"You are required to report to Mumbai". Thats where the journey started,way back in July 2006 when TCS posted me to this sleepless city.The first sight of it gave me jitters as every pal said Mumbai is one place u may not enjoy. Its too crowded and its too expensive and blah blah. But with no other option the journey had to start and the start was a mix. 8 of us boarded Trivandrum Rajdhani to travel to Mumbai and it was one hell of a journey. I still laugh when i hear the song "Bheegi Bheegi si hain raate",with this song playing at the loudest decibel and all 8 of us laughing taking their own connotations out of it and directing it to one poor chap. The excitement in Rajdhani died down after 20 hours as everyone started feeling tired and all wished to reach the destination soon.
About 4 in the morning we got down at panvel not knowing anything about the local trains. We asked one chap " Boss Andheri Jaana hai,kaise jaana hoga" . Reply was aapko pehle harbour line se central jaana hoga (Kurla) and fir vahan se western. Bamboozled at this and with some luggage we decided to board a local to kurla,the first time in Mumbai local on the first day itself. Now after kurla we decided to take ataxi to Andheri,Sakinaka. We asked the cab waala - bhaiya Hotel Metro Chaloge. He tacitly said yes and on the way says bhaiya vaise yeh accha hotel nahin hai. We thought that atleast TCS wud give us good accomodation for few days and now this. He later clarified he meant this hotel was used for wrong purposes.. Gosh!!! TCS and yeh... Sign of things to come.
We reached the hotel at 5 with all red eyes and asked for the room keys. The manager says all rooms are full and you people can only take one after 10. Ohhh Man!!! Sona tha!! As we managed to get our ass on some chairs on the roof here come the great Mumbai rains. It started,stayed and stayed till I slept again next night.Next day I get a call in my room, a young voice says " Bhaiya Maal lagega kya". I said What? Reply - Hamare yahan saab jugad hai. Gosh!! What is this? Wud be safe to say the start was not good.Got to know after some days it was one of my friend who had called from the other room.HoHoo!! Our next task - Get the accomodation. As we tried to walk out the water level had already reached knee level, now what? where do we go? Luckily I managed to get into one of the relatives place walking thru the streets with water completely drenching me. And my frens he he well they had a rough time. The first day we were asked to report to office,one of the pals took an auto but it rained so heavily that autowaala left the courage and offered my fren the drive..
Back to the task to find an accomodation and Man O Man it was tough. We tried our best to stay close to the office and after some of mine futile tries at Thane six of us settled down in Kanjurmarg,the unproclaimed village of Mumbai and 102,1-C was the flat which was to bestowed upon by all of us.. To be Continued...
Monday, April 28, 2008
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Technology in cricket
This is one thing that I always thought of writing about and the latest move in ICL has compelled me even more. ICL has recently started a provison whereby each team gets 3 chances to challenge the umpire decision. When I saw it first time in lawn tennis, I thought it would come in cricket soon. Another thing I think would come up soon is something like football where instead of 11 regular players you have 15 players and you can replace them through the match. So to what extent can it go on? What should be the role of the umpire if everything is decided by technology?
Well I think their should be one side that should be choosen. One group of proponents claim that game of cricket is a great leveler and everything evens out in the end. So allow the umpires to have the maximum control of the game and dont use technology too much. Another thing that is true is if umpires are the sole decision makers then their is always some uncertainty involved and that adds to the charm of the game. But we have seen numerous times sometimes umpires have made horrendous mistakes and thereby have been a point of blame. The second test at Sydney between India and Australia is a case in point. Now lets have a look at the other side of the coin.
Hmmm..So which are the aspects where technology is currently being used. It all started from the use of third umpire to adjudge if a batsman is runout or not.This makes perfect sense as the on-field umpire cannot make out with a naked eye if a batsman is millimetres short of his crease plus the occurences of such instances are not many in a game. Now what after this? Technology has been used recently for helping umpires to take LBW decisions,finding out if the ball has carried to the fielder,finding out if the ball has been knicked by the batsman and some more instances. Now my point is technology is being used to ensure that least mistakes are made and the game is played in most fair manner. Now the paradox here is the umpires use technology when a bowler appeals and they are not able to make a concrete decision. But what about cases where the batsman feels he has been given out incorrectly and when a batsman is out but umpires do not give them out. Is game being played fairly in these cases? Thats where this concept of challenges by ICL fits in which almost eliminates every mistake. Hence if technology has to be used it has to be done for all cases.The flip side to this is that role of umpire gets very limited and for almost every doubt they refer to third umpire thereby delaying the game.
What would I like?Hmmm.. My heart says the older form was better with some uncertainities. However if we have to use technology it has to be done for all the stakeholders not the way we are using it now.
