Death of a Penguin

I just got back from down under - Australia - before you get down to drawing other conclusions. It was a week of rejuvenation, and no spa was needed. Great weather, fresh air, fabulous food,  amazing people of different ethnicity, fantastic natural and man-made places to see and experience. Now this is what I would call true God's country. No newspapers or TV, not much net surfing either. Just soak in the goodness and do absolutely nothing. Surprisingly, even then a lot got done. I could feel a year added to my life.

Then, I got back home. The first bit of headline news that hit me was the mysterious removal of Cyrus Mistry as Chairman of the Tata Group, and second, the political furore over the death of a penguin. Obviously, the second was more interesting to have made it prominently to the front pages.

In July this year, the Mumbai zoo imported eight rare Humboldt penguins from South Korea at a cost of US$ 350,000 or 3.5 million (as reported in the press) . They were to be put on public display around early December; when the temperature controlled enclosure to house them would have been completed. I must have missed the news then, as it certainly wasn't competing with the news of big boys then. In fact, it was one of the many initiatives of the Cub of Mumbai's first family to shake and disrupt the City's fun and fitness image in more than one way. I fully stand behind him in that endeavour, as this City ranks number 1 in India for the quality of life, and after having experienced the 10th best in the WORLD, I really don't think the No. 1 in India holds any relevance at all. What I can't understand though is that his directions are totally contrary to what are required to set the existing malaise right first. Yes, Mumbai citizens are entitled to a zoo, but one that takes care of its charge and is truly capable of carrying out research, rescue, and protection of endangered species, as well as educating visitors on respect and good care of the living creations of this earth including trees.

Suddenly, one of the eight is dead and it has flared up into a major political issue in the State Assembly and is being debated more vociferously than the death of the farmers or other topics that need the attention of the elected members. Not that the death of a penguin is not important, but many animals in the zoo's care have died for graver reasons, and not a roar or whimper about them by any of our illustriously illustrated leaders.There is a demand that the remaining penguins be sent back to Korea for their own safety. Actually, every animal in the Mumbai zoo needs to be gifted to a zoo(s) that can take better care. This one is too small for most of the creatures it houses.

In the meantime, building of a Statue commemorating a truly illustrious leader that will cost this nearly broke State with broken infrastructure and even more broke ordinary taxpayers some US$ 500 million or more when completed has received the "go ahead" approval. The protests by the fishermen whose livelihood may be affected, and  the utility providers who claim to be unable to provide the required infrastructure at the site has obviously been blind sighted and fallen on deaf ears of our statuesque caretakers.  Incidentally, the zoo is named after this great leader's mother and I hope his statue does not suffer the same fate of neglect as the zoo, once it is completed. I am sure this great leader's soul must be anguished at the disservice, but what can it do now?

I wouldn't be surprised if a "Penguin" party emerges from all this drama or if voices are raised to erect massive statues of the martyred penguin too. Maybe that's not a bad idea. A zoo full of statues, where the poor animals will not have to endure a painfully horrifying jail term to please people disrespectful of life in general.

These are the "Acche Din" (Good Days) - Enjoy.

GST has been cleared,
and good rains have brought relief.
A ton of  "black money" turned to white,
while RBI has cut the Repo rate,
As India signed the "Paris Pact",
fiercely to the neighbour, it also "gave it back".
Is it time for us to cheer?
Are the "Good Days" of PM Modi here?
Does the BSE Sensex need more
for it to soar?

Theoretically, of course, the BSE Sensex should be sitting above 30K. When the fundamentals were missing it soared and when they seem to be around the corner, it's doubting itself.  Well, I don't know how many would agree, as, over time,  this Country seems to have been conditioned in the art of being unhappy, and maybe its markets too. My own take it that the market will sit between 27K and 28K before the end of the year, and stay there until budget time.

Yes, we do have a terrible situation globally:

The US election battle gets murkier,
the Fed is keeping the world markets on edge.
Terror shows no signs of abating,
nor signs of refugees receding.
Each day sees new economic or political disturbance,
no continent or nation spared.

Practically we are still coupled to the present hiccuping global market. The situation at home may look very positive, but is it really so?

