Mundane tidbits

Does this remind you of your own...

2009-03-13T17:00:00.000-07:00

A must read....please read.

"Some days, we’d go exploring in the woods. Our minds full of fantastical stories of bad guys chasing us, we decided we must build a tree house. So we gathered up scrap pieces of old wood, rusty nails pulled out of rotting pieces of equipment, and a hammer someone nicked from their Father’s toolbox. Then we’d nail this crap to a tree. Once the rickety house was complete, we’d climb up in it, careful to hold on to the branches in case the floor gave out beneath us. Then, we’d muse to ourselves that we had not built it high enough.

We built ramps in parking lots and jumped them with every toy we had that sported wheels. Skateboards, bikes, roller skates. We didn’t have helmets or kneepads or elbow pads. It didn’t matter. Sometimes we’d fall and rub the skin completely off of our bodies. Nobody cared.

We’d eat berries and apples from strange trees. We’d ride our bikes 6 miles to the park, alone. And not just any park, either. We went to parks with monkey bars higher than our Dad’s heads and dangled our legs over cement. We sat in puddles full of oil and water and swam in water so dirty it might as well be called sewage. In the summertime, we’d go 6, 7, 8 hours at a time without laying eyes on our parents."

Excerpt from: Childhood: Then and Now

Warren Buffett - words of wisdom

2009-03-02T16:40:00.000-08:00

I admire Warren Buffett for being a person firmly rooted in ground, in fundamentals. Short-cuts are short-term. Whether you listen to him being interviewed on TV or read his annual letter to his companies' share-holders, you see that his wisdom lies in his simplicity. Below is an excerpt that caught my attention as I was going through his annual letter to Berkshire Hathaway's shareholders in these tough economic times.

"However, I have pledged—to you, the rating agencies and myself—to always run Berkshire with more than ample cash. We never want to count on the kindness of strangers in order to meet tomorrow's obligations. When forced to choose, I will not trade even a night's sleep for the chance of extra profits."

Skilled immigrants leaving the U.S.

2009-03-02T15:25:00.000-08:00

Why skilled immigrants are leaving the U.S. is a summarization of Vivek Wadhwa's research presented in BusinessWeek. I read through the article and found it to be, at best, naive. To me, it doesnt tell something that we dont know. Given the fact that it is a research work, I expected more than what is served.

However, the motivation behind this entry does not lie in the article. It lies in the comments to the article. Going through a few pages of comments that the article has received, I felt surprised at the whipping meted out to the H1B candidates. Maybe, the research article wrongfully provokes a seperatist sentiment at a time when American people have lost jobs for no consequence of their own.

However, it is important to look at the other side of the coin. A migrant worker comes seeking opportunity. H1B in particular, is an example of supply and demand. It is not one way. Being someone who has been in the same shoes, the settlement in a new land is particularly challenging for the first generation of immigrants. It is the lure of opportunity, a better tomorrow and the inherent will to explore that drives people to uproot themselves and tread the path less known. Sadly, most of us who have migrated will remain fickle life long.

The comments to the article, some unexpectedly inflammatory, drove me to ponder on the fragility of virtuous tendencies like openness and acceptance. How the varying parameters of temperature and pressure extend their effect past the lifeless world of matter and unto the human mind. It is no surprise when analysts forecast the impact of the global recession to incite social unrest.

And, irrespective of all rhetoric to shun protectionism, seems it is no to immigrants in Britain as well. How time changes everything!

Photo: thomas and friend by Andre du Plessis

2009-02-13T18:00:00.001-08:00

I stumbled upon this page as I was leisurely enjoying some beautiful photographs. Tired from a day’s work, complaining, whining, focussed on the emptiness of the glass, I came to this photograph. Unquestionably an attention grabber, my focus shifted from the details of this photograph to the description modestly tucked below. Ashamed at myself and inspired at the same time, I share with you this lovely work of art, both by the photographer and the subjects themselves.

