The company that owns the Chicago Sun-Times and 58 other newspapers and online sites said Tuesday it had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
Who is it going to be next in line? New York Times or Washington Post?
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Monday, March 30, 2009
In the end
You're not how much money you've got in the bank. You're not your job. You're not your family, and you're not who you tell yourself.... You're not your name.... You're not your problems.... You're not your age.... You are not your hopes. You are the all-singing, all-dancing crap of the world.
Till there I'm with tyler but then he doesn't really tell who we are, does he? Well my take is that all we have that are really ours are our memories and that defines what sort of a life we have lived. Gosh! tis' getting too heavy, lets leave this over here and just live for the moment, and the future, there is nothing that can't be handled while past, nothing can be done. Take care of your present moment and everything falls into place be it your past or present.
Till there I'm with tyler but then he doesn't really tell who we are, does he? Well my take is that all we have that are really ours are our memories and that defines what sort of a life we have lived. Gosh! tis' getting too heavy, lets leave this over here and just live for the moment, and the future, there is nothing that can't be handled while past, nothing can be done. Take care of your present moment and everything falls into place be it your past or present.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
The Devil is in the details
Godavari the picturesque (for the tourists) and Godavari as money (for those building the dam) are twin realities of today. For the tribal people, it is the same old struggle — land, forests and everyday survival; with Godavari, the lifeline.
This has become a kind of a regular feature every time an irrigation project or a power project is taken up in India. Either they are up against the project for ecological or displacement reasons and one emminent personality went as far as saying that it's better to live in darkness then go this way. Mam, very easy for you to say this since your house is not in some remote pocket where the very survival for day-to-day revolves around the electricity and the amount of water being pumped into the fieldsIs it ok to sacrifice human opportunities to preserve nature and way of living. Obviously, we must protect nature and the usage rights, but when it comes to a choice, the needs of human beings at large, I think, must precede nature. To believe to the contrary is not only elitist but also immoral.
At the end of the day, one way or the other this project will be taken up so instead of fighting it why not try and make a better deal out of it. Pick up from where you left in a new place.
Friday, March 27, 2009
Ignorance!
People don't even know that there is no Uniform Civil code in India. Really it's mind boggling that these are the educated urban populace, imagine the state of rural dwellers. Two things BJP is identified with are one Ram mandir and this the other, still people are so ignorant of this fact is beyond me.
PetreIiance: Elephant plays StRaTeGiC Tiger
CaVeAt EmPtOr!! The oil sector is on the verge of deregulation.. to take on the high profile international competition now expected in the domestic market, a high cash flow generating entity with a strong balance-sheet was indispensable. And the RIL-RPL merger could not have been timed better. The move should not come as surprising at all.. but when it did happen, it caught company watchers and market alike off-guard...
The move looks to be a masterstroke but the shareholders' benefits are unclear... RPL's refinery is considered to be more efficient than that of RIL. Concurrent with the market value criteria, the swap ratio turned out to be 16:1, which could have been quite different, had RIL waited for RPL to start production, what would then have been a fair value based on the projected strengths.
Both companies enjoy a tax holiday: RIL's refinery has export oriented unit status till March 2010, but after that there is no clarity. RPL's refinery will have tax-benefits for five years from the first day of commercialisation, anticipated to be sometime in April at the latest. There is another catch for competition in the merger. As a separate entity, RPL would have to make public its refining margins; to the convenience of investors, as they would have been able to compare the margins of RPL vis-a vis RIL, to their advantage. With the merger, there is just one number which it has to publish.
Not having to incur double tax cut on dividents sounds music to investors' though...
The move looks to be a masterstroke but the shareholders' benefits are unclear... RPL's refinery is considered to be more efficient than that of RIL. Concurrent with the market value criteria, the swap ratio turned out to be 16:1, which could have been quite different, had RIL waited for RPL to start production, what would then have been a fair value based on the projected strengths.
