Friday, October 31, 2008

Obama Vs. McCain - If the World could vote

McCain vs. Obama - 2008 World Election

If ever there could have been one, here is how the "Results" will look!!!!!


It's a voting poll for the next US president in which anyone in the world can vote. It was created by a few young people in Iceland, it's independent, and without agenda. Only one vote is allowed per computer. So far there are votes from 200 countries.

And there were only two countries that would have elected McCain... Imagine that!!
This is as of Oct 31, 2008 2pm Pacific Time..

Cast your vote now and see the latest!!
http://www.iftheworldcouldvote.com

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Happy Diwali!!

Many a word been said before
of this team - heroes (and heroines) galore!
pain is temporary and victory forever
all champions of a worthy endeavor!!

Thank you TEAM Asha!!!!

I am pretty sure I would not have attempted to run a marathon in my lifetime, much less finish a half-marathon.. if not for you guys.

But more than anything else, you are part of a cause that is close to my heart...

When we can light the hope in an underprivileged child.. When we can fire the stove in that kitchen for the years to come... When we can ignite the quest for knowledge in the world.... We have won. Happy Diwali, folks!! This has been one of my most memorable Diwali.

May you all go forth and multiply!!

Bhaskar

Sunday, October 26, 2008

I am a Half-marathoner!!

Yipppeee!!! I ran the Silicon Valley Half-Marathon today.

Words can't describe the feeling... One of body (leg) pain but high spirits!! I finished the 13.1 miles in 3hr 31m 7s 8ms...

I am happy that something I did was worthy of measuring at the milliseconds scale.. !! But, more than that, I am so happy to have finished it... After all, how many have run a half-marathon.. and of them, how many have run for a cause as worthy as Asha's?

Thank you for your support and enthusiasm!! I can say that as a reason for me to cross the finish line today.

More pics to follow.. Watch this space!



Cross-posted on my running blog

Thursday, October 23, 2008

India in much better shape - Thanks Dr. Y. V. Reddy

"It is time to send a bouquet of roses to Dr. Y. V. Reddy. A really large one." says Ajit Dayal. Ajit is a Director at Quantum Advisors Pvt Ltd.

Here he continues...
It is time to send a bouquet of roses to Dr. Y. V. Reddy. A really large one.
As a gesture of "Thank You" from all of us for keeping India afloat at a time when the world is reeling under the weight of a scary global financial crises.

Dr. Reddy retired as the Governor of the Reserve Bank of India on September 5th, 2008 but his acts - and actions - while at the helm of the RBI has, in my opinion, saved India from a total meltdown. The meltdown that we are witnessing in the US and Europe and in countries like Iceland which got carried away with access to low-cost easy money.

Dr. Reddy’s caution was typified by the old-fashioned suits that central bankers wear. His old-cut and boring grey and dark suits were reminiscent of a visit to the house of a disapproving uncle. An uncle who always wanted to know why the child’s hands were dirty and the clothes stained with mud.

The never-ready Dr. Reddy was constantly criticised for not allowing India to dance with the winds of change that had overtaken the global financial markets. The policies of the RBI were often at loggerheads with what the new-age economists wanted. Free markets - they urged - free up banking - free up everything.

....
....
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India has been witness to many crises in the past. And some pretty big ones after we began on our own economic reforms in 1991.

There was the Tequila crisis when Mexico went bust in 1994.

There was the Asian Crisis when the magical Asian Tigers went bust in 1997.

There was the LTCM collapse which led to South Korea and Russia going bust in 1998.

In each of these crises, the central bankers of these countries had set themselves up for the fall. They had allowed the companies and banks under their jurisdiction to borrow excessively and rely on foreign capital. While the world was greedy and no one priced risk correctly, all these countries enjoyed boom years. When risk got re-priced – as is being done now – and capital was in short supply, all the Salsa dancers and Tigers sunk into disaster.

But, during those crises, India was still a relatively closed economy. Our total trade with the free world was less than 10% of GDP for a long time. Today it is over 25% of GDP. India is now a more open economy.

The RBI has allowed Indian individuals to invest overseas; they have allowed us to use Indian credit cards anywhere in the world; they have allowed Indian companies to buy companies overseas.

The uncle has had no problem letting the child play in the mud – but he has first used a stick to ensure that the mud is not quicksand.

But that did not make our finance companies happy. Like the finance companies monitored by Mr. Gordon Brown during his tenure, our “Made in India” finance companies wanted India to have access to any and all capital. The colour of money is green, they said, why should the RBI care where it came from.

Thank god, the RBI did care.

Thank god, Dr. Reddy did care.

