The Erudite Song!

KUCHH BAATEN BHOOLI HUYI, KUCHH PAL BEETE HUYE,

HAR GALTI KA EK BAHANA, AUR PHIR SABKI NAZAR ME AANA...

EXAM KI POORI RAAT JAGNA, PHIR BHI QUESTION DEKH KAR SAR KHUJLANA,

MAUKA MILE TO CLASS BUNK KARNA, PHIR DOSTO KE SATH COFFEE PINE JANA...

USKI EK JHALAK DEKHNE ROJ ERUDITE JANA, AUR DEKHTE DEKHTE SAWAL KARNA BHOOL JANA,

HAR PAL EK NAYA SAPNA, AAJ TO TUTE PHIR BHI HAI APNA...

YE ERU(dite) KE DIN, IN LAMHO ME JINDAGI JI BHAR KE JEE LO,

YAAD KARKE IN PALON KO PHIR ZINDAGI BHAR MUSKURANA.....

Oh well, had I not been busy working on the major announcement due this week, I would have certainly written in depth about an interesting conversation I'd with a friend of mine, SS, earlier in the day today - the conversation revolved about an investor's never-ending sense of optimism when the markets are going down and then the sudden evaporation of the same when the markets swing back in the green. I mean, how investors refuse to admit their mistakes and short their holdings when the markets travel down south while they short the same as soon as they recover their profits instead of letting the profits go on and on... Am I making any sense here? OH forget it - I think the conversation will be better illustrated if I sit down to write on it in detail!

Feeling pretty nostalgic today -- aaj kisi ki yaad aa rahi hai.. Goodnight people -- maybe this is all for today!

A new swapping commodity - Wives!

Hey readers, welcome to a lazy, rainy Sunday morning! It’s been overcast ever since I opened my eyes to the world (that was sometime around 9 am).. Then after taking my bath and gulping down a glass of milk, I sat down with this Sunday’s edition of The Telegraph – It’s not often that I sit down with the paper, so today’s was a day to cherish. And as so often happens, in my quest for some questionable article, I chanced upon an article on "wife - swapping" (Basically, only a fool would have missed that article - it was a big one-page item!)..

Now that got my grey cells kicking first thing in the morning - as soon as my room was cleaned, I opened my lappie and sat down to read a bit more on this ... errr, interesting topic.. Did a google search on this topic, results of which you can check here ..

So, naturally, with my curiosity ignited, I intend to discuss this topic further with a couple of my friends.. Kudos to the writers (Reena Martins and Rahul Jayaram) though for doing some good research and coming up with such a good read on such an intriguing article. It's now time for some yummy alu parathas followed by a couple of hours in the gym.. Then, it'll be time to catch up with a couple of friends and rejoin my family for dinner! In the meanwhile, enjoy the links to the article on Wife swapping!

Invest with a 2-3 year horizon.

Sensex below 14k - So what are your senses telling you?? How many of you are ready to throw caution to the wind and get rid of your portfolios and invest the proceeds elsewhere, in safer options like bonds?

Well, if it's any consolation, then let me remind you that markets were at 15k in August 2007 - from there onwards, the markets began a climb which enabled them to touch a peak of 21k in January 2008 and from there onwards, the journey has all been downhill - at a rapid pace! FIIs have clearly pressed the apnic button and have so far withdrawn over $6.3 billion in the first 6 months of 2008 - compare this with the $17 billion odd figure that they invested in Indian equities last year (data available with SEBI).

So what can you, as a retail investor, expect in the months to come? It's my personal opinion that somee sense has returned to the market - after the run-up witnessed last year, we have seen a meltdown in the lofty valuation the Sensex was commanding in January 2008! Equities look muuch cheaper and attractive now - you just need to take a look at the real equity / infrastructure stocks and the banking / financial services stocks to see what I mean. The huge sellign in these secotrs has left many a stock trading below their IPO issue prices - prime examples would be DLF and Motilal Oswal. Both stocks are trading at a significant discount to their respective IPO prices and a deeper look at the fundamentals of the two companies will convince you of the long-term potential that these companies hold.

