Which mobile...hmm...

It so is that my better half wants to gift me a mobile. Whopee !!!

Initially I had my eyes set on the Nokia N80, but I think it is way to expensive.

Looking for a mobile that is smart, equipped with a decent camera (atleast 1.5 mp).

Currently my shortlist is:
Nokia N70
Nokia 6280
Nokia 6270
Sony Ericsson 800i

It's a tough choice. But I am biased towards the 6280, N70 and 800i. God willing by tonight, I will be the proud owner of one of these mobiles. Would not mind opinions on them, though it is too short time.

Choices! Ah!

Gyan Prapti Session 2

How coroporate farming will be bad for the economy

Disclaimer: I am not an economist. This is just my opinion

Bharti has just bought land off a group of farmers and started corporate farming there. They now pay monthly wages to the farmers. Funnily, that reminds me of the concept of 'bonded labour' and the introduction of the Land Ceiling Act.

Anyways, how it is hurting the economy. These farmers usually grow crops that are consumed locally, say for example onions and potatoes etc. When a coroporate takes over the farms, it is not necessary that they continue with the same crop. This is where a problem might arise.

If the corporate chooses to cultivate some exotic crop like say broccoli in a field that once used to cultivate onions. Here is what happens:
1. The supply of onions (a locally consumed crop) goes down
2. There is new supply of broccoli (which is not consumed locally)
3. As a result, the prices of onions might go up

Sounds pretty lame, but when we look at it from the perspective of the corporate, that would acquire a lot of land, it should ring alarm bells.

Plus, these corporates would be earning tax free money! Nahiiii! The rich get richer and the poor get poorer. Damn!

The Professor's Gyan: Introduction and Session 1

I frequently use the nick "The Professor", so I am continuing with it here as well.

Gyan means knowledge in hindi.

We used to have lessons of 'Gyan Prapti' (knowledge endowment/acquiring) in the hostel when the senior guys would share their 'experience' with everyone else.

Anyways, now that that funda is clear, on with the real intention.

Gyan Prapti Session 1

The resurged demand for quotas in private institutions and colleges has created a huge furore all over India. Going through some opinions, news paper articles and blogs, the point that I have come across is that it is rational to expect these quotas, especially when only 30% of the population falls in the 'general' quota.

From the perspective of equality, I will agree to that stand point. But then since we are all gung-ho on equality, here is my own new idea for equality, that I think, should be pursued...

It is no secret where all the tax money comes from in India - it is the salaried class (who unfortunately also fall in the 'general' quota - well atleast most of the times).

Let us bring a new wave of equality and start taxing agricultural income.

"What?" I hear you say. "Are you mad?" come the responses.

"You want a poor farmer to pay TAX?"

Yes, indeed. I do want our 'poor farmers' to pay tax.

Especially when our Finance Minister has raised the taxable income to Rs. 1,50,000 /-

That is a huge amount. When the taxable income was Rs. 50,000 /- , I was also of the opinion of not taxing the 'poor farmer'. But look at it from this new point of view now - Rs. 1,50,000/- is not a small amount. And, if a farmer is able to pull of anything more than that, then he is no longer 'poor'.

I am not even taking into the fact that if he is living in the village, his cost of living would be significantly lower than those struggling to make ends meet in the city.

Besides, farmers who earn below the threshold need not worry at all. So what is the big fuss if income from agriculture does get taxed?

Companies like Bharti have also gotten into 'corporate farming', and they are sure to enjoy HUGE TAX FREE INCOME. I will be posting my opinion on how that hurts our economy in the next post.

I guess its time we all salaried/qualified/frustrated class pack our bags, buy a farm with our savings and go back to the village. What not for tax free income !

Sardar Vallabhai Patel Hostel

Also known as SVP Boys Hostel.

It is located 10 minutes off the main road. During our days, the nearest landmark was one of the three dumpyards of Bombay (I can not get myself comfy to call it Mumbai).

The first time I went there with my grandfather, we instantly got hit by the enormous stench coming from the dumpyard.

But for Rs. 1200/- for a year, it was dirt dirt cheap in a place like Bombay. Add another Rs. 500/- for each month if you wanted breakfast and dinner.

The building was diapalated and in a horrible condition. In fact, the owners of the hostel had recieved a notice from the municipal authority to empty the building in eight months as it was hazardous for living and could collapse any time. And that was a notice that they had received one year before I came there.

We had water coming down from the ceilings when it rained. Rooms got clogged with water. If someone sneezed hard enough, the plaster would fall off the ceiling. If someone burped or farted loud enough, the ground would shake (just kidding).

But the building was in a bad condition.

But after staying there for nearly over a year, I still loved it. I never saw the condition of the building. I just saw it in a different way. They guys in the hostel were simply wonderfull. Even as I walked back to see my hostel now (five years after leaving it), I just saw the old wonderful memories.

My favourite place in the hostel was our terrace. I would just sit there and listen to the wind and bask in the sun - peace. The surroundings were very serene (if you could develop an ability to ignore the smell emanating from the dumpyard).

The hostel tought me many things - I learnt how to wash my clothes, also learnt that it is better to outsource the laundry work especially if you are fond of wearing jeans. Many more lessons learnt that I fail to recollect.

But it was just like a family.

Even today, when I look at it, my solid friends are first from school, then from my hostel, then from my graduation college. And none from my post grad college (that is saved for another long post).

Well, life goes on.


PS: If anyone wants to know the directions to the hostel or how to get there, then I am not going to provide you any directions. But I just like 'The Beach' a lot. Happy hunting.

Igniting the mind...

In the last one year, I have shot my weight up from 75 kg to 90 kg.

:(

Every time I start off on a plan to lose it, it continues for a couple of weeks, and then I am no longer interested in it. The longest was a program that I was faithful for three months, and then I got injured playing football and had to discontinue it.

Now I know that I need to lose weight, but I am not having any willingness in it.

It's like - I have the will, but lack the willingness.

I have motivated (not manipulated) many others to achieve their goals/targets as friends/employees. But I never got about to motivating myself for achieving my goals and targets.

My mind seems to be lacking a spark or an ignition that will get it up and going.

Reiki

Reiki is a form of spiritual healing.

It sounds wierd, I know. And no skeptic would believe in it. But I know it works.

I do not know what it is and how it works, except for a very vague idea. But it gives a sense of mental peace.

Given the chance, I want to learn more about it.

Eye openers

This post was supposed to be about my hostel, I have infact a draft of it.

But this weekend I saw two movies and I thought I have to write about them.

The movies are:

Taxi No. 9211
Rang de Basanti

First off, this is not a movie review. It is more of the issues that they bring out.

Taxi No. 9211

We know who and how our 'true' friends are only when we need them most. It is like the Japanese concept of JIT. The reason they wanted to reduce the time and make it a zero inventory concept was so that they can see the faults (troughs as they call them) in the process. I am not saying that go ahead and question your friends. I don't know. I realised who my 'friends' were once when they told me "You need us more than we need you."

Rang de Basanti

It asked a very potent question that left me also stunned and searching for answers. Usually every Indian complains about India. The movies asks to all those complaining - so what are you doing to improve it?

I am still thinking about it. It has been three days now, and I am still thinking about it.