இல்லாத யாவும் உண்டென ஆதல் - கடவுள்
உள்ள யாவும் இல்லாது போதல் - காதல்!
வார்த்தைகளின் சத்தம் - கவிதை
மௌனத்தின் முத்தம் - காதல்!
மூச்சுடன் உயிர்தரித்தல் - வாழ்க்கை
மூர்ச்சையுடன் உயிர்தரித்தல் - காதல்!
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Thursday, January 20, 2011
My tryst with Credit!
Having been a banker involved in the credit process(to Corporates) for the past six months or so, there have been innumerable occasions where I have appreciated, accused and questioned the system, its implementation and its efficacy. These may well be rantings of a newb who has still not come to terms with what is accepted as a way of life in credit but what else to do but pour them out (pretty well knowing most it may not make sense when I wake up and read these tomorrow morning)!!!
Here are 3 areas which I think need to be focused on to make credit appraisal more than just a formality and much more meaningful!
Banks as knowledge repositories
This may sound heights of vanity to corporates, especially large ones who have more than a thing or two to offer to B-schools and peers in the form of successful formulations of strategies. Yet at the cost of sounding too biased, I would like to say the success of any strategy is finally accounted for only in terms of financial performance and who better to get the hang of those numbers than banks, which not only provide a fresh third person’s perspective (unbridled by common assumptions and constraints plaguing so-called industry experts and consultants) but also are a great source of data on industry performance based on breadth of their portfolio. It is also key to note that a banker’s analysis is free from all this accounting jugglery that is typical of many others! True no banker is as specialized in each domain as the industry expert but the breadth of a banker’s repertoire can indeed provide valuable insights based on his experiences with similar units.
Second, a bank is not a production unit churning out products of financial innovation guaranteeing abnormal rents that Corporates look for all the time, but it is a great university to learn financial discipline from. It is not innovation that carries companies across good and bad times but discipline which has been proved time and again with each of the recessions that have been witnessed. Banks that came up with financial structures that were supposed to be credit risk saviors only ended up using them as instruments of speculation..not to mention gambles taken by corporates too…point one for greed! If this doesn’t underline how relevant financial discipline is, I have no idea what will!! A caveat though: My intention is not to state that banks should shut doors on innovation…it is only to ensure that innovations are only put to use the way they were intended to be!
All this because the moment a bank makes an advance, it is not only to be viewed as a creditor but also as a strategic investor by the corporate. The value addition may be near nothing in terms of strategy or operations, but any bank worth its salt definitely can ensure that funds are put to the most optimum use, not only in its own interests but also to the ultimate benefit of the corporate. Shareholder wealth maximization is an unintended though undeniable output of good banking relations and am sure there are enough corporates to vouch for this statement! Even if this were to be proved false, I can state categorically that shareholder wealth erosion in 9 cases out of 10 is only on account of inadequate or neglected banking relations and supervision (far too obvious to say after all these scams that these can be intentional too!)
Based on the above, there needs to be a change in mindset of the corporate to involve the banker in all significant decisions and in the banker to stop being a pawnbroker advancing against collateral security and actively involving in the decision making process of the corporate!
First step towards breaking the creditor-borrower wall and building a strategic mutually beneficial partnership!
Now that this has gone far too long for my liking (and obviously given my flow of thoughts incoherent and incomplete too!), I defer the other 2 areas for my next post!! :D
Here are 3 areas which I think need to be focused on to make credit appraisal more than just a formality and much more meaningful!
Banks as knowledge repositories
This may sound heights of vanity to corporates, especially large ones who have more than a thing or two to offer to B-schools and peers in the form of successful formulations of strategies. Yet at the cost of sounding too biased, I would like to say the success of any strategy is finally accounted for only in terms of financial performance and who better to get the hang of those numbers than banks, which not only provide a fresh third person’s perspective (unbridled by common assumptions and constraints plaguing so-called industry experts and consultants) but also are a great source of data on industry performance based on breadth of their portfolio. It is also key to note that a banker’s analysis is free from all this accounting jugglery that is typical of many others! True no banker is as specialized in each domain as the industry expert but the breadth of a banker’s repertoire can indeed provide valuable insights based on his experiences with similar units.
Second, a bank is not a production unit churning out products of financial innovation guaranteeing abnormal rents that Corporates look for all the time, but it is a great university to learn financial discipline from. It is not innovation that carries companies across good and bad times but discipline which has been proved time and again with each of the recessions that have been witnessed. Banks that came up with financial structures that were supposed to be credit risk saviors only ended up using them as instruments of speculation..not to mention gambles taken by corporates too…point one for greed! If this doesn’t underline how relevant financial discipline is, I have no idea what will!! A caveat though: My intention is not to state that banks should shut doors on innovation…it is only to ensure that innovations are only put to use the way they were intended to be!
All this because the moment a bank makes an advance, it is not only to be viewed as a creditor but also as a strategic investor by the corporate. The value addition may be near nothing in terms of strategy or operations, but any bank worth its salt definitely can ensure that funds are put to the most optimum use, not only in its own interests but also to the ultimate benefit of the corporate. Shareholder wealth maximization is an unintended though undeniable output of good banking relations and am sure there are enough corporates to vouch for this statement! Even if this were to be proved false, I can state categorically that shareholder wealth erosion in 9 cases out of 10 is only on account of inadequate or neglected banking relations and supervision (far too obvious to say after all these scams that these can be intentional too!)
Based on the above, there needs to be a change in mindset of the corporate to involve the banker in all significant decisions and in the banker to stop being a pawnbroker advancing against collateral security and actively involving in the decision making process of the corporate!
First step towards breaking the creditor-borrower wall and building a strategic mutually beneficial partnership!
Now that this has gone far too long for my liking (and obviously given my flow of thoughts incoherent and incomplete too!), I defer the other 2 areas for my next post!! :D
Monday, January 10, 2011
காதலின் காலச்சக்கரம்!
