Greetings

HAPPY NEW YEAR !
Yet another end of an year . And so start of another. That's what everyone wishes you today and tomorrow morning.

But let me wish you all .... "POSITIVE NEW YEAR" !

Optical Illusion

The figure below, copied form a web site, is quite interesting. As you could get it instant, it's an optical illusion. Look at the picture for sometime (a few seconds..). If you feel headache or if you start vomiting, please excuse me. That's what some of the optical illusion pics do.




















Afterall, its just a matrix of a small geometrical figure. But why the problem ? It's more than just an illusion !

Container Terminal

There are two places in Trivandrum , synonymous to fish. Vizhinjam, where there's a fishing harbour ( and where a Container Terminal is coming up (?). And at Pangode, where there's a fish market.

What if there's no container terminal at Vizhinjam ? See we have one at Pangode.














































Colorful containers ! Scenes from Pangode fish market.

Writing public

Writing is a very sacred activity. Whatever you write gets you pleasure of a different kind. So, there's no constraints of time, place or boundaries. Even a foot path is a good place to sit, relax, and write. May be it's a letter to your darling one, may be a poem, or may be your emotional expressions on the International politics.
Writing is godly ! So, writing sitting in front of a temple is more godly. Maybe, that's why this gentleman chose to write his mind sitting right in front of the Ganapathy temple at Trivandrum Central Railway Station.

Focus on focus

Mr.X : RAMandRAT has no focus. Why so ?
RAMandRAT : That's the focus - Not having a focus on anything in particular.
The focus is on 'Randomness' and thus the variety.
Mr.X : I C ... !

Pure water and "Pureit"

I am talking about the popular brand of water filter (purifier) from Hindustan Lever, "Pureit".
I am a Pureit customer, since the last two years. I have been keenly watching the "Pureit" publicity, over the TV and newspapers. Last day, I happened to see a colourful brochure on this item. The data given there in made me reassess my earlier decisin to buy the product. But, I had already implemented by decision, and so a reassessment on the decision, however, is irrelevant.
But still, I just had a thought on the product, based on what they says.
Pureit has been compared with other conventional filtering (purifying) methods. OK..Ok..Pureit certainly wins. But a comparison with a UV-inline filter also has been projected. The tabulation of comparison clearly says that :
Pureit has low initial expenditure, and low recurring expenditure. For the UV filter, these expenditures are high.
Now, I have a disagreement on this claim, based on my experience with the product.
Initial expenses are certainly low. Thank God.
Recurring expenses are NOT low. Infact, it's very high; that's what I know. And remember, the UV filter has no recurring expenditure, but for the low power consumption.
Thye expenditure of Rs.1/- per 5 litres of purified water, is not true. It works out to almost Rs.1/- for every 3 litres. ie. Every litre costs you about 35 paisa. For the UV filter, I don't have the exact figures. However, I feel it should be much lower.

Pureit always talks about a 'battery'. Though initially I had a confusion over this term, I am clear about what it means. But, I know some people believe that Pureit works on 'batteris' !
{For the common man, batteries refer to a set of cells (dry cell or NiCd or, something like that ) for powering the device }. Pureit battery is just the 'chlorinating module' in the purifier. It has nothing to do with powering the same. This 'battery' needs replacement quite often; and costs you heavily.

I hope, HUL understands the common man's vocabulary, and use the right words. I know, a person deferred his purchase decision , just for believing that this fellow works on batteries (and it would cost him high and recurring).

Serpant with a thousand heads

Ananthan, the serpant God, has a thousand heads. I can imagine, how he would look like. No one has seen him, but the ideology is live.
How'd a 'Nilavilakku' look like. Usually with just one towering head. I have seen Nilavilakku with three heads. But last day I saw one with towering NINE heads.
This maynot be a news ! However, please have a look at the Nlavilakku.
{ in the third floor of Vinayaka Auditorium, Kadavanthara, Ernakulam }.

Ernakulam / Cochin scenes

Cochin aka Kochi aka Ernakulam.
'Ernakulam' can be dissected to analyse as :
Erana kulam . 'Kulam' means pond. 'Erana' means 'having aiswaryam' (clean and holy).
But today's Ernakulam is ( I feel) an 'Eranamketta kulam'. 'Eranam ketta' means 'not having any aiswaryam'. ie. dirty and ugly pond. That's Ernakulam.

I hope my Kochi friends and others would pardon me for making such an analysis and conclusion.
Believe me, that's what I saw last day at Kochi (for me Ernakulam and Kochi are same ).
Look at the snaps I took on the way from Ernakulam south to Kadavanthara. There's a narrow culvert enroute. Scenes from this culvert (adjoining he market).




















It's certainly not water in the canal. Looks like mercury ! Isn't it ?




















And there's no mercury in this canal. It's a farm for haycinth (paayal).




