thomas and friend
by Andre du Plessis

I came across this man and his dogs when I assisted at a trade show in Paris during September 2008. At the time he was sheltering from the rain in a disused shop entrance close to the Pompidou Centre.
Thomas was very forthcoming and courteous, and agreed to my suggestion to visit him later that day to take some pictures and was happy for me to record and share his story.
He avoids sheltering schemes, and moves around all the time, spending most of his days around the St. Michelle area. Originally from Dortmund, he has been living rough in Paris for 15 years now. Odd jobs supply him with some income, as he still sends money to his 4 children, who are back in Germany.
This location was quite intimidating, as this doorway was immediately opposite a very plush bar/brasserie, and everyone was staring and probably hating me for taking advantage of such a situation. Thomas seemed to have enjoyed this session. I did not ask him to change his position - just plonked myself down on the pavement in front of him and shot as we spoke and he sat. For this image I asked him to follow the gaze of his dog, and used the available light, as I always do.
He moves around town with his four dogs on long leads, pushing a bicycle & trailer contraption with a flag on top of it. How he manages to keep his dogs in tow is quite a mystery, as they hardly adhere to any orderly system, and half of his awake day must be taken up by the constant untangling of their ropes.
We made an arrangement that I shall look for him on my next visit there to hand him the prints from our impromptu photo session in the street. That will hopefully be soon.
Given Thomas's life and hardships, I especially appreciate this frame where both him and one of his friends look forward and upwards. Positive and determined.
à bientôt thomas!

Courtesy: Photo: thomas and friend by Andre du Plessis

Gliding in symphony - a photo

2009-02-12T15:47:00.000-08:00

Came across this shot taken at US Figure skating Championships.

Courtesy: Seattle Times

News delivered to your PC!

2009-02-11T13:47:00.001-08:00

Interestingly, after reading a blog entry explaining Netbooks, their emergence and price comparisons, my attention swayed onto a rather queer looking title for this day and age. Turns out:

“In 1981, San Francisco TV station KRON aired a news segment about how a select group of computer users were getting their daily copy of the San Francisco Examiner not on paper, but on their home computer (!).”

Here’s the report, a must view, to travel back in time :).

1981 - report from KRON

Courtesy: A Newspaper? On a PC? That’s Crazy Talk - Bits Blog - NYTimes.com

Teetotalism

2009-02-11T11:37:00.001-08:00

Teetotalism (or T-total) is the practice and promotion of complete abstinence from alcoholic beverages. A person who practices (and possibly advocates) teetotalism is called a teetotaler or teetotaller (plural teetotalers or teetotallers).

Courtesy: Teetotalism - Wikipedia

India: 500,000 job losses in the last quarter

2009-02-09T09:30:00.001-08:00

When I first read of the 500,000 number, the question that sprung to me was, who and how did we arrive at this number. When countries like US & Canada announce their numbers, they have data on hand like unemployment claims to back those numbers. What metrics does India have to arrive at that number. And now that we have arrived at a number based on the tools and inputs in place, how accurate could that be? To me, it conceals more than it reveals. Browsing through Business Standard today, I found some validation and more questions.

Citi further said that the Ministry of Labour has indicated that over 5,00,000 jobs were lost during October-December 2008, with export-oriented sectors such as gems and jewellery, autos, and textiles being most impacted.
However, the report stated that this statistic only covers the organised sector, which comprises just 10 per cent of the country's workforce of close to 385 million.

A shark in your tank!

2009-02-07T16:16:00.001-08:00

The Japanese have always loved fresh fish. But the water close to Japan has not held many fish for decades. So to feed the Japanese population, fishing boats got bigger and went farther than ever. The farther the fishermen went, the longer it took to bring the fish. If the return trip took more time, the fish were not fresh.
To solve this problem, fish companies installed freezers on their boats. They would catch the fish and freeze them at sea. Freezers allowed the boats to go farther and stay longer. However, the Japanese could taste the difference between fresh and frozen fish. And they did not like the taste of frozen fish. The frozen fish brought a lower price. So, fishing companies installed fish tanks. They would catch the fish and stuff them in the tanks, fin to fin. After a little thrashing around, they were tired, dull, and lost their fresh-fish taste. The fishing industry faced an impending crisis!
But today, they get fresh-tasting fish to Japan. How did they manage? To keep the fish tasting fresh, the Japanese fishing companies still put the fish in the tanks but with a small shark.
The fish are challenged and hence are constantly on the move. The challenge they face keeps them alive and fresh!
Have you realized that some of us are also living in a pond but most of the time tired and dull? Basically in our lives, sharks are new challenges to keep us active. If you are steadily conquering challenges, you are happy. Your challenges keep you energized. Don't create success and revel in it in a state of inertia. You have the resources, skills and abilities to make a difference. Put a shark in your tank and see how far you can really go!
"Weakness of attitude becomes weakness of character" - Albert Einstein

