THE GOOD WAYS

With the economic downturn taking its toll on employment in the US, would you be surprised if you were told that Americans are looking for a GOOD job?

What’s new? One would wonder. Wasn’t that happening all the time?
Except that a GOOD job that we are learning about now, is a “Get Out Of Debt” job.

While most orthodox Indians have been shunning debt and viewing it as a burden, Americans have been known to have embraced the idea of being perpetually in debt so much so that…. “until debt do us apart”, was perhaps the only foreseeable end of the hugging enchantment for it. Living beyond their means had been a way of life encouraged by one and all.

So when one learns that Americans are looking for a GOOD job, one wonders whether a well paying job to settle the debts would really work? Or will they, having heaved themselves a few notches up, go for bigger loans to enter a higher spiral or orbit?

But the world is really worried, not because they might get into the Debt trap again, but because they wouldn’t get enticed by it. Because if they do turn over a new leaf, live within their means and spend within their means, it will mean an economic downturn will affect China, India and the emerging markets.

So many people depend on their not-so-GOOD ways of life! Not to worry – it is very difficult to get out of habits – especially bad ones. It is as difficult as it is to get into good ones though.

You may have learnt about the how this wonderful little word sticks on to us:
HABIT
Remove H, A BIT still remains.
Remove A, BIT still remains.
Now, remove B, and IT still remains!

So millions of people living in emerging economies live in the hope that Americans will not change their ways and continue to spend. But wouldn’t this change only cause a temporary drop in the economic activity, eventually continuing to grow once the ‘adjustment’ to the new way of life is complete? Would not the new way of life find Americans steer clear of going overboard and do away with ‘NINJA’ loans (‘No-Income-No-Jobs or Assets’ loans) that eventually led to the economic collapse?

It is commonly observed that it is easy to get into any situation and difficult to get out of it. Just as Americans are finding it difficult to get out of debt, several Indians investing in equities, are finding themselves in the same predicament. There are loads and loads of experts to advise how to invest, but not a single soul to advise when or how to exit from it. So we find millions of small investors trapped in the share market. However, we can take respite in the statistics which tells us that not more than 5% of Indians have entered the equity markets.

So where are these remaining 95% Indians trapped, if not in equities and debts? Perhaps in vices like excessive spending, smoking, drinking, tobacco or god forbid, even drugs. Several such habits that tempt us along life’s path. You can choose your ‘drug’ – your opiate, as in your chosen substance or habit that gives you “a high” or “a kick”, that you must have or partake. You can spend your lifetime in it – until it kicks you. You will find yourself in a situation like Abhimanyu did, in the epic Mahabharata, who knew how to get into the battlefield - but not how to come out of it. Perhaps this episode cited in the great epic is a symbolic message to us all to avoid the several traps in our life’s path.

But there is hope for those who wish to come out of this chakravyuha - you can choose to lead a GOOD life – a Get Out Of Drugs (drug= your opiate) life. When enemies are within, one finds it difficult to strike. Difficult choices exist, if one is determined, one can break free and Get Out Of Disaster.

Countries get into war-like situations in much the same way. War seems like the only solution. Countries get into one without knowing how they will come out of it. Getting into a war is easy, getting out of it isn’t. War can mean Devastation, Destruction, Destabilization. Oh, so many D’s to eventually get out of! Yet, we find ourselves wanting to get into this situation – without knowing for how long and how to get out of it!

The terror attacks in Mumbai, has angered us all. We want action against terrorists. We want to carry out a precise surgical attack on terrorist camps. We are not against any country but what lies within it. Surprisingly, Pakistan, India, US, the entire world wants to take action against terrorists, but they don’t join hands in doing so. We have a common enemy, but we don’t fight together. We fight each other. Because that is something we know how to do. But there is no expert to tell us how to fight a faceless, nameless phenomenon called Terrorism. We need to learn to fight the scourge of terrorism together. For which we need to first Get Out Of Disputes amongst ourselves. There is always a first time. And most importantly, there is still some hope.

Wishing all people Getting Out Of D's GOOD luck!

Wishing you all a Happy New Year 2009!

Hope the New Year shows us some GOOD ways of living together

‘GOOD’ as in Get Out Of Dangerous ways of living!


Blogger's Postscript 1: Disclaimer - There are exceptions to the observations. If it does not apply to anyone, it is for this very reason. A few exceptions often go to prove the overall trends cited.
Blogger's Postscript 2: Recent events have compelled me to post some of my thoughts related to important matters that affect our life. Do expect some of these off and on and not as another attempt at 'di-worse-ification'.