Both companies enjoy a tax holiday: RIL's refinery has export oriented unit status till March 2010, but after that there is no clarity. RPL's refinery will have tax-benefits for five years from the first day of commercialisation, anticipated to be sometime in April at the latest. There is another catch for competition in the merger. As a separate entity, RPL would have to make public its refining margins; to the convenience of investors, as they would have been able to compare the margins of RPL vis-a vis RIL, to their advantage. With the merger, there is just one number which it has to publish.
Not having to incur double tax cut on dividents sounds music to investors' though...
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Sunday, March 22, 2009
IPL, not in India?
Whoa! seriously the state can't provide security for 7 matches being played across a duration of six weeks? Surely some heads should start rolling in an ideal world.
Don't get me wrong and I do agree that conducting the election is of utmost important compared to the frivolous cricket matches. Still you just need a heavy security cover for the polling and counting days, otherwise by and large the security apparatus will be quite free.
Is this something to do with Congress flexing it's muscle to meets it's own ends because only the states that are being ruled by their governments have been at the forefront of creating bottlenecks for the IPL. Whatever the reason, I think the powers that be should be made answerable to why they can't guarantee the security while the election process is on? Because if you go by that logic then the criminals can make a killing while the big brother is away trying to guard our right to vote in a peaceful and safe environment. Like that ever happens, truth be told they play their part in making sure that the government of the day gets an advantage over it's rivals.
Now coming onto the fact that 'Indian' Premiere league will be played in England or South Africa, it just doesn't have the same appeal as it was the last time around. Some how the second season no longer appeals to me any more, lets see if come April 10'th I'll even bother to catch it on television.
Don't get me wrong and I do agree that conducting the election is of utmost important compared to the frivolous cricket matches. Still you just need a heavy security cover for the polling and counting days, otherwise by and large the security apparatus will be quite free.
Is this something to do with Congress flexing it's muscle to meets it's own ends because only the states that are being ruled by their governments have been at the forefront of creating bottlenecks for the IPL. Whatever the reason, I think the powers that be should be made answerable to why they can't guarantee the security while the election process is on? Because if you go by that logic then the criminals can make a killing while the big brother is away trying to guard our right to vote in a peaceful and safe environment. Like that ever happens, truth be told they play their part in making sure that the government of the day gets an advantage over it's rivals.
Now coming onto the fact that 'Indian' Premiere league will be played in England or South Africa, it just doesn't have the same appeal as it was the last time around. Some how the second season no longer appeals to me any more, lets see if come April 10'th I'll even bother to catch it on television.
Sucks for the Haters
Freida Pinto will follow up her performance in the Oscar-winning "Slumdog Millionaire" with a role in Woody Allen's latest project.
I don't see why people are after her acting skills. She has not gone around claiming that there are lot of hollywood projects in the pipeline waiting for her green signal or even that she is the most sought after 'desi' chica! She even enrolled herself in an acting course, which shows that she is willing to learn unlike others. You go girl!!
I don't see why people are after her acting skills. She has not gone around claiming that there are lot of hollywood projects in the pipeline waiting for her green signal or even that she is the most sought after 'desi' chica! She even enrolled herself in an acting course, which shows that she is willing to learn unlike others. You go girl!!
Friday, March 20, 2009
The 2009 TIME 100 Finalists
I'll stick my neck out and predict that it'll be Barack Obama who will end up with the top honors this year.
Pretty interesting list with Ratan Tata, Mukesh Ambani & surprise surprise Sonia Gandhi second year running, made it to the list from India. The question is will they make it into the top 100? I doubt that, maybe Indra Noyi stands a chance and that Business consultant Ram Charan might make it and then the whole of desiland can go ga ga over it.
BTW from when did Sonia G start to combat poverty?
Pretty interesting list with Ratan Tata, Mukesh Ambani & surprise surprise Sonia Gandhi second year running, made it to the list from India. The question is will they make it into the top 100? I doubt that, maybe Indra Noyi stands a chance and that Business consultant Ram Charan might make it and then the whole of desiland can go ga ga over it.
BTW from when did Sonia G start to combat poverty?
Test hundred No.42
Take a bow little Man.
P.S: Was watching Sachin make all this happen in front of our eyes, the ultimate answer to our life, universe and everything?