As an investor, your best bet would be to ride out the market tide - it's the ideal time to build your portfolio with a 2-3 year investment horizon. be very stock specific and diversify your holdings across 8-10 stocks from different industries / sectors. I am hoping to tap into the knowledge reservoirs of some of my seniors and then maybe next week, I can give you a detailed brief on how I expect the various sectors to perform in the coming 3 years.

By the way, stay tuned in to this space - I got a major announcement coming your way in the first week of July. And for those who do not follow this space - well, do not accuse me of not informing you of these developments later on.

India trounce Pakistan!

Oh well quite a pummeling Pakistan received at the hands of India in the Asia Cup! After they lost Umer Gul at the start of the Indian innings, Suresh Raina and Virender Sehwag meticulously took the bowling attack of Pakistan apart! It was a well-deserved century for Virender Sehwag and I felt sad for Raina who missed out on a second consecutive hundred!

Pakistan will ahve their chance at redemption when they meet India in the round robin stage of the Asia Cup on July 2, 2008. India, meanwhile, willface Bangladesh in the first match of the round robin stage followed by back-to-back matches against Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Thanks to this win, India now needs to win 2 of the 3 matches in the round robin stage to reach the finals of the Asia Cup while Pakistan face an uphill task of beating Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka to reach the finals! Quite a daunting task but I would be a fool to count out the ever-so-unpredictable Pakistan team at this moment!

I'll be back with more updates - related to both the financial and the cricket world tomorrow! 'Til then, I wish you a lovely and a peaceful good night!

Back from Exile!

Long time, no blogging! Hmmm – as always, my ever handy excuse for not writing remains my poor net connection. Add to that the stricter IT policies in our office and frequent power cuts that have made blogging from cyber cafes a real pain in the neck for yours truly!

--- Sigh --- Such is life and its adversities! To top it all, I am virtually without work here and the HR has taken it upon themselves to keep me tied to my seat, thus restricting my physical movements and mental flights of imagination.

But worry not, you dear readers, I am here – your saviour, host and dost! I shall try my best to save you from the fickle nature of life and keep boredom at bay! But please have patience with me and do suggest a few topics on which I can research and write about!

In the meanwhile, take a look at some of the following sites to track the stock quotes -- with the Sensex at the 14k levels, it is a good time to build your portfolio with a 2-3 year investment horizon. Apart from the regular sites (like the NSE and the BSE sites), you can check out the MoneyControl and the MyIris sites. The sites of brokerage firms like India Infoline, Motilal Oswal, Karvy and Kotak also offer streaming quotes and live stock news. If equity is not your cup of tea, then check these sites for the latest info on debt and bonds.

Phew ... That’s a lot of sites for the time being; yet the list is far from over. So, I’ll be looking to update you on interesting sites as and when I chance upon something worth sharing! ‘Til then, please stay tuned to this space!

Sehwag on a rampage!

The ‘90s were the period when everyone wanted to see India take on arch rivals Pakistan. Due to reasons extending beyond cricket administration, the encounters between the two sides were few but the contests were nail-biting, edge-of-the-seat ones!

Cut to the present scenario where we have had India take on Pakistan three times in the month of June itself; it is likely that the two sides may will meet 2 more times in the coming week (in the round robin stage of the ongoing Asia cup and probably the finals too).. Before this, we have had plenty of matches between the two sides with as many as 3 series in the last 2 years! Phew ... That’s a slew of matches and this sudden spurt of matches seems to have taken the sheen off these encounters! It’s just another day at the office for the players from either sides – I mean, with the increase in the number of international matches, players have learnt to take the matches in stride but still – an India – Pakistan encounter should remain an enthralling and an exciting one for audiences! The BCCI should look to regulate the number of times these countries meet in the coming years – satiate the appetite of fans but excess of anything is not good for everyone involved!

But I ain’t complaining – after getting hooked to the tele night after night during the IPL, I find the current slew of ODIs ongoing between as many as 10 countries (yes – you read it right! 10 countries – Australia in West Indies, New Zealand in England and the 6 nations in the Asia Cup) a good way to while away the plethora of time I have on my hands these days!

