Do it yourself

Thought for the day "Tread softly because you tread on my dreams." — W. B. Yeats (Irish, 1865-1939) Word for the day Internecine (adj) Mutually destructive. (Source: Dictionary.com) Malice towards none By tearing each others' clothes in and outside the Parliament, our politicians are giving "transparency in public life" a new meaning. First random thought this morning If the Economic Survey could be taken as the intent and guiding principle of the government, it seems that the present government may be on course to make the same mistake as Hitler did in WWII, viz., opening too many front at the same time. The intent is good. The ideas are also not bad. Would be better if they take up issues one by one.   Nifty: Expect heightened activity, but no make or break Despite persistent selling by FPIs, capitulation of retail investors (as evident from the poor market breadth, at lower prices, without any material spike in implied ...

Union Budget - A marketing event, no less, no more The finance minister is like CFO of a business corporation. His job is to keep account of the receipts and expenditure of the government; manage resources necessary for executing the plans approved by the Cabinet; ensure optimum utilization of available resources; and keep adequate provision for meeting contingencies. He is accountable to all the stakeholders, insofar as the transparency of accounts is concerned. His discretions are however limited to choosing the sources of revenue needed for executing the plans of the government. In specific Indian context, FM has to decide how much resources to raise from (a) taxation; (b) sale of national assets; and (c) borrowing. In taxation, a balance has to be maintained between direct and indirect taxes to keep the incidence of tax just and equitable. Sale of national assets (mines, airwaves, PSE shares, land etc.) has to meet the criteria of sustainability,...

Thought for the day "It is not enough to conquer; one must learn to seduce." —Voltaire (French, 1694-1778) Word for the day Calumniate (v) To make false and malicious statements about; slander. Malice towards none Ramayana is perhaps the best global treatise on complete integration of human life with nature. The Environmentalist NGOs and Secular Governments do not propagate it just because a majority of Hindus venerate it. First random thought this morning Remember the 1995 Hollywood hit "The American President". The emotive and powerful speech of our HRD Minister Ms. Smriti Irani on JNU issue in the Parliament was distinctly reminiscent of the rhetorical climax of the film; especially the dialogue - "This is a time for serious people, Bob, and your fifteen minutes are up. My name is Andrew Shepherd, and I * am * the President." I am highly impressed. My Whatsapp inbox indicates ...

Thought for the day "A witty saying proves nothing." —Voltaire (French, 1694-1778) Word for the day Groggery (n) A slightly disreputable barroom. Malice towards none Many historians have suggested that Sardar Patel once considered trading off Kashmir for Hyderabad with Pakistan after 15 August 1947. Supposedly, some princely states like Jodhpur and Bhopal had also considered going with Pakistan. Is it true? First random thought this morning Travel permissions for Lalit Modi and Vyapam scam killed the monsoon session of the parliament. ‘Intolerance debate’ and allegations over National Herald & DDCA corruption washed out the winter session. Its seems JNU arrests and Rohith Vemulla's suicide case will disrupt the budget session. The opposition's strategy is clearly to not let the government function on one pretext or the other. And they are executing the strategy to near perfection. ...

Thought for the day "What is tolerance? It is the consequence of humanity. We are all formed of frailty and error; let us pardon reciprocally each other's folly - that is the first law of nature." —Voltaire (French, 1694-1778) Word for the day Encomium (n) A formal expression of high praise; eulogy. For example, "An encomium by the president greeted the returning hero. Malice towards none What makes Maharana Pratap great vs. Badshah Akbar? First random thought this morning The demand for quota in government jobs by mostly prosperous Jat and Patidar communities necessitates a wider debate on the issue. By yielding to Jats' demands in Haryana, the government will open a can of worms. Jats of UP and Rajasthan, Patidars of Gujarat, Marathas of Maharashtra, Muslims of southern states and UP, et. al., may resort to violence to press their long pending demands for quota in jobs. The easiest way to m...

Thought for the day "Each player must accept the cards life deals him or her: but once they are in hand, he or she alone must decide how to play the cards in order to win the game." —Voltaire (French, 1694-1778) Word for the day Celerity (n) Swiftness; speed. Malice towards none What is a noble profession in the country   today - I mean actually in practice? First random thought this morning A large number of people in the state of Haryana held violent protests, disturbed public life, blocked highways & railways, damaged public property, attacked police, blocked water supply, caused extreme inconvenience to the other citizens of this country. The government promises them reward in the form of reservation in government jobs. A large group of people congregates at Golden Temple every year to commemorate the "martyrdom" of the killers of the prime minister of India. Ministers participate in the event...