எங்கே அவள் - தேடல்
கண்டவுடன் - பாடல்
கண்விட்டுப்போக - வாடல்
இருந்தும் இல்லாத - ஊடல்
இல்லாதும் இருந்தாய் - காதல்!
இனி என்ன?
இன்பமாய் உயிருருகச் சாதல்!
கண்டவுடன் - பாடல்
கண்விட்டுப்போக - வாடல்
இருந்தும் இல்லாத - ஊடல்
இல்லாதும் இருந்தாய் - காதல்!
இனி என்ன?
இன்பமாய் உயிருருகச் சாதல்!
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
தேவதை வம்சம் நீயோ!!
நாத்திகனடி நான்
மந்தியோ மனிதனோ அல்ல மனம் மாற
அன்றி அரசியலிலும் அல்ல அறிவற்றுப்போக
ஆயினும் தேவதை கண்டேன்..தேவி கண்டேன்
ஆவி போகிலும் கொள்கை விலகேன்
ஏற்பதெப்படி..........
கண்டேன்!!
நான் கடவுள்!!!!!!
மந்தியோ மனிதனோ அல்ல மனம் மாற
அன்றி அரசியலிலும் அல்ல அறிவற்றுப்போக
ஆயினும் தேவதை கண்டேன்..தேவி கண்டேன்
ஆவி போகிலும் கொள்கை விலகேன்
ஏற்பதெப்படி..........
கண்டேன்!!
நான் கடவுள்!!!!!!
Monday, November 29, 2010
துள்ளி எழுந்தது காற்று!!
காற்றுக்கேது வேலியென்ற
கூற்றிங்கு பொய்யாக்க
மாறிய மயிர்க்கால்
சீறியது எனைப்பார்த்து...
கற்றையில் சிறையான காற்று!!
கூற்றிங்கு பொய்யாக்க
மாறிய மயிர்க்கால்
சீறியது எனைப்பார்த்து...
கற்றையில் சிறையான காற்று!!
Thursday, May 13, 2010
S - S: Burger Point!!
SP: Yes Sishya, so what brings you to me after long?I presume you have been too occupied with your day to day activities to spare some time for your pal!
S: O Guru, I've had enough of your pranks.
SP: And if I know you right, you don't come to me without something on your mind..Now what's on your mind?!Or are you gonna surprise me by telling that this was only a casual visit???
S: (mutters It is true that too much familiarity isn't always good!!)
SP: Oh I am a little short of hearing and I don't think you would mind that I missed what you said, right?
S: Well...can I ask you something?
SP: Here we go..now I get to know what brought my best pal to me!Shoot!!
S: O Guru, I hear a lot about these branches of study called Behavioural economics and Behavioural Finance that deal with human decision making process in real world scenarios than the utopian rational world of economists! I would like to know if these branches are as practically useful as stated by their proponents!
SP: Good One!!A far cry from the usual philosophical banter that we are used to and something that I experienced very recently!! Yes, your explanation of the branches of study was indeed right..They deal with cognitive biases and heuristics in the human decision making process!
As to your question of whether it is useful, I'll narrate to you the first instance of my observing a bias at work!
I was out with a pal of mine to a fast food restaurant chain that offers burgers (burgers are always good, they spare none!! :D) and ordered a burger!! And pat came the question: Would you want a single or a double cheese coating on the burger? Well put yourself in my position. You are given 2 choices and you choose the lesser of the 2 evils. So single cheese it is! The burger is done, I collect it and off I speed to home!My friend was having the burger and I let my brain wander off!
Did I miss something??Yes, looks like I did..Am not a lactose fanatic and certainly not one who cherishes cheese and I always used to say no to cheese on burger at the same food chain!!But was there a difference between the 2 cases!!Yes got it!!Normally I was used to the question:"Would you want cheese on your burger"..but look at the question this time.."Would you want 1 or 2"??!!!!Meaning my brain would see only a single cheese as the default option!!All the while the "No cheese" option was right on my head but it was totally blocked by this question!! ( I need to tell you that I make choices for my pal; so my choices are not questioned :D!!) This bias is "Inattentional Blindness", where we miss something that is so obvious because our brain is set to focus on some other alternatives!!
S: O!!Looks like Behavioural Finance indeed works!! But while its true that it works, it is again a hindsight explanation!!Is there a way it can help you in making better decisions?
SP: Ha Ha Ha Sishya you are only enabled by knowledge; never automated by it!!So use your knowledge of the bias..Now that you know you suffer from this bias, you can make better decisions...and wouldn't your next statement be "Cut the crap and get to the point"??!!
A simple solution would be to look at the salesperson who asks you all this!!They are selected so that they look fit and trim and here lies your clue!!In case you didn't know, cheese gets you more plumpy (well..if you have a girlfriend who likes your plumpiness so that she can forget she doesn't own a teddy, then this isn't for you!! :P)...Now think this guy stays fit only because he pushes all this fattening cheese to 'uninformed' people like you making you scape-goats!!And pop!!Your mind says no!!
S: Ha Ha Ha ..Finally O Guru you have spoken something that is of practical use!!
SP: Oh my...(totally flabbergasted!!)
S: O Guru, I've had enough of your pranks.
SP: And if I know you right, you don't come to me without something on your mind..Now what's on your mind?!Or are you gonna surprise me by telling that this was only a casual visit???
S: (mutters It is true that too much familiarity isn't always good!!)
SP: Oh I am a little short of hearing and I don't think you would mind that I missed what you said, right?
S: Well...can I ask you something?
SP: Here we go..now I get to know what brought my best pal to me!Shoot!!
S: O Guru, I hear a lot about these branches of study called Behavioural economics and Behavioural Finance that deal with human decision making process in real world scenarios than the utopian rational world of economists! I would like to know if these branches are as practically useful as stated by their proponents!
