While everyone knows that it is a bit of a scam rather than banking that is practiced in SA,I am just going to keep this post as a sort of notes for myself. So here goes.
Banks in SA make phenomenal profits, way more than banks in a similarly developing economy like say India. Why? Fundamentally they are all more like deposit taking institutes than anything else.Customers are charged fees for everything, including depositing money in their own accounts (i hear it is starting in India also), ATM fees, Debit order fees, Fees for basically everything. So who needs loans? And it is no surprise that since there is no priority sector lending necessitated by law, most of the loans go to the govt and hence are safe. So end result - profits all the way with very little bad debts! Downside- Since lending is done more to the govt than public, investment suffers and so does the economic growth. I am still to understand how does Bankserv decides fees. It is weird.
In a country like SA, where a vast majority cant afford to take loans to start a small business,another vast majority cant open a bank account only! imagine that! They just cant afford to keep money in the banks coz of the insane fees! The Mzansi accounts launched years ago are a failure with a majority today sitting as dormant accounts (I am going to dig this aspect later to understand more).
A fundamental reason for this situation is the lack of competition. There are only 16 or so banks in SA! thats all! And a good 70%+ is dominated by merely the big 4 banks! what do u expect in such a state! The org, which maintains national payment system and clearing etc is owned by the banks and not surprisingly, the big 4 rule it. Is it a surprise that org. like WIZZIT (funded by world Bank partially with a 10% stake), piggy back on other bank's license? Sooner or later this has to change. There is no denying that. The inefficiency in the banking system is far too excessive to prevent competition from entering.
A quick word also on the foreign holdings. Barclays has majority stake in ABSA and there is another one of big 4 which has foreign holding, I cant recall which one. Standard Chartered seems to be hunting for Nedbank, but lets see. Standard was once one of South Africa's biggest lenders but sold its stake in Standard Bank in 1987 amid opposition to Apartheid. It returned in 2003 by opening a branch and buying an online bank but had to write off that investment. It also considered buying Absa in 2004 but opted out of a bidding war with Barclays. Barclays meanwhile owned FNB earlier.So it is quite interesting at the moment. Also, ABSA and Barclays are now merging their African business I hear. So lets see.
I will keep updating this post as my notes. Till next time..
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Doing business with tier 3, tier 4 banks..
While working with smaller banks, what amazes me is how long they will continue to cope up with the ever increasing expenditure on regulatory compliance, product and channel support, over head costs, IT expenditure and God knows what else. The fact of the matter is the way banking industry is evolving, two things are certainly happening:
1) H1: Banking is increasingly becoming more and more sophisticated. This means you can’t expect average people to do every possible job in banks. More and more jobs are going to become sophisticated with time. With this, banks will need more and more high tech IT systems to support the running of business. All this points to only one thing – investment per dollar earned is only going to increase in the future (unless there are significant economies of scale and scope).
2) H2: Credit crisis dealt a big blow to the banking industry. Politicians world over are under severe pressure to not only bring the world economy back on its feet but also ensure such a thing never happens again. This clearly means that we can expect more and more political interference in this industry in the long run (it is obviously happening at the moment).
In a sense, the above two are counter balancing. Point 2 will try to curb innovation to some extent which will slow down the accelerated sophistication which has become second nature in banking industry.
To validate my hypothesis 1, I expected increasing difficulties for smaller banks and decided to check with some hard facts. Here is what I found.
The number of banks in the US which had assets less than $100million, have come down significantly. This is no surprise. With increasing overhead expenditures, the smaller banks don’t have the wherewithal to match the bigger banks in terms of a) money spent on research to launch new and relevant products b) the economies of scale which justify increasing overheads for only the bigger banks c) hiring the right talent for specific roles which can only be justified if such roles generate enough revenue.
Let us look at the picture from another angle. A few months back, Celent published a report titled “It Takes More Than a Village: The Decline of the Community Bank”. It clearly stated that banks with assets under $100 million are bleeding deposits. Here is a quick peek:
Clearly smaller banks no longer have enough deposits! The report notes: “Running a bank requires a certain amount of scale, and that floor is rising due to increasing regulatory requirements, channel support, and product support”.
Now, let us try to link all of this with what happened and is continuing even now with respect to credit crisis. On both sides of the Atlantic we have people shouting “these banks are too big to fail”. A part of the reality is brought out by the figure one above. Number of banks with large assets has actually increased. Naturally, in the process, some banks have become too big to fail.
The tendency towards becoming bigger is not only driven by increasing costs but by a number of different synergies which all ultimately combine to give higher profits. A study done by Federal Reserve Bank of St Louis confirms this. For a selected set of banks, a study on profits shows these results for PAT/ Total Assets:
1) H1: Banking is increasingly becoming more and more sophisticated. This means you can’t expect average people to do every possible job in banks. More and more jobs are going to become sophisticated with time. With this, banks will need more and more high tech IT systems to support the running of business. All this points to only one thing – investment per dollar earned is only going to increase in the future (unless there are significant economies of scale and scope).
2) H2: Credit crisis dealt a big blow to the banking industry. Politicians world over are under severe pressure to not only bring the world economy back on its feet but also ensure such a thing never happens again. This clearly means that we can expect more and more political interference in this industry in the long run (it is obviously happening at the moment).
In a sense, the above two are counter balancing. Point 2 will try to curb innovation to some extent which will slow down the accelerated sophistication which has become second nature in banking industry.
To validate my hypothesis 1, I expected increasing difficulties for smaller banks and decided to check with some hard facts. Here is what I found.
The number of banks in the US which had assets less than $100million, have come down significantly. This is no surprise. With increasing overhead expenditures, the smaller banks don’t have the wherewithal to match the bigger banks in terms of a) money spent on research to launch new and relevant products b) the economies of scale which justify increasing overheads for only the bigger banks c) hiring the right talent for specific roles which can only be justified if such roles generate enough revenue.
Let us look at the picture from another angle. A few months back, Celent published a report titled “It Takes More Than a Village: The Decline of the Community Bank”. It clearly stated that banks with assets under $100 million are bleeding deposits. Here is a quick peek:
Clearly smaller banks no longer have enough deposits! The report notes: “Running a bank requires a certain amount of scale, and that floor is rising due to increasing regulatory requirements, channel support, and product support”.
Now, let us try to link all of this with what happened and is continuing even now with respect to credit crisis. On both sides of the Atlantic we have people shouting “these banks are too big to fail”. A part of the reality is brought out by the figure one above. Number of banks with large assets has actually increased. Naturally, in the process, some banks have become too big to fail.
The tendency towards becoming bigger is not only driven by increasing costs but by a number of different synergies which all ultimately combine to give higher profits. A study done by Federal Reserve Bank of St Louis confirms this. For a selected set of banks, a study on profits shows these results for PAT/ Total Assets:
Clearly, banks having lesser assets struggle to be profitable.
Having established hypothesis 1, let us focus on hypothesis 2. In their quest for increasing profitability, some banks have outgrown themselves and thus have become a source of systemic risk. This thought now is echoing across the world. Political ramifications are obviously going to be far reaching.
When the crisis first broke, UK took the lead in saving banks by nationalizing them. US followed. Now, UK has taken the lead in breaking up these big banks - Royal Bank of Scotland, Lloyds Banking Group and Northern Rock. Whether US follows or not, remains to be seen.
Having established the nexus amongst size, profitability, risk and politics, let us ponder over the resulting impact of the two hypotheses stated in the beginning.
While H1 pushes the banks towards bigger size, H2 seems to be pushing at the moment towards smaller size. Let us hope the necessary equilibrium is found soon enough. The fact that we can’t really have big-sized banks is obvious – the implicit government backing of such organizations (because they are too big to fail), allows these banks to get capital at more favorable terms, which isn’t fair or competitive. Therefore, there is reason to believe that US also will at least try to cut some banks to size. There is a slim chance of a variant of Glass-Steagall Act being passed as well.
Conclusion
For smaller banks to be continually viable, they need to focus on the segments of the financial services industry where they have comparative advantage. These segments involve personalized service and lending based on information not available to other firms in the financial services industry, because they derive the information through their relationships with their customers.
The operational overheads can be handled with some innovative thinking. E.g., sharing ATMs with a bigger banks gives the required reach without actually rolling out themselves. Hiring the right people and making the right IT investments remain the key for such banks. Only if they do all of this can they survive. Of course, with the increasing political support, there could be additional help in the form of supportive legislations. However, it seems likely at the moment that banks having balance sheet of less than 100 million USD will continue to struggle for survival. Banks with the intermediate size will continue to consolidate and will move towards better profitability. Having said that, let us remember that the biggest bank, by assets, Bank of America started as a small bank (Bank of Italy) meant to help Italians settled in California.