Keralites, it looks, is not aware that the haycinth (the vegetation you curse ! ) is an excellant source of fish food ! And you know, it's a source of electrical energy !
I pray, our techno-sociologists initiate a revolutionary project for using this resource. That day is not far off. I would see Ernakulam canals clean and beautiful then.
But when ?

Garbage and our Clean city

Our city has a very systematic and rigourous method of making it a real 'clean city'. I appreciate the Government for all their efforts. Look at the above city scenes.
But what I saw in the garbage cart is thought provoking. Almost all of what it had is thrown by the people living around. Most of it is bio-degradable too. A minor part is 'plastics and the like' which are non-bio-degradable.
What's the need to throw off all these degradable stuff ? Can the people themselves dispose them off? What ever little waste materials you have, I think, can be processed in their own campus (even if it is in a residential flat ). It's excellent as manure for the garden (for whatever plants ) you have. But you have to dispose off the non-degradables. Let that alone be collected by the cleaning agency.
{ Maybe, I am too silly and impractical to think this way. Do you think so ? )

Finishing schools and Crash courses

Finishing schools ! They'll finish you. You get finished. So, don't ever go to a 'finishing school'.

Crash courses ! They crush you to crash yourself. So, don't ever go to a crash course !

The green "kaalakoodam"

Pakistan is very unique. It doesnot have an exact border. You may see a territorial entity (with a border drawn) on a map. But, as you know, a country is much more than its territorial entity. For Pak, it’s much more relevant.
Pakistan, in addition to its territorial entity (with disputed borders), also has a virtual entity. Part of Pak, as a virtual country, still resides in India. That’s why the geographical borders are irrelevant. Pak has an internal presence in India, through a very minor sect of the population, spread all over. The reverse, however, is not true.
India lives with an enemy within. All other countries, if at all they have, have their enemies outside their territorial boundaries. It then, is easier to manage. But it’s different here in India. As long as this ‘venomous viral infection’ is present, India cannot be peaceful. Being virtual, conventional methods of driving these enemies away are not feasible. We are to think of a new methodology to cure this infection and attack. You all know that, being built in to our society, we can't drive away the “Pak Operating system” from our country. Therefore, the methodology should be something different, to eradicate the Paki viruses from India.

Pak presence in India is like “kaalakoodam”. The killer venom is still in the throat of Lord Shiva, he can’t swallow it, nor spit out. That’s exactly how the “green kaalakoodam” should be dealt with. Make it inert and ineffective, but still bearing it all along. You have no other choice. This being present virtually, a new ‘social management methodology’ may have to be evolved. Let our ‘sociologists’ think of a solution. Military power, for sure, is not the solution (being internally infected.. you can't strike yourself), though it may reduce the killer power for sometime.

Pakistan - an evil country ? Let it not be !

Last day, our Prime Minister said : “ Mumbai terror strikes had left Indians angry and hurt, as ‘never before’. The terrorists had used the territory of a neighboring country for mounting the attacks. .. Everyone’s obligation to bring perpetrators of the crime to book”.

I think these words are an expression of the ‘limits of tolerance , patience, and anger’. How can the leader of a Nation be more polite, to express his emotions ? Can we Indians be any more patient, to suffer everything that these criminal people does ? It’s all beyond the limits.

I am happy that the issue have been noted by the International community. But I am surprised! And I am proud ! We didn’t retaliate our enemy’s deeds in their coin. Let’s not do it that way. It’s a very GREAT decision. I know the decision was very difficult and painful.

In this context, let me tell you, had it been for anyone else, Pak would have had 195 bombs blasted in their country, within 195 minutes! We Indians are capable of doing this; we have the strike power. But, we don’t do such bad things. None of us would like our innocent Pak brothers to face the strikes. But, they – the whole of Pak people- should understand that India is well aware of the fact that “injustice of any sort can be countered with appropriate strikes”.

Dear Paki brothers, you should understand the situation, and learn yourself that we Indians are ‘angry as never before’. Not only India is angry, Indians are angry. But we reserve our strike powers. Please make all attempts to make yourself – all your countrymen- aware of the truth, and make your Government ( and whoever .. ) act humanely and wise.

With prayers for all people of Pak , and again pray ‘O God, let Pak be not an evil country any more’.

Who am I ?

Who am I ? What's my name ?
It's not my doubt.. it's a question posed to you.
Here is an envelop, addressed to me by my clever friend. Ca you guess who am I ?

High alert : (stray) Dog squad

High alert... protection by Dog squad. Must be the after-effect of recent Bombay blasts.
A scene from a local residential area. Stray dogs lined up in front of the bungalow.

Muffler

Look.. ! but do you hear ? How'd you feel when this bike runs ?
Yeah.. I could feel that last day. It's almost at the threshold of pain.. must be over 100 db !

Electron's salute to ISRO

I salute ISRO, for all their recent achievements.
I am proud of having been an electron of ISRO for over 33 years.

Government (women) employees - Looters ?