SP: Good One!!A far cry from the usual philosophical banter that we are used to and something that I experienced very recently!! Yes, your explanation of the branches of study was indeed right..They deal with cognitive biases and heuristics in the human decision making process!
As to your question of whether it is useful, I'll narrate to you the first instance of my observing a bias at work!
I was out with a pal of mine to a fast food restaurant chain that offers burgers (burgers are always good, they spare none!! :D) and ordered a burger!! And pat came the question: Would you want a single or a double cheese coating on the burger? Well put yourself in my position. You are given 2 choices and you choose the lesser of the 2 evils. So single cheese it is! The burger is done, I collect it and off I speed to home!My friend was having the burger and I let my brain wander off!
Did I miss something??Yes, looks like I did..Am not a lactose fanatic and certainly not one who cherishes cheese and I always used to say no to cheese on burger at the same food chain!!But was there a difference between the 2 cases!!Yes got it!!Normally I was used to the question:"Would you want cheese on your burger"..but look at the question this time.."Would you want 1 or 2"??!!!!Meaning my brain would see only a single cheese as the default option!!All the while the "No cheese" option was right on my head but it was totally blocked by this question!! ( I need to tell you that I make choices for my pal; so my choices are not questioned :D!!) This bias is "Inattentional Blindness", where we miss something that is so obvious because our brain is set to focus on some other alternatives!!
S: O!!Looks like Behavioural Finance indeed works!! But while its true that it works, it is again a hindsight explanation!!Is there a way it can help you in making better decisions?
SP: Ha Ha Ha Sishya you are only enabled by knowledge; never automated by it!!So use your knowledge of the bias..Now that you know you suffer from this bias, you can make better decisions...and wouldn't your next statement be "Cut the crap and get to the point"??!!
A simple solution would be to look at the salesperson who asks you all this!!They are selected so that they look fit and trim and here lies your clue!!In case you didn't know, cheese gets you more plumpy (well..if you have a girlfriend who likes your plumpiness so that she can forget she doesn't own a teddy, then this isn't for you!! :P)...Now think this guy stays fit only because he pushes all this fattening cheese to 'uninformed' people like you making you scape-goats!!And pop!!Your mind says no!!
S: Ha Ha Ha ..Finally O Guru you have spoken something that is of practical use!!
SP: Oh my...(totally flabbergasted!!)
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
நீ காற்று நான் மரம்...
காற்றாய் இருந்தாகிலும் பயன் உண்டடி
கற்றைக் கூந்தல் கைது செய்து
ஓற்றைக்கொன்றை சேர்த்திருப்பேன்
வாசமாய் நான்
நேசமுறக் கலந்திருப்பேன்
தடை இலையெனச் செருக்கோ!
இடை ஏதுமின்றி
உடையென்றானேன்!!
காற்றாயல்ல
காதலாய்..
காதலனாய்!
The title is a tribute to what was once a national anthem for lovers across TN!!Nee Kaatru naan maram from Nilave vaa...
கற்றைக் கூந்தல் கைது செய்து
ஓற்றைக்கொன்றை சேர்த்திருப்பேன்
வாசமாய் நான்
நேசமுறக் கலந்திருப்பேன்
தடை இலையெனச் செருக்கோ!
இடை ஏதுமின்றி
உடையென்றானேன்!!
காற்றாயல்ல
காதலாய்..
காதலனாய்!
The title is a tribute to what was once a national anthem for lovers across TN!!Nee Kaatru naan maram from Nilave vaa...
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
சங்கத்தில் பாடாத கவிதை!!
இயல்
கயல் மொழி உனது..
இசை
வசை மொழி உனது..
நாடகம்
ஊடகம் உன் ஊடலது..
சங்கமே..
பிழை பொருப்பாய்!
விழைந்தேன் முத்தமிழ் விளக்க..
இழை சேலை கண்டு
தழையுண்ட காளைபோல்
திளைத்தேன் தலைவி நினைவில்..
முடித்தேன் முத்தத்தமிழ் விளக்கி!!
கயல் மொழி உனது..
இசை
வசை மொழி உனது..
நாடகம்
ஊடகம் உன் ஊடலது..
சங்கமே..
பிழை பொருப்பாய்!
விழைந்தேன் முத்தமிழ் விளக்க..
இழை சேலை கண்டு
தழையுண்ட காளைபோல்
திளைத்தேன் தலைவி நினைவில்..
முடித்தேன் முத்தத்தமிழ் விளக்கி!!
Saturday, January 2, 2010
கடற்கரைக் காதலி...
கடற்கரை வாடைக் காற்று
குளிர் தாளாது
'விடைபெறுகிறேன்' என்றேன்...
அவளிடம்
விடை அங்கே
பிறைப் புன்னகை
'என்ன' என்றேன்
என்னைப் பிரிய மனமற்றவளுக்கு
மெளனம் பிரியவும் மனமில்லை
இருகரம் விரித்தாள்
'கொள்' என்றாள்
தொட்டுவிட மனம் தவிக்க
தொட்டால் விட நான் தவிக்க
மார்புச் சூட்டில் முகம் புதைத்தேன்
காதலின் போதைக்கு
காலமென்ன விதிவிலக்கா?
நொடிகள் நாட்களாயின
...
...
...
பூஜை வேளையில் கரடிக்கா பஞ்சம்
'சார் சுண்டல்'..
குறல் கேட்டுப் பதைத்தெழ
மீசையில் மண் கண்டு
சிரித்தான் சுண்டல் பொடியன்!
கடற்கரைத் தனிமையில் தேனீர் போதை!
குளிர் தாளாது
'விடைபெறுகிறேன்' என்றேன்...
