BREAKING NEWS ANALYSIS

TMC plan for GREENING OF CALCUTTA

2010-07-02T00:08:00.000-07:00

Within days of coming to power, the Trinamool Congress shows a very determined, well-planned,scientific way of the GREENING OF CALCUTTA.

Any Calcuttan moving through the streets of Calcutta would have noticed how within the last years, trees have been rampantly felled, in the name of development. Forest cover has gone down from 10% to 8%. This is an official figure. God knows what the real rate of cutting down of trees have been.

So, it makes sense to first PROTECT the trees as is evident from the TOI excerpt.

Following is excerpt from the Times of India -

"The new Kolkata Municipal Corporation board is ready to draw up plans to protect and increase the green cover of the city.

The KMC authorities will sit with forest department officials in a day or two to chalk out a comprehensive plan on this count. MMiC (parks and squares) Debasish Kumar said the process to identify spots where saplings needed to be planted would soon begin.

"The stress won't be on how many new tress have been planted. Our aim will be to protect the trees that have already been planted," Kumar said, adding that efforts would be made to save at least 85% of the existing trees in the city.

KMC also wants to revive and revamp its own nurseries. "Over the past few years, the KMC nurseries have not been functioning properly and there's been a drastic fall in the number of saplings. We may buy saplings from forest department nurseries, but we'll try to use our own resources," said Kumar.

The truth is, afforestation and tree plantation programmes are conducted every year, but the city's green cover has been shrinking rapidly. A forest department survey a few years ago had pegged the city's green cover at just 10%, while the latest estimates put this at 8%."

Mamata Banerjee ready to sacrifice Ministry for GREATER CAUSE

2010-06-28T10:33:00.000-07:00

Times Person of the Year may well be TMC Supremo Mamata Banerjee.

Yes, I can almost visualize her ......the 1 INDIVIDUAL WHO DECIMATED 35 YEARS OF STALINIST RULE IN BENGAL.

We all know, no Cabinet Minister, especially holding the lucrative position of Railways, would SACRIFICE her berth, IN ORDER FOR A GREATER CAUSE.

But, I was stunned to read that she is willing to do so.

Kindly read following item -

"After battering the Left in the West Bengal civic body elections, railway minister Mamata Banerjee is preparing to deliver it the knock-out punch. She is learnt to be contemplating stationing herself in the state to consolidate the gains of the civic polls and get the momentum going till the assembly elections next year.

“She does not want to leave anything to chance. She thinks it’s time to take the Leftists head-on,” a highly placed party source told DNA. Mamata plans to travel extensively through West Bengal for the next 12 months to build a connect with people, the source said.

The issue was discussed threadbare within the Trinamool Congress (TC), another party source said, adding there was a suggestion that she should retain the portfolio as there was no statutory requirement for her to stay in Delhi as railway minister. Alternatively, she can remain a minister without portfolio. The charge of the ministry could be given to any of her trusted political lieutenants, he said.

Trinamool Congress shows HOW TO DO IT

2010-06-20T14:10:00.000-07:00

ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS.

And Trinamool Congress has at last proven it. The very first day's work was to nab the Guilty in the horrendous Stephen Court fire.

All those mumbo-jumbo that got us confused will be taken care of , at least to a great extent by the new KMC Mayor.

Here's an excerpt from the Times of India :

"KOLKATA: Six persons, including the three fugitive directors of Stephen Court Ltd, have been chargesheeted in connection with the March 23 fire at the iconic building that killed 43 people, police said here on Sunday.

The persons who were chargesheeted in the civil court here are three directors - Sanjay Bagaria, Sushil Surekha and Pradeep More, caretaker Tarun Bagadia, assistant caretaker Ramshankar Singh and liftman Jaiprakash Singh, Deputy Commissioner of Detective Department of Kolkata Police Damanyanti Sen told PTI today. "

I hope the KMC Mayor does a water quality sample survey in our Patuli Township neighbourhood.

Mainstream Media overstepping line

2010-06-05T23:14:00.000-07:00

Recently, we see that in its quest for money, and more money, Media is overstepping its line.
It is attacking politicians just for one motive - MONEY.
I think politicians of all parties should take a united stand.
Media is minting money from the misery of politicians of all colors.
Some friends recently told me some portions of the Media are spying into a substantial portion of politicians, and then cooking uo 90% of the story....just for selling value.
There has been some sort of a cooked up story regarding Mrs. Sonia Gandhi, who has so much on her shoulders.
An attack on Sonia is an attack on all Indians.

Read the extract from leading newspaper "The Hindu" :

"

Youth Congress members protested here on Saturday against author Javier Moro for “defaming” party President Sonia Gandhi in his book, The Red Sari.

They burnt a downloaded excerpt of the book and blackened Mr. Moro's photo, Rajesh Ingle, vice-president of the northeast district Youth Congress, told The-Hindu over telephone.