Today, it's about my neighbor lady ! Oh.. I have nothing personally against her; She is a stranger to me and vice versa.
This lady lives in a rented house, next door. She came here recently (may be on transfer from some other place !? ). She works in some Government office in this neighborhood (as told casually by another neighbor). She goes and returns by walk to her office. I have been watching her for the last few weeks, only to monitor her office going.

On a typical working day, she leaves home by 10.45/11.00 AM. She is back home positively before 12.30 noon. Then again she goes at by about 2.00/2.25 pm. And certainly before 5.00pm, she is back home.
I do not know in which office she works. She must be walking (slow and flowing) atleast 20 minutes to her office, since the nearest office complex is about 15/20 minutes away by walk.
On the week end, on Saturday, she leaves home only after 11.30 am, and does not return at all. This happens on Friday too, if Saturday is a holiday. On Monday, she goes by 11.30/11.40 am only.
I understand that this lady belongs to central Travancore area, and hence goes there every weekend and for every opportunity.
Last Friday, it was half day local holiday for the Govt staff here (on account of some local celebration !). Our lady left home at 11.40am, and returned only on this (Monday) morning.

May be, she takes a lot of leave for personal needs. But how many days leave are these "gumasthans" given ? Is there any attendance system in her office ? I doubt.

If atall this lady works in the office, it is for less than 3 hours a day. My gut feels say that this lady is not touching a piece of paper or pen for the work.

This lady is a true representative of the employees in our State Government offices. They all earn huge salaries, and other benefits. Public money is being looted away by these people.
I personally know, men are much better than the women, in this issue. Women are, in general, unproductive. When women are crying for eqality with men, why is that these ladies behave like this. They should work, and should be productive. They should work in their respective places, and should be honest to their work and the Organisation. These ladies should understand that they are taking the poor man's money (that's why I prefer to call them 'looters').

Those ladies, who are confident that they are honest and productive (and work for the huge salaries they loot away ) need not respond to my observations and these comments .

Beyond the stars

I am thrilled. Not only at the Chandrayaan and MIP, but also at NASA's new findings. Beyond the solar system ...
May I suggest you to visit my blog "Science Today". I have a lot of stuff put there about this.

http://scienctoday.blogspot.com

Chandrayaan, M I P , ISRO

And it's done !
photos..

Chandrayaan, M I P, and Moon Missions

Today, at about 8.30 PM, Chandrayaan will drop the Moon Impact Probe on to the Moon. A major milestone in our Technological progress. Let's wish ISRO all success !

I just had a bit of research into the 1960s ! With the valuable articles appeared in Science Today (2001) magazine, it's great to know about the earlier Moon missions. Please have a look into my blog : "Science Today - Science and Technology for all "

Planting on the foot path

My Social Studies text in the 8th Class ( those days ) had lessons on the reforms made by the Kings. Among the many reforms listed, which are mostly common to all the Kings, is about the planting of "cholamarangal ' (shade trees) along the roads and lanes. King of Travancore was no exception. Trivandrum had (and still has) cholamarangal all along the roads ( except those cut and removed by our development agencies). Though many have been cut, our society is particular to replant the trees ( I don't like to see them small !). That's how many tree saplings are seen on the foot path, these days.
They are all planted right at the middle of the foot path. All the plants are given a protective shielding (mostly of expensive metallic meshed) when planted. And that's the end of it. The shield (cages) starts disappearing.. and over an year, nothing is left.
The picture above shows one such plant, right at the middle of the foot path, and very close to the bus-stop. Half the cage is still intact. I am sure, the other half is on the way to the steel recycling plant, through a local scrap dealer.
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Street lights

Our city still has its 'royal' traces. The lamp posts in the Museum to Kawdiar route would certify this. The street light poles are of the beautiful royal designs. They are made of cast iron (?) and made by the British (?). They are still in its royal form. That's all fine.
But the way they are maintained is very pathetic. Look at the lamp post (my focus is always at the bottom !). The electric lines giving connections to the lamps are all exposed (but for a thin piece of insulation tape). And the cover (shield) is missing.
This being at a bus stop, people stand very close to these wires. This is a SAFETY HAZARD.
Is any KSEB wizard listening ?

No petrol !

No petrol !

Herd effect

Herd effect ! May be you know what I mean. Look at the group of girls (from some other place, visiting Trivandrum) at Vazhuthacaud. This is on last Sunday morning (around 8.30 AM).
The first picture shows the girls coming out of a Hotel (after breakfast) and starts crossing the road. They don't bother for the traffic at all (may not be evident from the picture, but it was so !).
Picture 2 shows the herd crossing the road, and moving to the other half of the road (traffic almost blocked).
Picture 3 shows the herd running close to their buses parked opposite the Hotel.
The last picture is certainly about the 'slow goers' ( or are they the lonely ones - "ottayaanmaar" ? ). The sleepy ones, who are not in the herd, moves very slow. The herd has to wait for these slowers !