GST may have been cleared, but implementation still a hurdle as getting a consensus between the divided states run by varying political interests is a Herculean task. With the high rates being spoken of, the advantages of a unified regime may just be lost. Even so, there is an argument floating that the govt. may have no choice but to go with high rates if Corporate and Personal Income Taxes need to be brought down. In a country like India where only 3% of the population pays tax, an indirect tax regime - as regressive it may sound, maybe the only solution going forward. It's a 'wait and watch' until budget next year and the market sentiments reflect it too.

The rains may have been plentiful after three years of drought, in fact, too plentiful and too unseasonal, causing floods in many parts as well as ruining much of the winter crop. Food inflation does not look defeated just yet, and the markets are absorbing that fact.

The Government's "Income Declaration Scheme"  (IDS) brought disclosure of some 65,250 crore Rupees (US$ 10 billion) of unaccounted income, yielding some US$ 4.5 billion in taxes. The money multiplier effect of  injected ing this quantum of cash into the formal economy is many-fold, but the murmur is that it is just a fraction of the US$ 180 billion of unaccounted wealth tucked away in tax havens. Even so, the extraordinary tax collection will certainly help in completing several infrastructure projects or maybe hide the pain on the exchequer's fiscal deficit number on account of the pay hikes and PSU losses. The market is not fully convinced that the amount collected will do much for the economy or change the way the economy functions.

The new Governor of the Reserve Bank of India, Mr Urjit Patel, a follower of "Rajanomics" principles, departed from the policy of his predecessor and mentor by announcing a REPO rate cut of 25 basis points citing various economic indicators in support for his move. While the industry celebrated the move and labelled it progressive economics, there were murmurs that Rajan's exit and Patel's appointment were clearly linked to politics governing the Governor's decisions. One can say what one wants, but the biggest beneficiary would be the home and white goods market that now relies on debt for the acquisition of the same. It certainly gives a big kick for the Sensex to rise. But then, US can play spoilsport with elections and a rate hike there.

With the ratification of the "Paris Climate Pact", India was feted by the International community as a globally responsible nation, brightening its image as a world leader. Then again, there are many who are surprised that it did it ahead of being admitted as a full member of the NSG, thereby not only diluting its bargaining power for admission but also making it impossible for achieving the targets stipulated in the absence of access to more nuclear energy. For a nation that contributes 4.1% of global emissions, obtaining cheap and clean power as well as getting polluting industries to toe in line will be an expensive exercise, one that will put a drag on the markets in the short term.

Finally, the Indian Armed forces, tired of being badmouthed by media and bullied by terrorists across the border decided to show what it is made up of. A surprise well coordinated retaliatory surgical strike on terror camps across the Line of Control (LOC) became a reason for national bravado. However, falling prey to voices from across the border, voices within began demanding sensitive proof  of same from the Government and the forces.Whatever may be the political bickering internally and externally, the threat of the situation going out of hand would keep the markets on tenterhooks.

In another few days, the Q2 results will be tabled and I see them offering "hope with a chance of recovery" rather than something solid for the market to break the 30K barrier.

Unless there is some other fuzzy logic which may play out, the markets at least will play a range bound game.
Let's accept it, these are the good days because bad days could be worse. On a planet that is offering nothing but chaos, hope is the better option. We do have the world's attention on us, let's enjoy it and not do something silly to blow it.

A twist in the State(s)

I could not help but laugh this morning, reading how the Chief Minister (CM) of an Indian State Arunachal Pradesh defected from the Congress party with some 21 elected members to join a regional party supporting the BJP (opposition). In a way, the CM has 59 out of 60 seats in his support. This comes just 2 months after the Congress legally wrestled itself back in power with the Courts ruling in its favour. The State has seen a fair bit of political drama in the last few months, including the suicide of Mr. Pul, the person who became Chief Minister of the State for just a few days. I wonder if the drama is over?

Meanwhile, the politics in the State of Uttar Pradesh is getting fairly twisted too with Yadav senior and junior trying to assert "who is the Daddy" of the State. Will Akhilesh end up breaking away from his father's shadow and party, and align with Rahul Gandhi and his merry Congressmen in the State elections of 2017? Or, will Akhilesh's brave move motivate Rahul to do something similar? Such miracles are known to happen in politics, and for once BJP would be praying that it does not. Though, it would be praying of course that the water wars in the two southern States of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka play out in its favour.