“Our main objection is to the claim that his book — ‘a tale of the Nehru-Gandhi family, told through the story of Sonia Gandhi.' The author has used the term ‘fictitious biography' to describe his book in India, whereas, in Spain, Portugal and elsewhere he has said it's a biography. So, people are forced to believe what he has written as the truth. He has also used derogatory language,” Mr. Ingle said.

A youth wing press release said: “Congress workers demanded that the book should not be published in India. The script and depiction of the happenings in the life of Ms. Gandhi [are] distorted, vague and defamatory.” They threatened that they would not allow the book to be circulated anywhere in the country.

“It is perfectly alright for an author to be influenced, motivated by real life characters and take liberty to dramatise certain incidents. But this liberty should be restricted to an extent, where the image of national iconic leaders should not be tarnished and sentiments of their followers should not be hurt,” the note stated. Currently, the Congress and the publishers of the book are locked in a legal battle, Mr. Ingle said.

Congress Team gets bigger, Rahul Gandhi enters

2010-05-28T22:53:00.000-07:00

My take is this would strenghten Congress Team at its moment of crisis.
Or rather, our Nation is at Crisis.
I'm 100% sure (Deep in my heart, I do believe....) that West Bengal's Left Front Government should have a strategic understanding with the Strengthened Indian National Congress...
To build a better future for WestBengal.

Read from the Times of India -

"On June 19, 2010, Rahul Gandhi turns 40. That was the age his father Rajiv became prime minister. So what are Rahul's views on foreign policy? On nuclear weapons security? On Pakistani state terrorism? On Maoism? On economic policy? On dynasty? Apart from a few thoughtful issues raised in his private correspondence with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh - who at his press conference on Monday endorsed him as a future cabinet minister - we know little of the AICC general secretary's worldview.

While he rebuilds Congress electability in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal and Kerala - all governed by non-UPA parties and up for assembly polls in 2010-12 - with his charismatic grassroots approach, Rahul must engage a broader national constituency with his thinking on India's key strategic challenges.

At 40, Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi had a clear-eyed view of the world. He sought global nuclear disarmament. He implemented Panchayati Raj. He engaged in an entente cordiale with then Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. He spearheaded the information technology revolution."

Does this Woman have a Case ?

2010-05-22T01:22:00.000-07:00

I think she surely does.

In today's World Breach of Privacy can even cause one's death. Breach of Privacy is a MORE SERIOUS CRIME than infedility.

I stand by this Woman's Right and hope she wins the Case.

Read this stuff I found in MSN and make your judgement :

"

A woman suing a wireless company for exposing her affair joins others who've been brought down by technology.

Toronto resident Gabriella Nagy is suing Rogers Wireless Inc. for $600,000 after she says it wrongly sent her cell phone bill to her husband. Nagy claims her husband left her after seeing several phone calls to the same number, calling it and confirming her affair.

Rogers responds: The wireless company claims it is not responsible for the breakup of Nagy's marriage.

Does she have a case? Nagy's lawyer calls the case "unprecedented" in Canada, so we'll have to wait and see. (Are there cell phone record laws in the United States?)

My take on T20 Cricket and the WC SCHEDULE

2010-04-27T13:03:00.000-07:00

I prefer T20 World Cup to IPL on totally different grounds.

From our childhood to adolescence to adulthood, we have FELT FOR OUR OWN COUNTRY, or even if our country isn't playing, supported a different country.

Fail to understand how people can relate to a team that is a hotch-potch of players from different nations.

Why can't we have more FORMATS OF WORLD CUPS - T20, T10 with 7 player sides bit like baseball, T30 and such.

Below is the T20 World Cup schedule

World Cup schedule start from April 30, 2010 and final match of the T20 World Cup is scheduled for May 16, 2010. T20 World Cup fixture is spread over 18 days. T20World Cup 2010 venue is different locations in West Indies. This is third T20 World Cup.

The opening match of T20 World Cup 2010 will be held between Sri Lanka and New Zealand on April 30th, 2010 at Guyana. The final match will be held on May 16, 2010 at Kensington Oval, Barbados. The first semi final of T20World Cup 2010 Beausejour Cricket Ground, St. Lucia on May 13, 2010 and second semi final will be played at Beausejour Cricket Ground, St. Lucia on May 14, 2010.

Burma - A Case Study of a Totalitarian Military Junta

2010-03-31T12:41:00.000-07:00

Do see my earlier posting on Myanmar___boycotting elections by Suu Kyi may be a historical blunder.

Once the world's top rice producer, it now faces severe food crisis (read rice production crisis) due to mishandling of the food distribution system by the military junta.

Reason : Totalitarianism leads to maximum corruption. Which leads to total disruption of all infrastructure.