As far as the bigger banks are concerned, in some cases the economies of scale are outweighed by the difficulties in controlling risk inside them. There will continue to be pressure on such banks in the future. We can reasonably expect some more banks to sell parts of their business in the foreseeable future. However, the profitability concerns will keep this drive limited. We have already seen a glimpse of this. For instance, if you look at the list of banks getting TARP money, many are not even in trouble. Some have already made ”arranged marriages,” such as PNC which quickly acquired National City Bank with some of the TARP money.
All of the above bodes well for IT industry. The increasing sophistication in the industry only means that need for better and newer systems will remain. Splitting of banks into smaller businesses will bring its own set of IT needs. Finally, the opposing and balancing act of becoming bigger would mean continuing work in terms of integration of systems.
References
1) “The future of Small Banks” by Alton Gilbert, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.
2) http://smallbiztrends.com/2009/02/death-small-community-bank.html.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Euro Crisis
While in the last post I was determined to write about colonialism and its after effects starting with Kenya, I thought I will take a break and write down first I make out of Euro Crisis (Just finished reading a carnegie endowment report on this). Here is a quick summary of what I understood.
In GIIPS, the new Euro currency increased confidence, lowered interest driving demand up. People and govt. went up hill borrowing tons of money. After averaging inflation levels and public borrowing costs from 1980 to 1990 that are comparable to those of Ghana today, the GIIPS (excluding Greece1) saw their inflation and interest rates converge with those of the EUN (Europe North) during the 1990s. Long-term government bond yield spreads of the GIIPS vis-Ã -vis the EUN, which indicate the perceived risk of lending to the GIIPS instead of the EUN, fell from 550 basis points in 1980–1990 to just 10 in 1999. However, in GIIPS, more money went into construction etc. than in trade sector. Wages shot up eroding productivity more. Meanwhile, stable economies like Germany got Euro which was cheaper than Mark making their exports more competitive. These economies could fulfill the needs of GIIPS whose competitiveness had deteriorated but the demand was surging. The single European monetary policy was too loose for the rapidly growing GIIPS (Spain, Greece, and Ireland) and too tight for Germany, whose domestic demand and wages grew very slowly compared to the European average. This reinforced the loss of competitiveness in the GIIPS. Without control over interest rates, Greece, Spain, and Ireland were limited in their ability to deal with the bubbles, while Italy and Portugal, both fighting slowing economic growth, would have benefited from looser monetary policy.
The financial crisis in 2008 brought an abrupt end to the post-euro growth model in the GIIPS. As they plunged into recession and tax revenues collapsed, government spending was revealed to be unsustainable and their loss of competitiveness dimmed hopes of turning to foreign demand for recovery. The GIIPS are left with high public and private debts and weak long-term growth prospects, unless they make difficult adjustments to cut deficits and restore competitiveness.
Till next time..
In GIIPS, the new Euro currency increased confidence, lowered interest driving demand up. People and govt. went up hill borrowing tons of money. After averaging inflation levels and public borrowing costs from 1980 to 1990 that are comparable to those of Ghana today, the GIIPS (excluding Greece1) saw their inflation and interest rates converge with those of the EUN (Europe North) during the 1990s. Long-term government bond yield spreads of the GIIPS vis-Ã -vis the EUN, which indicate the perceived risk of lending to the GIIPS instead of the EUN, fell from 550 basis points in 1980–1990 to just 10 in 1999. However, in GIIPS, more money went into construction etc. than in trade sector. Wages shot up eroding productivity more. Meanwhile, stable economies like Germany got Euro which was cheaper than Mark making their exports more competitive. These economies could fulfill the needs of GIIPS whose competitiveness had deteriorated but the demand was surging. The single European monetary policy was too loose for the rapidly growing GIIPS (Spain, Greece, and Ireland) and too tight for Germany, whose domestic demand and wages grew very slowly compared to the European average. This reinforced the loss of competitiveness in the GIIPS. Without control over interest rates, Greece, Spain, and Ireland were limited in their ability to deal with the bubbles, while Italy and Portugal, both fighting slowing economic growth, would have benefited from looser monetary policy.
The financial crisis in 2008 brought an abrupt end to the post-euro growth model in the GIIPS. As they plunged into recession and tax revenues collapsed, government spending was revealed to be unsustainable and their loss of competitiveness dimmed hopes of turning to foreign demand for recovery. The GIIPS are left with high public and private debts and weak long-term growth prospects, unless they make difficult adjustments to cut deficits and restore competitiveness.
Till next time..
Sunday, June 6, 2010
After a long while..
Its been over a year now since I last wrote something. It has been a long year where personally it hasnt been going that great. There have been many sleepless nights and so on so forth.I have also noticed in this time that a lot of people (some I like, some I despise) blog very diligently. I have no such desire.I belong when it helps me to collect my thoughts. If someone doesnt like something that I say, please move on. As I try to write this,I wonder where should I begin. I have no clue. But I will start with something that these days keeps my mind engaged and helps me focus on something. It is about the interconnected nature of different events that happen in the world. Lets first focus on what the west especially England has done in the past to the world because of which various countries are still paying the price. India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Israel, Kenya, South Africa and the list goes on. All these countries have paid a huge price for what the West unleashed on them. I am not endorsing what the fundamentalists are doing to retaliate but I just feel that there is something more that we need to understand, to analyze. I thought about where to start analyzing. The first thought obviously was India, where the partition left scars that are yet to heal. But I have ultimately decided to start with Kenya. Primarily because I am in Africa (South Africa to be precise) and I also happen to be reading a book on Kenya at the moment. The idea will be to trace what the West did to further its own selfish interests and how today a lot of people think that non-Western countries are their own enemies. Personally, this is also meant to be some sort of a diary where I would keep all my thoughts collected on the World and its past.
Onwards then.
Onwards then.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Was Indira Gandhi partially responsible for Rajiv Gandhi's assassination?
This post has a connection to the previous post where I was trying to find patterns in history. The way US intruded in Iraq and Afghanistan and ended up creating Al-Qaeda. Lets look closer home.
LTTE was funded by Indian govt ,in the initial days at least, coz of the alleged pro-Pakistani posture that the Sri Lankan Govt had adopted. Who was leading India at that point of time? Indira Gandhi. So India did the same perennial mistake which somehow seems to be at the bottom of all major terrorism issues in the world today: Governments shud not interfere in the affairs of other countries esp by funding any organization that is armed! You do that and you have a virtual guarantee, it will backfire. Ask US. Ask Pakistan. And now I say, ask India.
LTTE then went on to assassinate Rajiv Gandhi. What would have happened if India had opposed LTTE all along? We dont know. But wouldn't it be fair to say then that a part of the blame for Rajiv Gandhi's death lies on Indira Gandhi? I at least cnt think of it in any other way.
But the problem with all of us is: We just dnt learn from our mistakes in the past! We just steadfastly refuse to do so.
LTTE was funded by Indian govt ,in the initial days at least, coz of the alleged pro-Pakistani posture that the Sri Lankan Govt had adopted. Who was leading India at that point of time? Indira Gandhi. So India did the same perennial mistake which somehow seems to be at the bottom of all major terrorism issues in the world today: Governments shud not interfere in the affairs of other countries esp by funding any organization that is armed! You do that and you have a virtual guarantee, it will backfire. Ask US. Ask Pakistan. And now I say, ask India.
LTTE then went on to assassinate Rajiv Gandhi. What would have happened if India had opposed LTTE all along? We dont know. But wouldn't it be fair to say then that a part of the blame for Rajiv Gandhi's death lies on Indira Gandhi? I at least cnt think of it in any other way.
But the problem with all of us is: We just dnt learn from our mistakes in the past! We just steadfastly refuse to do so.
Saturday, May 2, 2009
US gonna do it all over again...
First...whenever I am jobless, I conjure up a few stupid thoughts and then I see which one of them makes some sense...and then if I am still jobless, I sometimes write them up here if I dnt get to bore someone in person...So here goes another such thought...
I am worried abt the way things are going on in Pakistan. Someone might say why should I be when President Obama is taking such an interest? anyway who the hell am I? More to the point, isnt the job being done by the most competent people i.e. Obama ad his entourage? My take: Since they are looking into it, that makes me worried. Why? You just need to look into the history and u would know. They tried to set things right in Iraq and we saw what happened and is still happening. They ventured into Afghanistan ages ago against the Soviets and ended up creating the biggest menace we have ever seen. Isnt Al-Qaida US's own doing? Isnt US its own devil? And now they are trying to take a similar interest in Pakistan. In fact they already have been doing it for a while. They supported Musharaff. They fought Muslims just across the border of Pakistan from Pakistan. What would it have done? Naturally, it would have pissed the locals. Why? One, the locals are also Muslims! And religion has always played a profound role wherever we see. Second, wouldnt u expect two set of people to have some kinda connection when they live so close even though they are separated by national boundaries? Esp when you are talking abt Pak-Afghan border? Obviously, they thought US was interfering again! In Afghanistan, God knows what do people really think of US! They have been there perenially! With tribal borders and frequent movement of people, the same feeling would exist in Pakistan also. So there! US has got the right ingredients and mixture ready once again!