P.S: Was watching Sachin make all this happen in front of our eyes, the ultimate answer to our life, universe and everything?
Bonjour people!
Why? The quintessential question. Because. The omnipresent answer.
Circa in 2009, one of my friends asked me to contribute on his blog which was already on the verge of registering it's 100th post... I instantly identified the latent need... Why? A number of reasons...
A. The request was from someone to whom I d give my right arm when needed..
B. A recognized need to record and share random thoughts
C. To be a physically identifiable entity in the cosmos in the absence of SSN... :P
The owner of the blog has set the standards too high for me to meet n I already find myself looking around and nudging for space... I ll try to be true to 100% effect with watever I divulge to you about my musings.. This post marks the coming of the 100th post . The new year came with a bang, with a message that if your outlook is sunnier, you seemingly have more at stake than just hanging in there. So if you believe there might be light at the end of the tunnel, you will be motivated to persist through these hard times. It does'nt matter if you are naturally cheerful or a worrier, just hang in there.. future is yours... and so do I come with the 'Hope'... :P that I ll be accepted in good spirits...
So, from this day onwards, this blog shall contain everything - useless ramblings, candid confessions, special incidents et al!
Keep visiting and feel free to criticize/appreciate, as you deem fit!
Circa in 2009, one of my friends asked me to contribute on his blog which was already on the verge of registering it's 100th post... I instantly identified the latent need... Why? A number of reasons...
A. The request was from someone to whom I d give my right arm when needed..
B. A recognized need to record and share random thoughts
C. To be a physically identifiable entity in the cosmos in the absence of SSN... :P
The owner of the blog has set the standards too high for me to meet n I already find myself looking around and nudging for space... I ll try to be true to 100% effect with watever I divulge to you about my musings.. This post marks the coming of the 100th post . The new year came with a bang, with a message that if your outlook is sunnier, you seemingly have more at stake than just hanging in there. So if you believe there might be light at the end of the tunnel, you will be motivated to persist through these hard times. It does'nt matter if you are naturally cheerful or a worrier, just hang in there.. future is yours... and so do I come with the 'Hope'... :P that I ll be accepted in good spirits...
So, from this day onwards, this blog shall contain everything - useless ramblings, candid confessions, special incidents et al!
Keep visiting and feel free to criticize/appreciate, as you deem fit!
Sunday, March 15, 2009
A New Beginning
Almost reaching 100 posts in this blog and not only do I have it up & running but also updating it regularly. That is something new for me, usually by two weeks the enthusiasm tapers down and I let that be....that is till the itch starts again and the same cycle is repeated again. But not this time, so yay! for that. A sort of monotony has creeped into my posts and I was wondering what I could do to spice this blog up, easiest way would be to convert it into a picture blog. Not this time though, have done with being immature to an extent that I no longer miss being immature.
By now most of the loyal & 'regular' readers of this blog might have got enough perspective from the left side of the spectrum and it is only fair that we get something from the right side too. Starting today, this blog will be a collaborative effort. You'll start getting a wider take on things from Niki. Finally you might actually get to read something substantial and useful stuff rather than my inane rants
What can you expect from Niki? Well lets just say that if Niki is yin, I'm yang and vice-versa. We have different views on a whole range of issues but deep down both of us are the same. Rest assured 'there will be blood,' once we get down to our own flame wars.
Whom am I kidding, Niki is like my master and I the young padawan. So it would be a great disservice to my master if I say we are both equals and like always with my masters association with anything, this blog will be taken to the next level.
With this change, the blog is no longer mine so be nice, lest you face the wrath of Niki. Don't expect any more niceties over here, you play ball, fine. Otherwise you are messing with the wrong kind of person. So don't come back saying that I didn't warn you guys.
And... here…we.....go!
By now most of the loyal & 'regular' readers of this blog might have got enough perspective from the left side of the spectrum and it is only fair that we get something from the right side too. Starting today, this blog will be a collaborative effort. You'll start getting a wider take on things from Niki. Finally you might actually get to read something substantial and useful stuff rather than my inane rants
What can you expect from Niki? Well lets just say that if Niki is yin, I'm yang and vice-versa. We have different views on a whole range of issues but deep down both of us are the same. Rest assured 'there will be blood,' once we get down to our own flame wars.