Unlike the central bankers in Iceland, who must have been so enthralled by that classic line from "Gone with the Wind": "Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn"

The top 3 banks in Iceland borrowed US$ 60 billion from the global financial markets. The value of their liabilities is 12x the size of Iceland’s GDP. Their foreign currency reserves are only US$ 3.7 billion.

Now the top 3 banks in Iceland are bust.

And so is Iceland.

It is seeking US$ 8 billion from the IMF, Russia, and some Nordic countries.

If Dr. Reddy had not done what central bankers are supposed to do – the Indian banks would have all been in an Icelandic mess.

To read his full report, click here

Saturday, October 18, 2008

Chicago in a Bean!!

Chicago is a spectacular city...
Here are some sights from this awesome place...








Sunday, October 12, 2008

My Chicago Marathon....

Finally, I did run the Chicago marathon... though I had no chance of finishing it with my ITB/knee pain. Still... I did run for running. And it was great!

I just wanted to do some 10 miles so I can meet my target mileage as I am preparing to run the SV Half marathon in 2 weeks. I was in a decently good shape for someone who has not run much (on land, though I have been running in the water/pool) for the last couple of months. So, I thought I will let my shoe hit the road. And anyway, I was ready to get out (of the marathon) as and when needed.

So, I reached the start line on Oct 12, 2008 at 8am local time. There was a huge crowd - of course, about 45,000 runners had registered. I started in the last few corrals - with the group with the pace of 5hr 45 min. I used the ITB band on my right knee, but unfortunately only one was in stock at the store the other day and I did not have the band for my left knee.

After about a mile, my right knee felt ok, but my left one started to pain. So, I stopped, stretched and restarted. Likewise it went on for about five miles, then I had to walk to complete the rest of the course. I just took one mile at a time. I completed (almost) 12 miles (19.some kms) and then, I stopped.

Well.. I am happy to have done my first 12 miles... my first marathon experience and that I did it at the Chicago Marathon. Nobody can take that away from me.. I have tasted blood and "I will be back"!!!

Here are some times.. subtract 20mins to account for the time my corral actually crossed the start line...



The crowd support was just amazing... almost a million must have been there on the streets cheering us - of which two were my mom and dad :-)

And of course, there have been so many of you who have made the journey to the start line so worth it - you who believed in my cause and supported me with your enthu, time, and money. You coaches, mentors - especially Chakri, Gar'G'i, buddies - especially Reena, Ramya... And the entire Asha family - You Rock!


Cross-posted on my running blog

Monday, October 06, 2008

His story of greed?

I just finished watching the movie/documentary "Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room"... and I cannot but feel that history is repeating again... multiple fold...

Enron was not the result of misplaced ambition fueled by greed.. It was the embodiment of misplaced ambition fueled by greed.

Though I am sure not everyone who worked there (some 20000 employees) knew what was happening, I am absolutely sure 10% of them - at the least - knew about the wrong, unethical practices. And the remaining 90% would have had some inkling.. some sense of "things are not right here". After all, these were some very smart people.

And then, there was this bunch load of guys who went along with these fraudsters... all those analysts at investment banks, bankers from JP Morgan, Merill Lynch, Citibank, CSFB... the whole lot... the legal firms... Arthur Anderson, of course (the oldest accounting firm in the country that disappeared after Enron collapse)... THEY JUST JOINED IN THE FUN and made their bucks, as long as it lasted.

And now this mortgage crisis in tens of thousand times bigger a scale....History repeats... There is a whole army of crooks... and then some... who, in any sane mind, would have known - had they just stepped back for a moment... But they did not.... the stock market did not.... And now we have companies biting the dust....

Makes me think - that this whole economy is being fueled by this greed. Capitalism sounds like an euphemism. The air seems grained with this whole misplaced sense of accomplishment...

And I, a member of this economy, am an integral part of this corporate greed. And at the disadvantageous end of it... No golden parachutes... or silver... forget it - not even a parachute.... When will it be my turn to bite the dust?
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I see this guy who comes to my office in a Porsche 911... well.. I am sure he is not the only one... But when the company is in a bad shape... this guy comes around in a minimum $80,000 car...

Should I commend him for making his bucks before the market/company got hit... Or should I commend him for coming to work even after he made his money??!

Saturday, October 04, 2008

Doggy...

I brought home my first doggy... well, doggy-like.... it is my new vacuum cleaner, Roomba. It is a robot.. it is small and round and circles my legs... I need to train it to go charge itself, but it does a pretty good job of cleaning the floors. And it is fun!
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My parents are here.. Time to learn some new recipes... And visit some new places... going to Chicago next weekend. Should be fun...

Eternal Life!

Javeda Zindagi  I love this song from the movie, Anwar... just melts my heart every time I hear it. (Courtesy: musicmania from ...