And now. Taliban have become active in Pakistan. Is that a surprise???? Noway! It was coming all this while! Just like in older Afghanistan, you had American army or parts of it in Pakistan. Guns, ammunition etc etc again pouring in. Will the thought of using second hand guns stop the people from venting their anger against the nosey US? of course not..! So the people react the same way once again. Once again US gives people a reason to hate them, gets its army there and follows it up with ammunition. Then they wait for it all to explode while acting as the perfect catalyst! Phew...
Where are we headed? We do know problem in Afghanistan could nt be solved. And theres good reason to believe then that the problem in Pakistan wouldnt also be solved! So we are in it for long! Say good bye to that notion of flimsy democracy in Pakistan! At least in the near future!
I am worried abt the way things are going on in Pakistan. Someone might say why should I be when President Obama is taking such an interest? anyway who the hell am I? More to the point, isnt the job being done by the most competent people i.e. Obama ad his entourage? My take: Since they are looking into it, that makes me worried. Why? You just need to look into the history and u would know. They tried to set things right in Iraq and we saw what happened and is still happening. They ventured into Afghanistan ages ago against the Soviets and ended up creating the biggest menace we have ever seen. Isnt Al-Qaida US's own doing? Isnt US its own devil? And now they are trying to take a similar interest in Pakistan. In fact they already have been doing it for a while. They supported Musharaff. They fought Muslims just across the border of Pakistan from Pakistan. What would it have done? Naturally, it would have pissed the locals. Why? One, the locals are also Muslims! And religion has always played a profound role wherever we see. Second, wouldnt u expect two set of people to have some kinda connection when they live so close even though they are separated by national boundaries? Esp when you are talking abt Pak-Afghan border? Obviously, they thought US was interfering again! In Afghanistan, God knows what do people really think of US! They have been there perenially! With tribal borders and frequent movement of people, the same feeling would exist in Pakistan also. So there! US has got the right ingredients and mixture ready once again!
And now. Taliban have become active in Pakistan. Is that a surprise???? Noway! It was coming all this while! Just like in older Afghanistan, you had American army or parts of it in Pakistan. Guns, ammunition etc etc again pouring in. Will the thought of using second hand guns stop the people from venting their anger against the nosey US? of course not..! So the people react the same way once again. Once again US gives people a reason to hate them, gets its army there and follows it up with ammunition. Then they wait for it all to explode while acting as the perfect catalyst! Phew...
Where are we headed? We do know problem in Afghanistan could nt be solved. And theres good reason to believe then that the problem in Pakistan wouldnt also be solved! So we are in it for long! Say good bye to that notion of flimsy democracy in Pakistan! At least in the near future!
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Reliance Net Connect!
I know a senior manager in a company who rallied against ICICI insurence coz after his wife had delivered the baby, they got to know none of the expenses are covered in the insurance although such promises were made while signing the policy. ICICI dint pay and subsequently ICICI employee insurance was cancelled in that company. Such incidents can be infuriating and I can really understand. Coz something similar (not as big as ICICI fiasco though) happened with me as well.
It all started when during internship I needed to check mails and therefore went to Reliance outlet to get a Net connect card. They asked me where I lived and I told them I was in Mumbai for 2 months for internship and hence needed the card. The grand officer refused connection flatly and I wasnt amused. He explained that I needed to be a resident of that area if I wanted the card. Well, if I was living there, why in the world would I carry a wireless card that gives a measly speed! why not take a broadband instead? The whole idea of having a wireless card was to help ppl who travel arnd a lot and if I cnt buy such a card in India (and I was giving my passport as the proof), where should I go buy one? To Pakistan? But that guy dint give up. I was told I could get a letter from a local saying I am staying with him and then they will give me a card. Ok, so I got a local friend to write one such letter and marched again to Reliance outlet. Quite ridiculously, they went on to refuse again! This time saying, I have to take the card not in my name but in my friend's name! Then why the hell did they ask me to get that damned letter! I was pissed. Finally, my friend was kind enuf to take that card in his name and as a proud Indian I took the card (there was no other such dealership nearby,so reliance seemed an easy option earlier!). I used the card for those 2 months, came back to the campus to finish my degree.
Last week, having come back home after convocation, I again needed internet connection and I had the card this time. I just needed a recharge. So again I was off to the nearest Reliance outlet. And not surprisingly, I was told I cnt get a recharge on that old number? Why? Coz its old. Huh? Ok, so what next? We will give you a new number and u pay a lil extra. Ok, I have no choice. So gimme one. And this time since I was local, I could give my own papers!! I was thrilled that I am finally eligible to buy such an esteemed connection in my own name. anyway, I gave the papers and was told there wud be a guy coming down for verification of address and all that. I had no problems of course. Very next day, some guy came and confirmed that I indeed lived there and that my passport wasnt fake finally. I got a call on my cell and another one on the landline. Convinced finally that I was indeed the person I claimed to be, my connection was turned on. But then how can you possibly forget that its Reliance Netconnect after all. The very next day, while I was sending an email about some joining formalities to my employer, I realised my connection has been cancelled. Confused, I called the helpline. And guess what! It turns out theres a problem with my verification. Phew! They met me in that very address, I have lived there for 11 years, they called me on both the numbers I had given, my connection worked for one full day after that and now you are telling me that I am not what I claim to be! Honestly, if Reliance was asked to take care of our borders, I am quite sure, they will succeed in keeping out not only those Bangladehis and Pakistanis but also some of the Indians! They are just so Goddamned good! Pissed, I called the dealer I had taken the card from. He is also surprised! Now what should my reaction be! super surprised? anyway, he promises to find out the problem. The next morning I check again and I see that suddenly the connection is working. Now I dnt know whether to be happy or sad coz u never know when they will cut the connection again saying I am not the person I say I am. Its been a week now and so far so good. But knowing that its Relaince NetConnect, I wouldnt be surprised if one day they call me and say I am a suspected Taliban leader!
Its just absurd the way some companies work. I understand you gotta ensure that in a post paid connectio the company doesnt lose money but does it mean u will stop giving connections to ppl who are in a city for a few months? Why not have sm initial deposit instead? Do you really think someone will buy a dongle worth 2700 and then not pay a bill of what 300 bucks??? Knowing fully well that he cnt use that card for any other company again! And why would you cut the connection after all the verifications! Its senseless. I just dnt know what to call them!
I dnt think Reliance NetConnect ppl can change the dumb way they work. But I do hope not many companies in India would follow their policies!!
It all started when during internship I needed to check mails and therefore went to Reliance outlet to get a Net connect card. They asked me where I lived and I told them I was in Mumbai for 2 months for internship and hence needed the card. The grand officer refused connection flatly and I wasnt amused. He explained that I needed to be a resident of that area if I wanted the card. Well, if I was living there, why in the world would I carry a wireless card that gives a measly speed! why not take a broadband instead? The whole idea of having a wireless card was to help ppl who travel arnd a lot and if I cnt buy such a card in India (and I was giving my passport as the proof), where should I go buy one? To Pakistan? But that guy dint give up. I was told I could get a letter from a local saying I am staying with him and then they will give me a card. Ok, so I got a local friend to write one such letter and marched again to Reliance outlet. Quite ridiculously, they went on to refuse again! This time saying, I have to take the card not in my name but in my friend's name! Then why the hell did they ask me to get that damned letter! I was pissed. Finally, my friend was kind enuf to take that card in his name and as a proud Indian I took the card (there was no other such dealership nearby,so reliance seemed an easy option earlier!). I used the card for those 2 months, came back to the campus to finish my degree.
Last week, having come back home after convocation, I again needed internet connection and I had the card this time. I just needed a recharge. So again I was off to the nearest Reliance outlet. And not surprisingly, I was told I cnt get a recharge on that old number? Why? Coz its old. Huh? Ok, so what next? We will give you a new number and u pay a lil extra. Ok, I have no choice. So gimme one. And this time since I was local, I could give my own papers!! I was thrilled that I am finally eligible to buy such an esteemed connection in my own name. anyway, I gave the papers and was told there wud be a guy coming down for verification of address and all that. I had no problems of course. Very next day, some guy came and confirmed that I indeed lived there and that my passport wasnt fake finally. I got a call on my cell and another one on the landline. Convinced finally that I was indeed the person I claimed to be, my connection was turned on. But then how can you possibly forget that its Reliance Netconnect after all. The very next day, while I was sending an email about some joining formalities to my employer, I realised my connection has been cancelled. Confused, I called the helpline. And guess what! It turns out theres a problem with my verification. Phew! They met me in that very address, I have lived there for 11 years, they called me on both the numbers I had given, my connection worked for one full day after that and now you are telling me that I am not what I claim to be! Honestly, if Reliance was asked to take care of our borders, I am quite sure, they will succeed in keeping out not only those Bangladehis and Pakistanis but also some of the Indians! They are just so Goddamned good! Pissed, I called the dealer I had taken the card from. He is also surprised! Now what should my reaction be! super surprised? anyway, he promises to find out the problem. The next morning I check again and I see that suddenly the connection is working. Now I dnt know whether to be happy or sad coz u never know when they will cut the connection again saying I am not the person I say I am. Its been a week now and so far so good. But knowing that its Relaince NetConnect, I wouldnt be surprised if one day they call me and say I am a suspected Taliban leader!
