Opinionated Indian Wishes all Citizens of World Merry Christmas and Happy & Prosperous New Year 2009, God Bless You All.Read more...
Mini Vacation
17 years ago
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Merry Christmas!
Opinionated Indian Wishes all Citizens of World Merry Christmas and Happy & Prosperous New Year 2009, God Bless You All.Read more...
Saturday, December 20, 2008
How India survived the financial meltdown...
I just read this article on The New York Times, titled 'How India Avoided a Crisis'.
I ain't an economist, but as an Opinionated Indian, I got my views on everything... and finance is something I like to express my views on... rather these are snippets from my Ma's (Indian word of mother) advice.
There are few things, which, we people of India do... and because of them... India's economy is still strong and unaffected by this melt-down...
Loans are BAD!
My mom always says... Son! never take a loan.. its bad... and trust me I have never taken a loan in my life. The logic is simple, when you take a loan from bank or any financial institution, you spend the money easily, but it becomes real difficult to raise the same money again and pay the debt.
As most of the the Indians, rarely take personal loan, or create debts for any kind of flimsy need. They stay out of the credit-payment net... Well, but haa! when the need will arise I will take a home loan... just like other Indians do.
Credit Card is BAD!
India is a country where only 2-3 percent people have any kind of credit card, sounds unbelievable? yeah, but its true!
I got my first credit card just couple of months back, and I use it very carefully. I make sure that I got hard cash in my bank account, before I spend a rupee (counterpart of US dollar) through credit card. Rather most of the Indians prefer to pay hard cash rather then pay by check or credit card. Well, unintentionally, it helps them.
As they pay all cash, it helps them in remaining debt-free. Where as, people who have credit card, swipe the plastic and get into debts.
Saving money, SAVES!
One of the many words I often hear (just like other folks in India) from my Ma is 'SAVE', every time I visit her at her home, she unfailingly tells me to save money... make a fixed deposit in a government bank.
Indians, have this good tendency to save for bad times, this is one of the cornerstone of Indian culture. Any middle-income family in India, at any given point of time, has savings worth more then their yearly income. Also the Indian Income Tax Department (counterpart of IRS) gives tax benefits if you save money.
Invest in Real Estate and Gold
Indians often invest in Real Estate and Gold. Statistically its proven, that regardless of the downturn in economy, the value of these two things doesn't fall below 20 %
And these two assets, can be liquidated easily, without much depreciation in times of dire financial need.
Don't spend on unnecessary stuff!
Whenever I buy anything, My mom instantly tells me not to waste money on unnecessary thing.
Indians use a TV set for at least 10 years... Well, barring few exceptions, a TV set is something which is as a short-term home appliance in US. The underlying point is, Indians make maximum use of the stuff they have, and avoid spending on something which they don't need or can be avoided.
Whereas, folks in US spend unnecessarily on things which they don't really require... Say a iPhone 3G! I don't understand why its so hyped device in US, to spend 199 US$ (and a binding contract!) ? a normal GSM phone works just fine... as it does for me.
As I said, I ain't a economist and my Ma is not even a high school graduate. But what she understands and practices, most of people and businesses in US didn't...
Read more...
I ain't an economist, but as an Opinionated Indian, I got my views on everything... and finance is something I like to express my views on... rather these are snippets from my Ma's (Indian word of mother) advice.
There are few things, which, we people of India do... and because of them... India's economy is still strong and unaffected by this melt-down...
Loans are BAD!
My mom always says... Son! never take a loan.. its bad... and trust me I have never taken a loan in my life. The logic is simple, when you take a loan from bank or any financial institution, you spend the money easily, but it becomes real difficult to raise the same money again and pay the debt.
As most of the the Indians, rarely take personal loan, or create debts for any kind of flimsy need. They stay out of the credit-payment net... Well, but haa! when the need will arise I will take a home loan... just like other Indians do.
Credit Card is BAD!
India is a country where only 2-3 percent people have any kind of credit card, sounds unbelievable? yeah, but its true!
I got my first credit card just couple of months back, and I use it very carefully. I make sure that I got hard cash in my bank account, before I spend a rupee (counterpart of US dollar) through credit card. Rather most of the Indians prefer to pay hard cash rather then pay by check or credit card. Well, unintentionally, it helps them.
As they pay all cash, it helps them in remaining debt-free. Where as, people who have credit card, swipe the plastic and get into debts.
Saving money, SAVES!
One of the many words I often hear (just like other folks in India) from my Ma is 'SAVE', every time I visit her at her home, she unfailingly tells me to save money... make a fixed deposit in a government bank.