Courtesy:

Phew! This is really the hard part. As I was stumbling around, I came across this beautiful passage and wanted to share it. I started searching around to validate the source of this write-up, but could only find blogs and other websites sharing just as I do. At best, someone has attributed it to a forwarded mail. It really frustrates me to be unable to mention the source of something so strikingly motivational.

In the best of fairness, I am linking it to the blog I read this first at. Thanks, Deven.

In my search for the origins, I enjoyed Deven’s blog, especially the words of wisdom in his profile and, Shekhar Kapur’s blog.

This inspirational passage also reminded me of another motivational piece about the Lion & the gazelle.

Every morning…

2009-02-07T16:14:00.001-08:00

Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up.
It knows that it must outrun the fastest lion or it will be killed.
Every morning in Africa, a lion wakes up.
It knows that it must out run the slowest gazelle or it will starve.
It does not matter whether you are a lion or gazelle. When the sun comes up you had better be running.

Courtesy:

An African proverb – source unknown.

This is one of my favourites. I first read it at an organization I used to work for. It has been etched in my memory every since.

A Passage To Hollywood

2009-02-06T12:51:00.001-08:00

The director is American. The stars are from India. And the movie, which is scheduled to open in India and the U.S. this fall, has Hollywood special effects and Bollywood song-and-dance.
The horror film "Hisss," currently wrapping up shooting in Mumbai, is a result of a growing collaboration between Hollywood and the Indian film industry.
Money, stars and scripts are flowing in both directions, giving rise to a new genre of crossover cinema. Among the projects in development: Screenwriter Paul Schrader, famous for such films as "Taxi Driver" and "Raging Bull," is working on a thriller with an Indian producer. Sylvester Stallone will appear in "Kambakkht Ishq," or "Incredible Love," an action-filled comedy shot in Los Angeles and starring Akshay Kumar. Indian film mega star Shahrukh Khan is producing and starring in a superhero film that will be co-written by American and Indian screenwriters and digitally souped up by American special-effects technicians.
Crossover projects have been percolating for several years but are heating up with the success of "Slumdog Millionaire." The rags-to-riches tale shot in the slums of Mumbai has become a surprise Oscar darling with 10 Academy Award nominations, including best picture.

Excerpt from: A Passage To Hollywood - WSJ.com

Perfect!

2009-02-04T16:57:00.001-08:00

Someone once told me, “Perfect is the enemy of good.”. I finally understood what it meant thanks to a similar reference by Obama in response to the Republicans.

"Let's not make the perfect the enemy of the essential," Obama said as Senate Republicans stepped up their criticism of the bill's spending and pressed for additional tax cuts and relief for homeowners. He warned that failure to act quickly "will turn crisis into a catastrophe and guarantee a longer recession."

Downturn Idles China's Laborers

2009-02-02T16:21:00.001-08:00

Firecrackers, which on the new year's eve once went on all night, stopped shortly after midnight. About a quarter of the village's migrants didn't even make it home -- mainly because they had lost their jobs, and were unable to afford the trip or loath to show up with bad news.

The government estimates the total population of rural migrants -- those working outside their home village -- at approximately 130 million people. Mr. Chen said his estimate of 20 million job losses was based on an official survey in January of migrant workers in 15 provinces, which showed 15.3% of respondents had lost their jobs or been unable to find work. He said the total number of migrants looking for jobs this year will likely be at least 25 million, since usually six million to seven million people join the migrant work force each year.