Quoting from wikipedia:
"Today, Burma lacks adequate infrastructure. Goods travel primarily across the Burmese-Thai border, whence most illegal drugs are exported, and along the Ayeyarwady River. Railroads are old and rudimentary, with few repairs since their construction in the 1800s.^[16] Highways are normally unpaved, except in the major cities.^[16] Energy shortages are common throughout the country including in Yangon. Burma is also the world's second largest producer of opium, accounting for 8% of entire world production"

Myanmar Elections

2010-03-31T01:43:00.000-07:00

My take is Politics nowadays should not be approached emotionally, but rather practically.
It's difficult to manage even a team of 20 people using your emotions, so how can you manage the destiny of millions without coolly using your brains, and brains only ?

Take the recent Myanmar elections....Aung San Suu Ki's NLD party had this ONE SHOT to win the elections, and free the country from MILITARY RULE.

But it's boycotting the elections.

HISTORICAL POLITICAL BLUNDER, I SAY

Here's quoting Reuters:
"

YANGON (Reuters) - An election boycott by democracy icon Aung San Suu Ki's party is a gamble that could backfire, some Burmese in Myanmar's largest city said on Tuesday, though others backed the move.

Members of the National League for Democracy party (NLD) voted unanimously on Monday to skip the country's first election in two decades to send out a strong message that the army-orchestrated political process was "unjust" and "unfair.

But some said an opt-out by democracy's brightest ray of hope in the junta-ruled country was foolhardy and played into the hands of power-hungry generals.

"I'm so sorry the NLD used their hearts, not their heads. It was an irretrievable policy blunder," said a high school headmaster in Yangon."

35000 colleges mean opportunities for entrepreneurs

2010-03-24T06:07:00.000-07:00

JU'er bondhugan...there is going to be a HUGE EXPANSION IN INTAKE OF STUDENTS. About 35,ooo+ collegea to be built.
This translates into GREAT OPPORTUNITIES not only for Teachers, but for small entrepreneurs like us, in the field of:
1. Book Publishing
2. Content Development.
3. Part-time Teaching Consultants.

Incidentally, 2 of our books have been published -
"Elements of Quantum Mechanics" by Dr. Binayak Dutta-Roy Edited - Debu
and into publication - "Basic Physics for Engineers" by the 2 of us.

Quoting Kapil Sibal's great initiative :

" Union Human Resource and Development (HRD) Minister Kapil Sibal on Wednesday said that India needs at least 800 more universities and over 35,000 colleges in the coming ten years to add to the percentage of students going for higher education.

At present 12.4 percent of students go for higher education from the country, he claimed.

"India has about 480 university and about 22,000 colleges. If we were to increase that figure of 12 percent to 30 percent, we will need another 800 to a thousand universities in the next ten years," said Sibal.

"We will need another 35,000 colleges in the next ten years. We are still below 40 percent which I think is critical," he added.

Speaking at the first contact group meeting of Parliamentarians for Education of the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organsiation (UNESCO) South Asia Cluster, Sibal highlighted the importance of human resource development.

Sibal said when the global economy is not doing well and the stock market is on decline, the facts related to importance of education in a developing economy should be realised."

LOOKING FORWARD TO COLLABORATIVE PROJECTS / IDEAS WITH ALL YOU J.U. GUYS.

DEVASTATING FIRE IN PARK STREET BUILDING

2010-03-23T11:01:00.001-07:00

Today's fire at Stephen House was probably the most devastating one witnessed in Calcutta. We all have fond memories of Flury's , Peter Cat. Mocambo and Music World.

But it was a real shocker that this 150 year old building ravaged by the flames that trapped 100+ people at one point.

Since this post goes out to all you people, aren't we all reminded of an incident in Chitradurga ?

Kire Aloke....

Implications of Water Table Going Down

2009-08-14T22:20:00.000-07:00

FIRST, A NOTIFICATION.

AFTER MY PREDICTIVE ANALYSIS ON THE WEST BENGAL ELECTIONS BEAT ALL MEDIA, THERE HAS BEEN A BIT OF PRESSURE, SO I HAVE DECIDED TO USE MY PREDICTIVE ANALYSIS CAPABILITIES IN THE FOLLOWING AREAS :

DISASTER MANAGEMENT (Believe me, we will face worse and worser Disasters)
ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION ISSUES & PREDICTIONS
WILDLIFE ISSUES
GLOBAL WARMING PREDICTIONS & SOLUTIONS
BIRD FLU (H5N1) & H1N1 FUTURISTIC PREDICTIONS & SOLUTIONS ((Believe me, here also we will face far worse scenarios)

& other NON-CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES THAT WILL BENEFIT THE HUMAN POPULATION AT LARGE.

Am thinking of opening my own set-up that will NOT BE PRESSURIZED from any sources.

So, some News - Source : BBC News

""It comes from an unexpected source: but Nasa's just-released finding that water tables in the northwest of India are falling by about 4cm (1.6in) per year is a striking microcosm of the unsustainable strain that modern societies are putting on the Earth's natural resources.

Water carriers on rickshaw.This is a region that is home to more than 100 million people.

And they're not using the water for long, languid baths or spraying it on manicured lawns; more than 90% is used simply to grow the staple crops that feed Delhi and the regions around.