Its just absurd the way some companies work. I understand you gotta ensure that in a post paid connectio the company doesnt lose money but does it mean u will stop giving connections to ppl who are in a city for a few months? Why not have sm initial deposit instead? Do you really think someone will buy a dongle worth 2700 and then not pay a bill of what 300 bucks??? Knowing fully well that he cnt use that card for any other company again! And why would you cut the connection after all the verifications! Its senseless. I just dnt know what to call them!
I dnt think Reliance NetConnect ppl can change the dumb way they work. But I do hope not many companies in India would follow their policies!!
Elections!
Lemme start with a confession. I am one of those to-be-blamed Indian citizens who have never voted. Every time something or else came up. But I cnt help but study the hysteria they create. And yah, this time I do intend to cast my vote.
Of course, I am no expert but I do like to listen to those "expert analysis" on TV and occasionally in my favourite newspaper TOI (:D). These elections must be one of those where it seems there is no big issue at all over which it is being fought! Instead everyone seems to be busy fighting over hate speeches and challenging others to point less TV debates. Is there nothing else to talk abt really? No "Change" is needed in India? I wonder.
And then you have those side kicks who suddenly become the heroes merely coz of the coalition plague. Imagine Mayawati asking if she can be the CM for so many times then why not PM? Esp when shes a Dalit? I mean really, is this the qualification to become PM? That you have to a Dalit CM a couple of times and thats it? I mean who the hell is she outside UP? Phew....and if you havent noticed, just glance through her tax returns. You will know the kind of money she rakes in. Of course Taj corridor has been easily forgotten.
BJP has always been weird to my mind. I have never understood why does a Babri Masjid and a Godhra happen only with BJP? Of course you can counter argue that 1984 Sikhs riots were associated with Congress. I concede that. But the nature of 1984 wasnt communal. I wnt get into that debate but we all know that Babri and Godhra incidents were tinged with communal hatred and maybe, Godhra and Babri Masjid demolition are related events. Anyway, you cnt help but appreciate the fact that Advani was associated with Babri and Modi with Godhra. Both now the two most visible faces of BJP. If I were a Muslim, maybe I wudnt have voted for them just because of this. I mean, why in the world would I vote for a party whose clarion call is Hindutva? BJP claims to be "THE" party coz its young. OK, but you got the oldest person in the fray as a prime ministerial candidate. What about him? Laughably, they raise the question why wasnt a capable economist like Manmohan Singh not able to control inflation! Well, you got a better idea then why dnt u say it?
Then theres SP who thinks computers and English are secondary to manpower and Hindi. Interesting. Given a choice, would Amar Singh want his son to learn English or Hindi? At least I am quite clear abt what my choice would have been. Between computers and manpower? lemme just say that I am a comp science engineer.
And finally the Congress. I agree Manmohan Singh hasnt got the charisma or the personality of a PM. He is a economist, whos become PM by chance! I understand when BJP alleges that real power emanates from 10, Janapath. But if Advani wasnt the PM candidate, the same would have been true for BJP also! but anyway, it is not as of now. Congress has its own set of issues. Tytler has been given clean chit, Rahul Gandhi is still a useless speaker(Priyanka is way better than him!), they handled 26/11 stupidly, they dnt have any charismatic mass leader and frankly, I hate it when power gets concentrated in a family when we are supposed to be democratic.
All said and done, whom should I vote for? Sidhu stands from Amritsar as a candidate. We know his criminal record. I cnt recall his major achievements as sitting MP. And I dunno what the candidate in opposition is going to do! So should I vote for the lesser evil knowing fully that with my limited knowledge, I may end up voting for the bigger evil? How do I decide when no one seems to be doing anything worthwhile? Whats the real reason why so many ppl dnt cast their votes? Why is it that all retired actors, criminals, cricketers etc etc suddenly become politicians? Is it so easy? Is there a lot of easy money in it? (Mayawati apparently paid over 20Cr merely in taxes!!) But if I dnt vote, that would mean someone else(the other voters) are deciding for me. And how well informed are they? I guess theres some case for casting your vote after all.
Of course, I am no expert but I do like to listen to those "expert analysis" on TV and occasionally in my favourite newspaper TOI (:D). These elections must be one of those where it seems there is no big issue at all over which it is being fought! Instead everyone seems to be busy fighting over hate speeches and challenging others to point less TV debates. Is there nothing else to talk abt really? No "Change" is needed in India? I wonder.
And then you have those side kicks who suddenly become the heroes merely coz of the coalition plague. Imagine Mayawati asking if she can be the CM for so many times then why not PM? Esp when shes a Dalit? I mean really, is this the qualification to become PM? That you have to a Dalit CM a couple of times and thats it? I mean who the hell is she outside UP? Phew....and if you havent noticed, just glance through her tax returns. You will know the kind of money she rakes in. Of course Taj corridor has been easily forgotten.
BJP has always been weird to my mind. I have never understood why does a Babri Masjid and a Godhra happen only with BJP? Of course you can counter argue that 1984 Sikhs riots were associated with Congress. I concede that. But the nature of 1984 wasnt communal. I wnt get into that debate but we all know that Babri and Godhra incidents were tinged with communal hatred and maybe, Godhra and Babri Masjid demolition are related events. Anyway, you cnt help but appreciate the fact that Advani was associated with Babri and Modi with Godhra. Both now the two most visible faces of BJP. If I were a Muslim, maybe I wudnt have voted for them just because of this. I mean, why in the world would I vote for a party whose clarion call is Hindutva? BJP claims to be "THE" party coz its young. OK, but you got the oldest person in the fray as a prime ministerial candidate. What about him? Laughably, they raise the question why wasnt a capable economist like Manmohan Singh not able to control inflation! Well, you got a better idea then why dnt u say it?
Then theres SP who thinks computers and English are secondary to manpower and Hindi. Interesting. Given a choice, would Amar Singh want his son to learn English or Hindi? At least I am quite clear abt what my choice would have been. Between computers and manpower? lemme just say that I am a comp science engineer.
And finally the Congress. I agree Manmohan Singh hasnt got the charisma or the personality of a PM. He is a economist, whos become PM by chance! I understand when BJP alleges that real power emanates from 10, Janapath. But if Advani wasnt the PM candidate, the same would have been true for BJP also! but anyway, it is not as of now. Congress has its own set of issues. Tytler has been given clean chit, Rahul Gandhi is still a useless speaker(Priyanka is way better than him!), they handled 26/11 stupidly, they dnt have any charismatic mass leader and frankly, I hate it when power gets concentrated in a family when we are supposed to be democratic.
All said and done, whom should I vote for? Sidhu stands from Amritsar as a candidate. We know his criminal record. I cnt recall his major achievements as sitting MP. And I dunno what the candidate in opposition is going to do! So should I vote for the lesser evil knowing fully that with my limited knowledge, I may end up voting for the bigger evil? How do I decide when no one seems to be doing anything worthwhile? Whats the real reason why so many ppl dnt cast their votes? Why is it that all retired actors, criminals, cricketers etc etc suddenly become politicians? Is it so easy? Is there a lot of easy money in it? (Mayawati apparently paid over 20Cr merely in taxes!!) But if I dnt vote, that would mean someone else(the other voters) are deciding for me. And how well informed are they? I guess theres some case for casting your vote after all.
Friday, April 10, 2009
Its been a while....
Its been a while....sang Staind. Cnt help thinking of the song as boredom drives me towards blogging again after two years. Its been two long and tough years. I managed to complete my masters(MBA) and called it a day as far as studies were concerned. As I look back, I remember very clearly when I started thinking seriously about MBA.I had worked for abt 2 years and had started to get bored. I dint know what I wanted to do in life. Honestly speaking, I dint even know how would an MBA help! But then logic dictated that its gotta help if you spend time with some smart people for 2 years and of course,you learn new stuff. So I chased CAT and GMAT. But after MBA, and given the limited choices in recessionary times, the problem has only become more profound! Yeah, I have a job. It helps that I had done my internship there. But is this why I had done the MBA? I guess only time will that.
The thing about higher studies or for that matter learning more is that it only goes a long way in making things more complicated. You know more, you think more, you debate more. All the while, odds of making the right decision remain the same even after you study or learn more. phew!
With a few days off at home before I join, I thought might as well scribble a few words here. Its always fun to look back at one's thoughts after a while :-)
The thing about higher studies or for that matter learning more is that it only goes a long way in making things more complicated. You know more, you think more, you debate more. All the while, odds of making the right decision remain the same even after you study or learn more. phew!