Whom am I kidding, Niki is like my master and I the young padawan. So it would be a great disservice to my master if I say we are both equals and like always with my masters association with anything, this blog will be taken to the next level.
With this change, the blog is no longer mine so be nice, lest you face the wrath of Niki. Don't expect any more niceties over here, you play ball, fine. Otherwise you are messing with the wrong kind of person. So don't come back saying that I didn't warn you guys.
And... here…we.....go!
Chiru going places?
Publicity has always been his forte.
But an article in economist, sure is a big thing; that too about a regional party. Or does it tell us about his left leanings, which I am quite surprised that they have been kept at bay, specially with a couple of people in his inner circle.
But an article in economist, sure is a big thing; that too about a regional party. Or does it tell us about his left leanings, which I am quite surprised that they have been kept at bay, specially with a couple of people in his inner circle.
Jon Stewart gets it right once again
http://www.thedailyshow.com/full-episodes/index.jhtml?episodeId=220533
I simply love this man, best talk show ever. Comedy central FTW.
I simply love this man, best talk show ever. Comedy central FTW.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
What have we got here
Pretty interesting piece of news this.
Can Marijuana Help Rescue California's Economy?
Finally, stop it already with this socialistic crap.
Europe's Economic Stimulus Message: Enough Already!
Can Marijuana Help Rescue California's Economy?
Finally, stop it already with this socialistic crap.
Europe's Economic Stimulus Message: Enough Already!
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Padma Shrimati
Abhi is the real Padma Shri, I'm his shrimati: Ash
As usual, rest of the interview is also in the same vein, cute lil romantic musings. Saif-Kareena have started it and these two are hell bent on taking this to a new level altogether. Some how these sort of things work only if there is a large market out there for tabloids but in India this is not the case like say in US or UK. Or maybe this is a precursor of things to come in India, a new age of stupidity and idiocracy of tabloid stars might be starting and I'm bang in the middle of it without even realizing this fact or am I in a denial mode?P.S: Seriously does Padma sri or Padma bushan or 101 other Padma awards even mean anything to the awardees, public or the government? If they don't, why waste precious tax payers money which could be put to better use. If they do, then give to people who really deserve them, lest they mock at the awards like this. But on second thoughts do people who really deserve these kind of awards require or ask for this kind of recognition? That again brings us back to the point that these awards are nothing but a huge wastage of time & resources of the government.
P.P.S:
In his own inimitable style he said “Journalism should not be judged by government and journalists should not accept awards from governments they are covering or writing about.” Sainath compared it to “The external auditor of a company taking an award from the company he is auditing or scrutinizing.”
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Watchmen
Don't even bother watching it on a rainy day, doing nothing is better than watching this crap because this will bore you even more. Leaving aside the fact that I watched it on a not so good print, still you need to wonder what Zack Synder of the infamous 300 trying to prove? That he can make a more visually appealing movie than his previous one or that people will come out in droves to watch this crap on the back of it's Graphic novel??
Only person who comes out of this with his reputation intact is Alan Moore, and that he did by not having anything to do with this project. This puts a lot of things into perspective as to why so many directors have backed off from going ahead with this movie. Sure it took a long time in making but may be it would have been better if it was never made into a motion picture.
Ah! one more childhood memory spoilt, don't know why I even bother getting excited about these adaptions even after some many screwups. I guess some blame even lies in me and from now on, no more getting swayed by the hype and getting all worked up like the loser fanboys. That means Terminator Salvation is just another movie coming to the theaters this summer.
Only person who comes out of this with his reputation intact is Alan Moore, and that he did by not having anything to do with this project. This puts a lot of things into perspective as to why so many directors have backed off from going ahead with this movie. Sure it took a long time in making but may be it would have been better if it was never made into a motion picture.