More mouths to feed means a demand for higher yields, which implies irrigation - mining the water at a rate faster than nature replaces it - a process that is, by definition, unsustainable.

The Indian government's latest assessment of the environment nationwide [pdf link] - also released this week - shows that water is just one of the resources being depleted as the population expands (tripling in 50 years, according to government statistics) and the economy gathers pace.

Nearly half of the land surface is degraded in some way, air pollution in increasing, some unique species and ecosystems are threatened by development, waste from uncontrolled urbanisation is emerging as a health issue - so the litany goes on."

My take :

The whole world has to rely more and more on Space Imaging (be it Hybrid, Infra-Red or other) . Image Analysis to identify which Geographical Areas are more prone.
DROUGHT this Monsoonal Season is a Corollary of this. The area-wise DISTRIBUTION OF DROUGHT may be a starting point of study - does it have a CORRELATION with the AREAS WHERE WATER TABLES ARE RECEDING ?
Even in winter, the FOG that cripples the entire Transport Network (remember trains being delayed for hours) is a result of this. What happens is - the excess groundwater pumped on to the surface, acts as evaporation material to act as a MATERIAL TO FORM FOG. My prediction is - such crippling fogs will occur in certain areas for the next decade.
The Government has to rely on GENERALISTS more and more, as all the team of Ph.D.'s have SPECIALIST IDEAS. One should rely on a CONSULTANCY THAT WILL INTERACT with the specialists to offer solutions.

H1N1 Pandemic - Startling Facts

2009-08-12T02:52:00.000-07:00

It has a similarity with the "Spanish Flu" of 1918 that killed 50 to 100
million people worldwide. Unlike Common Influenza types and sub-types, the
elderly people seem most resistant.

Now, I am going very cautious on this, as it is still early to say, but I am
following the trends.

Check the following from wikipedia:

"The 1918 flu caused an unusual number of deaths, possibly due to it causing
a cytokine storm in the body.[5][6] (The current H5N1 bird flu, also an
Influenza A virus, has a similar effect.)[7]

The Spanish flu virus infected lung cells, leading to overstimulation of the
immune system via release of cytokines into the lung tissue. This leads to
extensive leukocyte migration towards the lungs, causing destruction of lung
tissue and secretion of liquid into the organ. This makes it difficult for
the patient to breathe.

In contrast to other pandemics, which mostly kill the
old and the very young, the 1918 pandemic killed unusual numbers of young
adults, which may have been due to their healthy immune systems being able to
mount a very strong and damaging response to the infection."

Yeah, check out the last para.

More startling news from source : www.h1n1data.com

"Average Daily Infection Rate:
20.21% per day
*Average Mortality Rate:
1.43%

Number of U.S. hospital beds:
945,199

Projected number of cases in 30 days:
1,324,150

**Percentage of cases requiring hospitalization:
5.4%
(9-10% per WHO)"

My take: An influenza is termed pandemic only when it has crossed the 0.01%
mortality. Or is it 0.05%, I'll have to check again.

Anyway,
H1N1 has crossed 1% Mortality Rate and in some countries, even close to 5%.
I think H1N1 is far,far more lethal than H5N1 (Bird Flu) , and will wax and
wane, but IS THE GREATEST PANDEMIC TO HIT US SINCE 1918.

EarthQuake at 1:30 A.M. IST in Calcutta

2009-08-10T14:48:00.000-07:00

I felt the EarthQuake at 1:30 a.m. I.S.T. (Indian Standard Time). The slight swaying. It was mild.

But I was astonished at the TIME GAP.

The Media reported it around 3:30 a.m. That is why I'm awake now. I saw the Media Flash.

They're reporting a Richter Scale 7.7 Epicentre 130 kms as of 3:30 a.m. from Andamans.

Now, I can't predict tsunamis. But when the Tsunami hit on Boxer's Day, I KNEW IT WAS A TSUNAMI, NOT A TIDAL WAVE WITHIN 30 MINUTES OF IT HITTING.

How ? It's Elementary.

The waves, you see, destroyed a 1500 year temple. That meant that IT WAS A BIG ONE.
IN THIS CASE ALSO, I SHOULD WATCH FOR SOME SIGNS ON SOME HISTORICAL SCALE.

PostNote: I will write more in my other blogs on how I developed an unique way of Predictive Analysis of Major Disasters after the Tsunami of 2004 which had it's epicentre near Banda Aceh.

My Prediction Came True for Mumbai

2009-07-30T20:20:00.000-07:00

You see, in developed countries if there is a probability of a Disaster occuring, there is:
Advisory,Watch,Warning.

It is this vigilance that saves lives. If it doesn't come true, you are ridiculed.
If it comes true, people look at you with disdain - did this person bring this upon us.
Such is Human Nature.

My prediction made on 22nd July can be thought of as an Advisory. Based on a few parameters.
It did not come true for Calcutta.
But it came true for Mumbai !