With a few days off at home before I join, I thought might as well scribble a few words here. Its always fun to look back at one's thoughts after a while :-)
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Windows Live writer...
Ah.. well... this is my first post using Windows Live Writer. As I write along, I will be looking around the tool seeking something really useful. As of now, I can only say that despite rave reviews I am yet to see something that is really impressive about it. It has some distinctly useful features:
- Its like writing in MS word. You get your familiar tools like "spell check", "bullets" etc
- Its far easier to add tables, images and links in this tool.
OK and that's it !Are these good enough reasons to use it? I don't know. May be I should use it a little more to find more !
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
a word about origin of Dracula...
Dracula has always been a frightening idea thanks to Bram Stoker's novel.
Most authorities believe the character of Dracula in Bram Stoker’s novel was based upon the historical figure Vlad Tepes (pronounced tse-pesh), who intermittently ruled an area of the Balkans called Wallachia in the mid 15th century. He was also called by the names Vlad III, Vlad Dracula and Vlad the Impaler. The word Tepes stands for "impaler" and was so coined because of Vlad’s propensity to punish victims by impaling them on stakes, then displaying them publicly to frighten his enemies and to warn would-be transgressors of his strict moral code. He is credited with killing between 40,000 to 100,000 people in this fashion.
King Sigismund of Hungary, who became the Holy Roman Emperor in 1410, founded a secret fraternal order of knights called the Order of the Dragon to uphold Christianity and defend the Empire against the Ottoman Turks. Its emblem was a dragon, wings extended, hanging on a cross. Vlad III’s father (Vlad II) was admitted to the Order around 1431 because of his bravery in fighting the Turks. From 1431 onward Vlad II wore the emblem of the order and later, as ruler of Wallachia, his coinage bore the dragon symbol.
The word for dragon in Romanian is "drac" and "ul" is the definitive article. Vlad III’s father thus came to be known as "Vlad Dracul," or "Vlad the dragon." In Romanian the ending "ulea" means "the son of". Under this interpretation, Vlad III thus became Vlad Dracula, or "the son of the dragon." (The word "drac" also means "devil" in Romanian. The sobriquet thus took on a double meaning for enemies of Vlad Tepes and his father.)
Bram Stoker probably found Vlad III to be devilish enough to base his idea of vampire upon Dracula!It is certainly no coincidence that Bram Stoker chose the Balkans as the home of his famous vampire. The Balkans were still basically medieval even in Stoker’s time. They had only recently shaken off the Turkish yoke when Stoker started working on his novel and the superstitions of the Dark Ages were still prevalent.
If you want to read in detail check this link out:
http://www.donlinke.com/drakula/vlad.htm
I also recommend reading The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova.
Most authorities believe the character of Dracula in Bram Stoker’s novel was based upon the historical figure Vlad Tepes (pronounced tse-pesh), who intermittently ruled an area of the Balkans called Wallachia in the mid 15th century. He was also called by the names Vlad III, Vlad Dracula and Vlad the Impaler. The word Tepes stands for "impaler" and was so coined because of Vlad’s propensity to punish victims by impaling them on stakes, then displaying them publicly to frighten his enemies and to warn would-be transgressors of his strict moral code. He is credited with killing between 40,000 to 100,000 people in this fashion.
King Sigismund of Hungary, who became the Holy Roman Emperor in 1410, founded a secret fraternal order of knights called the Order of the Dragon to uphold Christianity and defend the Empire against the Ottoman Turks. Its emblem was a dragon, wings extended, hanging on a cross. Vlad III’s father (Vlad II) was admitted to the Order around 1431 because of his bravery in fighting the Turks. From 1431 onward Vlad II wore the emblem of the order and later, as ruler of Wallachia, his coinage bore the dragon symbol.
The word for dragon in Romanian is "drac" and "ul" is the definitive article. Vlad III’s father thus came to be known as "Vlad Dracul," or "Vlad the dragon." In Romanian the ending "ulea" means "the son of". Under this interpretation, Vlad III thus became Vlad Dracula, or "the son of the dragon." (The word "drac" also means "devil" in Romanian. The sobriquet thus took on a double meaning for enemies of Vlad Tepes and his father.)
Bram Stoker probably found Vlad III to be devilish enough to base his idea of vampire upon Dracula!It is certainly no coincidence that Bram Stoker chose the Balkans as the home of his famous vampire. The Balkans were still basically medieval even in Stoker’s time. They had only recently shaken off the Turkish yoke when Stoker started working on his novel and the superstitions of the Dark Ages were still prevalent.
If you want to read in detail check this link out:
http://www.donlinke.com/drakula/vlad.htm
I also recommend reading The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova.
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Angels n Demons and Da Vinci Code
I remember when i read Da Vinci Code in 2004, i liked it primarily coz of the information Dan Brown had packed. It was one of those few novels which blended fiction, history and facts very well. No wonder readers world over lapped it up.
There were some facts which i came across while reading Da Vinci Code and Angels n Demons:
1) Word Satan is taken from "Shaitan", a word in Arabic for the Devil.
2) In middle ages, there were Hashish smoking muslim killers. They were called Hassasins coz of Hashish. Over the years , Hassasin became assasin.
3) Many ppl, including me, are under the impression that Xmas is celebrated coz Jesus was born on that day. However,apparently Bible says He was born in March. Xmas is celebrated to mark Sun God's return. Remember days become longer after Dec 25. Theres one more funda. Pre-Christain God, Mithras -Son of God- was born on Dec 25. He was also resurrected three days after being buried in a rock tomb !! hows that for similarities? I am sure part of the focklore added to Jesus's life has come from earlier Gods.
4) Vilain used to mean villager. Church in an attempt to get rid of Pagan culture, vilified the word and now villain means .......humm... u know what.
5) In a pentacle all lines divide themselves in the Divine ratio (phi=1.618).
6) Ok , heres the one which guys will love: how did the word "horny" originate? Amon is the Egyptian God for masculine fertility. He is depicted as a man with a ram's head, having horns. Hence anyone with "horns" became associated with masculine fertility and hence the word "horny".
7) Reasons why Mona Lisa is smiling: a) She is aware that her face is androgynous b) Lisa or isis is the Egyptian goddess for fertility. Amon i have already explained. So Amon+Lisa when rearranged become "Mona Lisa". Funda is that the painting is a celebration of the the male+female union.
8) 300 years of witch hunt pursued by Church killed five million women. Phew !
9) Dan Brown says that left was traditionally associated with females and right with men. To vilify women, left became the symbol of radical thoughts. Right became "righteous" !
10) Apparently in archaic Italian, sinistra was left. Sinister comes from it. phew ! hows that for demonising women !
11) One of the reasons why friday the 13th is considered a bad omen: On Friday the 13th, Oct 1307 Pope Clement ordered massacre of Knights Templars. Most of the templars were killed on that day.
12) Jesus was king of Jews. He was a descendent of King David and King Solomon.
13) Apparently for three centuries after crucification, Christ was considered a mortal human being. It was Council of Nicaea which voted that He should be made divine. This was when Constantine was promoting Christianity.
14) Noah ( from Noah the ark ) was an albino.
15) Mary Magdalene, allegedly Jesus's wife was also royal. She was from the house of Benjamin.
Of course there are many other interesting theories. But i found these facts very interesting. All religions the world over have a widely-debated history. So is Christianity.
Coming back to the world of novels, I am sure novels in future which connect history and fiction seamlessly will do very well. umm... aint there symbols and hidden societies in Hinduism? Well, well...
There were some facts which i came across while reading Da Vinci Code and Angels n Demons:
1) Word Satan is taken from "Shaitan", a word in Arabic for the Devil.
2) In middle ages, there were Hashish smoking muslim killers. They were called Hassasins coz of Hashish. Over the years , Hassasin became assasin.
3) Many ppl, including me, are under the impression that Xmas is celebrated coz Jesus was born on that day. However,apparently Bible says He was born in March. Xmas is celebrated to mark Sun God's return. Remember days become longer after Dec 25. Theres one more funda. Pre-Christain God, Mithras -Son of God- was born on Dec 25. He was also resurrected three days after being buried in a rock tomb !! hows that for similarities? I am sure part of the focklore added to Jesus's life has come from earlier Gods.
4) Vilain used to mean villager. Church in an attempt to get rid of Pagan culture, vilified the word and now villain means .......humm... u know what.
5) In a pentacle all lines divide themselves in the Divine ratio (phi=1.618).
6) Ok , heres the one which guys will love: how did the word "horny" originate? Amon is the Egyptian God for masculine fertility. He is depicted as a man with a ram's head, having horns. Hence anyone with "horns" became associated with masculine fertility and hence the word "horny".
7) Reasons why Mona Lisa is smiling: a) She is aware that her face is androgynous b) Lisa or isis is the Egyptian goddess for fertility. Amon i have already explained. So Amon+Lisa when rearranged become "Mona Lisa". Funda is that the painting is a celebration of the the male+female union.