Talking about the state of miracles, there may be a mega-miracle happening far away from our very own USI (Ununited States of India) in the nation of miracles called the USA.

The miracle of miracles that I am referring to is of course that all Trump supporters are praying for; Hillary will drop out of the Presidential race. Fighting Bernie Sanders then, will it be a cakewalk for Trump to the White House?  I wouldn't advise the Trumpeters to open the bubbly as Sanders could be the one celebrating Woodstock in Washington. He has done the unexpected right thing by making friends with all Clinton supporters (by supporting her candidature of course), and there are plenty of Republicans who don't want Trump as President if Clinton is not the next best choice.

Finally, do I keep or chuck my Euros? Now, this question was posed to the Italians. The real ones, not the ones in India.

Will the real "Son of a Whore" please stand up.

He first challenged Donald Trump to a fist fight  for calling a ban on Filipinos from entering the US; he then went on to slur President Obama for taking up the issue of "endorsed" extra-judicial killings of drug abusers in the Philippines. Well, apologies and denials by him have followed, but he has earned his country and himself some four days of negative fame globally. Did Duterte say what he did to prove something to his people? Did he think his sinking ratings would go up? After all "breaking bad" is in vogue. Good of him not to have threatened President Obama with extra-judicial killing for having experimented with weed in his college days.

President Obama, however, is made of better stuff. He comes across as very dignified, humble, and a man with a great sense of humour. More so, he seems to be quite forgiving. He forgave Hillary for her racial slurs against him in the 2008 elections, and he forgave Mr T too for calling him the worst President in US history. Forgave or not, he did meet his latest offender too, where the latter sought pardon and called it one big misunderstanding. Lately, the use of politically correct and  parliamentary language has taken a back seat if not entirely pushed out of the car, even by the best educated.

President Duterte, a very educated man, a lawyer, had been expelled from a couple of schools for misconduct, which could be interpreted as smashing a square peg in a round hole. It is possibly the same attitude that has got him this far in politics in a nation notorious for an extremely high crime rate, which most experts believe has police, political and even judicial backing. In such a situation, would a tame parliamentarian survive? When the law becomes the very tool for the lawless to prosper and fails to protect the innocent, does the system not gravitate towards abandoning the legal system and do what is needed to restore the right order? Tough questions. In the long run, the vigilantism slips into excesses. No one obeys the law and extra-judicial methods only encourage settling of personal scores, more human rights violations, an even greater rebuttal by those with power; the result, total anarchy in society. In this case too, hard to tell if drug offences will go down. In my own nation too, there has been a crackdown on corruption. Frankly, at one level I would have wished our leader too endorsed the extra-judicial killing of the corrupt given its rise, but thankfully that's not the case. It keeps the faith alive in the system. It's a different matter that corruption has actually gone up and not down after the crackdown measures have been put in place. There is growing anger and impatience waiting and wanting to vent, and those in power, the world over have to cure and not exploit it. One can only hope we don't drift in a different direction, though the latest violent attacks on police personnel for enforcing law and order is pointing at a very frightening social order ahead in time.

The world was more or less outraged by the "son of a whore remark", but does the world show the same outrage when most US services (naval) personnel still consider Duterte's nation as a country of prostitutes? Something to think about when the leaders of many powerful nations are themselves guilty of showering leaders of various less powerful nations and organisations with derogatory names and titles that sound worse than being called a "son of a whore or bitch or gun or whatever."

It's August 2016 already - and there is no let up in SNAFU

The US of A shakes the world with Yellen, Clinton and Trump.
Yellen's Fed rate hike or President Hillary or Donald will make us grump.

The "British are going, the British are going", the world can hear Eurozone yell.
Will they lose many more members now, post-Brexit no one can really tell.

Terror and refugees are Europe's immediate fears.
The world is watching how this crisis France and Germany steers.

No "charge of the light brigade" in this new Crimean war.
It's Russia versus Ukraine in a brotherhood gone sour.

Moving on to Turkey, it's not having fun.
Terror attacks, coup, Syria and Kurds have it living by the gun.

In a grip of radicals, much of Levant is drenched in blood.
Of senseless killing and bombs, there is a flood.

For the rest of the Middle East has been in a boil
from the heat wave, and not just prices of oil.