So, then – I am going away to the ongoing India – Pakistan match in the Asia Cup. India’s score at the end of the 23rd over reads 179/1 – Both Sehwag and Raina are thrashing the bowlers to all corners of the park and well, Sehwag has hit the 4th six of his innings! Kya peeta hai ye?? Anyways – Am getting back to the match to cheer for Sehwag and his around-the-corner 9th ODI century! And while I wrote all this, Sehwag marched into the 90s, helping himself to 2 sixes off the bowling of Salman Butt!

N.B.: Thanks to some publishing problems, Sehwag has marched on to his 9th hundred, a well-deserved landmark for this great batsman!

10 activities to utilise you idle time!

Off late, I've found myself with plenty of time on hand and not much work to do. Not being used to sitting idle, I indulged myself in a host of activities to ensure that I keep myself busy. So, here is a list of 10 things to do during your free time in case you too end up idle like me:

1) Think of ways to earn money - more & more money:

Ha ha, this is the best way to put your skills to test and use - in case you are a blogger, you can try and enhance your blog with additional features that help you retain visitors and get regular readers. Some of these features can also help you improve your site's visibility - check here or do a google search for features/articles that inform you on ways to increase your reader base.

An alternative case could be for you to think of ways to spend money: one such thing could be going bungee jumping or maybe parasailing!

2) Read a book:

This is one of my favourite past times - when faced with the option of no work, I simply head over to Crosswords, pick up a book whose title / cover catches my fancy, grab a comfy seat and simply lsoe myself into the book. The latest book that I've picked off the shelves is Karen Rose's Scream for Me.

Alternatively, you can buy a book and head home, make yourself cozy and then proceed to immerse yourself in the book. You may also go bargain-hunting in the second hand bookshops. A couple of places in Kolkata like the Free School Street or the book stalls under the Gariahat flyover are great places to get an awesome bargain!

3) Head for the gym:

Most of the times, we have plenty of excuses lined up for not workng out and staying fit - hence, this will be one of the best ways to ensure that all you workout-phobiacs put your idle time to some fat-burning use!

4) Pamper yourself:

Idle times have a bad way of coinciding with times when we are at our wits's ends or are feleing a bit under the weather. Your greatest asset (or atleast the second best one) is YOU - so why not throw a treat in your honour? Who needs another reason to celebrate life - say cheers to life for who you are! Go shopping else go binging on ice creams or cakes!

5) Hunt for a job:

There is nothing more depressing than going on a job hunt and not finding a single job that suits your profile! This will in turn make you go back to the rest of the activities to occupy your time.

6) Make all those phone calls that you had been avoiding - catch up with long-forgotten acquiatances, old friends, relatives and all those aunties, uncles and cousins.

7) Grab a bunch of friends and go partying:

Well, I rather prefer to sit down with friends and recount tales of our times spend together, indulge into arguments, trade knowledge of the latest happenings in town or in someone else's life - all while sitting around a few hot cups of coffee and some soothing music in the background.

8) Do something special for your family, loved near and dear ones:

Give someone special a surprise, take your family out for dinner or a movie or simply express your gratitude for their support, love, care - Do not hesitate to tell those who matter to you that THEY MATTER! Some things are better left said than assumed - oops, sorry if I didn't get the phrase right but I know that you get my drift.

9) Switch off your phone, draw curtains across your windows and lock yourself up in your bedroom and doze off to glory:

So many of us are running low on sleep, so simply take a day off and recharge those old batteries.

10) Go & enroll yourself in a langage/computer/martial arts course - Dude, do somthing to kick some butt man!

Basically, don't just sit twiddlign your thumbs and wonder what you should do - do what you want to, what you haven't had time to off late (like practicing your guitar); more than anything else, do something close your heart, something therapeutic like playing with kids (word of caution: some kids can send your blood pressure soaring - avoid such kids at all costs!)!

Well, there must be a lot more activities that I may have missed in my short post here (e.g. watching movies) - so why don't you go ahead and update me with the activities that you do in your idle time. Looking forward to your valuable suggestions...