Well I think their should be one side that should be choosen. One group of proponents claim that game of cricket is a great leveler and everything evens out in the end. So allow the umpires to have the maximum control of the game and dont use technology too much. Another thing that is true is if umpires are the sole decision makers then their is always some uncertainty involved and that adds to the charm of the game. But we have seen numerous times sometimes umpires have made horrendous mistakes and thereby have been a point of blame. The second test at Sydney between India and Australia is a case in point. Now lets have a look at the other side of the coin.
Hmmm..So which are the aspects where technology is currently being used. It all started from the use of third umpire to adjudge if a batsman is runout or not.This makes perfect sense as the on-field umpire cannot make out with a naked eye if a batsman is millimetres short of his crease plus the occurences of such instances are not many in a game. Now what after this? Technology has been used recently for helping umpires to take LBW decisions,finding out if the ball has carried to the fielder,finding out if the ball has been knicked by the batsman and some more instances. Now my point is technology is being used to ensure that least mistakes are made and the game is played in most fair manner. Now the paradox here is the umpires use technology when a bowler appeals and they are not able to make a concrete decision. But what about cases where the batsman feels he has been given out incorrectly and when a batsman is out but umpires do not give them out. Is game being played fairly in these cases? Thats where this concept of challenges by ICL fits in which almost eliminates every mistake. Hence if technology has to be used it has to be done for all cases.The flip side to this is that role of umpire gets very limited and for almost every doubt they refer to third umpire thereby delaying the game.
What would I like?Hmmm.. My heart says the older form was better with some uncertainities. However if we have to use technology it has to be done for all the stakeholders not the way we are using it now.
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Marketing in Finance
Well after getting some encouragement for previous 2 posts the blogging bite has hit me too. Hmmm..Marketing in Finance.No theoretical stuff just some observations and yes on the critic side. After having seen my father investing in stock markets for many years I took to CNBC too. And my thinking has graduated in each of these years. I have started to see and comprehend beyond the headlines though at a primary level.
Probably the first thing I started learning to understand the things better was a basic hang of economics. No not the theoretical stuff just some practical aspects. So how good are the economists at predicting GDP of a country or calculating the WPI for an economy. Well frankly none of the analysts seem to get it right. After having watched numerous predictions I can safely say its a futile exercise. The latest inflation numbers just confirmed the same with no one coming close to the actuals. Its like every analyst takes the last inflation number and adds or subtracts something and comes out with new one. Entirely futile. It makes much more sense if they just confine to predicting the trend. But every news channel flashes these faulty predictions fully aware that its just a guess.
Next in the line are all these brokerage reports which people use to buy or sell shares. Well the greatest investor ever born,Warren Buffet, says you should buy a stock if it is availaible at a discount to its intrinsic value with the intrinsic value being calculated by a discounted cash flow or some similar pricing models. Pick up any research report and all it does is relative valuation throwing numbers at will and coming out with a target. The research reports by foreign investment banks and brokerages are even more pathetic. Hardly has any research report gone right in predicting stock valuations or prices. The testimony to this fact is only 20% of fund managers are able to beat the benchmark sensex. So lot of froth,less of reality.
What about all these technical analysts and sites giving daily recommendations to buy at a particular level and then keep some stop loss for a given target. Just plain crap. The latest trend is all these savvy analysts are starting their own blog and giving recommendations for free. Then after some time they start charging for these services. When markets are up every tom,dick and harry goes up. People are happy as they are making money and euphoria continues and then bang. The market crashes and retail investors who paid all those money without understanding what they are buying lose half of that. Obviously its business and I am not putting blame on all those analysts but just reflecting the froth. All these technical analysts have been proved wrong more often than they are right but still they get money on news channels just to speak numbers.
Absurd.
Last but not the least are these great investment bankers. People from elite B schools designing most sophisticated derivative products or selling something crap for millions which no one understands. The credit markets in US just reflect this with almost every bank reporting losses. Yes they did a great job fooling everyone in the past but are now taking it on their chin.
So the conclusion is their is a lot of froth and lot of hoopla has been created by media too. Well this is the ugly part of the business and in the end its the common man that bears the brunt. Yes their is a golden line "All investments are subject to market risk. Please be careful before investing". So you cant argue after all.
Probably the first thing I started learning to understand the things better was a basic hang of economics. No not the theoretical stuff just some practical aspects. So how good are the economists at predicting GDP of a country or calculating the WPI for an economy. Well frankly none of the analysts seem to get it right. After having watched numerous predictions I can safely say its a futile exercise. The latest inflation numbers just confirmed the same with no one coming close to the actuals. Its like every analyst takes the last inflation number and adds or subtracts something and comes out with new one. Entirely futile. It makes much more sense if they just confine to predicting the trend. But every news channel flashes these faulty predictions fully aware that its just a guess.