Indians, have this good tendency to save for bad times, this is one of the cornerstone of Indian culture. Any middle-income family in India, at any given point of time, has savings worth more then their yearly income. Also the Indian Income Tax Department (counterpart of IRS) gives tax benefits if you save money.
Invest in Real Estate and Gold
Indians often invest in Real Estate and Gold. Statistically its proven, that regardless of the downturn in economy, the value of these two things doesn't fall below 20 %
And these two assets, can be liquidated easily, without much depreciation in times of dire financial need.
Don't spend on unnecessary stuff!
Whenever I buy anything, My mom instantly tells me not to waste money on unnecessary thing.
Indians use a TV set for at least 10 years... Well, barring few exceptions, a TV set is something which is as a short-term home appliance in US. The underlying point is, Indians make maximum use of the stuff they have, and avoid spending on something which they don't need or can be avoided.
Whereas, folks in US spend unnecessarily on things which they don't really require... Say a iPhone 3G! I don't understand why its so hyped device in US, to spend 199 US$ (and a binding contract!) ? a normal GSM phone works just fine... as it does for me.
As I said, I ain't a economist and my Ma is not even a high school graduate. But what she understands and practices, most of people and businesses in US didn't...
Read more...
This is me...
My "column" in the blog is going to be a fictional account of an anonymous girl.
That's me. The Anonymous Girl.
I've lived in Goa, Bangalore, Bombay, Delhi and Pune and I don't know where I'll be this time next year.
But today I am where I am... in a little anonymous colony surrounded by weirdos. The colony where the woman in the next building just waits till her husband goes to work before her boyfriend shows up, the colony where two young guys share a flat and have 2 girlfriends each, the colony where the watchman either comes to work drunk, or doesn't come to work cos his son beat him up, the colony where the odd job man seems to be manic-depressive...
I could go on and on... I am surrounded by strange people and strange happenings... and trust me you're gonna hear about them all... because this is my life, these are my opinions, and I don't really have anything else to write about...
Read more...
That's me. The Anonymous Girl.
I've lived in Goa, Bangalore, Bombay, Delhi and Pune and I don't know where I'll be this time next year.
But today I am where I am... in a little anonymous colony surrounded by weirdos. The colony where the woman in the next building just waits till her husband goes to work before her boyfriend shows up, the colony where two young guys share a flat and have 2 girlfriends each, the colony where the watchman either comes to work drunk, or doesn't come to work cos his son beat him up, the colony where the odd job man seems to be manic-depressive...
I could go on and on... I am surrounded by strange people and strange happenings... and trust me you're gonna hear about them all... because this is my life, these are my opinions, and I don't really have anything else to write about...
Read more...
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
A song close to my heart...
Here is a song, which is close to my heart, sung by a young guy with profound voice.
This song has meaning which touches the heart, in fact he wrote it after someone he loved the most, passed away...
So here is the Punjabi song Tere Bin by Rabbi Shergill (with English Translation)
mitti vich rulnha / will wither in the dust...
Read more...
This song has meaning which touches the heart, in fact he wrote it after someone he loved the most, passed away...
So here is the Punjabi song Tere Bin by Rabbi Shergill (with English Translation)
Tere bin / besides you
sanu sohnia / my love
koi hor nahio labhna / I shan't find another
jo dave / who'll give
ruh nu sakun / peace to my soul
chukke jo nakhra mera / and indulge me
ve main sare ghumm ke vekhia / I have gone and seen it all
Amrika , Roos, Malaysia / America, Russia, Malaysia
kittey vi koi fark si / there wasn't any difference
har kise di koi shart si / they all had 'some condition'
koi mangda mera si sama / some asked for my time
koi hunda surat te fida / some were fascinated with my face
koi mangda meri si vafa / some demanded my fidelity
na koi mangda merian bala / none wanted my demons
tere bin / besides you
hor na kise / no one else
mangni merian bala / wanted my demons
tere bin / besides you
hor na kise / no one else
karni dhup vich chhan / shall shade me in the sun
jiven rukia / (the) way you paused
si tun zara / slightly
nahion bhulna / I shan't forget
main sari umar / all my life
jiven akhia si akhan chura / you said, looking away
"rovenga sanu yad kar" / "you shall weep in my memory"
hasia si main hasa ajeeb / I laughed a strange laugh
(par) tu nahi si hasia / but you didn't
dil vich tera jo raaz si / you had a secret in your heart
mainu tu kyon ni dasia / why didn't you tell me
tere bin / besides you
sanu eh raz / none shall tell this
kise hor nahion dasna / secret to me
tere bin / besides you
peerh da ilaaj / what druid
kis vaid kolon labhna / has the cure to my ills
milia si ajj mainu / I found today
tera ik patra / a note of yours
likhia si jis 'te / on which you had scribbeled
tun shayr varey shah da / a varis shah couplet
park ke si osnu / upon reading which
hanjnu ik duliya / a teardrop fell
akhan 'ch band si / what was locked in the eye
seh raaz ajj khulia / was revealed today
ki tere bin / that other than you
eh mere hanjnu / these tears of mine
kise hor / won't be kissed by
nahio chumna / none else
ki tere bin / that other than you
eh mere hanjhu / these tears of mine
mitti vich rulnha / will wither in the dust...
