type, bagless, cannister and so many companies. Prices range from $40 to $500. They vary from shop to shop. Some online shops give you good discounts. Then they charge you for delivery and or installation separately. You never get a full picture. There is always a dark hole that you never know exists.
Same with car. New car? So many dealers selling the same car. Call up all dealers, ask for quote, bargain, get the best deal. Easy. Then there are certain things they did not tell you. Destination charges, taxes, dealer option prices, documentation charges. Loans, fortunately I dont have a credit history yet and I am left with one choice. The Texans CU special deal. Thats good. Going for a used car at CarMax sounds better for me. No bargains, no hidden costs. Pay what they wrote and drive away. Anyway I have not decided. As ever, I am undecided. To decide or not, when to decide or not, I dont know. I am thoroughly confused.
I still doubt if it was wise to do a relocation such late in age. Man, I am so tired. Thank God, I have no decided on a house, almost decided on internet/phone/tv package. Wonder why none has an all inclusive package that covers everything that I wanted? There are many options here but in total what you get for what you pay is the same. Contents are the same in all these different boxes.
Who says consumer rules? This is a perfect place that proves monopoly need not mean just one company. Multiple companies can run a monopoly too.
Eliyas Chettan did not have a competition serving kanhi anywhere in the vicinity. But he did not run a monopoly. None of us were dying for kanhi too. But we did not have any issue. What we want is not too many choices. But one dependable solution.
Know what I am reading now? Vaccum cleaner reviews. I want a vaccum cleaner. Back in India, I would have called up Eureka Forbes. Or would have gone to a shop and would have looked around for options. Done. Here in this world of market economy where consumer is supposed to rule the world, I am struggling. There are so many models around. Upright, stick type, bagless, cannister and so many companies. Prices range from $40 to $500. They vary from shop to shop. Some online shops give you good discounts. Then they charge you for delivery and or installation separately. You never get a full picture. There is always a dark hole that you never know exists.
Same with car. New car? So many dealers selling the same car. Call up all dealers, ask for quote, bargain, get the best deal. Easy. Then there are certain things they did not tell you. Destination charges, taxes, dealer option prices, documentation charges. Loans, fortunately I dont have a credit history yet and I am left with one choice. The Texans CU special deal. Thats good. Going for a used car at CarMax sounds better for me. No bargains, no hidden costs. Pay what they wrote and drive away. Anyway I have not decided. As ever, I am undecided. To decide or not, when to decide or not, I dont know. I am thoroughly confused.
I still doubt if it was wise to do a relocation such late in age. Man, I am so tired. Thank God, I have no decided on a house, almost decided on internet/phone/tv package. Wonder why none has an all inclusive package that covers everything that I wanted? There are many options here but in total what you get for what you pay is the same. Contents are the same in all these different boxes.
Who says consumer rules? This is a perfect place that proves monopoly need not mean just one company. Multiple companies can run a monopoly too.
Eliyas Chettan did not have a competition serving kanhi anywhere in the vicinity. But he did not run a monopoly. None of us were dying for kanhi too. But we did not have any issue. What we want is not too many choices. But one dependable solution.
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