Do it yourself

Thought for the day "From the solemn gloom of the temple children run out to sit in the dust, God watches them play and forgets the priest." -           Rabindranath Tagore (Indian, 1861-1941) Word for the day Furtherance (n) The act of furthering; promotion; advancement. (Source: Dictionary.com) Teaser for the day There should be a gap of three month between election results and swearing in of MP/MLAs. These three months may be used to impart extensive training to elected representatives in public policy, foreign and federal relations, public speaking, constitution, etc. Land" does not get you votes, "No Land" does - II The politically aided agitation over the land acquisition issue has three clear dimensions: 1.      It has provided a common cause to parties and politicians who have been struggling to regain the ground they have yielded to Na...

Thought for the day " The water in a vessel is sparkling; the water in the sea is dark. The small truth has words which are clear; the great truth has great silence. " -           Rabindranath Tagore (Indian, 1861-1941) Word for the day Larrikin (adj) Disorderly; rowdy. (Source: Dictionary.com) Teaser for the day What is a fair compensation to someone who has been unlawfully incarcerated for a day, a week, a month, a year, or a decade? "Land" does not get you votes, "No Land" does Continuing from yesterday, I would like to draw attention of the people, who are feeling deeply aggrieved by the likely pain the latest Land Acquisition Bill will cause to the farmers, to the following simple points: (a)    As per 2013 NSSO survey about 83% (80% in 2003) of the total farming households in India are either landless or marginal (holding less than 1 hectare or 2.47 acres cultivable land). ...

Thought for the day "Emancipation from the bondage of the soil is no freedom for the tree." -           Rabindranath Tagore (Indian, 1861-1941) Word for the day Anthesis (v) The period or act of expansion in flowers, especially the maturing of the stamens. (Source: Dictionary.com) Teaser for the day Is the "Breaking News" syndrome ripping apart the basic fabric of the society by sensationalizing trivia, or it truly seeks to invoke and give some purpose to the indifferent populace? It's not the one you are looking for Caught in traffic jam caused by Congress party workers over the Land Bill issue, I decided to give up and join the small but spirited group. It was nice to be treated with some tea and snacks after a round of sloganeering. The slogans were mostly uninspiring and targeted to please the party President rather than farmers. The usual Sonia ji sangharsh karo hum tumh...

Thought for the day "Gray hairs are signs of wisdom if you hold your tongue, speak and they are but hairs, as in the young." -           Rabindranath Tagore (Indian, 1861-1941) Word for the day Gibber (v) To speak inarticulately or meaninglessly or foolishly. (Source: Dictionary.com) Teaser for the day Masochism of all governments in India is intriguing. They don't like to do anything unless put on mat by media and thrashed! Mining for opportunities Considering the corporate earnings outlook, plateau in the domestic macroeconomic good news, mostly assimilated political & policy environment, and fragile global financial conditions, it is reasonable to believe that we are some distance away from a new secular bull market. Though, it is always a good idea to prepare the ground and sow the seed well in advance; doing it too early may result in total dissipation of effort and ...

Thought for the day "The butterfly counts not months but moments, and has time enough." -           Rabindranath Tagore (Indian, 1861-1941) Word for the day   Collywobbles(n) A feeling of fear, apprehension, or nervousness. (Source: Dictionary.com) Teaser for the day Why do e-commerce firms need to advertise so much on conventional media like TV and newspaper? Opportunity vs. threat People scouting for opportunities to buy or sell stocks in secondary market based on political changes or policy related developments need to exercise extreme caution, in my view. The policy changes emanating from the changes in political regime, legal interpretations or social developments do create once in lifetime opportunity and threat for the entrepreneurs who are invested or who wish to invest in a particular business opportunity. The changes usually also create opportunitie...

Thought for the day "It's a funny thing about life; if you refuse to accept anything but the best, you very often get it." -           Somerset Maugham (British, 1874-1965) Word for the day Beamish (adj) Bright, cheerful, and optimistic. (Source: Dictionary.com) Teaser for the day Does the practice of writing recommendation for school and hospital admissions, railway tickets, etc. by MPs and MLAs violate the constitutional oath of 'Without fear or favor" and Without affection or ill will"? Sir, we did this! Yesterday was the annual result day for both my daughters. It was insightful to speak with some parents whose ward study in senior classes. It was even more interesting in light of what the Principal claimed in a rather boastful and boring speech. Many parents lamented that school teachers do not put in enough effort. The children have to necessarily take multiple tu...

Thought for the day "You know what the critics are. If you tell the truth they only say you're cynical and it does an author no good to get a reputation for cynicism." -           Somerset Maugham (British, 1874-1965) Word for the day Intenerate (n) To make soft or tender; soften. (Source: Dictionary.com) Teaser for the day The united opposition march against the Land Bill appeared like launch of Bihar election campaign! Should BJP worry? P.S. - What MMS was doing there? BJP vs. the ghost of 1947 At a time when the AAP political party is struggling to assimilate the Idea of AAP, and the Congress Party is struggling to shed its quintessential feudal character, BJP has a bigger battle to fight. I have said it earlier also. The PM has shown remarkably progressive mindset. He has moved around swiftly destroying old paradigms and raising new hopes. But his colle...

Thought for the day "We are not the same persons this year as last; nor are those we love. It is a happy chance if we, changing, continue to love a changed person." -           Somerset Maugham (British, 1874-1965) Word for the day Portent (n) An indication or omen of something about to happen, especially something momentous. (Source: Dictionary.com) Teaser for the day Does smooth passage to Insurance Bill in Rajya Sabha indicate that INC and TMC might be to NDA what SP and BSP were to UPA. The return of political skepticism The political milieu of the country has taken a turn for the worse over last few weeks. The investors, both domestic and global, have been watching the political developments keenly and might be little concerned about the recent developments. Especially considering that the positive sentiment on India has largely been driven the promise of a stable, trans...

Thought for the day "Great minds have purposes; others have wishes." -           Washington Irving (American, 1783-1859) Word for the day Brouhaha (n) Excited public interest, discussion, or the like, as the clamor attending some sensational event; hullabaloo: (Source: Dictionary.com) Teaser for the day A youthful Congress driven by the Idea of AAP would provide a strong and stable opposite pole in the Indian politics. Reporting from the hinterland A short two day trip to rural areas of western UP and discussions with a few farmers, agro commodity traders and food processors provided some interesting insights into the current economic, social and political conditions. Though the visit was confined to the villages closer to industrial towns, in my view, the prevailing conditions could be reasonably extrapolated to the entire State of UP, and the adjoining states of Uttrakh...