HIGHEST TIDES IN 100 YEARS WERE EXPECTED !

Thank God, the people were moved into safe areas.

Chance of a High Tide Today ? Are we Ready ?

2009-07-22T01:20:00.000-07:00

I'm saying there could just be a 10% chance of a bad High Tide coming in Today.

But are we prepared on this Day of Total Solar Eclipse . Now, I havent' doen any research, but it's a split-second thought that flashed thru'. Take all the parameters that are today :

New Moon
Total Solar Eclipse
A steady drizzling rain adding to the steady input into the Hooghly River
Surge coming up through the uniquely funnel-shaped Ganges Delta
Embankments thar are not yet repaired. Note : It is also not humanly possible.
Data from Kolkata Port Trust

Source : http://www.kolkataporttrust.gov.in/BORE-TIDE%20YEAR%202009.pdf

July 21 shows 6 days of Maximum Range 5.05 Tide.

Old News but Golden News

2009-07-20T09:35:00.000-07:00

This appeared in the Indian Express . Way back in June 2008.

Maybe I missed it. That's why I was way off mark in my India Lok Sabha Congress calculations.

Though in West Bengal, INC Strategy struck me as BRILLIANT, JUST BRILLIANT, the day I saw the INC - TMC Samjhauta come through.

Anyway, here's that piece of Old is Gold News -

"

The Group to Look into Future Challenges, which made the proposal in its report on intra-party reforms recently, was of the view that parties like the BJP did better in recent elections because Sangh Parivar “cadres” were able to reach out to people door-to-door, while the Congress remained hamstrung banking on its candidates’ individual abilities and resources to pull it off. The same was true for the cadre-based Left in West Bengal, Kerala and Tripura.

“Now our campaigns are mainly candidate-oriented. We want to make them party-oriented. That’s why the need for committed workers or cadres who can do door-to-door campaigning instead of organising meetings for the candidate or big party leaders,” said a member of the Future Challenges Group headed by M Veerappa Moily."

Am reading some stuff on this Group of Rahul Gandhi + Dr. Jairam Ramesh + V. Moily and others that's doing brilliant stuff. More I read more interesting it seems.

Reintroducing the Asiatic Cheetah back into India

2009-07-09T21:47:00.000-07:00

As we all know, the Indian (Asiatic) Cheetah became extinct from the grasslands of India way back in the 1950's , as far as I know. Now, here's a piece of great News. There are plans to re-introduce the Asiatic Cheetah.

Source: "www.timesonline.co.uk"

"Rhys Blakely in Mumbai

Debajyoti Dutta Roy's personal take :

This is an excellent move. Hats off to Jairam Ramesh.

But all wildlife and environmental enthusiasts have to keep many parameters in mind:

The cheetah flourishes in uninhabited grasslands. So, one has to choose a locale where there is minimum human population.
One has to study the FOOD PYRAMID. If the base, that is, the grasslands are abundant, one can introduce deers to sambars to the cheetah's natural prey.
So, the natural prey of the Asiatic Cheetah flourishes.
The cheetah has a great time. But one has to be also careful that it is not threatened by other predators bigger than it is. Or pack predators like the hyena or indian wild dogs .."dholes" they're called, as far as I remember.
One has to study the habitat where the Asiatic Lion is still surviving. These are, as far as I remember, from an excellent site felidtag (Cat Specialist Group) - Iran, parts of Saudi Arabia, etc. Congrats to these countries for still preserving the Asiatic Cheetah.

Hope the program succeeds.

One can also have active monitoring / audiovisuals to generate interest amongst the common people.

Without disturbing the Cheetah, that is.

Yaaaawn.

$4 Trillion Deficit ...what does it mean ?

2009-04-22T01:08:00.000-07:00

That's the amount banks & other Financial Institutions face vis a vis value of their holdings..
NPA, Written-off debts, debts..what more..dunno the specs..
But..

? We could see Today..which was the Future..as of say 2005
Funny thing is...the Answer was there..Open Source Info..
In the Net..

A Few people gave hints..
like the
Oracle of Omaha

Now, here's a riddler:
Next was really hard-work..in the unconventional sense tho..4-7 hrs/day..just exercising da gray cells

Globalized solutions for a sick company

2009-03-02T11:04:00.000-08:00

We all love Satyam and would hate to see it crumble..in fact this chain is credited with the starting of the "cybercafe revolution"..

In this globalized world, such mergers are welcome. I wonder when the Foreign Print Media is coming...it'll really add a "zing" to thingzz..