Courtesy: Downturn Idles China's Laborers - WSJ.com

Technorati Tags: Financial crisis

Amazing advertisements

2009-02-02T12:46:00.000-08:00

Courtesy: forwarded email from Mayur Rawal

Humour in crisis - Nuggets from Fwds

2009-02-02T12:24:00.001-08:00

Few of my favourites from the last email I received:

Do you have any idea how cheap stocks are?? Wall Street is now being
called Wall Mart Street - Jay Leno
The problem with investment bank balance sheet is that on the left side
nothing's right and on the right side nothing's left.
Bush was asked about the credit crunch. He said it was his favourite
candy bar - Jay Leno
The rescue bill was about 450 pages. President Bush's copy is even
thicker. They had to include pictures - Jay Leno
and the best….
What worries me most about the credit crunch, is that if one of my
cheques is returned stamped 'insufficient funds'. I won't know whether that
refers to mine or the bank's

Part 3 - End of Wall Street: What Happens Next (WSJ Video)

2009-01-30T11:49:00.000-08:00

Chapter Three:

This final chapter of the crisis on Wall Street tells the story of the $700-billion bailout, as seen through a reporter's eyes, and looks at what's ahead for the global economy.

Courtesy: The Wall Street Journal (wsj.com)

Part 2 - End of Wall Street: Why it Happened (WSJ Video)

2009-01-30T11:43:00.000-08:00

Chapter Two:
What was going through the minds of CEOs, corporate boards, fund managers and mortgage lenders as they created hard-to-understand derivatives Warren Buffett once called "weapons of financial mass destruction."

Courtesy: The Wall Street Journal (wsj.com)

Part 1 - End of Wall Street: What Happened? (WSJ video)

2009-01-30T11:34:00.000-08:00

Chapter One:

In the first of this three-part series, Journal reporters explain how the housing bubble inflated and burst, and why easy money led to the collapse of Wall Street's biggest financial institutions.

Courtesy: The Wall Street Journal (wsj.com)

Fundamentals, I guess

2009-01-26T11:58:00.001-08:00

Baycrest Six know credit

Even during the Depression, credit was the last thing anybody wanted, a sign of shame. "When I was nine or 10, my dad was a tailor but he couldn't find work. My mother had to go to a grocery store to buy essentials. The owner wrote our name in a book, $1.65," Mr. Brown says.

When his father found work and was paid, the first thing his mother did was wipe out that $1.65 debt.

Times have changed. Canadians have never been in more debt than they are today. They have also never saved so little.

The present state - in a nutshell

2008-10-24T17:00:00.001-07:00

“When we came in to work today, the futures market was telling us the world was about to end,” said Sid Mokhtari, a market technician at CIBC World Markets Inc. “In the end, we managed to hang in there relatively okay. But sellers still have the upper hand, and we're still searching for a bottom.”

Where that bottom is, no one really knows. As country after country announces it is expecting, or already experiencing, a recession, it is becoming clear that this is no fleeting panic.

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime crisis, and possibly the largest financial crisis of its kind in human history,” said Bank of England deputy governor Charles Bean. “In terms of impact on the real economy we are still early days.”

With a speed that is taking everyone's breath away, the world has gone in a few short weeks from credit crunch to credit crisis to global financial meltdown and now to full-blown economic emergency.

An excerpt from a RoB article.

Trying Scribefire for Firefox

2008-10-20T17:32:00.002-07:00

After being out of touch with blogging lately, I was curious to find how the Scribefire add-on for Firefox works. Here is a test post for the same.

Cadillac commerical - return the favor?

2008-10-09T18:09:00.000-07:00

Left me impressed.

On this day in...

2008-09-04T17:55:00.000-07:00

1781: Spanish colonists found a settlement in southern California known as El Pueblo Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Ángeles de Porciúncula, later shortened to Los Angeles!

A different perspective

2008-06-19T12:36:00.000-07:00

While all of us are busy ranting about the price of OIL for each barrel, CNBC has a perspective to offer. See how you feel when you start comparing the price of OIL to that of other routine items like coffee, milk, ice-cream, beer and coke - by the barrel.

http://www.cnbc.com/id/25086684

Opening post for the summer

2008-05-28T12:01:00.000-07:00

On my blog again after a few months of absence - on the brighter side, this is getting pretty consistent! And once again kicking off this session with my usual prayer - Lord, grant me the strength to be consistent in updating my blog (which includes getting the ideas, content, time, space, attitude, verbage and ofcourse, the fire within).

We will keep this short for the summer inaugral session and refrain from getting carried away by the first post. Cheers, everyone (aka the 2 gracious people who visit this blog once every two months).