அவளிடம்
விடை அங்கே
பிறைப் புன்னகை
'என்ன' என்றேன்
என்னைப் பிரிய மனமற்றவளுக்கு
மெளனம் பிரியவும் மனமில்லை
இருகரம் விரித்தாள்
'கொள்' என்றாள்
தொட்டுவிட மனம் தவிக்க
தொட்டால் விட நான் தவிக்க
மார்புச் சூட்டில் முகம் புதைத்தேன்
காதலின் போதைக்கு
காலமென்ன விதிவிலக்கா?
நொடிகள் நாட்களாயின
...
...
...
பூஜை வேளையில் கரடிக்கா பஞ்சம்
'சார் சுண்டல்'..
குறல் கேட்டுப் பதைத்தெழ
மீசையில் மண் கண்டு
சிரித்தான் சுண்டல் பொடியன்!
கடற்கரைத் தனிமையில் தேனீர் போதை!
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
வா வா என் தேவதையே...
வண்ணதேவனின் தலைமகளே
மழலைக் கலைமகளே
முத்தமிழ் உரைத்தாயடி
உன்
கனிமொழி
கண்மொழி
கண்ணீர் மொழியில்!
கவிஞனானேன்
கரைந்த உன்
கண் மையால்!!!
To little Durga (one of many kids to be a part of this year's edition of Lakshmi Bal Mahotsav and with whom I had the privilege of spending a day's time!) whose tears when I left her included ones that were to be mine too!!
More on Lakshmi Bal Mahotsav here!!
மழலைக் கலைமகளே
முத்தமிழ் உரைத்தாயடி
உன்
கனிமொழி
கண்மொழி
கண்ணீர் மொழியில்!
கவிஞனானேன்
கரைந்த உன்
கண் மையால்!!!
To little Durga (one of many kids to be a part of this year's edition of Lakshmi Bal Mahotsav and with whom I had the privilege of spending a day's time!) whose tears when I left her included ones that were to be mine too!!
More on Lakshmi Bal Mahotsav here!!
Friday, November 27, 2009
S-S 3: Life's like that!
It's been a long hiatus. Where have I been and what have I been up to? If ever there was someone who could answer these questions, it would only be me and fortunately for me I don't have any answers to bore myself to death with another of my own stupid "been there done that" explanations. So what is on this time from S-S?
It has already been a long journey and the silence of the night is shattered!
Sishya: O Wise one. Much as you may say that your silence means lot more than your words, I already find life to be an incomprehensible puzzle; burden me not with silence as a response! Make me understand life..
SP: It is not what Sigmund Freud sees as “Quest for Pleasure”, not what Alfred Adler calls “Quest for Power”, not what Viktor Frankl calls "Search for meaning" that makes life. I do not call these wrong. All I say is these are effects of a much more basic thing! Life is a “Call to action”. Why do I say so?
Action is the atomic unit of transaction for life! Each instant in life is a “call to action”. It is this action that results in you being happy, sad, in love, in despair, powerful, trampled, alive and dead!!
O Sishya..simple as it may seem..the term action here signifies not just action.it includes inaction as well. Your next question would obviously be: How would inaction be a call to action??..Here you go: It is your action that decides inaction to be the course of action. So that is still action!
What Freud and Adler see are much more abstract, at a higher level and most importantly, don’t capture the dynamism that life is! The definition of life as a “Call to action” is much more an inside-out perspective of life, an emergent view of the phenomenon that life is, able to accommodate the evolving nature of life!
Each instant of life presents an opportunity to act! Act and grow or stay and decay!
Sishya:Well..you only managed to confuse the confounded!I quit.Would you care to make this conversation ligher?
SP:Well..if it were so easy to explain I would’ve! But see if this helps..I attempt to provide an explanation of life in terms of Options. If you ask me “Of all the financial products, why options?!”..here is my answer..
• Volatility is what makes both valuable
• Both have a limited downside and unlimited upside and is near impossible to predict with certainty their occurrences
So..”Life is a long call on yourself with a strike price of Nirvana and a short time to maturity. The contract is to be rolled over every instant. The downside is limited to your life and upside is potentially all the world that you can think of!! Hit the strike and your option becomes all the more valuable. On the other hand, each low instant would take you closer to the downside and would make you close your call!”
Did that help?!
Sishya: Yea certainly. But not to the question I had. Now I understand why silence is much more valuable! I would have been much more comfortable and happy with my mouth shut instead of having posed this question to you and suffer this!!
SP: Hahaha
The odyssey is still on...
It has already been a long journey and the silence of the night is shattered!
Sishya: O Wise one. Much as you may say that your silence means lot more than your words, I already find life to be an incomprehensible puzzle; burden me not with silence as a response! Make me understand life..
SP: It is not what Sigmund Freud sees as “Quest for Pleasure”, not what Alfred Adler calls “Quest for Power”, not what Viktor Frankl calls "Search for meaning" that makes life. I do not call these wrong. All I say is these are effects of a much more basic thing! Life is a “Call to action”. Why do I say so?
Action is the atomic unit of transaction for life! Each instant in life is a “call to action”. It is this action that results in you being happy, sad, in love, in despair, powerful, trampled, alive and dead!!
O Sishya..simple as it may seem..the term action here signifies not just action.it includes inaction as well. Your next question would obviously be: How would inaction be a call to action??..Here you go: It is your action that decides inaction to be the course of action. So that is still action!
What Freud and Adler see are much more abstract, at a higher level and most importantly, don’t capture the dynamism that life is! The definition of life as a “Call to action” is much more an inside-out perspective of life, an emergent view of the phenomenon that life is, able to accommodate the evolving nature of life!
Each instant of life presents an opportunity to act! Act and grow or stay and decay!
Sishya:Well..you only managed to confuse the confounded!I quit.Would you care to make this conversation ligher?
SP:Well..if it were so easy to explain I would’ve! But see if this helps..I attempt to provide an explanation of life in terms of Options. If you ask me “Of all the financial products, why options?!”..here is my answer..