Source:

The Hindu Business Line

"Our Bureau
Hyderabad, March 1 Bidding for Satyam Computer Services will not just be restricted to domestic companies but will also be open to international companies.
“International competitive bidding will be followed and anybody can bid for the company subject to the procedure being laid out by the board members of Satyam,” Mr Prem Chand Gupta, Union Minister for Corporate Affairs, told mediapersons on the sidelines of a programme here on Sunday.
He added that the Government would like that there be a healthy and transparent competition among all the bidders.
The Minister also said that the process of calling for bids to find a strategic investor for Satyam is the work of the company’s board.
“The board has appointed advisors and is discussing the procedure. The Government’s desire is only that the whole process be done in a transparent method keeping in mind the interest of the employees, shareholders and clients,” Mr Gupta added.
He said that the process of finding a strategic investor will not take too long and though it was difficult to exactly pinpoint the timeframe, a decision is likely to be taken on the subject in the few next weeks.
Mr Gupta was here to lay the foundation stone for a new building of his Ministry on the city outskirts. The Corporate Bhawan with an office space of 45,000 sq ft will house the offices of the Registrar of Companies, Official Liquidator, the National Company Law Tribunal, among others.
The premises is being constructed as part of the upgradation of the existing infrastructure of the Ministry in various parts of the country and will be completed at a cost of Rs 20 crore.Maytas issue
Speaking on Maytas argument that the Ministry need not supersede its board, Mr Gupta said that the Company Law Board was a quasi-judicial authority and they were the best judge of the judicial process and, “we will honour whatever they decide”.
“The move to supersede the board of Maytas was based on the interim report of the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO),” he added.
The Company Law Board (CLB) on Friday said that it would appoint four more directors including a Chairman on the board of Maytas Infra Ltd. This follows Maytas Infra accepting the CLB suggestion made at the hearing for inducting more directors on the company."

Record Low in U.S. new home construction..

2009-01-23T00:52:00.000-08:00

That's what I read in the News...

and that's since statistics were being made available since 1959 !

This is a deep pointer to the state of the world's largest economy

Loan - mania basic cause for ECONOMIC BREAKDOWN

2009-01-13T05:21:00.000-08:00

Loan-mania has hit almost 90% of the younger generation...almost 90% are running on loans...

It's elementary to see whu the Global Economy is running in DEFICIT..

Found this in Reuters.com :

"By Patrick Rucker
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A $300 billion federal program meant to prevent foreclosures is doing almost nothing to aid U.S. homeowners, but it could become effective if Washington slashes cumbersome red tape, the nation's top housing policymaker said on Monday.
At issue is the Hope for Homeowners program created by Congress in July to help 400,000 troubled homeowners secure a new loan.
The program has aided fewer than 1,000 borrowers since it began in October and it is a flop with both lenders and borrowers discouraged by its excessive costs and paperwork, said Housing and Urban Development Secretary Steve Preston.
"This program has not had any relevant impact yet," he told Reuters in an interview.
"It is a tiny trickle," Preston said of the volume of loans pushed through the program. "Hope for Homeowners would reach a lot more people if the fees were to come down somewhat and if we were to simplify some of the administrative requirements."

One finds amazing figures/numbers in a certain World Fact Book

Lord Have Mercy...things are Breaking, literally..

2009-01-06T08:58:00.000-08:00

In this..

City of Joy

I seriously think people get some kind of a "kick" ...a high...
...from all those political demonstrations 'n' stuff like that..

The highest density of political grafitti..
...the highest density of "politically conscious" people...

Obama makes a wise choice indeed

2008-11-07T11:31:00.000-08:00

As per the following report...Obama is indeed making extremely wise decisions..
It shows he is NOT letting his Ego rule his decisions. Impressive indeed :

Source The Hindu :

"

Buffett, Google's Schmidt in Obama's adviser team

London, (PTI): US President-elect Barack Obama has appointed a 17-member high-level team of advisers including billionaire investor Warren Buffett and Google Chief Executive Eric Schmidt to guide him in channelising the economy, a media report says.

"US President-elect Barack Obama has appointed a team of high-level advisers including billionaire investor Warren Buffett and Google Chief Executive Eric Schmidt to guide his thoughts on the economy ahead of taking office on January 20," the Telegraph report stated.

The team, to be called the Transition Economic Advisory Board (TEAB), will meet for the first time in Chicago today to discuss the state of the economy and the prospect of taking early action.

Warren Buffett, Chairman and CEO, Berkshire Hathaway, would participate through speakerphone in the meeting.

Further, the report stated that Obama might use this opportunity to appoint his first Treasury Secretary.

The advisory board has 17 members including former Fed Chairman Paul Volcker, whose name has also been connected with the Treasury job, and former Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin, who would also be at the meeting at the Chicago Hilton today, the daily said.

At present, Robert Rubin is Chairman and Director of the Executive Committee of global financial services major Citigroup.

Besides, corporate America is also well represented in the team, with Time Warner Chairman Dick Parsons and Xerox Chairman Anne Mulcahy and Schmidt, who was a loyal supporter of Obama during his election campaign, it added.

Other members of the board comprise Laura Tyson, one of Obama's key economic aides, former House of Representatives member David Bonior, two former SEC Commissioners Roel Campos and William Donaldson, and Chairman of the Midwest JP Morgan Chase William Daley, the Telegraph report said.