8) 300 years of witch hunt pursued by Church killed five million women. Phew !
9) Dan Brown says that left was traditionally associated with females and right with men. To vilify women, left became the symbol of radical thoughts. Right became "righteous" !
10) Apparently in archaic Italian, sinistra was left. Sinister comes from it. phew ! hows that for demonising women !
11) One of the reasons why friday the 13th is considered a bad omen: On Friday the 13th, Oct 1307 Pope Clement ordered massacre of Knights Templars. Most of the templars were killed on that day.
12) Jesus was king of Jews. He was a descendent of King David and King Solomon.
13) Apparently for three centuries after crucification, Christ was considered a mortal human being. It was Council of Nicaea which voted that He should be made divine. This was when Constantine was promoting Christianity.
14) Noah ( from Noah the ark ) was an albino.
15) Mary Magdalene, allegedly Jesus's wife was also royal. She was from the house of Benjamin.
Of course there are many other interesting theories. But i found these facts very interesting. All religions the world over have a widely-debated history. So is Christianity.
Coming back to the world of novels, I am sure novels in future which connect history and fiction seamlessly will do very well. umm... aint there symbols and hidden societies in Hinduism? Well, well...
Saturday, June 16, 2007
A Malhi killed Alexander the Great !!
I am a Malhi by caste.Malhis are Jatt Sikh clan from Punjab. While i have always wanted to know the roots of my ancestors, i hardly got any reliable info from anywhere ( of course, it was a laid-back attempt).
Let me post what wikipedia has to say about Malhis:
Quote:
Earlier based in the region around Sialkot (now in West Punjab, Pakistan), the Malhis were mostly rich landlords. One of the earliest Jat clans, the majority of Malhis migrated to Punjab (India) during the Partition of India in 1947. It is believed that there were twelve villages of the Malhi clan in Punjab (British India) during 1850-60. One such village is Kotli Soorat Malhi, a village in Gurdaspur district.
Extract From the book *Handbook on Sikhs, by Major A. E. Barstow, 2/11 Sikh Regiment (late 15th Ludhiana Sikhs ). Written in 1899 and later revised at the request of the Govt of India in 1928.
From a historical standpoint, the Malhi clan is most famous for its association with the death of Alexander the great. It is believed that Alexander the great died from a spear thrown by the Malhi clan as he tried to invade their fortress during his retreat from Northern India.
Unquote.
Source:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malhi
hows that? always makes me feel so humbled when i look back at the histrory of Malhis. May i prove myself worthy of the surname i carry so proudly. Amen!
Let me post what wikipedia has to say about Malhis:
Quote:
Earlier based in the region around Sialkot (now in West Punjab, Pakistan), the Malhis were mostly rich landlords. One of the earliest Jat clans, the majority of Malhis migrated to Punjab (India) during the Partition of India in 1947. It is believed that there were twelve villages of the Malhi clan in Punjab (British India) during 1850-60. One such village is Kotli Soorat Malhi, a village in Gurdaspur district.
Extract From the book *Handbook on Sikhs, by Major A. E. Barstow, 2/11 Sikh Regiment (late 15th Ludhiana Sikhs ). Written in 1899 and later revised at the request of the Govt of India in 1928.
From a historical standpoint, the Malhi clan is most famous for its association with the death of Alexander the great. It is believed that Alexander the great died from a spear thrown by the Malhi clan as he tried to invade their fortress during his retreat from Northern India.
Unquote.
Source:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malhi
hows that? always makes me feel so humbled when i look back at the histrory of Malhis. May i prove myself worthy of the surname i carry so proudly. Amen!
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Gujjars and Supreme Court
Reservation is a topic which is close to my heart and you will regularly see me posting my views over it. Yes, i am against reservation which is based upon caste and i made my reasons clear in one of my earlier posts. Although i know that there is little chance of getting rid of this malaise soon, i would love to see more people coming out in the open and declaring that it benefits no one but the richer section of low-caste.
Its interesting to note that proteste began in Dausa where Sachin Pilot is the MP and he himself is a Gujjar. Now my question for all the pro-resevation ppl: does Sachin Pilot or his son/daughter deserve reservation? I think now these so called ppl fighting for social justice would like to come up with a lame duck answer. My answer :Tell me about ur vested interest.
Supreme Court has rightly taken up the issue and asked the police to explain their action to contain the stir. Thats fine but my point: Why has the Court and all the leading newspapers and statesmen of the country left out Mr Arjun Singh? Isnt he the one who instigated this issue again? Isnt he indirectly responsible for the deaths? Why is no one asking these questions?
Mr Sachin Pilot is a congress MP and hence he has more involvement with the issue (apart from the fact that he is a Gujjar). In a recent interview he says :
"Caste predominance and assertions are on the rise. It is not confined to just one set of people but exists in several communities and many sections of society, especially those who have lived on the fringes for long. The whole question of granting reservation begs a wider debate".
Source: http://www.kalingatimes.com/interviews/news_20070611_Gujjar_Meena_conflict_was_politically_motivated.htm
Aha, Mr Pilot!! Now you are saying the issue begs a wider debate!! Where exactly was your view poin when an older luminary of your party was pegging resevation as the sole saviour of downtrodden?
Sheer nonsense. There is no other way to look at these happenings. While all this drama is being played by the elected jokers of our democracy, eligible students suffer and richer kids from SC/ST/OBC make a killing in IIT/IIMs.
Its interesting to note that proteste began in Dausa where Sachin Pilot is the MP and he himself is a Gujjar. Now my question for all the pro-resevation ppl: does Sachin Pilot or his son/daughter deserve reservation? I think now these so called ppl fighting for social justice would like to come up with a lame duck answer. My answer :Tell me about ur vested interest.
Supreme Court has rightly taken up the issue and asked the police to explain their action to contain the stir. Thats fine but my point: Why has the Court and all the leading newspapers and statesmen of the country left out Mr Arjun Singh? Isnt he the one who instigated this issue again? Isnt he indirectly responsible for the deaths? Why is no one asking these questions?
Mr Sachin Pilot is a congress MP and hence he has more involvement with the issue (apart from the fact that he is a Gujjar). In a recent interview he says :
"Caste predominance and assertions are on the rise. It is not confined to just one set of people but exists in several communities and many sections of society, especially those who have lived on the fringes for long. The whole question of granting reservation begs a wider debate".
Source: http://www.kalingatimes.com/interviews/news_20070611_Gujjar_Meena_conflict_was_politically_motivated.htm
Aha, Mr Pilot!! Now you are saying the issue begs a wider debate!! Where exactly was your view poin when an older luminary of your party was pegging resevation as the sole saviour of downtrodden?
Sheer nonsense. There is no other way to look at these happenings. While all this drama is being played by the elected jokers of our democracy, eligible students suffer and richer kids from SC/ST/OBC make a killing in IIT/IIMs.
Times of India....
TOI (Times Of India) has been my favourite newspaper for quite some time now. I have read it in three different cities and the mumbai edition is my favourite (I found chandigarh edition to be a lil dull and the Banaglore edition is far too obsessed with Bangalore to be considered a national newspaper).
Of late, there is one thing about it that has been irking me a lot. And that is "as reported by TOI". Along with any thing that TOI thinks was first reported in it, this tagline is highlighted. Agreed its a good paper and the most read English newspaper in the world, but there should be a limit to self-advertisement.
Interestingly, on June 10, it reported quite proudly that Mr Ford is quite keen to join BCCI at the earliest. Everyone knows what happened next. Now i would like to see "unlike what was reported in TOI" line in the paper !! Of course, it was a mistake made by many but there should be something which should separate the best from the common.
I have always appreciated the views aired on TOI, the editorial and columns like Swaminomics. However i think time has come for TOI to go a step further and educate public on important issues. Why wasnt Mr Arjun Singh's name dragged into the discussion when Gujjars were on a rampage?Why is there no attempt to educate ppl on stocks although business sections is regularly printed?Why is there no effort to highlight the fact that Global Warming is a hypothesis proved by none and understood completely by none?
These initiatives may not interest all, but if undertaken regularly, they will benefit a huge cross-section of population. I wonder if TOI will be the first paper to undertake these.
Of late, there is one thing about it that has been irking me a lot. And that is "as reported by TOI". Along with any thing that TOI thinks was first reported in it, this tagline is highlighted. Agreed its a good paper and the most read English newspaper in the world, but there should be a limit to self-advertisement.
Interestingly, on June 10, it reported quite proudly that Mr Ford is quite keen to join BCCI at the earliest. Everyone knows what happened next. Now i would like to see "unlike what was reported in TOI" line in the paper !! Of course, it was a mistake made by many but there should be something which should separate the best from the common.