• Volatility is what makes both valuable
• Both have a limited downside and unlimited upside and is near impossible to predict with certainty their occurrences
So..”Life is a long call on yourself with a strike price of Nirvana and a short time to maturity. The contract is to be rolled over every instant. The downside is limited to your life and upside is potentially all the world that you can think of!! Hit the strike and your option becomes all the more valuable. On the other hand, each low instant would take you closer to the downside and would make you close your call!”
Did that help?!
Sishya: Yea certainly. But not to the question I had. Now I understand why silence is much more valuable! I would have been much more comfortable and happy with my mouth shut instead of having posed this question to you and suffer this!!
SP: Hahaha
The odyssey is still on...
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
மோகத்தைக் கொன்று விடு!
மேகத்தினூடே வந்த மாறனின் தூதறிந்தாள்..
மோகத்தின் மொழியுணர்ந்தாள்..
பசலை கொண்டாளின் பின்னிய ஆடையின்
முத்த மழை!!!
The concept for this post is a result of me getting drenched in a heavy downpour last night while returning home!!! Thoughts crowded, words didn't and the lead character now is a female to meet my Tamil vocabulary limitations!! :D
The title is from a Subramaniya Bharthiyar's poem. Here is a Youtube version of the song, sung by none other than the inimitable Maharajapuram Santhanam!!
மோகத்தின் மொழியுணர்ந்தாள்..
பசலை கொண்டாளின் பின்னிய ஆடையின்
முத்த மழை!!!
The concept for this post is a result of me getting drenched in a heavy downpour last night while returning home!!! Thoughts crowded, words didn't and the lead character now is a female to meet my Tamil vocabulary limitations!! :D
The title is from a Subramaniya Bharthiyar's poem. Here is a Youtube version of the song, sung by none other than the inimitable Maharajapuram Santhanam!!
Friday, August 21, 2009
S - S Session 2 - Derivatives??!!
SP, out after a big bout of gyan on derivatives, meets Sishya who is just flabbergasted by all this! Pop comes the question!!
Sishya: What on earth makes Financial Derivatives interesting and disgusting at the same time??
SP: Sishya, Have you heard of "circular reference"? Here I use derivatives to state why they are the way they are!!
By design, these Financial Derivatives appeal and don't, simultaneously, because, the problems/questions posed around them are capped on the upside by your creativity and on the other hand, the solutions using these, are capped (or uncapped, to be precise ;), considering that fact that, these very instruments have brought about this second depression!!) only by your stupidity! And the icing on the cake is, "Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe." (by Albert Einstein)
The very presence of non-symmetrical pay-offs is what makes Derivatives present 2 views of itself simultaneously!!
Sishya: !!??
Sishya: What on earth makes Financial Derivatives interesting and disgusting at the same time??
SP: Sishya, Have you heard of "circular reference"? Here I use derivatives to state why they are the way they are!!
By design, these Financial Derivatives appeal and don't, simultaneously, because, the problems/questions posed around them are capped on the upside by your creativity and on the other hand, the solutions using these, are capped (or uncapped, to be precise ;), considering that fact that, these very instruments have brought about this second depression!!) only by your stupidity! And the icing on the cake is, "Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe." (by Albert Einstein)
The very presence of non-symmetrical pay-offs is what makes Derivatives present 2 views of itself simultaneously!!
Sishya: !!??
Sunday, August 16, 2009
S - S Session 1!!
After a long hiatus, here I am back to blog! Somehow this idea of a 2 character dialog style appeals to me (from various sources, right from the Gita to innumerable comic strips and blogs). So I ape this style in an attempt to create a dialogue based series between 2 characters:
Sishya - Someone who has a unending quiver of questions and is willing to listen to drivel, data, information and knowledge
Sthithapragyan - "The Perfect Yogi" as is described by the Gita! But the point here being, our Sthithapragyan will answer questions on any area, not just spirituality!
These characters are my mouthpieces and shall speak my thoughts, based on whatever I read and think! A crude way of bringing out my thought process, as I understood various things in life!!
Sishya:
What is it that is referred to by so many as God?
Sthithapragyan:
Ah! You ask me to define the indefinable! Let me see if I can answer you
It is that Self that has no origin, is complete in itself and is indestructible.
It is that Self that manifests itself in all and envelops all in itself.
In short,
Aham Parichhinnah (I am limited) is not true!!
Aham Brahmasmi (I am Brahman) !!
Know the above and know yourself!
Tat Vam Asi (Thou are that)!!!
The quest shall continue!!!
Sishya - Someone who has a unending quiver of questions and is willing to listen to drivel, data, information and knowledge
Sthithapragyan - "The Perfect Yogi" as is described by the Gita! But the point here being, our Sthithapragyan will answer questions on any area, not just spirituality!
These characters are my mouthpieces and shall speak my thoughts, based on whatever I read and think! A crude way of bringing out my thought process, as I understood various things in life!!
Sishya:
What is it that is referred to by so many as God?
Sthithapragyan:
Ah! You ask me to define the indefinable! Let me see if I can answer you
It is that Self that has no origin, is complete in itself and is indestructible.
It is that Self that manifests itself in all and envelops all in itself.
In short,
Aham Parichhinnah (I am limited) is not true!!
Aham Brahmasmi (I am Brahman) !!
Know the above and know yourself!
Tat Vam Asi (Thou are that)!!!
The quest shall continue!!!
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
நான் தேடும் செவ்வந்திப் பூவிது...
மேதினி மீதினி இருக்கவோர் இடமேது
மாள்வோமென்றது மலரினம்..
நங்கையின் அவிழ்கூந்தல் அலைபாய!
நறுமுகை நயனம் கண்டு கள்ளுண்டான்..
நகைத்தான்..
நாயகன்...
மலருக்கோ மரணமென்றான்!!!
The title of this post is dedicated to Maestro Ilayaraaja (taken right out of a very famous song of his) on his Birthday today!