Read more...
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Indian Government to form National Investigation Agency (NIA).
An Open Letter to Prime Minister of India, Mr. Manmohan Singh, PhD.
Mr. Prime Minister,
A moment back I read the news, Indian government passed a bill, which will formulate National Investigation Agency.
The role of this federal agency will be to investigate acts of terrorism and will have jurisdiction through-out India, also it will pave the way for Special Courts to try the terrorists and impart justice.
I am sure you are aware of the number of India's Intelligence Agencies. There is Intelligence Bureau (IB - one of World's oldest Intelligence agency). Then there are agencies like Research and Analysis Wing (RAW - India's external Intelligence agency), Directorate of Military Intelligence (DMI), Defence Security Corps (DSC), Directorate of Air Intelligence (DAI), Directorate of Naval Intelligence (DNI), then there is Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), also the state governments have their own intelligence departments. The list is endless. But there is one thing common among them, there is no co-ordination.
Now there will be another new agency, NIA (sounds much like CIA.. huh!)
Well, some will say this is a step in right direction, and I do agree with it. But why there was inordinate delay ? Why the government is waking-up (or still sleeping) now?, after 190 odd citizens of India and the World were massacred by the barbaric terrorists. If this step was taken long back, perhaps these lives would have been saved.
After the 11/26th, the government decided to have regional hubs for elite National Security Guards (NSG or Black-Cats as they are referred), but it would have saved dozens of innocent lives, if this step was taken before.
Why POTA (Prevention Of Terrorism Act) was repealed by the government? Just to show that it is so'called Muslim friendly?
It was Digvijay Singh, a core member of your party 'Indian National Congress', who came up with the phrase "Hindu Terrorist", when allegedly few members of Hindu right wing group were arrested during probe of Malegaon blast.
Mr. PM, A terrorist, who kills innocent civilians, has no religion. He is just a plain barbaric sadist!
All, said and done, Opinionated Indian, hopes that the government has taken its lesson and won't repeat its mistakes... Well, the World runs on Hope!
Peace to all,
Opinionated Indian
Read more...
Mr. Prime Minister,
A moment back I read the news, Indian government passed a bill, which will formulate National Investigation Agency.
The role of this federal agency will be to investigate acts of terrorism and will have jurisdiction through-out India, also it will pave the way for Special Courts to try the terrorists and impart justice.
I am sure you are aware of the number of India's Intelligence Agencies. There is Intelligence Bureau (IB - one of World's oldest Intelligence agency). Then there are agencies like Research and Analysis Wing (RAW - India's external Intelligence agency), Directorate of Military Intelligence (DMI), Defence Security Corps (DSC), Directorate of Air Intelligence (DAI), Directorate of Naval Intelligence (DNI), then there is Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), also the state governments have their own intelligence departments. The list is endless. But there is one thing common among them, there is no co-ordination.
Now there will be another new agency, NIA (sounds much like CIA.. huh!)
Well, some will say this is a step in right direction, and I do agree with it. But why there was inordinate delay ? Why the government is waking-up (or still sleeping) now?, after 190 odd citizens of India and the World were massacred by the barbaric terrorists. If this step was taken long back, perhaps these lives would have been saved.
After the 11/26th, the government decided to have regional hubs for elite National Security Guards (NSG or Black-Cats as they are referred), but it would have saved dozens of innocent lives, if this step was taken before.
Why POTA (Prevention Of Terrorism Act) was repealed by the government? Just to show that it is so'called Muslim friendly?
It was Digvijay Singh, a core member of your party 'Indian National Congress', who came up with the phrase "Hindu Terrorist", when allegedly few members of Hindu right wing group were arrested during probe of Malegaon blast.
Mr. PM, A terrorist, who kills innocent civilians, has no religion. He is just a plain barbaric sadist!
All, said and done, Opinionated Indian, hopes that the government has taken its lesson and won't repeat its mistakes... Well, the World runs on Hope!
Peace to all,
Opinionated Indian
Read more...
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