A bus-stop for none

A bus stop for none.
This Bus-stop, with a parking bay, is at Vellayambalam (towards Paalayam/EastFort), near Keltron. No bus stops here and No man waits here. Then how come it's a Bus-stop ? But the sign board says so !

Road dividers can be imaginary

Traffic management is certainly a great task. It's a science, an art, and so is a great technology. Design and layout of roads is a major part of it. The foundation of all technologies is common sense. Any technology, without common sense, is "non-sense".

I think this is true with the case I am showing you here. The photos show a road divider . This is at Vellayambalam. The road from Maanaveeyam junction to Vellayambalam junction. This is a 4 lane road, with an imaginery road divider. But there are a few street lights placed as the divider. A speeding vehicle towards Vellayambalam is almost sure to miss this thin divider.
Look at the photos. You'll find it hard to see the road divider... just because there's nothing like that, but for the street light poles.

The great divide : Injustice from Justice Sreekrishna

The great divide, and the denial of justice.

Our society gets divided on many forms and accounts. The poor and the rich, the literate and the illiterate, abled and the disabled, … and the list of ‘divide’ is very long. Divisions of all sorts There is a continuous effort by our ‘masters of the society” to eradicate such divides, and bring in equality and justice. While many such divisions are still prevalent in our society, divisions of many more are being created. New divisions happen (or created) on many frontiers of our society and life. New cases of “ ‘have’s and ‘have not’s “ are still being created (not just happens).

One such division, recently created, is among the Central Govt employees and the pensioners. The Sixth Central Pay Commission ( headed by Justice Sreekrishna) is the creator of this divide. The Government, however, has vetted the division. However, this not being a National issue, has not surfaced out appropriately.

The division, concerning the Central Govt employees (both present and former), is not affecting the present employees (gainers), but affects the former employees (pensioners) who are the losers. This divide is certainly a painful one for the pensioners, a very small fraction of our society.

Though the present employees are ‘over-joyed’ over the 6PC recommendations and its implementation (with more icing by the Government ), some of the pensioners are very sad about it (although there is an increase in the monthly pension). The reason for this divide is a discrimination towards the pensioners, based on a date.

1 January 2006, the effective date of implementation of the 6PC recommendations, is the unfortunate day for many of the pensioners. The division is among employees retired on or before 31-12-2005 and the employees retired or serving on or after 1-1-2006. The midnight on 31 Dec 2005 is the “Berlin wall” for these two “Classes of employees”. Retirees on or before 31-12-2005 are the have-nots, while all others are haves.

In one of my earlier posts, I brought an example of the division. To remind you of the ‘great difference’, look at the following. There’s many unjustifiable differences, and I am quoting only just one among them

A person retiring on 31-12-2005 gets an amount of 3.5 Lakhs as the Gratuity. But, a person retiring on the next day (ie. 1-1-2006) walks away happily with 10 Lakhs. I am sure that the 6PC and the Govt authorities understand very well that the amount of Gratuity is a lumpsum amount paid to the retired person (as a gratitude !) for making a settlement/ base for his retired (old age) life. Thanks to our system, for giving a monthly pension for the maintenance of the retired’s old age life (though inadequate to maintain the life standards ). The person leaving on 31-12-2005 settles his life with 3.5, and the other person leaving after the midnight of that day settles with 10 Lakhs. The difference is 3 times ! This is certainly a great divide and is not justifiable.

Central Govt rules stipulate (that’s what I understand) that a Commission be appointed for review of the pay and related aspects of the Central Govt employees, once in 10 years. Since the 5^th PC recommendations were made effective on 1-1-1996, the 6^th PC made 1-1-2006 as its “effective date” for implementation. That’s fine, but that’s not meant to be the base for a justifiable structure of pay and related matters. Cost of living or any other economic parameter did not jump 3 times on that ‘sacred’ day.

A revision of pay structure (as given now) can be created by any babu at the Central secretariat. But, that’s not what was expected of the Commission, its Chairman, and the Govt. The Commission was expected to consider the issue and requirements in its global nature and on a 360^O perspective. Had it been on such an angle, a more equitable and justifiable outcome would have come. I think, the Commission had an easy task, by taking it too easy. Was the objective of the task only to frame new scales of pay for the present employees ? Only to make them happy ? Or to compute on a multiplication factor to compute a slightly higher Pension?

On the implementation front, the Govt authorities haven’t put their mind into the social implications of implementing such recommendations. Probably, they did only a mathematical exercise to compute the total financial burden on the national exchequer.

6PC and the Govt authorities, I wish, should have had a more logical look at the social aspects of the implementation of the 6PC recommendations.

What I am pointing out here is only an element of the discriminatory nature of the 6PC aspects. Many more things are in the field. This is evident from the fact that our Armed Forces have NOT accepted the implementation of these recommendations. This too reinforces the fact that Justice Sreekrishna did not do justice to many. That includes our Armed Forces and the poor pensioners.

