Two Worlds Many Lives

This week India zoomed its way into space looking for answers for questions that has long mystified the world at large. Another event I saw on television actually looked to assume answers by interpreting texts to suit their purpose in the name of god. Both of them very contrasting indeed.

What is interesting is the fact that the day when this great feat happened I saw a documentary on national television about the Taliban way of life and I had an opportunity to compare two completely different world in a radius of few thousand km’s. First thing first...it was a moment of great joy and pride to see India making great strides in science and technology especially in space which one thought was a territory reserved for chosen few. I have recently completed reading a book by our former president APJ Abul Kalam called "Wings of fire". In this book Mr. Kalam actually talks about Indian space odyssey and how it started with a very humble beginning. To see it come of age is very heartening and a great inspiration for all of us. The world has suddenly started taking note of India, and we are being seen as major world power. In this development, women have contributed as much as any men and the example of this was very clearly seen in the launching of the Chandrayan(The lunar satellite) and all the other feat which today we are so very proud of.

Now contrast this with the episode I saw on television where women were beaten for making loud noise with their feet, where display of any body part would invite the wrath of the militia and moral policemen would trod the city looking to make merry on a prey at the first signs of defiance. 

Having seen this and having read both the books of Khalid Hussaini ('The Kite Runner' and 'The Thousand Splendid Sun's') I just cannot sigh away for thanking god for having given me the society that I am in. India for all its failings is a far, far more civilized society. At the same time we also cannot shrug away from the responsibility to better it and make it a model for all to follow. In my last article i had talked of Indian way of life and here i would go one step further in saying that Indian way of life should not only be limited to savings, spirituality or family orientation in fact we should move forward towards building the nation, a opportunity for everyone to perform or excel be it male or female or any individual subscribing to any faith. Also a free reign without any regulation is good for no one and I am of firm opinion that any individual or group not subscribing to the values of Indian constitution should be dealt with very heavy hand. If we can do this and do it with vigor and passion, Indian way of life could be our next biggest export and in the era of strengthening dollar this could bring about handsome return as well………

.....Sac

 

The Black Hole

"Black Hole"- well thats what the BFSI collapse sounds like and the tech companies are heading towards tough times.
On an average BFSI firms spend 6-10% of their revenues on technology and as the finanical cirsis is deepening the industry is expecting a cut of 15 to 20% on the total offshore business to which India accounts for 75% to 80%.
The competition is further going to stiffen as the consolidation in the BFSI will trigger revision of existing contracts with their technical partners. Like Merrill Lynch's takeover by BOA would leave satyam computers unsure whether the combined entity will retain it on its vendors list as BOA has been working with Infy and TCS only. Or this kind of a situation might invite price war which remains to be vitnessed in the comming years.

Avinash
The above article has been carved out from a story in Nov 1 08 outlook by Nandita Datta

RECIPE OF THE DAY

NON VEG
Chicken - Breast piece 250 gms
Curd - 5 table spoons
Lemon - 1 small size
Red chilli powder
Green Chillies - 1 medium size
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 table spoon
Salt and Pepper

The Recipe
Mix - Curd, Lemon, salt, red chillies, lemon , chopped green chillies and marinate the chicken in it for 1 hr.
Meanwhile pre heat the oven at 230 deg.
After one hour put the marinated pices of chicken in the oven on a greased plate for 30 minutes.

The scribbling of a Sunday afternoon....

Watching Howard Hughes happened while my remote worked overtime .

The condition on a late Sunday morning is much like meditation - when your body is completely relaxed , the mind remains in state of active alertness . Like a ninja .. still like lake water but ever conscious of impending danger. Similar is the situation when you've been lying motionless on couch for time untold and the remote in tandem with your mind moves from one channel to other .....Ever alert to the first signs of boredom and spryly moving to next .. this is when u also take deep breaths ..yaaaawwnnnnn!

Following a such a breath of life .. ,,I stumbled upon Howard Hughes's story on the history channel . Howard used to design and construct planes . Also an ace pilot he was known to test flight his own designs when not making movies and planning industrial expansion.

Nov 1, 19 something( post world war II) entire country watched the largest water plane get ready for maiden run in the California waters. H4, as it was called ,was clearly a herculean effort . Critics believed that the plane of this size can never take off . It was three times the size of largest aircraft known to be commissioned for the US air force .

It took five years of non stop work from Howard’s team. While the aircraft was in its last stage of assembly, Howard was test piloting another lighter aircraft. A technical snag in the flight caused Howard to stay in air longer than expected. It is said that he continued with the flight to understand more of the problem ensuing a crash landing in one of the house. This is the third time he tricked death.

H4 project came in middle of whirlwind of government charges against Howard on many contracts he executed for the air force. Howard defended it with all his force .The trauma lasted 6 months.

Back to H4, the plane was finally ready... and amidst all criticism and pressure Howard took H4 into the ocean. The plane was to be run on taxi with 100 reporters on board and an inspector from the aviation ministry.

Howard was categorically told NOT to fly as certain hydraulics remained to be tested. Howard pushed on all engines and pushed the aircraft near take off velocity. While the world waited in anticipation if the H4 could fly, the inspector’s cold eyes would record incident in log and cause h4 to be grounded for ever. Howard also knew it could risk the lives of all on board.

He pushed it further, H4 was airborne and the country erupted in joy as the live commentator broadcasted the scene sitting in the cabin.

It was the only flight H4 ever made. ….But Howard proved every single disbeliever wrong !

History does not get made on couches.... but blogs do . ..he he !!
Rahul

http://www.vccircle.com/columns/the-us-financial-crisis-impact-on-the-indian-it-sector

The US Financial Crisis: Impact On The Indian IT Sector

By Manohar M. Atreya, Head - Technology M&A, o3 Capital Advisors Pvt Ltd,

DIG THIS!!!

Between last week and current, RBI 's activity to ease the liquidity situation led to downward revision in CRR in two phases thus injecting 20,000 cr and 10,000 cr into the system... add to this 25,000 cr of farm loan waiver which is being supplied to banks and in a crude fashion convert to dollar denomination ..... this equals a whopping $ 27 billion in a matter of 10 days!!

$250 billion is the quantum of money deployed in last week by US to to keep the economy afloat.
Compare the above nos with this information :
Size of US economy approx $14 trillion
Size of Indian economy approx $ 1 trillion

and we dont even have a subprime related issue .. :)

this is perpective ! .......... smirks chintu !