Next in the line are all these brokerage reports which people use to buy or sell shares. Well the greatest investor ever born,Warren Buffet, says you should buy a stock if it is availaible at a discount to its intrinsic value with the intrinsic value being calculated by a discounted cash flow or some similar pricing models. Pick up any research report and all it does is relative valuation throwing numbers at will and coming out with a target. The research reports by foreign investment banks and brokerages are even more pathetic. Hardly has any research report gone right in predicting stock valuations or prices. The testimony to this fact is only 20% of fund managers are able to beat the benchmark sensex. So lot of froth,less of reality.
What about all these technical analysts and sites giving daily recommendations to buy at a particular level and then keep some stop loss for a given target. Just plain crap. The latest trend is all these savvy analysts are starting their own blog and giving recommendations for free. Then after some time they start charging for these services. When markets are up every tom,dick and harry goes up. People are happy as they are making money and euphoria continues and then bang. The market crashes and retail investors who paid all those money without understanding what they are buying lose half of that. Obviously its business and I am not putting blame on all those analysts but just reflecting the froth. All these technical analysts have been proved wrong more often than they are right but still they get money on news channels just to speak numbers.
Absurd.
Last but not the least are these great investment bankers. People from elite B schools designing most sophisticated derivative products or selling something crap for millions which no one understands. The credit markets in US just reflect this with almost every bank reporting losses. Yes they did a great job fooling everyone in the past but are now taking it on their chin.
So the conclusion is their is a lot of froth and lot of hoopla has been created by media too. Well this is the ugly part of the business and in the end its the common man that bears the brunt. Yes their is a golden line "All investments are subject to market risk. Please be careful before investing". So you cant argue after all.
Friday, April 4, 2008
Indian Paisa(Premier) League
Its raining fours and sixes. People are dancing around and enjoying this great game of bat and ball. This was the traditional way of commentary. Looks like all this is going to change and will be something like this "Its raining money. Sushmita Sen or Diya Mirza are dancing around and people are enjoying their great moves". Thats precisely what IPL is.
IPL has been making a lot of hoopla nowadays with every team coming out with their names and dresses,SRK's dance track and many ads to promote the same. I dont intend to argue if IPL would really be beneficial to these ppl who have bought the teams at billions,its already been done by many newspapers. I am searching to find an answer to this question "What is the need for it?" Watching ICL for last few days have convinced me about the need of it. I mean ICL has a much better motive, they are providing an opportunity to all those passionate Indian cricketers who have tried and have played cricket all their lives but have still not been able to make it to the top level. The finals of ICL just showed the strength of the Indian counterparts with many cricketers proving their mettle in the tournament and the big thing money;yes 2 crores for the winning hyderabadis. Atleast ICL seeks to strenghen the basic infrastucture for cricket and gives a great platform.
Now coming back to IPL,what is the real need for it. Just that it has been launched as a measure against ICL.It would have been better if IPL too had tried to promote some Indian cricketers. But over here the money would again flow to already billionaires like Dhoni, Sachin.Even ICC does the same during the worldcups bringing in so many trivial teams and extending the world cup just to make money.If ICC was indeed serious about promoting cricket then they should have atleast organized more tournaments for such teams. Did we ever hear Netherlands or Scotland playing a tournament other than the World Cup.Its just paisa for ICC too.
But its only because BCCI has a real weight in ICC that makes it possible for them to start IPL.Infact ICC should be named as Indian Cricket Council. I mean how else can you make sure that for these 1.5 to 2 months no matches are held and all the international players can participate. Yes IPL could be great for spectators and the media,its like a bull market no one complains as every one is making money.But for cricket I dont think their is a real need for IPL. I think their will be an excess of 20-20 now with both IPL and ICL and soon we may have to come up with 10-10.
But paisa bolta hai mere dost.
Cash is King.
IPL has been making a lot of hoopla nowadays with every team coming out with their names and dresses,SRK's dance track and many ads to promote the same. I dont intend to argue if IPL would really be beneficial to these ppl who have bought the teams at billions,its already been done by many newspapers. I am searching to find an answer to this question "What is the need for it?" Watching ICL for last few days have convinced me about the need of it. I mean ICL has a much better motive, they are providing an opportunity to all those passionate Indian cricketers who have tried and have played cricket all their lives but have still not been able to make it to the top level. The finals of ICL just showed the strength of the Indian counterparts with many cricketers proving their mettle in the tournament and the big thing money;yes 2 crores for the winning hyderabadis. Atleast ICL seeks to strenghen the basic infrastucture for cricket and gives a great platform.