Well..the post itself is dedicated to...... ;)
மாள்வோமென்றது மலரினம்..
நங்கையின் அவிழ்கூந்தல் அலைபாய!
நறுமுகை நயனம் கண்டு கள்ளுண்டான்..
நகைத்தான்..
நாயகன்...
மலருக்கோ மரணமென்றான்!!!
The title of this post is dedicated to Maestro Ilayaraaja (taken right out of a very famous song of his) on his Birthday today!
Well..the post itself is dedicated to...... ;)
Hahahaha.....
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Democracy Vetoed (It can't be Voted..can it be from me ?? ;))
It's time again for the world's biggest showcase of the amount of resources that can be expended to implement and justify an incongruous philosophy called Democracy!
So why do I say that now?? No... Am not one of these opportunists to take advantage of an occasion (Do you by any chance think that I used that word to refer to a politician? well...Yeah..you got it right then!!!....;)) The truth is: Democracy is just not right for us (us meaning Indians..) or it makes more sense to put it the other way...India in its current state is (err...it never has been as I have always been saying, to be very frank) not right in embracing democracy. Before someone gets ready to send me to the heavens (or hell it is??) for this sacrilege of the very foundation of our country, I would like to state the reasons that I have in mind:
1. Democracy, according to Wiki (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democracy) is, 'a form of government in which state-power is held by the majority of citizens within a country or a state'. Need I say more? The average voter turnout in Indian polls ranges from 50% to 60% (I guess, on quite some occasions, it is less than 50% and the beauty of statistics acts as the saving grace...I don't know how, but do extremities average to this number?!!I leave this to the number crunchers to answer). So what about the other significant lot who either choose not to vote or do not know that they have to??? If you ask me as to what the solution to this is, I do not have any right now. But am not the Devil's advocate content with identifying what doesn't work with this system. Given the amount of laziness inherent in me, this process of coming up with a sensible suggestion is going to take quite some time.
2. Democracy is a system that has to be customized and is not a 'one size fits all' solution. Given India's literacy rates @ 60% or less (http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_literacy_rate_of_india_in_2008), it hardly makes sense to focus on empowering first when education is left unattended. I say this because, education is the cornerstone for a good decision making system. So how would a decision made by a 40% non-educated population be right? By this I do not mean to slight or belittle any particular section (read not-so-fortunate-to-be-educated). I only wish to stress the importance of better primary education.
3. Democracy in India has just been given another meaning by our politicians (beginning with a lower case p, intentional :)). It has been taken to be the Right to Plunder and is the justification for perpetrating corruption all through the system. In short, it is a system that enables the empowered few to enrich themselves at the cost of the enslaved lot (well.. that was just an attempt to see how many e* words i knew..not bad eh...huh..that spoiled the mood of the post :(..)
So why do I stop with 3? Here is the reason for that. Is not Democracy a form of rule 'by the people, of the people and for the people' as its proponents say?
In the reasons stated above, 1 violates 'by', 2 violates 'of' and 3 violates 'for' (to ensure clarity, all the above only apply when taken for India . What else do I need to say??So what are we waiting for...CHANGE...
Warren Buffet remarked "Derivatives are the financial Weapons of Mass Destruction." Here is my take: Democracy is the political version of the same! :)
PS: To set the context right, this post was started on the day of the elections (May 13) and left half-way through then only to be completed today! This is the first in probably a series of 2 posts on Democracy in India!!
So why do I say that now?? No... Am not one of these opportunists to take advantage of an occasion (Do you by any chance think that I used that word to refer to a politician? well...Yeah..you got it right then!!!....;)) The truth is: Democracy is just not right for us (us meaning Indians..) or it makes more sense to put it the other way...India in its current state is (err...it never has been as I have always been saying, to be very frank) not right in embracing democracy. Before someone gets ready to send me to the heavens (or hell it is??) for this sacrilege of the very foundation of our country, I would like to state the reasons that I have in mind:
1. Democracy, according to Wiki (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democracy) is, 'a form of government in which state-power is held by the majority of citizens within a country or a state'. Need I say more? The average voter turnout in Indian polls ranges from 50% to 60% (I guess, on quite some occasions, it is less than 50% and the beauty of statistics acts as the saving grace...I don't know how, but do extremities average to this number?!!I leave this to the number crunchers to answer). So what about the other significant lot who either choose not to vote or do not know that they have to??? If you ask me as to what the solution to this is, I do not have any right now. But am not the Devil's advocate content with identifying what doesn't work with this system. Given the amount of laziness inherent in me, this process of coming up with a sensible suggestion is going to take quite some time.
2. Democracy is a system that has to be customized and is not a 'one size fits all' solution. Given India's literacy rates @ 60% or less (http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_literacy_rate_of_india_in_2008), it hardly makes sense to focus on empowering first when education is left unattended. I say this because, education is the cornerstone for a good decision making system. So how would a decision made by a 40% non-educated population be right? By this I do not mean to slight or belittle any particular section (read not-so-fortunate-to-be-educated). I only wish to stress the importance of better primary education.
3. Democracy in India has just been given another meaning by our politicians (beginning with a lower case p, intentional :)). It has been taken to be the Right to Plunder and is the justification for perpetrating corruption all through the system. In short, it is a system that enables the empowered few to enrich themselves at the cost of the enslaved lot (well.. that was just an attempt to see how many e* words i knew..not bad eh...huh..that spoiled the mood of the post :(..)
So why do I stop with 3? Here is the reason for that. Is not Democracy a form of rule 'by the people, of the people and for the people' as its proponents say?
In the reasons stated above, 1 violates 'by', 2 violates 'of' and 3 violates 'for' (to ensure clarity, all the above only apply when taken for India . What else do I need to say??So what are we waiting for...CHANGE...