ALL FINE, GUYS!

In response to my recent post "In the Thick of Pink", (if you havent read it please do) some of my friends forwarded me mails on related subject. The text of which are reproduced below:

Mail No. 1
Sub: The United State of US Banks

A Popular quote doing rounds post-Lehman, AIG fiasco...
" There are two sides to a Balance Sheet.- Left & the Right
( Liabilities and Assets respectively)
On the Left side there is nothing right.. and on the right side there is nothing left "
[Source: Email Forward]

Mail No. 2

Marc Faber comment on US economy Recently

Investment analyst and entrepreneur Dr. Marc Faber concluded his monthly bulletin (June 2008) with the following words:
''The Federal government is sending each of us a $600 rebate. If we spend that money at Wal-Mart, the money goes to China. If we spend it on gasoline it goes to the Arabs. If we buy a computer it will go to India. If we purchase fruit and vegetables it will go to Mexico, Honduras and Guatemala. If we purchase a good car it will go to Germany. If we purchase useless crap it will go to Taiwan and none of it will help the American economy. The only way to keep that money here at home is to spend it on prostitutes and beer, since these are the only products still produced in US. I've been doing my part.”
[Source: Email Forward]

ALL FINE WITH INDIA, THOUGH
The panic caused in the stock markets and anxious Indians withdrawing money from a reputed Indian Private Bank led the India’s Finance Minister appeared on TV and assure all Indians in a Javed-Jafri-esque manner “We are different!”

“OUR ECONOMY IS FINE”, he insisted.

I have never doubted the announcements of the Indian FM. Never.
The confusion however is caused by a recent acronym that goes thus:
FINE – F***ed, Insecure, Neurotic and Emotional

Pray tell me, Hon. FM, did you mean fine in lower case or FINE in upper case?

Going Green for Now!

Going Green For Now!

Racing out with a triumphant smile from the developments taking place in the US in respect of the Indo-US Nuclear Deal, the Indian Prime Minister has cleared the next race like a true Olympian! Indians should be elated with the news of the signing of “a major co-operation pact which paves the way for the sale of French nuclear reactors to India”. The development opens up India’s foray into clean, green energy!

Suddenly, a series of Green Signals are flashing for India Right now!

Our Government’s steps to cover the shortfall in meeting the increasing demands of our country’s energy requirements are indeed deserving of praise and jubilation. The yawning gap was caused by the deep slumber for several decades much like the mythical sleeping icon, Kumbhakaran (a mythical character of the Mahabharata fame, who would sleep for months together). The power situation had been worsening in several parts of our country and one had begun wondering whether this was one ingenious way of keeping the common man in the dark.

Some skeptics, though, attribute the hurried steps taken by our honorable Prime Minister in respect of the US Nuclear Deal and the French one to the completion of the term of the UPA Government. Drawing inspiration from the performance of an Olympian runner while approaching the finish line head first, the momentum at which he has been dashing about heading to close finishes, event after event, is indeed praiseworthy! But it is said that skeptics always give us the peptics (Peptic Ulcers, that is).

Tons of carbon prints have been spent by bloggers on the controversy of the unclear nuclear deal (anagram intentional). A lot of heat has been generated in the ensuing debate though none have thrown any light on the deal itself. One wonders whether this energy could be converted into utilizable forms of energy? If we could, we would have enough electricity to go around to light up our Navratri pandals for the nine-day festivities beginning all over the country this year. Now that is a lot, believe me!

Read what a fellow Indian blogger, who has different views on the Nano Project of the Tatas, says in this post.

However, I am particularly amazed at the idea emerging from the excerpt reproduced below :-
“Toyota Prius uses the energy produced from braking and tries to replenish it for running the car. It also uses the kinetic energy produced from the spinning of wheels on a downhill to replenish some of the energy required to run the car. This would reduce the amount of energy (fossil fuel) needed to run the car. This car is best suited for city conditions. This was designed for US market.” [Source: http://trak.in]

I am beginning to wonder whether the brakes applied to such massive projects such as the Tata Nano Project, by the boisterous Mamata could be also tapped and utilized to spin the wheels of the entire state of West Bengal?
Or the sound bytes and heat generated over this issue and also several such on-going debates in our country be converted into utilizable forms of energy?
If so, we may not have to worry in the interim period until we convert the advantage of the deals into tangible benefits by setting up nuclear energy facilities.

Besides going green with alternative energy sources, the developments would make our neighboring countries green …..with envy, of course!