Further, TIAA-CREF President and CEO Roger Ferguson, Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Classic Residence by Hyatt CEO Penny Pritzker, Robert Reich and Laura Tyson from the University of California and DE Shaw Managing Director Lawrence Summers are on the board, it added.

A few Indian companies doing real good !

2008-10-28T00:27:00.000-07:00

Mainly the Tata group of companies..I've been noticing.

Tata Tea , as well as Tata Power ...in these times of trouble.

Following source article is Business Standard :

"Tata Tea, the world’s second largest branded tea company, said its profit more than tripled because of a one-time gain from forex fluctuation arising out of an overseas deposit made from the sale of a 25 per cent stake in Glaceau.

The profit of the company rose to Rs 229 crore in the three months ended September 30, from Rs 68 crore for the corresponding period last year. The company earned $1 billion last year from selling its stake in Glaceau to Coca-Cola.

The company had earlier said that the money from the sale of Glaceau would be used for retiring debt for the deal ($427 million), other debt on its books and acquisition of beverage companies in the US. "Determining net profit without these gains is difficult and would be inaccurate as we have reported consolidated gains from all our international businesses," said R K Krishna Kumar, vice-chairman, Tata Tea. Signalling troubled times, Tata Tea said its operating profit dropped to Rs 127 crore from Rs 144 crore."

My take : This only shows the LONG-TERM WISDOM of some group of companies...who will ride out the strom irregardless of the BSE troughs..

Read in a leading newspaper..that RJ Tata will benefit irregardless of WHO COMES TO POWER IN THE U.S. That is the mind of a genius.

Indian Stocks touch real low

2008-10-27T03:48:00.000-07:00

Indian Stocks, like others touched a real low ...PERCENTAGEWISE...

It's ALWAYS the percent loss that is important..

Source of graph... in.finance.yahoo.com ...Yahoo Finance :

My take is : The FIIs are withdrawing...temporarily investing...WITHDRAWING MAINLY...

So the BSE is falling like anything + "mass psychology" effect + global economic meltdown.

Support should be at 7000...I think. Below that is pure panic-driven numbers..

Congress - CPM alliance..and psephological calculations

2008-10-26T03:26:00.000-07:00

This has reference to my earlier posting in this blog.

After Dr. Manmohan Singh has WISELY hinted at a Congress-CPM alliance...my preliminary calculations are as follows:

In the State of West Bengal...both will be beneficiaries. Strategic alliances like leaving Malda & Murshidabad for the INC...will be beneficial to the Congress. This is my prediction, of course.

West Bengal with its 42 seats...According to the last panchayat elections....CPM would perform bad even in the rural areas. But Congress and CPM strategic understanding would turn the tide. In fact...I have even drawn a "demarcation line" across the state of WB....running across Midnapore-Bankura-Hugli-Birbhum....in which the CPM would do surprisingly good...

IFF (meaning If and only If)....

The Western Bloc of rural areas comprising approx. 130 of the 294 Assembly seats...vote for BOTH the CPM and Congress.

The Congress should be given a bit of "concession" for ummm...saving the CPM, me thinks.

Meanwhile..Kerala with its 20 seats...INC + CPM = 19 minimum VERY SAFE it seems.

Disclaimer : I keep changing my auto-forwarding list so often....sometimes in a hurry forget revising the names...hope this doesn't reach the wrong person....hope you go through ALL my blogs 'n' enjoy the new look

Indian Elections 2009...Congress will ally with CPM

2008-10-26T03:17:00.000-07:00

That's what seems ....from Ms. Sheela Bhatt's interview with India's Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh...

My take is : Congress-Socialist alliance will be beneficial for both....

Quoting from rediff :

"In a surprise and politically-savvy move, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, while talking to media persons on his return journey from Beijing, sent the message of peace to Left parties.

He said, "I am not very happy to part company with our left colleagues. In my view, India is faced with difficult problems. All parties, which are committed to secularism and nationalism, must work together to deal with communal and regional divide that is being sought to be created by some anti-social elements."

In a significant move, he has expanded the political space for the Congress, which is being pushed to the wall on issue of secularism and is facing difficulties with his political allies on various other issues.

Three months ago, Left parties parted ways with the United Progressive Alliance but Dr Singh's first overture will be seen pregnant with possibilities for the parties with staunch secular agenda.

Dr Singh confidently claimed he was not seeking an early election."

ANALYSIS : Congress will not go for early elections...as right now with the global economic meltdown...Congress will lose badly.

It will wait till May 2009 when hopefully economy will be better.

Also..it will jon hands with CPM, a socialist party that has become pragmatic..since it is seeking industrialization in the states it rules...

U.S. Elections...Who will CAPITALIZE on the NEW FACTOR ?

2008-10-25T21:31:00.000-07:00

Yes...I'm talking about the global economic meltdown.....