In my view, the above ‘sacred day’ – 1 Jan 2006 – has no relevance at all. It did the division, and that’s all. This is not justifiable. Why should all the things be applicable from this sacred day only ? What’s wrong if it had a backward date and applicability. That doesn’t mean that I am suggesting for my convenient date for applicability/ implementation. Let the date of implementation be 1 Jan 2006. But it’s applicability, in a proper format, be made backward too. To suggest an example, in the case of the Gratuity, let a formula be made with backward applicability (for the last 10 years). Let the pensioners (before 1-1-06) get a modified Gratuity = 10 lakhs minus ((2006 minus year of retirement) X 10% of 10 lakhs). {This is backwardly tapering down at 10% per year, for 10 years }. In the case of Commutation of pension too, there’s a big discrimination. That too should be appropriately worked out (on such a backward tapering principle) and justified.

I am aware that there would be an additional load on the Govt budget, but that's too small for the Govt to bear. Remember, the Govt could easily write off 75,000 crores towards the agricultural loans (which in fact did not reach the real suffering farmers ). Many more crores have been pumped recently into the stock market system, in an effort to save a minor fraction of our population. The additional burden that would bring in by implementing a backward tapering formula, for the pensioners, is not a burden at all, for the Govt. In fact, that would be a case of justice done.

My attempt here is not to say that 6PC and the Govt did all blunders. They did excellent work and recommendations on many aspects. To cite an example, Govt implemented the ‘One Rank One Pension” principle. By the way, this is an excellent case of doing some justice to all the pensioners.

My attempt here is to invite the attention of ALL related personnel and the Govt to relook into the ‘unjustified’ aspects of this issue.

Will someone put their thoughts on this ? I hope some one does.. the authorities.. the guards of our society …. . and resolve the unjustifiable divisions.

May God Bless all.

Portability of (Vehicle) Numbers

Give me Red ! .. says Amitabh Bachan in an advertisement (Eveready batteries). But, that's not what I am asking for !!
Give me the number ! That's what I demand !! My vehicle number. I don't like to part with my vehicle number, even if I part with my vehicle. I love my numbers.. the mobile number.. the vehicle number .. and some more.
Portability of (mobile) telephone number is just around the corner. I am awaiting for that fortune moment to run away from BSNL, with my number (unless BSNL gives me a better treat).
Likewise, I would like to get my Vehicle Registration Number portable. I love my number ! I don't want to part with that number !!

Is anyone listening ... ?? .... over at New Delhi ???

Unfortunate retirements - Just over a day

What happened on 31 December 2005 ? Yeah.. something very important has happened.

1 January 2006 was all the way different from its previous day... Atleast for all Central Government employees. Being an employee on 1 Jan 2006 makes a lot of difference from having been an employee on or before 31 Dec 2005 ( and not being an employee on 1Jan 2006).

Let me put here, my personal views, on the 'injustice' implemented by our Government.

"

The Sixth Pay Commission has been so generous to the Central Government Employees. But, equally too, they are so cruel to some of the pensioners.

The retirement benefits ( the amount of money, lumpsum) given to a retiring employee is meant to build a ‘retired life’ for him and his family. The pension is for the maintenance of his and his family’s life. These are the benefits obtained for burning their lives (the whole life) for the Government (society).

An employee retired on 31 December 2005 is not qualified for the retirement benefits as announced by 6PC (although there is a very small increase in the monthly pension, on the principle of ‘one rank one pension’). Had he retired on the next day, 1 January 2006, things would have been very different. He would have got the new terms of retirement, which is far higher than those applicable for 31 December 2005. A day makes so much of difference. The difference is so large that he feels very miserable, when he think of this ONE DAY. People who retired around that period – in 2005- feel so bad, miserable and dejected; just over a few day’s or week’s difference.

The retirement benefits of two persons of the same position and pay ( one retired on 31Dec 2005 and the other on 1Jan 2006) should be almost equal ( atleast comparable in the amount of terminal benefits and subsequent monthly pension). That’s natural justice, I believe. To give an example, when my 010106 friend got 10 lakhs as his gratuity, another one (311205) got just 3.5. This is certainly not fair. It’s not justice.

But the 6PC and the Government has not looked at the implementation in this angle. This is cruel and injustice. I strongly feel that the Government should normalize this huge difference caused by that milestone day. The improved retirement benefits and pension should be applicable to those retired earlier too (pre 2006). The applicability of the benefits may be made in a tapering method. May be, 10% less for every year preceding 2006 (eg. For persons retired in 2005, the terminal benefits may be 90% of what a person retiring on 1Jan 2006 gets). This would atleast bring in some justice to those unfortunate ones.The financial load on the Government by implementing such a justice would not be very high.

I wish, our Government would consider the plight of the retired people, and do a normalization of terminal benefits and pension.

Safety and Power losses : KSEB

The snap here shows the "Meter and main switch board" in a building in our city.
The meter is the latest make 'electronic' meter; a high speed one, as the owner of the building says. . Look at the other elements.
The fuses, switch, the board itself.. must be senior citizens among them. And the wiring !
Our KSEB is not aware of power losses or safety ? I think 'YES'.