Warren Buffet remarked "Derivatives are the financial Weapons of Mass Destruction." Here is my take: Democracy is the political version of the same! :)
PS: To set the context right, this post was started on the day of the elections (May 13) and left half-way through then only to be completed today! This is the first in probably a series of 2 posts on Democracy in India!!
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
காதல் பித்தன்!!!
காலத்தை வென்றவன் நான்..
கடிகாரங்களற்ற காதல் தேசம் இட்டுச் சென்றாயடி
செவிமடுத்தேன்..
புலமைப்பித்தன் என்கிறாயோ??
உண்மையுரைத்தேன்..
சித்திரமல்லாது சுவரேதடி?!!
கடிகாரங்களற்ற காதல் தேசம் இட்டுச் சென்றாயடி
செவிமடுத்தேன்..
புலமைப்பித்தன் என்கிறாயோ??
உண்மையுரைத்தேன்..
சித்திரமல்லாது சுவரேதடி?!!
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
ஒன்றே குலமென்று பாடுவோம்!!!
பிரிவதன் பற்றுணர்ந்துதானோ
பிரிவினையுடனே வாழ்கிறீர் முற்றுமறிந்த மூடர்களே??
பிரிவினையுடனே வாழ்கிறீர் முற்றுமறிந்த மூடர்களே??
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Strange are my ways!!!
Here is a all-too-familiar forward that seems to be interesting to many. However I don't find it to be that way! The first point being the student uses the hackneyed approach of telling God is not finite and blah blah. Second, his "Professor's Brain" quote just does not take this proof anywhere, except to find the support of students.
I have a whole list of observations on this conversation; but I hold them off for a later post.
An atheist professor of philosophy speaks to his class on the problem science has with God, The Almighty.He asks one of his new students to stand and.....
Prof:
So you believe in God?
Student:
Absolutely, sir.
Prof:
Is God good?
Student:
Sure.
Prof:
Is God all-powerful?
Student:
Yes..
Prof:
My brother died of cancer even though he prayed to God to heal
him.
Most of us would attempt to help others who are ill.
But God didn't. How is this God good then? Hmm?
(Student is silent.)
Prof:
You can't answer, can you?
Let's start again, young fella.
Is God good?
Student:
Yes.
Prof:
Is Satan good?
Student:
No.
Prof:
Where does Satan come from?
Student:
From....God.
Prof:
That's right.
Tell me son, is there evil in this world?
Student:
Yes.
Prof:
Evil is everywhere, isn't it?
And God did make everything, Correct?
Student:
Yes.
Prof:
So why create evil?
(Student does not answer.)
Prof:
Is there sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness?
All these terrible things exist in the world, don't they?
Student:
Yes, sir.
Prof:
So, who created them?
(Student has no answer.)
Prof:
Science says you have 5 senses you use to identify and observe the world around you.
Tell me, son....Have you ever seen God?
Student:
No, sir.
Prof:
Tell us if you have ever heard your God?
Student:
No, sir.
Prof:
Have you ever felt your God, tasted your God, smelt your God?
Have you ever had any sensory perception of God for that matter?
Student:
No, sir. I'm afraid I haven't.
Prof:
Yet you still believe in Him?
Student:
Yes.
Prof:
According to empirical, testable, demonstrable protocol, science says your 'GOD' doesn't exist.
What do you say to that, son?
Student:
Nothing. I only have my faith.
Prof:
Yes, Faith. And that is the problem science has.
Student:
Professor, is there such a thing as heat?
Prof:
Yes.
Student:
And is there such a thing as cold?
Prof:
Yes.
Student:
No sir. There isn't.(The lecture theatre becomes very quiet with this turn of events.)
Student:
Sir, you can have lots of heat, even more heat, superheat, megaheat, white heat, a little heat or no heat..But we don't have anything called cold.
We can hit 458 degrees below zero which is no heat, but we can't go any further after that.There is no such thing as cold.Cold is only a word we use to describe the absence of heat.We cannot measure cold.Heat is energy.Cold is not the opposite of heat, sir, just the absence of it. (There is pin-drop silence in the lecture theatre.)
Student:
What about darkness, Professor?
Is there such a thing as darkness?
Prof:
Yes... What is night if there isn't darkness?
Student :
You're wrong again, sir.Darkness is the absence of something.You can have low light, normal light, bright light, flashing light....But if you have no light constantly, you have nothing and it's called darkness, isn't it? In reality, darkness isn't. If it were you would be able to make darkness darker, wouldn't you?
Prof:
So what is the point you are making, young man?
Student:
Sir, my point is your philosophical premise is flawed.
Prof:
Flawed? Can you explain how?
Student:
Sir, you are working on the premise of duality.You argue there is life and then there is death, a good God and a bad God.You are viewing the concept of God as something finite,something we can measure. Sir, science can't even explain a thought..It uses electricity and magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully understood either one.To view death as the opposite of life is to be ignorant of the fact that death cannot exist as a substantive thing. Death is not the opposite of life: just the absence of it. Now tell me, Professor.Do you teach your students that they evolved from a monkey?
Prof:
If you are referring to the natural evolutionary process, yes,of course, I do.
Student:
Have you ever observed evolution with your own eyes, sir?(The Professor shakes his head with a smile, beginning to realize where the argument is going.)
Student:
Since no one has ever observed the process of evolution at work and cannot even prove that this process is an on-going endeavor, are you not teaching your opinion, sir? Are you not a scientist but a preacher? (The class is in uproar.)
Student:
Is there anyone in the class who has ever seen the Professor's brain?(The class breaks out into laughter.)
Student:
Is there anyone here who has ever heard the Professor's brain, touched or smelt it?So, according to the established rules of empirical, testable,
demonstrable protocol, science says that you have no brain, sir. With all due respect, sir, how do we then trust your lectures?? (The room is silent.. The professor stares at the student, his face unfathomable. )
Prof:
I guess you'll have to take them on faith, son.
