Blues

Just less than 2 weeks to ago. I am not really happy about it. But I can't avoid it. When I look at people around me I am gonna feel even more depressed about it. It is like start of a whole new era. It is start of a whole new decade. I wish I could stop the time from moving on. I feel like I would become a whole new person, though it may not be true. I feel like I am overstressed because of this.

But there is no way out.

Friends Chart

Friends - a person attached to another by feelings of affection or personal regard.

I have a theory. For every 2 years of career life, you loose 50% of your friends that you have made in your career life so far. Look at the chart and a sample data with an assumption that you had 10 friends during the first 2 years of your career & not made friends after that.

Not having friends at your work place would make your life miserable. Having a friend at your workplace would make your (work) life a lot more enjoyable. But I guess there will really be a point at your career where you would not have any friends at all. By adding more friends each year of your career you may put off the stage where you would be with zero friends.

Look back your career life so far to check the validity of this theory and share it.

BRIC Index

Dow Jones Indexes develops, maintains and licenses market indexes for use as benchmarks and as the basis of investment products.

As BRIC markets (Brazil, Russia, India and China) have gained huge investor attention with their potential for long term growth, Dow Jones has a BRIC 50 Index. BRIC 50 Index has 5 stocks for Russia and 15 each for Brazil, India and China.


15 stocks from India as part of BRIC 50 index are (in the order of weightage as of today).

Reliance Industries Ltd.
Infosys Technologies Ltd.
ICICI Bank Ltd.
Housing Development Finance Corp. Ltd.
ITC Ltd.
Larsen & Toubro Ltd.
Oil & Natural Gas Corp. Ltd.
Hindustan Lever Ltd.
Satyam Computer Services Ltd.
Tata Consultancy Services Ltd.
Suzlon Energy Ltd.
Tata Steel Ltd.
State Bank of India
Tata Motors Ltd.
Hindalco Industries Ltd.

Do you have any of these stocks in your portfolio?

Earns & Spends

"Earn in USD & Spend in INR" - Jackson

My colleague friend's casual statement but has huge insight in it.

ARIA

A fairly new acronym around. ARIA stands for 'A Resident Indian Again'.

This has been coined to denote the home coming (for good) expatriates. I think this term will become popular soon and will stay popular for at least a decade. Like the way 'Brain Drain' was a hot topic during my college days 'Reverse Brain Drain' may become a hot topic for discussion soon. During the college days, some of my friends start the GD (group discussion) spontaneously on Brain Drain whenever they get drunk.

The article in The Economic Times that made me write this post and my other post is here.

One Fine Saturday...!!!

That was a late morning of one fine Saturday on a hot summer season. We were at our home. We decided to catch that newly released movie in theatre instead of waiting for DVD to get released. Through internet we booked two tickets in the multiplex in a mall that is almost 30 miles away.

In our compact car we started our journey which is half-way through a highway and the remaining half thru the city. On our journey through the highway we paid toll while cursing the government for making us to pay toll in addition to the taxes. While speeding on the highway suddenly & spontaneously I reduced the pressure I applied on the gas pedal as I saw a cop's car with swirling blue & red lights was making a Toyota Corolla pull over for (seemingly) over speeding. On the way to the mall I returned the shining black blazer that I had rented out for a function at my office.

After the long journey and bumper to bumper traffic inside the city we reached the mall. That was a medium sized mall which comprised of a multiplex, many shops and a real good food court. We parked the car in the huge basement parking lot of that mall and rushed to SUBWAY for a foot-long to have our late brunch. After the brunch we bought some clothes at Marks & Spencer. Then we bought some cookies 'to go' in a cookie shop in that mall.

At last went to watch the movie & enjoyed the movie.

Now the return journey.

Outside the mall, the city lights were fighting with the darkness of the night. As we were too tired for cooking our dinner, on our return journey, we ordered pizzas & chicken wings from Pizza Hut over phone for home delivery. I thought a cold beer would be better than a cold Pepsi to have along with pizzas. So we picked some beer in a liquor shop on the way.

It was a perfect synch between us reaching the home and the pizza's arrival. We had that sumptuous Pizza & chicken wings while watching the sitcom Joey in some channel. Then I watched some stupid movie in HBO and dozed off at 1:00 am.

Thanks to globalization. My dear non resident Indians all this did not take place in some city in US. It took place in our own Chennai.

During nineties it was brain drain now it is reverse brain drain. India is becoming a land of opportunities. Especially to those who went to US or UK during nineties, corporate India (& MNCs) is offering great positions. These corporates value the NRI's experience and want to utilize them to the fullest.

To me, it looks like those who are coming back from US or UK may not miss 'em any more.

Wanna be part of it?

Half Century...

Half Century. No, it is not the effect of world cup cricket. This is my fiftieth post.

I thank all my readers, friends and wellwishers at this juncture for their continuous support.

Thank You...!!!

Shhh....it's that time again...!!!

"It has started with a tough match this time"

"I am sure that India will be in finals"

"Looks like Srilanka is not in form"

"Tendulkar has always been scoring well in the world cups"

“Seeni, are you not leaving to watch the match...?!"

“Gavaskar was the best batsman ever"

These are some of the conversations I overheard just today alone in my office.

Even my friend siva who always writes some serious stuffs has written a fiction on street criket.

Shhh...it's that time again....!!!

With my great (!) interest on Cricket, I think I am gonna feel lonely when people around me talk about cricket.

Someone please tell me when is the world cup getting over?

Worth it?

Inflation was 6.1% for the week ended Feb 24.

Highest inflation rate during this fiscal year was 6.73%.

Look at the picture to find out the value of your money after 10 yrs, 20 yrs and 30 yrs with different inflation rates.

If your salary rise is less than 7% you better look for another job with higher salary. Otherwise you will actually be earning less than what you were before the rise.

Courtesy: The Economic Times & The Business Today

Reality Tours

Most of the reality shows from American Idol (also Indian Idol) to Apprentice to The Big brother to the regional Jodi No.1 (Vijay TV) were super hit. Actually there is no reality in these reality (?) shows per se. But somehow they satisfy our mentality of peeping other's house out of curiosity (!). I think that is the main cause for the success of these reality shows.

In line with these reality shows I came to know about Reality Tours. I felt this is simply atrocious. Read about one such reality tours here. This is targeted mainly at foreign tourists. Tour takes to Dharavi, Mumbai the biggest slum in Asia to show them the poor slum people.

Some excerpts from the site, which sells the reality tours:

A few visitors have been to Dharavi, including Prince Charles and Bill Clinton recently, and it is by no means dangerous to go alone.

We are very aware of not wanting to invade and disturb the residents of Dharavi. .......we have a strict NO CAMERAS POLICY.

(how great?!)

80% of profits after tax from these slum tours are donated to local NGOs (charities).
(how great?!)

On this tour you travel in the comfort of an a/c car. Throughout the tour, we want to show and explain to you areas that are not in the tourist guides, but give an insight about issues facing the less privileged members of society....

Look at the comments section of this reality tour site without fail.

What do you think?

Note: I came to know about this reality tours from here.