The single slipper

The snap shows the front entry to a 'general' shop in the city. The shop owner hints at removing your foot wear, before entry to the shop.
Last day, when I reached this shop, this is what I saw. Just one slipper (not the pair, as usual). How can this be ? What's wrong here ?
If you have an answer, please post them.

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Mad coconut trees

Coconut trees can grow mad ! Look at these trees. Unusual !

"Puttu" - the best breakfast item

A short news item in a magazine says that the American ‘Travel and Leisure’ monthly had chosen our “puttu” (പുട്ട് ) as the best breakfast item ! Must be true … because puttu is my most preferred breakfast for the last many years !

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Prevention of Cruelty to Animals

Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

I am quite a common man. I like animals, but don’t love them. I am a non-vegetarian. But I do never kill an animal. I am scared to think of that. When I eat my chicken fry, I never count or think about the chickens. May be that I am cruel, though not killing. May be all non-vegetarians are cruel ! But now I feel sad and bad.

There are many chicken shops in my City. Invariably, all these shops show the chicken in the grilled containers, put packed. Chickens are killed straight in their front.. they see how their fellow lives are being taken away… in a very crude and cruel manner. In some shops, the chickens are hung upside down.. may be even for the whole day… awaiting their turn of death. Why are we so cruel to the chickens ? They are being killed right in front of the buyer. I know, there are laws governing the chicken management .. and prevention of cruelty to animals. Why are these not applicable here ? Why are my fellow men so cruel ? I know, I being a chicken-eater, is the reason for their cruelty. NO.. we must have a different way of doing these things.. immediately.

Another point I have here is about the dirty environment in which the chicken shops operate. Any chicken shop is a dirty and nasty place. It smells horrible.. you can’t stay near there for a minute. These dirty stinky places, however , are not a deterrent to the chicken eaters, it looks.

Indian Space Traveller

Anthanaut or Indianaut ?
Last day news papers report that the ‘ignited minds’ of Trivandrum were quizzing the Chairman, ISRO, on Indian space activities (ISRO). To a question “What would you call an Indian Space traveler ?’, Chairman, ISRO said that its going to be a students level competition to suggest a suitable name.
To the readers of my earlier posts here, the answer is already known. I had suggested a name ( I think that’s very appropriate !) – “Anthanaut’. May be I can propose some more names…
Indonaut
Indianaut
Akashnaut
Gaganachary
Akashyathri ....... And so on…

But I feel Anthanaut is the right one !! Do you ?

Someone without a Mobile phone ?

Mobile phones have penetrated deep down to the 'really BPL' classes in this City. Almost all daily wage workers (casual workers) in the construction sector too has a 'Mobile' with them. The fisher-women (selling fish, on the way-side) too has a color phone. Tomorrow, I am sure, the beggars in the street would have one. I'll be keen to watch them talking ! (However, I wish noone begs in this world ).

But what I wish to show you now, is the following snap, taken from our local thattukada. The youngster, making the tea, is talking over his mobile, as he does a tea !

The bulging purses

The bulging purses : The purses of over 5 million Central Government employees are quite heavy and bulging out now. There’s lot of money with them, with the wind fall gains following the 6PC implementation.
As in last time (in 1997), most of these huge amounts (received as arrears) will land up in the consumer durables market. That’s exactly why most of those companies are vigorously in the market with attractive schemes and offers ( Navaraathri is just another added reason).

Experts on Personal Finances have a piece of advice to these new millionaires - “Caution …. before spending all your money on cars, TVs, and PCs; keep in mind the future value of money”.
Here are the important DOs and DON’Ts, (on how to spend your arrear amounts), these Experts suggest.

1. Keep 3 months (household) expenses aside for contingencies.
2. Pay-off Credit Card dues, and personal loans (if any, in full).
3. Prepay Home Loans (if any), as much as possible.
4. Take a Medical Insurance (if not covered by other schemes).
5. Make a Mutual Fund deposit (may consider the Tax gains too).
6. Please don't forget a sacred act .. CHARITY. Contribute your might.

DO NOT park your money in Fixed deposits (or in SB accounts) , as you will most probably end up in a loss, accounting for inflation.

Regarding the increased monthly salary, experts suggest that only a part of your raise be used for household expenses. The balance amount (of your increased salary) should be put in a recurring deposit or SIP into a suitable Mutual Fund.

Retired Employees also would get their revised increased pension. The arrears and the increased monthly pension should be dealt carefully and wisely ( Remember, hard times are ahead, it looks ). You can’t expect any raise in your pension , in the near future (for another 10 years !).
Retired persons should consider regular expenses (going up always) , contingencies (any time guest, uninvited !) and growth of capital (to beat inflation).