I have always appreciated the views aired on TOI, the editorial and columns like Swaminomics. However i think time has come for TOI to go a step further and educate public on important issues. Why wasnt Mr Arjun Singh's name dragged into the discussion when Gujjars were on a rampage?Why is there no attempt to educate ppl on stocks although business sections is regularly printed?Why is there no effort to highlight the fact that Global Warming is a hypothesis proved by none and understood completely by none?
These initiatives may not interest all, but if undertaken regularly, they will benefit a huge cross-section of population. I wonder if TOI will be the first paper to undertake these.
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
my days at ANZ....
ANZ was fun, i must admit. I met some really cool people with whom i never realised that an year had gone by. Since i knew the system they were using pretty well, it made life a lot easier. I was given the credit for contributing and my designation reflected that when i quit. Having said all this, i would still suggest ppl to give it a long hard thought before joining ANZ. Reason? well,
1) first is the question of existence. Since its a bank,u dnt get the best of tech work. As far as the business is concerned, its done out of Australia and u dnt get to know much. End result: frustration. If you are looking for a cool life which pays well with an occasional trip abroad, go for ANZ.
2)ANZ's habit of experimenting too much with everything. Yes, they love to change things around, starting from groups to managers to policies. You never really know whos heading which group and which group you gonna belong to the next day. Its called "change" in ANZ.
3) IJP !! Its actually internal job posting which means all jobs are advertised internally and all can apply. Sounds good? ok, here is the downside: lets say you want to move to Database side. In TCS or Infosys, they will send u to some 1-2 month training and get you a project where you can learn on the job. Here its different. There is no separate training centre. An effort may be made to get some external trainer. But heres what takes the cake: officially you are supposed to get in touch with team which is handling dbase and ask them to help u outside office hours !! LOL !! Do u expect that to work? ANZ does. Wanna know more? here goes: in an interview for a job, if an external candidate has also applied which in all probability will happen, ANZ guys will not be given any advanatge!! So if that guy has worked in Dbase as in previous example, you know your chances are next to nil. So how are u supposed to shift to anyplace where the skills are different from what you already know? humm...ANZ doesnt like to answer such questions.
4) HR believes they rock the place as ANZ employees command above avg salaries. Well, that may actually be true. But there are lotsa exceptions to that :). E.g. A fresher is recruited at 4.5 lacs package(yes u got it right,its 4.5 !!). Now lets say a guy with arnd 3 yrs of work-ex is recruited from outside. He would be given a salary of arnd 5 or 5.5 !! LOL!! yah, thats their idea of lateral recruitment. Theory is lateral guy will get promoted soon and will get the package he deserves. Downside is, since he is at the lower side of package at the previous level, he will remain at the lower side of next level also. This may not be always true but its highly possible. Also, they love to change things right in the middle. Let me tell you what happened when i joined ANZ. It so happens that after 6 months of probation when i am eligible for promotion, our esteemed HR dept has made it illegal to promote anyone. Yah !! Coz IJP was getting rolled out. So everyone is supposed to wait and when finally IJP got rolled out, they took their own sweet time in advertising, interviewing and finally selecting. All this nonsense delayed my promotion by six months. Whos responsible ? Well, no one !!
5) Then theres a small matter of changing the definition of TEC. When i joined bonus used to be part of CTC offered. Bonus was offered assuming i will get an avg ranking. And bonus used to be offered twice coz there were two ranking given in an year, one in sep and the other in march.I thought it was fair. In between , in oct,they changed the policy saying ranking will be given once in an year.So in effect, u got ur sep bonus but march bonus wont be given as it will be an annual event now. Sep to Sep would be the ranking and hence the bonus. Cool. But what if i quit in april? Shudnt i get the bonus which was due in march since that was part of the CTC offered to me on the basis of which i joined? Why was the policy changed midway?It shud hv been changed in april so that effect was minimal. Well, in ANZ, u dnt ask all this.
I dnt think i need to mention small problems like if u want to delay your last day in ANZ after having given an earlier date in the resignation by a few days for whatever reason, its not possible !!
Anyway, all said and done, ANZ was probably the best time in my working career of 3.5 years. Ppl were really really cool. We had parties for no reason at all !! You will find some really supportive team mates. After leaving ANZ , i have realised i made some really good frnds there. Thanks ANZ.
1) first is the question of existence. Since its a bank,u dnt get the best of tech work. As far as the business is concerned, its done out of Australia and u dnt get to know much. End result: frustration. If you are looking for a cool life which pays well with an occasional trip abroad, go for ANZ.
2)ANZ's habit of experimenting too much with everything. Yes, they love to change things around, starting from groups to managers to policies. You never really know whos heading which group and which group you gonna belong to the next day. Its called "change" in ANZ.
3) IJP !! Its actually internal job posting which means all jobs are advertised internally and all can apply. Sounds good? ok, here is the downside: lets say you want to move to Database side. In TCS or Infosys, they will send u to some 1-2 month training and get you a project where you can learn on the job. Here its different. There is no separate training centre. An effort may be made to get some external trainer. But heres what takes the cake: officially you are supposed to get in touch with team which is handling dbase and ask them to help u outside office hours !! LOL !! Do u expect that to work? ANZ does. Wanna know more? here goes: in an interview for a job, if an external candidate has also applied which in all probability will happen, ANZ guys will not be given any advanatge!! So if that guy has worked in Dbase as in previous example, you know your chances are next to nil. So how are u supposed to shift to anyplace where the skills are different from what you already know? humm...ANZ doesnt like to answer such questions.
4) HR believes they rock the place as ANZ employees command above avg salaries. Well, that may actually be true. But there are lotsa exceptions to that :). E.g. A fresher is recruited at 4.5 lacs package(yes u got it right,its 4.5 !!). Now lets say a guy with arnd 3 yrs of work-ex is recruited from outside. He would be given a salary of arnd 5 or 5.5 !! LOL!! yah, thats their idea of lateral recruitment. Theory is lateral guy will get promoted soon and will get the package he deserves. Downside is, since he is at the lower side of package at the previous level, he will remain at the lower side of next level also. This may not be always true but its highly possible. Also, they love to change things right in the middle. Let me tell you what happened when i joined ANZ. It so happens that after 6 months of probation when i am eligible for promotion, our esteemed HR dept has made it illegal to promote anyone. Yah !! Coz IJP was getting rolled out. So everyone is supposed to wait and when finally IJP got rolled out, they took their own sweet time in advertising, interviewing and finally selecting. All this nonsense delayed my promotion by six months. Whos responsible ? Well, no one !!
5) Then theres a small matter of changing the definition of TEC. When i joined bonus used to be part of CTC offered. Bonus was offered assuming i will get an avg ranking. And bonus used to be offered twice coz there were two ranking given in an year, one in sep and the other in march.I thought it was fair. In between , in oct,they changed the policy saying ranking will be given once in an year.So in effect, u got ur sep bonus but march bonus wont be given as it will be an annual event now. Sep to Sep would be the ranking and hence the bonus. Cool. But what if i quit in april? Shudnt i get the bonus which was due in march since that was part of the CTC offered to me on the basis of which i joined? Why was the policy changed midway?It shud hv been changed in april so that effect was minimal. Well, in ANZ, u dnt ask all this.
I dnt think i need to mention small problems like if u want to delay your last day in ANZ after having given an earlier date in the resignation by a few days for whatever reason, its not possible !!
Anyway, all said and done, ANZ was probably the best time in my working career of 3.5 years. Ppl were really really cool. We had parties for no reason at all !! You will find some really supportive team mates. After leaving ANZ , i have realised i made some really good frnds there. Thanks ANZ.
Sunday, June 3, 2007
downloading movies from youtube,ifilm etc...
For a while it was fun watching clips on youtube but after a while it became painful to go to the site, hunt the clip down and then watch it.
Heres one cool way to download movies from youtube. Download orbitdownloader software from http://www.orbitdownloader.com/. once you have installed it, go to ur fav video on youtube and u will see an icon saying "get it". Click and choose from a couple of options abt the format u want and thats it !! Its a great utility since everytime u go to youtube, "get it" icon always is arnd.
But some ppl dnt like flv formats. But there are many converters like total video converter available on the net.
Enjoy!
Heres one cool way to download movies from youtube. Download orbitdownloader software from http://www.orbitdownloader.com/. once you have installed it, go to ur fav video on youtube and u will see an icon saying "get it". Click and choose from a couple of options abt the format u want and thats it !! Its a great utility since everytime u go to youtube, "get it" icon always is arnd.
But some ppl dnt like flv formats. But there are many converters like total video converter available on the net.
Enjoy!
another way to add subtitles in divx movies...
I know that there are many ways arnd to put subtitles while playing a divx movie. Heres one that i found recently.
Download the DivX Subtitle Displayer from www.coolsoft.com. Once you have installed the displayer play the movie in the displayer. From the subtitles menu u can just browse thru ur directories and select the associated subtitles file (many sites like www.divxtitle.com let u download subtitles). thats all.
Pretty cool i would say.