Pakistan and India engaged in a perennial spar,
Be it Balochistan or Kashmir, a solution to crisis, seems too far.

Sensitive India is full of insensitive debates.
Be it meat, Olympics, cows, Dalits, or GST rebates.

The might of China flexes itself on islands in the South China sea.
It's not a matter it wants to discuss on a cup of tea.

The dragon seems to be sinking deeper in economic blues.
The rest of Asia may follow in ones and twos.

While North Korea keeps sending missiles up.
Japan's stock market seems to be cracking up.

Venezuela is staring squarely at doomsday
Brazil post-Olympics may not be far away.

The dark continent once looked like a bright spot.
El Nino changed it, and in a drought its caught.

ANZ, have not too much to worry about.
Even though their economies show some doubt.

The entire world looks like it's turned to hell
No place safe for one to dwell.
Of course,
The 1% super rich guys can afford to guffaw
While 99%  live in a world of SNAFU*



*Situation Normal All F@&ked Up.

Dangerous New World Order

Pic. credit: War for the  Planet of the Apes

Surprise! Or should I say no surprise? Mr Trump is now a step away from being labelled as the most powerful man on this planet. Should he win, I wonder if he would thank the Men in Black from the lands of  "SadAss" for proving his point, on the need for a new "apartheid". On the other hand, I am pretty sure that even if Trump does not win, the latter group would be certainly be  thanking him more than the Malevolent God they follow, for sending more and more confused souls into their fold. Either way, it has wrongly  tarnished and angered the world's largest religious group. Dangerous. For many great minds, the world is in a state of World War III. It is not a war of nations, but one of ideology and the enemy is entrenched deep within. Does this sound like a prophecy from Nostradamus? If it is, I think it is a self-fulfilling one.

Nowadays, I refrain from thanking God but thank heavens that the credit for the unfortunate Dallas and Baton Rouge killings earlier this month (July 2016) were not accredited to any race or terror group. Though attempts to label the killers as "radicalised" are still underway by the media wanting to create a bench banging story.  In doing so, the world is actually ignoring a deeper festering wound that is infecting societies around the world; one of deep dormant discontent and helplessness with the growing power and greed of governance. Both the killers were ex-soldiers who decided to take matters into their own hands, to make what they thought was a point. Both must have known that they would not survive, and in their own mind, they must have justified it as though they were fighting a just battle. Media called them mentally unsound.

Such stories make international headlines when it happens in the US or any nation where even a single life has value. One can only assume how many such stories go unreported around the world, especially in the countries that are labelled as the "third world", where life is cheap and expendable.

Well, that label reminds me of the City I live in. Officially, it is the richest, most cosmopolitan, most liveable in India, and serves as home to several dollar billionaires. But, in today's context, the moon would have fewer craters than its roads. Each year billions are spent by its governing officials on building roads and probably twice as much repairing them each monsoon. It is the worst kept secret on where most of the money spent ends up. Bad roads have cost lives, probably more than what are attributed to police atrocities. The system, like in any country, designed to protect its own, even when at fault.

I was recently told of an incident that to uplift the quality of life of tribals in Arunachal Pradesh, a Government officer recommended that money should be spent on creating fish hatcheries, supporting his claims with statistics and reports. Accepting his proposal the Government released shit loads of money for the creation of the same. A couple of years later, the officer who succeeded him decided to inspect the marvels created by his predecessor, only to find them non-existent. What does he do? he files a report that fish breeding is having an adverse effect on the fragile ecology and proposed that the fish ponds should be destroyed and money for rehabilitating those affected be disbursed. He got his request granted too. This is not an isolated incident. Each day, its news of how people appointed to uplift the population are enriching themselves at the cost of those who elected them. From simply stealing from the public till to being showered with social injustice in plenty, people are annoyed. Not just in India, everywhere around the world.

The ex-soldiers may have taken drastic measures in retaliation of what they thought was drastic. Is the Venezuelan situation not drastic? Is the suicide of farmers in India not drastic? Is the situation in many Middle Eastern and African nations not drastic? Is the situation in much of Europe not drastic? The world is staring at the uncertainty of water, food, air, jobs, security, and everything that makes up a civilised society.