Either the G.O.P. or the Dems...whoever CAPITALIZES on this SUDDEN FINANCIAL TSUNAMI WILL WIN

Quoting from New York Times...Article by Fran Silverman...captures voter sentiments:

"

In Darien, Jay Wood, 61, a financial analyst at Merrill Lynch, said he was worried about his job and that he intended to vote for the Republican presidential candidate, Senator John McCain, because he shared his belief in the merits of a free market.

“Most of my concern has to do with finances,” said Mr. Wood, as he grabbed a sandwich at Uncle’s Deli in Darien Center. “I don’t think anyone has an answer on the economy, but I’d rather let the free markettake care of it.”

In Hartford, a state worker who said he has consistently voted Republican in the past said he was leaning toward the Democratic presidential candidate, Senator Barack Obama, because he thought Mr. Obama would do a better job addressing his concerns about layoffs amid climbing gas and grocery prices.

“It’s been eight years of damage by what Bush has done,” said Jason Purslow, 41, a Cheshire resident who works for the State Department of Revenue Services.

Mr. Purslow, who is married and has one child, said that while he originally supported the war in Iraq and considers himself anti-abortion, the state of the economy is trumping all of that as he heads into the voting booth, prepared to cast a ballot for Mr. Obama, who opposed the war from the start and supports abortion rights.

In a state that has been decidedly blue since 1992 in presidential elections, but where unaffiliated voters outnumber Democrats and Republicans, many said this was one of the toughest election decisions they’ve ever had to make. The secretary of the state’s office reported last week that 845,311 out of 2,021,749 registered voters called themselves unaffiliated.

But as in the rest of the country, voters in Connecticut appear to be poised to go to the polls in droves. The secretary of the state also reported that huge numbers of voters have registered, including more than 50,000 just in October.

In interviews, voters across the state talked about the tangled mix of issues they were sorting through as they prepared to cast their ballots on Nov. 4: the war in Iraq, the cost of health care and the experience that they believe each candidate has — or lacks — to lead the country through its troubles. Some said they worried the country was not ready for an African-American president; others said they were favoring McCain, until he picked Sarah Palin, governor of Alaska, as his running mate.

Tonja Bailey, 47, a freelance court stenographer from Stamford, said the cost of health care was a main issue for her. As she headed into the Ferguson Library last week in this Democratic-leaning city, walking past signs for an upcoming Obama rally, Ms. Bailey said it was time for a change in leadership. Ms. Bailey, who is African-American, said she was voting for Mr. Obama not because he is black, but because he understands her financial concerns.

“We need a change but it’s not about color. I agree with Obama that health care is a right,” said Ms. Bailey, who is spending more than $500 a month on health insurance that just covers the basics. “It’s tough right now. It’s very, very hard.”

In Bridgeport, Lamicha Murphy, 40, a packer in a warehouse, said she was voting for Mr. Obama because she was turned off by Ms. Palin, who she said was too inexperienced to be president. But Ms. Murphy, who is African-American, said she worried about whether the country was ready for a black president and was concerned that harm might come to him if he is elected.

Others seem so stumped by the choices — or dissatisfied with both candidates — that they said they were not voting at all. Carley Andrews Brown, 32, who was strolling in downtown Stamford with her 7-month old son, said she felt neither candidate understood her financial situation. This will be the first presidential election in which she said she doesn’t plan to vote at all."

MY TAKE : IT'S TOTAL CONFUSION...GLOBAL ECONOMIC MELTDOWN SHOULD BE THE AGENDA NUMBER 1 FOR ANY PARTY...WHICH PARTY CAPITALIZES ON IT WINS.

I KNOW IT SOUNDS BAD.....BUT THAT'S THE REALITY OF POLITICS.

GLOBAL ECONOMIC MELTDOWN...APPEAL TO KEEP MARKETS OPEN

2008-10-25T11:05:00.000-07:00

Though Bush is calling for calm...WE WANT TO KNOW :

WHY DID YOU NOT LISTEN TO WARREN BUFFET or GEORGE SOROS ' WARNINGS ?

GLOBAL ECONOMY CAN BE SAVED ONLY BY HAVING SUCH PEOPLE AS ADVISORS !

Quoting VOA News :

"U.S. President George Bush is urging nations of the world to be patient with a global economic recovery and to maintain policies that keep financial markets open.

During his weekly radio address Saturday, President Bush said it is especially important to continue open market policies at a time when the global economy is uncertain.

Mr. Bush will host a world economic summit in Washington on November 15. He called on leaders attending the summit to recommit themselves to what he describes as "proven methods for creating prosperity and hope."

The former head of the U.S. central bank, Alan Greenspan, told members of Congress Thursday that more regulation of the finance industry is needed. Greenspan opposed tighter regulations during his 18 years as chairman of the U.S. Federal Reserve. Greenspan said the current financial crisis has left him in a "state of shocked disbelief."

ANALYSIS : I SYMPATHIZE WITH A PERSON WITH THE ABILITY OF A. GREENSPAN..BUT WHY WERE THE PREDICTIONS OF GEORGE SOROS, WARREN BUFFET IGNORED ?