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Rice and rice

“Rice arrived”. I was scanning through the news paper last day.
I told my wife, ‘Thank God, rice has come....May be the prices would come down (atleast by a bit !)…. Must be from Andhra ( afterall, who else makes it ! … Our Government is now very smart… they must be controlling the price rise of our dear rice... Now the Godowns must be full..“

Hearing a loud laugh, I raised my eye-brows at her… “Ayyo…its not our ‘ari’… it’s Condolessa Rice from America” … and she laughed over again.. I just continued my browsing.

Backward classes and Backward Government.

Income ceiling for creamy layer raised. Yet another investment on votes, by our Government !

Government on last Friday raised the income ceiling for the creamy layer, from 2.5 lakhs to 4.5 lakhs annually. They say, it is to cover more OBC under the reservation category.

I hate to comment on such biased actions and misuse of power for political gains. However, as I am feeling very bad about this, let me put a few words.

Who is backward ? Is a person (family) earning Rs.20,000/- a month backward ? Now with the raise, persons earning about Rs. 40,000/- month also is backward !

I can’t digest this. I am sure these people are no way backward. Instead, they are very rich ! Look at the poor who finds it difficult to have a one time meal a day.

Is this the way to bring about Secularism or Social and economic equality ? Is it an action by a Secular Govt ? I doubt. This action is solely to favor a few communal groups , aimed at their votes. The decision makers are certainly “backward” in their intelligence, vision and secular thoughts.

Give reservations to the real financially backward. Not for such wealthy people. That’s injustice. This injustice would lead to many more social issues.

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Mamata - the most Negativist of all times

I am sure, my audience would have read about my posts on Nano and the great Mamata. Having finished the Singur Nano, Mamata must be safe in her den, licking the blood stains around her 'drunken face'. Let me quote today's editorial in "The Hindu".

" Given these facts, political history will judge Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress to be the most irresponsible and negativist legislative opposition in any State".
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Nano, Singur, Mamata, and Bengal

I have many Bengali friends. They are so nice and lovely persons. They are polite, reasonable and respectful. But I am quite sad about Bengal today.

A single lady could (and did) destroy the future of the Bengal youth.That's too bad. Why do you, my Bengali brothers and sisters, allow this ? Everyone in Bengal is sorry for the 'Nano' episode. The lone winner is 'Mamata'.
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Mobile phones : Nokia

There are many brands of Mobile phones available here. And, now there are many unbranded ones too - made in China. But I understand that these Chinese phones are comparable or better than many of the branded ones like Nokia. But they are available here at a fraction of the cost of Nokias.

What's wrong ? Why are these Chinese phones so cheap ? They are certainly good phones too !
Why are the brandeds (like Nokia) so costly? They are not that far superior to the Chinese ones !

What I think is that companies like Nokia are squeezing the Indian consumers. That's very bad, and should not be permitted. I suggest, all should raise a voice against this. Or, the best thing is to boycott Nokia (and other such high and unjustified priced phones) . I am ready to throw off my Nokia 6233 (a good for nothing phone, for its high price tag ), for a cheap Chinese phone.
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Cost to Government : 4 times the salary on paper

I have here an article taken from indiainfo.com, regarding the Sixth Pay Commission and a study on 'Cost to Government' by XLRI, Jamshedpur.

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Cost to Government : 4 times the salary on paper.

A bungalow in Lutyens' Delhi is a dream for most corporate honchos. Not only because of the prohibitive costs but also because there's simply no space available in the heart of 'official' India. So try putting a cost to staying in a house on, say, Shahjahan Road, and the value of 'intangibles' that automatically come with a government job becomes strikingly real.

As a first, the Sixth Central Pay Commission asked XLRI Jamshedpur to do a comprehensive study of 'Cost to Government', a near-equivalent of 'Cost to Company' (CTC), a concept that caught the fancy of a globalizing India Inc after the mid-1990s.

The results of the XLRI study clearly indicated that a simplistic, straitjacketed comparison between government and private sector compensation packages was difficult because of all the invisible benefits that follow when a person works for the state.

The show-stealer, if at all the two worlds were to be compared, was job security or the no-easy-exit rule followed by the government against the hire-and-fire policy of the private sector where even the value of the employee is liable to change every year.

The XLRI team of Professors R K Premarajan, E M Rao and L Gurunathan felt the study would help "clear the employees' misconceptions about the perceived external inequity". The team circulated questionnaires, held discussions with officials and made an exhaustive study of PSUs as well as the private sector before arriving at the conclusions.

The CTG — or total out-go of the government per civilian employee — works out to more than three times the salary s/he gets. It gets better in the railways, possibly the world's biggest single employer, where each staffer's CTG is 3.75 times the salary. In the Armed Forces, it climbs to four times.

"Pay is a relative concept and how well an organization is paying depends to a large extent on the angle of vision of the vision of the employees and the selective comparisons they make," says the report, indicating that a government job should be understood in its entirety and knee-jerk reactions are often partial and uninformed.