Student:
That is it sir... a link between man and god is FAITH :)
Here is something that strikes me right away:
The student calls darkness to be the absence of light and death to be the absence of life.
But isn't something glaring out there?
"The presence of absence"!!! Is this not in itself a manifestation of duality? So unless absence is present, any sense in the student's proof is absent! (To all Tamizh movie lovers, this may look like the Munnadi Pinnadi Kannadi Panchatantiram comedy sequence!!)
Interestingly my opinions on this are only 2 lines long, in comparison to the conversation!!!
I have a whole list of observations on this conversation; but I hold them off for a later post.
An atheist professor of philosophy speaks to his class on the problem science has with God, The Almighty.He asks one of his new students to stand and.....
Prof:
So you believe in God?
Student:
Absolutely, sir.
Prof:
Is God good?
Student:
Sure.
Prof:
Is God all-powerful?
Student:
Yes..
Prof:
My brother died of cancer even though he prayed to God to heal
him.
Most of us would attempt to help others who are ill.
But God didn't. How is this God good then? Hmm?
(Student is silent.)
Prof:
You can't answer, can you?
Let's start again, young fella.
Is God good?
Student:
Yes.
Prof:
Is Satan good?
Student:
No.
Prof:
Where does Satan come from?
Student:
From....God.
Prof:
That's right.
Tell me son, is there evil in this world?
Student:
Yes.
Prof:
Evil is everywhere, isn't it?
And God did make everything, Correct?
Student:
Yes.
Prof:
So why create evil?
(Student does not answer.)
Prof:
Is there sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness?
All these terrible things exist in the world, don't they?
Student:
Yes, sir.
Prof:
So, who created them?
(Student has no answer.)
Prof:
Science says you have 5 senses you use to identify and observe the world around you.
Tell me, son....Have you ever seen God?
Student:
No, sir.
Prof:
Tell us if you have ever heard your God?
Student:
No, sir.
Prof:
Have you ever felt your God, tasted your God, smelt your God?
Have you ever had any sensory perception of God for that matter?
Student:
No, sir. I'm afraid I haven't.
Prof:
Yet you still believe in Him?
Student:
Yes.
Prof:
According to empirical, testable, demonstrable protocol, science says your 'GOD' doesn't exist.
What do you say to that, son?
Student:
Nothing. I only have my faith.
Prof:
Yes, Faith. And that is the problem science has.
Student:
Professor, is there such a thing as heat?
Prof:
Yes.
Student:
And is there such a thing as cold?
Prof:
Yes.
Student:
No sir. There isn't.(The lecture theatre becomes very quiet with this turn of events.)
Student:
Sir, you can have lots of heat, even more heat, superheat, megaheat, white heat, a little heat or no heat..But we don't have anything called cold.
We can hit 458 degrees below zero which is no heat, but we can't go any further after that.There is no such thing as cold.Cold is only a word we use to describe the absence of heat.We cannot measure cold.Heat is energy.Cold is not the opposite of heat, sir, just the absence of it. (There is pin-drop silence in the lecture theatre.)
Student:
What about darkness, Professor?
Is there such a thing as darkness?
Prof:
Yes... What is night if there isn't darkness?
Student :
You're wrong again, sir.Darkness is the absence of something.You can have low light, normal light, bright light, flashing light....But if you have no light constantly, you have nothing and it's called darkness, isn't it? In reality, darkness isn't. If it were you would be able to make darkness darker, wouldn't you?
Prof:
So what is the point you are making, young man?
Student:
Sir, my point is your philosophical premise is flawed.
Prof:
Flawed? Can you explain how?
Student:
Sir, you are working on the premise of duality.You argue there is life and then there is death, a good God and a bad God.You are viewing the concept of God as something finite,something we can measure. Sir, science can't even explain a thought..It uses electricity and magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully understood either one.To view death as the opposite of life is to be ignorant of the fact that death cannot exist as a substantive thing. Death is not the opposite of life: just the absence of it. Now tell me, Professor.Do you teach your students that they evolved from a monkey?
Prof:
If you are referring to the natural evolutionary process, yes,of course, I do.
Student:
Have you ever observed evolution with your own eyes, sir?(The Professor shakes his head with a smile, beginning to realize where the argument is going.)
Student:
Since no one has ever observed the process of evolution at work and cannot even prove that this process is an on-going endeavor, are you not teaching your opinion, sir? Are you not a scientist but a preacher? (The class is in uproar.)
Student:
Is there anyone in the class who has ever seen the Professor's brain?(The class breaks out into laughter.)
Student:
Is there anyone here who has ever heard the Professor's brain, touched or smelt it?So, according to the established rules of empirical, testable,
demonstrable protocol, science says that you have no brain, sir. With all due respect, sir, how do we then trust your lectures?? (The room is silent.. The professor stares at the student, his face unfathomable. )
Prof:
I guess you'll have to take them on faith, son.
Student:
That is it sir... a link between man and god is FAITH :)
Here is something that strikes me right away:
The student calls darkness to be the absence of light and death to be the absence of life.
But isn't something glaring out there?
"The presence of absence"!!! Is this not in itself a manifestation of duality? So unless absence is present, any sense in the student's proof is absent! (To all Tamizh movie lovers, this may look like the Munnadi Pinnadi Kannadi Panchatantiram comedy sequence!!)
Interestingly my opinions on this are only 2 lines long, in comparison to the conversation!!!
Saturday, April 25, 2009
கண்களிலே ஒரு காதல் கதை!!!
மூன்றில் மூன்றாண்டானும் உனக்கிணையாமோ
இரண்டில் அளந்தாய் நீயடி
ஒன்றென இருண்டதென்ன யாவும்
ஓ
இமைகள் இசைத்தனவோ!!!
இரண்டில் அளந்தாய் நீயடி
ஒன்றென இருண்டதென்ன யாவும்
ஓ
இமைகள் இசைத்தனவோ!!!
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