Man's ingenuity finds no bounds

“Man’s ingenuity finds no bounds”

‘Despite reform banks have room for risky deals’ in the client’s name. Bets can still be made as routine part of business.

When U.S Congress passed a new financial regulation bill in July, 2010, it sought to prevent federally insured banks from making speculative bets using their own money. But that will not stop banks from making bets, that some critics deem risky, even as the rules go into effect over the next few years.

In other words you move the mountain but what comes out is only a mouse. What a great exercise? Who is winning or losing? The integrity and the intention of the framers of the bill is definitely in doubt; one should suppose and surmise legitimately? In fact they have ensured that even the rules, whenever they come out – delay is obvious in the official set-up normally, will not be able to plug this loop hole. This is what is called the perfect invisible diplomacy of senior and seasoned bureaucrats in any democratic system of government.

Worldy Wisdom

The Bhagavad Gita (c 300 B.C)
From Book Two
Lord Krishna:
Arjuna, you must learn to endure
Fleeting things -- they come and go!

If you are killed, you win heaven;
If you triumph, you enjoy the earth;

Kill them
Without wavering;
Fight , and you will conquer
Your foes in battle!

TamilTiruvalluvar (c 500)
From the Kural
Highest of all richs
Is the wealth of learning:
All other wealth will perish

JapanPriest Sami Mansei (c720)
“Our Life in this World”
Our Life in this World
To what shall I compare it?
It is like a boat
rowing out at break of day
leaving not a trace behind.

William Shakespeare (1564 – 1616)
From Cymbeline
“Fear no more the heat of the sun,
Nor the furious winter’s rages;
.. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
Golden lads and girls all must
As chimney-sweepers come to dust

An American Style of Dilemma?

Capitalism (liberalism) Vs Socialism

Fiscal Policy rifts have destabilized the Democratic Party for decades. But Obama is better situated to sell reform to his party’s skeptical base than any other President in the last 40 years – say compared to Clinton or Jimmy Carter since John F. Kennedy.

Obama can ill afford to rely only on his own party’s majorities but will have to build a genuine coalition of law-makers from both parties if he is to change the nation’s fiscal trajectory. A growing faction among the Democrats feels that if Washington is not serious now about scaling back entitlements and other government spending, then fiscal ruin might be just a decade away.

Government debt is mounting and likely to exceed 90 per cent of G.D.P by 2020 as feared by the Congressional Budget Office. A minority of Congressional Democrats are already objecting to proposals supported by most of the party for billions more dollars in deficit spending this year on unemployment benefits and state-aid, as a way of trying to avert a double-dip recession(June, 2010).

Nation Remembers Great Souls

The American nation and the leading news paper, The New York Times rightly remember the great souls who had excelled in different fields during their life time and try to cover their life-story for the sake of current readers. For example the celebrities who passed away after 80 years and above in age between 12th and 18th of July, 2010 are enlisted below:

1) Bob Sheppard -- the long-time public address announcer at Yankee Stadium died at the age 99 (Three months short of 100 years).

2) Arnold Kramish, 87 who did work on Atomic Bomb, died in Washington

3) Charles Mackerras, Elegant Australian Conductor dies at 84 in London who played a crucial role in establishing Janacek’s opera in the West.

4) Harvey Fuqua, 80 dies in Detroit (AP) – a singer, song writer and record producer.

5) Eleanor R. Morse 97 who along with her husband founded the Salvador Dali Museum in St.Petersburg Fla. died on July 1 at her home in St.Petersburg.

6) Mrs. Clara Claiborne Park, a college English teacher who wrote a book “ The Siege” on Autism in 1967 died at 86 on July 3 in Williamstown, Mass.

7) Vernon Baker, the only living black veteran, the awardee of the Medal of Honor for valor in world war ii from President Bill Clinton in 1997 - 52 years after his work ( better late than never!), died at 90 at his home near St. Maries, Idaho on July 13, 2010

Addiction to Affluence

USA has been a land of affluence till 2008
USA has been a land of opportunities surely
God’s gifts in abundance of natural resources
God knows the extent of intellect immigrants

A rich land of mass between Atlantic & Pacific
A populace of varied race, culture and creed
A fantastic mix of capitalism and democracy
A fabulous trait of innovative spirit in display

National flag often seen fluttering everywhere
Natural pride held by men in homes and offices
Hardly found anywhere on this globe like these
Hardy & healthy people found throughout USA

U.K was the invader of the U.S.A in 1600s & 1700s
U.K the model of infrastructure in miniature form
USA the liberator is literally gigantic in size & form
USAite is used to live in abundance and affluence


Infrastructure in road, rail & ship transportation
Car population twice the size of human numbers
Oil supplies at cheaper prices in huge quantities
Individuals enjoyed the luxury of driving initially

Addiction of affluence enabled many sky-scrapers
Addition of comforts drew people from all places
Suddenly the administration found itself in deficits
Certainly they expected never to be in such straits

The day is not far off when manufacturing is less
And consumption is much more than production
Spending is more than an income to be generated
The country bound to feel the pinch sooner or later

Another affluent society was Japan in the Far East
Admire one could at its growth around ten per cent
A nation shattered in World War II stood on its legs
A nation modeled for hard work & success for years

Last two decades 1990-2010 the worst period indeed
Lost its prime position in economic growth & wealth
Affluence at its zenith crashed to around 2% growth
Alas! A dozen prime ministers sacrificed at its altar!!

How to cut the budget of the nation and all homes?
How to curtail the incomes & wealth of few families
How to manage the wants of hundreds & thousands
How to cater to the demands of poor and the needy?

Man-made disasters added with natural disasters
Home-made solutions rarely visible in the vicinity
Governments aren’t tumbling day-in and day-out?
Rulers & the ruled are equally upset at the change.

World Trade Center in New York

Ground Zero in Lower Manhatten's Commercial Disdrict in New York, which was once the proud land mark of the city known as twin blocks of famous WTC, otherwise recognised as the Freedom Tower after the 9/11 infamous incident, is getting a reshape and developing fast for a new life in the form of future World Trade Center with a carpet area of 2.6 million sq.ft at a cost of $3.3 billion @ $1269 a sq.ft in 105 floors to a height of 1776 ft, as the tallest building in the city.

It is a joint venture of Durst Organisation(a leading real estate developer) and Port Authority of New york and New Jersey.

In a place like new York this project work took so many years to fructify after a lot of uncertainty in between. All is well that ends well

In major cities of the world there seems to be a competition to build the tallest building. Why don't we Indians ever venture into such a competition? Are we short of engineering skill or wherewithal or the political will to undertake a similar project in any of our cities?