A load of crap from an idle brainPersonal, Movies, Music, IT, India, Singapore, Politics, Fun

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.

More about Marc Faber at GloomBoomDoom

+++

Like someone mentioned, the only places of mourning after the NSG nod is Beijing, Islamabad and the headquarters of BJP and Communists. The BJP was the one who started the whole deal by starting talks with the US.  The BJP was on the verge of  signing the NPT which succesive Indian governments have vehemently opposed signing saying that its a discriminatory treaty.

What the Congress has managed is a far far superior deal than what BJP could do.  No wonder the heart burn among the chaddi gang and the name calling of the Prime Minister.  They simply cant believe that the wily sardar has simply stolen the thunder from right under their nose.

As for the commies, no comments.  One doesnt need to bother much about mad barking dogs.  Prakash Carrot Karat, Bardhan, Raja (all are on the Chinese payroll and hence loyal pets to their masters). They thrive in the gutters and are better left there.

Meanwhile i would love to see Advani’s sorry face.  He’s nowhere to be seen these days.  Maybe he’s reconciled to the fact that he might never be able to become the Prime Minister of India

The group of nations which regulates the global nuclear trade has approved a US proposal to lift restrictions on selling nuclear technology to India. The controversial deal now needs to be ratified by the US Congress before it can be implemented.

India says the deal is vital for it to meet its civil energy demands. The approval came after India pledged to keep its nuclear non-proliferation commitments and to uphold a voluntary moratorium on testing atomic weapons.

The real leaders in the whole deal has been none other than Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and George Bush. Though Bush had nothing to lose even in case the deal fell through, it was Manmohan Singh who staked his career and reputaion at the altar of the nuclear deal.  He’s been called the “weakest Prime Minister” by the eternal Prime minister in waiting LK Advani (he never will sit on that seat).  After decimating the opposition in the no confidence deal, the Prime Minister has marshalled his troops for a fine victory at the NSG.

For months, the oscillation continued till Manmohan Singh upped the ante saying he could not renege on this international commitment on a deal he firmly believed was the best for India. Despite critics from within his party, the support of the Gandhis gave him the backing he needed and it was a transformed prime minister who faced Parliament this July in a dramatic vote of confidence.

Eventually the government emerged victorious with a new ally and without the Left. Closely watching India’s domestic battle over the deal was the White House, the deal a personal legacy for an embattled President Bush. After the Iraq fiasco, the Indo-US nuclear agreement was seen by him as a foreign policy coup and a huge opportunity for American business, something he was willing to go the extra mile for.

On Saturday, as China threatened a walk out, President Bush picked up the phone and called his Chinese counterpart Hu Jintao, a toned down version of his infamous, ‘you are with us, or against us’ rhetoric.  A pact clinched by two men who couldn’t be more unlike each other, one a flamboyant Texan known for his foreign policy gaffes, the other a mild mannered economist turned politician.

In the end however, the two men came together to push through a historic deal for India amid huge domestic and international opposition.

Above pictures and news courtesy: IBNlive, NDTV, Atomic Archive

+++

Indian tennis ace Leander Paes and Zimbabwe’s Cara Black won the mixed doubles crown at the season-ending Grand Slam on Thursday. The fifth seeded Indo-Zimbabwean pair beat the American-British pairing of Liezel Huber and Jamie Murray 7-6, 6-4 in the final.

The triumph increased Paes’s  tally of Grand Slam crowns to eight. In 1999, Paes had partnered Mahesh Bhupathi and Lisa Raymond to win the men’s doubles and mixed doubles crowns at Wimbledon.

American brothers Bob and Mike Bryan won their seventh Grand Slam men’s doubles crown Friday, defeating India’s Leander Paes and Czech Lukas Dlouhy 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (12/10) to take the US Open title. The Bryans, who ran through the tournament without losing a set, previously won Slam crowns at Roland Garros in 2003, the US Open in 2005, Wimbledon in 2006 and the Australian Open in 2006 and 2007.

The defeat denied Paes a chance at a US Open doubles double, having already claimed the mixed crown with Zimbabwe’s Cara Black. Paes had claimed such doubles in 1999 at Wimbledon and the French Open, partnered with American Lisa Raymond in mixed and compatriot Mahesh Bhupathi in the men’s doubles.

The victory enables the Bryans to move back into the world number one ranking from second.

News and pictures courtesy: AFP, Daijiworld

+++

Finished the book more than a week ago, but couldnt find time to review it. Its a pretty good read if you are someone in the marketing or management field. Also a must read for all the multinationals who plan to setup their shop in India. According to Rama, the main problem with the MNCs entering India is that they think the world is one homogenous market. They believe, what works in the Americas, Europe, Asia has to work in India too. Its because of such thoughts that many of the multinationals have not managed to penetrate the Indian markets. After spending billions and being in India for more than 15 years, Coke and Pepsi still dont make profits. But they chug on cos they learn something new every day about the Indian consumer and the market.

Other notable flop in the Indian market is Kellogs cereals. The company couldnt understand that Indians prefer a hot steaming breakfast every morning, instead of cereals dunked in cold milk. Even if the lady in the household is working, the kitchen in an Indian household starts buzzing very early in the morning. Rama fills up the book with lots of figures and stats to back up her claim. Quite an interesting read.

Most market analysts and business strategists bark up the wrong tree when they set out to evaluate the india opportunity by asking the question, ‘When will India have the per capital income and infrastructure of China, the westernization and per-capita consumption of Brazil, the education levels of Russia, the institutional framework and maturity of US?’ What theyare actually asking is, ‘When will India become like someplace else?’

The correct answer to this incorrect question is ‘probably never’; certainly not in the lifespan of most people reading this book! That is the most important truth about India. To use a popular Indian phrase and the title of the book, ‘We are like that only! Mind it’ (loosely translated, it means ‘deal with it’!) Evaluating India through a comparative lens will lead to the inevitable conclusion that now will never ever be a good time to enter a market of billion consumers. US$700 billion GDP and growing at 8 to 9 percent, because it will probably never catch up with the benchmark ‘someplace else’.

However, when evaluated through a standalone lens there are no suprises here and it’s clearly a mixed verdict. The glass of market attractiveness is half full and half empty. However, there are several signs that would lead one to believe that the glass is filling – maybe not as fast as we would like to, but the water level is definitely rising with each passing year.

+++

*** A detailed report in India Today regarding the top secret undersea weapon “Sagarika aka K-15″, that was tested today, makes for an interesting read.

India conducted its first test of a nuclear-capable missile from an undersea platform on Tuesday, completing its goal of having air, land and sea ballistic systems, the defence ministry said.

The launch from a submerged pontoon took place off India’s southeast coast near the port city of Visakhapatnam around 1:00 pm (0730 GMT), a defence ministry spokesman said.

India’s nuclear submarine is expected to be be ready for sea trials by 2009, the Indian navy has said.

After conducting nuclear tests in May 1998, New Delhi announced a doctrine which stressed the development of air, land and sea ballistic capabilities to enhance its nuclear deterrence.

With the latest test, India joins an elite group — the United States, Russia, France and China — that has such ability.

The test comes two months after India’s chief military scientist M. Natarajan said New Delhi would test a ballistic missile with a range of 6,000 kilometres in 2008.

Full article here.

Above picture of a Poseidon submarine launched ballistic missile (SLBM).
+++