Ah! one more childhood memory spoilt, don't know why I even bother getting excited about these adaptions even after some many screwups. I guess some blame even lies in me and from now on, no more getting swayed by the hype and getting all worked up like the loser fanboys. That means Terminator Salvation is just another movie coming to the theaters this summer.
Monday, March 9, 2009
International Women's Day
Oh well by now most of us know that every year on march 8'th, all and sundry get out and celebrate women. In effect telling us that being a women is or can only be celebrated once a year while being a male is something which has to be looked down upon as we still don't have any sort of international mens day or something like that. Lets not get into the whole cynical part of this.
Was browsing a forum a couple of hours back and one of the threads that got my attention was, Name your favorite women and believe you me there were the usual answers like Bipasa, Aishwarya & their ilk to even Sonia Gandhi etc.. but it was really disheartening to see that only a couple of them mentioned their mom or sisters as their favorite women. Only thing I can infer from this is that for everyone except that two, women are symbols of sex/pleasure and not revered as done according to the so called "Indian culture." I am generalizing a lot over here but I don't think I'll be far off from my observations even if the sample is taken from a broader population. Alas! the more things change, the same it'll be.
No matter how many days you earmark in the calendar to celebrate or bring out special supplements in the newspapers, you can't really liberate women, if you can't respect them and show them some dignity.
Was browsing a forum a couple of hours back and one of the threads that got my attention was, Name your favorite women and believe you me there were the usual answers like Bipasa, Aishwarya & their ilk to even Sonia Gandhi etc.. but it was really disheartening to see that only a couple of them mentioned their mom or sisters as their favorite women. Only thing I can infer from this is that for everyone except that two, women are symbols of sex/pleasure and not revered as done according to the so called "Indian culture." I am generalizing a lot over here but I don't think I'll be far off from my observations even if the sample is taken from a broader population. Alas! the more things change, the same it'll be.
No matter how many days you earmark in the calendar to celebrate or bring out special supplements in the newspapers, you can't really liberate women, if you can't respect them and show them some dignity.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Cotton done. Now onto Brinjal eh!!
Protest against Bt brinjal field trials.
And as usual no one is listening.
http://www.hindu.com/2009/03/08/stories/2009030856872000.htm
Hasn't anyone learned from the cotton experience? Ya I'm for the second green revolution but this is surely not the way, better still to keep it the way it is then to poison our lands and destroy the social fabric.
P.S:
And as usual no one is listening.
http://www.hindu.com/2009/03/08/stories/2009030856872000.htm
Hasn't anyone learned from the cotton experience? Ya I'm for the second green revolution but this is surely not the way, better still to keep it the way it is then to poison our lands and destroy the social fabric.
P.S:
Monsanto's Many Attempts to Destroy All Seeds but Their Own.
If some one were to ask why free market is a bad idea, all you need to do is say "Monsanto" period.
If some one were to ask why free market is a bad idea, all you need to do is say "Monsanto" period.
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Entr'acte
I know have been away for a while and will surely blog regularly after a couple of days but till then will leave a couple of things on which my regular & loyal readers can ponder upon....
M.K. Gandhi was all about not giving a damn to your material possessions but I guess I was wrong or my fellow countrymen have all of a sudden got a collective myopia. And oh the irony of a liquor baron coming to save the day, really if at all God exists & has a sense of humor then this must be it. Will do a detailed post later on this whole saga.
The other day I was watching Sound of music and my my how did I even miss it, the movie was such a big hit only because of one reason and lets see if anyone out there can guess it correctly.
On that note will take leave for now but surely will start blogging more regularly from monday.
M.K. Gandhi was all about not giving a damn to your material possessions but I guess I was wrong or my fellow countrymen have all of a sudden got a collective myopia. And oh the irony of a liquor baron coming to save the day, really if at all God exists & has a sense of humor then this must be it. Will do a detailed post later on this whole saga.
The other day I was watching Sound of music and my my how did I even miss it, the movie was such a big hit only because of one reason and lets see if anyone out there can guess it correctly.
On that note will take leave for now but surely will start blogging more regularly from monday.
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