Now coming back to IPL,what is the real need for it. Just that it has been launched as a measure against ICL.It would have been better if IPL too had tried to promote some Indian cricketers. But over here the money would again flow to already billionaires like Dhoni, Sachin.Even ICC does the same during the worldcups bringing in so many trivial teams and extending the world cup just to make money.If ICC was indeed serious about promoting cricket then they should have atleast organized more tournaments for such teams. Did we ever hear Netherlands or Scotland playing a tournament other than the World Cup.Its just paisa for ICC too.
But its only because BCCI has a real weight in ICC that makes it possible for them to start IPL.Infact ICC should be named as Indian Cricket Council. I mean how else can you make sure that for these 1.5 to 2 months no matches are held and all the international players can participate. Yes IPL could be great for spectators and the media,its like a bull market no one complains as every one is making money.But for cricket I dont think their is a real need for IPL. I think their will be an excess of 20-20 now with both IPL and ICL and soon we may have to come up with 10-10.
But paisa bolta hai mere dost.
Cash is King.
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Meri Maan Aur Unke Bhagvaan!!!
Spending days at home can be fun especially the food and the sleep part. But sometimes you also are expected to live like a normal human being. After being in a hostel for 4 years I think all of us stray away from a normal lifestyle in many aspects and I am no exception. So the latest buzz at home is "Beta,tu mandir kyon nahin jaata?"
Now I would have had no problems if I was asked to do this once in a fortnight or so but no its like all the weekdays are dedicated to some God. Here is a small list that my mom follows and mind u thats only for one part of India which is a very small part of this world.Ok here goes the list!!
Monday - Shivaji
Tuesday- Hanumanji
Wednesday - Ganpathiji
Thursday - Peer Baba
Friday - Santoshi Maan ( I dont get to eat anything khatta on this day)
Now thats just for my mom. Wonder if I add and expand this to India itself I am sure the weekends would get occupied too. Well with full due respect I am not here to question any one beliefs and I fully respect them. I sometimes try to find a logic to this though in vain. I think more than anything its the satisfaction and peace that we get that we have done something good and now that may counteract the evil. One logic that has always eluded me is people say everything is predecided,its written in destiny.Then if it is so then why do we pray or wish for something extra when its already decided. Dont know...I know many would disagree with me on this sensitive issue but I really think their is lot of formality hidden in these aspects too. I am not an agnostic at all though dont pray or worship much. In my life till now even I have experienced that their is a superpower that has saved me and things have turned around and its only this that has led me to believe it to some extent. But at the same time when I see the plight of many , those small childrens asking for alms , those lame and amputated people,those sweet kids who die without a fault of their own I wonder and question it again. People even find a logic to that,they would have done something bad in their previous birth. Aahhhh.....too much
Thats enough for this first article as I hear my mom shouting again. Go and have a haircut,navratris are starting from tomorrow and their is some belief that one should not have a haircut in Navratris!!!
Oh My God!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Now I would have had no problems if I was asked to do this once in a fortnight or so but no its like all the weekdays are dedicated to some God. Here is a small list that my mom follows and mind u thats only for one part of India which is a very small part of this world.Ok here goes the list!!
Monday - Shivaji
Tuesday- Hanumanji
Wednesday - Ganpathiji
Thursday - Peer Baba
Friday - Santoshi Maan ( I dont get to eat anything khatta on this day)
Now thats just for my mom. Wonder if I add and expand this to India itself I am sure the weekends would get occupied too. Well with full due respect I am not here to question any one beliefs and I fully respect them. I sometimes try to find a logic to this though in vain. I think more than anything its the satisfaction and peace that we get that we have done something good and now that may counteract the evil. One logic that has always eluded me is people say everything is predecided,its written in destiny.Then if it is so then why do we pray or wish for something extra when its already decided. Dont know...I know many would disagree with me on this sensitive issue but I really think their is lot of formality hidden in these aspects too. I am not an agnostic at all though dont pray or worship much. In my life till now even I have experienced that their is a superpower that has saved me and things have turned around and its only this that has led me to believe it to some extent. But at the same time when I see the plight of many , those small childrens asking for alms , those lame and amputated people,those sweet kids who die without a fault of their own I wonder and question it again. People even find a logic to that,they would have done something bad in their previous birth. Aahhhh.....too much
Thats enough for this first article as I hear my mom shouting again. Go and have a haircut,navratris are starting from tomorrow and their is some belief that one should not have a haircut in Navratris!!!
Oh My God!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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