The study puts 'returns' from a job into two categories. The first is 'transactional returns', which are perennial and include basic pay, DA, house rent allowance, conveyance and a whole lot of intangibles — housing, free passes, orderlies and telephones, among others. Then come 'relational returns' that refer to benefits or values like self-esteem, self-satisfaction, job challenge, working for a nobler cause, serving the nation and, of course, job security.

"The highest payer may offer little or no relational returns," says the study. Work-life imbalances are nothing new in the private sector where the focus is only on task accomplishment. CTC doesn't take into account the negative aspects of a job and the concept often suffers from one-sided vision. According to the professors, an inflation-indexed pension, along with gratuity and leave encashment benefits, constitutes the biggest draw for a government job. A sizeable 40% of the pension can be commuted and restored to the employee after 15 years of retirement, when s/he would probably need the money most.

There's also house building advance, up to a maximum of Rs 7.5 lakh, where the principal amount can be paid back in 180 EMIs, followed by simple interest payable in 60 more EMIs. This is a benefit any private sector employee would envy.

Healthcare is another perk, with the government incurring Rs 538 per employee every month for 33 years. And, this does not change with change of employer, as is often the case in the private sector. The group insurance component is also attractive. For a cover of Rs 1.2 lakh, the market rate premium would be Rs 249 per month but a government employee has to pay only Rs 36 and the rest (Rs 217) is part of CTG. A pre-pay commission estimate suggests that in a metro like Delhi, the government's cost on a senior officer would be to the tune of Rs 62,385 every month, although his take-home salary is much lower.

Family passes in the railways is a benefit most folks covet. A senior railway official uses 9,364 passes during his 33-year career, each trip averaging 1,000 km. The facility continues post-retirement. A similar lifelong benefit enjoyed by defense personnel is that of tax-free canteens, besides 90 days' annual leave, above the normal 60 days for others.

The main reason why companies resort to CTC calculations, the study points out, is that a consolidated amount would force them to pay 12% provident fund. The employees' need to have more cash in hand and scope for tax concessions through allowances are the other reasons. These factors, however, do not drive the government because it is not constrained by demand-supply considerations.

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Grand Father 'Spread Sheets'

If I say "Spread Sheet", immediately you'll lock on to MS-Excel. The word SpreadSheet itself is mostly unknown to the new generation.
Some of you may remember our grand old "Lotus 1-2-3", the Spread Sheet package (under MS-DOS) during the 1980s. LOTUS 1-2-3 was the king of all PC applications ( I won't forget the WordStar and DBase, siblings of Lotus 123) ! But some of you may remember the "VisiCalc", the pioneer in SpreadSheet packages. But how many of you are aware that SpreadSheet packages existed even before VisiCalc ? You may, if you were familiar with Home Computers, and the MSX versions of them.
I've below, the snaps of a SpreadSheet package ( as a ROM crtridge), for use with MSX version Home Computers (Not the Sinclair Spectrum s ! ).

Sixth Pay Commission Recommendations and Implementation

6PC recommendations and implementation.

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The sixth pay commission recommendations have been implemented with some positive (for the employees) revisions. The average pay hike (all included) is 21 %, and with effect from 1-1-2006. The pay arrears also are being paid (40% this year and 60% next year). Over 5 million government employees are benefited by this.

Reports say that , ten years ago, when the fifth pay commission was implemented, it gave rise to a heavy debt burden on the Government. Then, the World Bank , commented that “this is the single-largest adverse shock” to government finances and Indian economy. This resulted in soaring Budget deficits for the Central and State Governments. The extra financial load was over 9% of the non-plan revenue expenditure.

This was a major concern when the 6^th PC was setup. However, Government is not feeling any brunt now, for having implemented the recommendations (with upward revisions included). The economy has changed over the last few years, and Government budgets are in much better shape as compared to those 90s. Government is in a position to pay high to its employees. With the present hike , the load is about 3.3% of the budgeted non-plan revenue expenditure only. That means , its quite comfortable for the Government to pay the “huge” salaries to its employees.

Pay Commission did not forget the poor taxpayers and the ‘aam admi’. They did say that improving the system efficiency is a must. That’s why they recommended many Administrative reforms. Though the Government was keen to implement the pay revisions, nothing seems to be taken up towards any administrative reforms.

The common man is almost sure that higher wages won’t result in any improvement in efficiency. Studies show that the Govt employees themselves don’t believe that higher pay would result any improvement at all. So, something different should be done for the reforms. For the ‘aam aadmi’, the huge pay hike would result in ‘higher disparity’ between the common man and the ‘blessed babus’. The gap widens, without any benefits to the common man and the tax payers.

Another comment in the media says that the whole lot of money paid (windfall gains !) to the employees would result in a boost for the ‘home improvement’ and ‘consumer durables’ sectors. And probably, that’s the only positive change that brings to the public at large. A media report says : “ While pay revisions are necessary, it is important to raise the perception in the society that the Government is an asset, not a constraint, towards a better future”.