How much time before people around the world decide to go the ex-soldiers' way? Has greed blinded the powerful so much that the basic issues of humanity are going unaddressed? Will it give way to a dangerous new world order?

We are in a state of World War III. It is not nation versus nation or ideology versus ideology, simply the axis of power and greed versus the helplessness of much of humanity, at the end of which we may be left no better than apes.

It's official: Donald Trump is the Republican Party's nominee for president

Updated by Jeff Stein on July 19, 2016, 7:12 p.m. ET

Five Dallas Officers Were Killed as Payback, Police Chief Says

By MANNY FERNANDEZ, RICHARD PÉREZ-PEÑA and JONAH ENGEL BROMWICHJULY 8, 2016

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• http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/09/us/dallas-police-shooting.html?_r=0Save

Baton Rouge shooting: 3 officers dead; shooter was Missouri man, sources say

By Steve Visser, CNN

Updated 2315 GMT (0715 HKT) July 18, 2016

May? No, Certainly Will - Maybe.

Pic Credit: Heatstreet
http://heatst.com/uk/donald-trump-and-theresa-may-have-beef-shes-chill-with-hillary-though/

With Theresa May taking over as the Prime Minister of the still United Kingdom the may in Brexit is pretty much gone, and it now looks like a certainty. Well almost. After her fire and brimstone talk on day 1 as PM, water was poured to cool the rethoric post meeting with her Scottish counterpart. (Maybe May was cautioned by the Queen). She has already been labelled the "Iron Lady II' and that title may just again be put on hold for now. Not many are pleased by her resurrection of the politically dead Boris Johnson, a hardcore Brexitier as Foreign Minister. What does this mean for the rest of the world? Nothing more than some more speculation.

The World has bigger things to worry about; like the November Hillary versus Trump fight for one, now that Mr Sanders has decided to stand firmly behind Mrs C. Looks like the world may just be looking at the ultimate in woman empowerment. I say may and not certainly will as anything can happen in an election. Brexit showed us that.

If it does happen, will Mrs. C earn the title of "SuperWoman"? She can't be called "Iron Maiden", that would be too confusing, as the real fan of heavy metal music happens to be her opponent. So will she "Roar" loud enough to leave Mr. Trump "Stone Cold" with a "Heart Attack"? She is "Confident" she can, as she is not a "Dark Horse". She has been telling the voters "Believe in me" for she is a "Fire starter" and knows how to "Make a wave". "Don't Forget" she "Really don't care" what the world thinks of her, she thinks she is "One of the Boys" and anyone else's opinion "Will not change a thing".  Pretty sure she must be saying "This is me" and, "I think I am ready" to be President to herself, like she may have sung "I hate you, don't leave me" to Bill.

"So here we go again", presidential elections "Made in the USA", two candidates playing in the "world of chances" while their own "two worlds collide" making the voters go "hot and cold" with each passing day. Do they have what "Legends are made of"? There is still some time for the final "Fireworks" and one of them to say "Hello" as the most powerful man or woman on earth.

Well, I read that Mrs C's taste in music has changed completely since 2011. Her likes include Katy Perry, Demi Lovato and  Adele. I wonder if the campaign had anything to do with it? Influenced by what one calls electorate demographics. I may be "Right as rain" in my assumption. All I can say to Mrs C is that "He won't go" without a fight, that is Mr T. Unlike Sanders who I thought would stand tall as a "Lionheart", he won't say "That's it, I quit, I am moving on". He is no "Day dreamer" and is great at "Turning Tables". He is used to the glare of "Neon lights" and has built many a "Skyscrapers". His words have "Set fire to the rain" and "Rumour has it" that he has "Got Dynamite" expose to take you down, saving the "best for last". He is after all the "One and Only" Donald Trump.

"I'll be waiting" to see who is the one to "Take it all" and cause a "Skyfall", because both of you come in "Many shades of black" and your policies may blow this world to "Kingdom come". "Fool that I am", did I say May? No, you certainly will.

I am not just "Painting pictures" of doom and gloom. So while "it's not too late", "All I ask" with "Sweetest Devotion" to "Stop the world" from becoming another "La La Land"

Finally congratulations Theresa May, and may you rule your Country well.

Trivia : Can you spot the songs by three of Hillary's and my favourite singers?