Download the DivX Subtitle Displayer from www.coolsoft.com. Once you have installed the displayer play the movie in the displayer. From the subtitles menu u can just browse thru ur directories and select the associated subtitles file (many sites like www.divxtitle.com let u download subtitles). thats all.
Pretty cool i would say.
Saturday, June 2, 2007
reservation - latest victim
Reservation has always been a touchy topic in India. I remember waiting for final call from IIMB while the drama was being played out in the Supreme Court. Only those who were waiting for the results can tell you how traumatic it can be. The latest in the Great Indian Reservation Drama is the conflict between Gujjars and Meenas in Rajasthan.While lives are being taken there, i dnt see proponents of caste-based reservation doling out gyan in newspapers and TV. I wonder what are they thinking while sitting in their houses. Is this something totally unexpected? Wasnt it natural that all communities who are backward would like to receive the benefit? Doesnt this vindicate Supreme Court's stand that the basis on which castes have been selected is questionable? Why isnt a certain Arjun Singh standing up and telling us again that its our social responsibility to provide reservation based on caste and in the process if lives are lost and more divisions are created,thats perfectly fine? Wasnt it expected that the flaws in the policy will keep bubbling up? Its a dangerous ploy which is bound to have far-reaching consequences.
When reservation was first offered after our independence,it was supposed to be only for a period of 10 years. And as always in politics, you cnt take back whats been given. So reservation continued and more & more policies were woven arnd it. Now when we look at the result of 60 years of relentless pursuit of caste-based reservation we find:
1) Govt all set for 49.5% reservation for SC/ST and OBCs. How was it decided that which caste should belong to this? well, that beats me. Mandal commission which surveyed the districts with a given set of parameters was long long ago. Jatts in some states are OBCs while in others they are not. Gujjars think they should get a cut of the cake and obviously Meenas wouldnt let them take away what they think is rightfully theirs. When so-called higher-caste ppl protested against the reservation, they were labelled as selfish lot who dnt want to undo what their elders had supposedly done. Now can we label Meenas as selfish too? how long will it be when the same drama will be played out between another set of castes in another state? what will we do then?
2) Why aint creamy layer excluded from the reservation benefit? is it because they still need it? If yes, then you are telling me that son of a lower-caste IAS officer studying in some of the best schools in the country needs reservation while son of a poor farmer in Punjab doesnt need it simply coz he was born as higher-caste although he couldnt buy a book, couldnt go for tuitions, cudnt pay high fees of private schools and had no future to look forward to. I am sorry but i dnt see any logic behind this. Isnt all this gimmick just to ensure that the govt keeps the vote bank of such castes intact? Today when i look around, i see students from some of the best schools in Banaglore and Delhi getting the advantage of reservation while someone who studied in the dusty fields of Punjab or Haryana or Bihar, slogs it out in the general category. I am sorry Mr Arjun Singh, but either there is smthing that you are not telling us or there are vested interests. My heart,thoughts and feelings go out for young guys and girls who fight it out with no resources.
3) Why is it that a poor Jatt farmer's son is not allowed any benefits? Isnt he as much eligible as a poor son of any other caste? If not ( and thats how it stands today), is he a lesser mortal or is the govt saying he has to pay for what his elders did for centuries? Its insane.
4) Why caste? Why not economic parameters? Isnt it logical, easier, fairer and more understandable that reservation should be based on economic factors? How will our Mandal commission heroes explain that Gujjars dnt deserve it but Meenas do? Will they try to cover up their sham and include Gujjars? If so , wnt other communities stand up? what will they do then? This is a vicious circle which will never end and hence beats the very purpose for which it was created. I just fail to understand that when every other minister and IAS officer these days goes to US on a yearly basis, they fail to notice that Harvard University also has a certain mode of reservation. When blacks (akin to our low-castes) got their rights, these universities also faced the same problem. As it stands they have a point based system where you get a certain number of points if you are economically weaker. There are similar other measurable paramters for which you get points. These parameters can be suited/remodelled based upon our society. For example, we may want to give some benefit to children of border villages.While we copy almost every other thing from US ,why cnt we copy whats good there? We run to them to copy their designs in nuclear technology but in education we think our policies are above the world.
5) By promoting reservation based upon castes aint we ensuring that the stigma of castes never leaves us? Aint we creating more divisions? Studends and scientists came out in huge numbers to protest against the increase in reservation. As and when its implemented, are we expecting them to just accept it with no hard feelings although no plausible explanation has been given for the same? To the extent that Supreme Court has raised objections shows its a farce.
6) Our society is moving rapidly into an era where knowledge will rule supreme. Such vote bank agendas will never last. But they are dangerous coz of what they are capable of unleashing.
While i have nothing against ppl of lower-caste, i have nothing against poor ppl of higher-caste or higher-caste ppl of border villages also. And to my mind they are all equal human beings.
Dangerous policies like this can only be nullified/annulled if the public wakes up. Media and intelligentsia are the only hope. Otherwise insanity will continue to prevail.
(P.S. :politicians play with the lives and careers of ppl. I dnt have any respect for such a lot. I also accept that this is a limitation of democracy that such agendas take roots.)
When reservation was first offered after our independence,it was supposed to be only for a period of 10 years. And as always in politics, you cnt take back whats been given. So reservation continued and more & more policies were woven arnd it. Now when we look at the result of 60 years of relentless pursuit of caste-based reservation we find:
1) Govt all set for 49.5% reservation for SC/ST and OBCs. How was it decided that which caste should belong to this? well, that beats me. Mandal commission which surveyed the districts with a given set of parameters was long long ago. Jatts in some states are OBCs while in others they are not. Gujjars think they should get a cut of the cake and obviously Meenas wouldnt let them take away what they think is rightfully theirs. When so-called higher-caste ppl protested against the reservation, they were labelled as selfish lot who dnt want to undo what their elders had supposedly done. Now can we label Meenas as selfish too? how long will it be when the same drama will be played out between another set of castes in another state? what will we do then?
2) Why aint creamy layer excluded from the reservation benefit? is it because they still need it? If yes, then you are telling me that son of a lower-caste IAS officer studying in some of the best schools in the country needs reservation while son of a poor farmer in Punjab doesnt need it simply coz he was born as higher-caste although he couldnt buy a book, couldnt go for tuitions, cudnt pay high fees of private schools and had no future to look forward to. I am sorry but i dnt see any logic behind this. Isnt all this gimmick just to ensure that the govt keeps the vote bank of such castes intact? Today when i look around, i see students from some of the best schools in Banaglore and Delhi getting the advantage of reservation while someone who studied in the dusty fields of Punjab or Haryana or Bihar, slogs it out in the general category. I am sorry Mr Arjun Singh, but either there is smthing that you are not telling us or there are vested interests. My heart,thoughts and feelings go out for young guys and girls who fight it out with no resources.
3) Why is it that a poor Jatt farmer's son is not allowed any benefits? Isnt he as much eligible as a poor son of any other caste? If not ( and thats how it stands today), is he a lesser mortal or is the govt saying he has to pay for what his elders did for centuries? Its insane.
4) Why caste? Why not economic parameters? Isnt it logical, easier, fairer and more understandable that reservation should be based on economic factors? How will our Mandal commission heroes explain that Gujjars dnt deserve it but Meenas do? Will they try to cover up their sham and include Gujjars? If so , wnt other communities stand up? what will they do then? This is a vicious circle which will never end and hence beats the very purpose for which it was created. I just fail to understand that when every other minister and IAS officer these days goes to US on a yearly basis, they fail to notice that Harvard University also has a certain mode of reservation. When blacks (akin to our low-castes) got their rights, these universities also faced the same problem. As it stands they have a point based system where you get a certain number of points if you are economically weaker. There are similar other measurable paramters for which you get points. These parameters can be suited/remodelled based upon our society. For example, we may want to give some benefit to children of border villages.While we copy almost every other thing from US ,why cnt we copy whats good there? We run to them to copy their designs in nuclear technology but in education we think our policies are above the world.
5) By promoting reservation based upon castes aint we ensuring that the stigma of castes never leaves us? Aint we creating more divisions? Studends and scientists came out in huge numbers to protest against the increase in reservation. As and when its implemented, are we expecting them to just accept it with no hard feelings although no plausible explanation has been given for the same? To the extent that Supreme Court has raised objections shows its a farce.
6) Our society is moving rapidly into an era where knowledge will rule supreme. Such vote bank agendas will never last. But they are dangerous coz of what they are capable of unleashing.
While i have nothing against ppl of lower-caste, i have nothing against poor ppl of higher-caste or higher-caste ppl of border villages also. And to my mind they are all equal human beings.
Dangerous policies like this can only be nullified/annulled if the public wakes up. Media and intelligentsia are the only hope. Otherwise insanity will continue to prevail.
(P.S. :politicians play with the lives and careers of ppl. I dnt have any respect for such a lot. I also accept that this is a limitation of democracy that such agendas take roots.)
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