Cheers to Beers!

Today at the gym, I was privy to an interesting conversation between 2 middle-aged guys, where 1 guy, Mr. JG, was explaining the good effects of having beer to the other guy, Mr. X. Now, after a lot of heavy weight discussion on what is good for the body and what is not, JG explained to X that having beer is better for one's body than having any other type of hard/alcoholic drink. This is so because beer is fat free AND cholesterol free.JG went on to explain the process with which beer is made and all and the final conclusion was that having beer is good for one's health.

Now I am not going against this argument: I simply corrected JG later that while having beer in moderation is actually beneficial for one's health, too much of beer can cause serious damage to one's body. Beer, in moderation, has similar effects on our body as wine in small quantities. Beer actually has a relaxing and a de-stressing effect on the body. In fact, beer reduces one's chances of strokes, heart and vascular diseases. As published in the New England Journal of Medicine (Nov. '99), those who drank one beer a week compared to those who drank one beer a day experienced no variance in reducing stroke risks. It is said that light to moderate drinkers will decrease their chances of suffering a stroke by 20%. A researcher at the Texas Southwestern Medical Center (May 1999) reported that those who consume moderate amounts of beer (one to two a day at the most) have a 30-40% lower rate of coronary heart disease compared to those who don’t drink. Beer contains a similar amount of ‘polyphenols’ (antioxidants) as red wine and 4-5 times as many polyphenols as white wine. Having beer in moderation helps one sleep better and yes, JG was right - beer is indeed fat free AND cholesterol. So then, why do docs advise against having too much of this sin-less brew?

The reason is because, exces sconsumption of beer has been linked to the development of the beer bellies - excess consumption of beer can lead to deposition of fats around one's internal organs like the liver. Some fat from this fat deposit can then escape into the blood stream and subsequently raise one's cholestrol levels besides severely damaging one's internal organs.

So guys and gals, as per the medical recommendations, a beer a day (for women) and 2 beers a day (for men) are the limits that you should impose on yourself if you want to enjoy this lovely brew while still remaining healthy and fit. And oh, don't forget to hit the gyms or atleast go for regular jogs/walks in the park!

N.B.: JG recommended staying off beer for the 5 weekdays and then enjoying a 6-pack over the weekends - :-) I do not recommend or subscribe to any of his opinions!

The weekend that was

Those of you (un)fortunate enough to be residing out of Calcutta must be wondering at the plethora of bandhs we have. It's almost comical the way the political parties vie with each other here to call a bandh in protest of literally anything! As yet another proof of this behaviour, we Calcuttans enjoyed 2 12-hour back-to-back bandhs on Thursday and Friday, giving a lot of people, like me, a 4-day weekend to laze over and recharge our batteries.

Unfortunately, my net connection remains as bad and untenable as ever - hence, my inability to write on loads of topics like a book review (of James Patterson's Black Market), an evening down at the Victoria Memorial and the new South City Mall, as well as a series of articles on the options markets.

Yes, you read it right - I've gone through a lot of books in the last 1 month for some work related to options and I was thinking of doing a 2-3 part article on this. Hell, who knows, this article may even get published in some online magazine if I'm able to do justice to it.

However, this all is dependent on the state of my net connection and the recovery of the stock market. Seeing DLF trade below its IPO price is making me see red and shed copious tons of tears - & no, I see no investment story in this stock at the moment simply because of the lack of funds with me at the moment! :-(

I hope to be back this week with some more entertaining and hopefully, educating material. 'Til then, keep tuning in to the SenseXXXational Ride for your daily dose of news, views and opinions. This is your host signing off --- Ta da li da da, Varun!

Taking stock of the IPL after-effects!

What lull! What happened? What is the time right now? 8:30 pm, right?? So why aren't the TV on? Where have all the screams and shoutings disappeared to? And and how come we got saas-bahu serials on TV again at this hour? What's wrong? No match today? An off day for the IPL?

These were some of the questions that I attempted to answer as I entered home - and then reality dawned on the ignorant me: The IPL extravaganza has come to a conclusion, the festivities, the celebrations had all reached a dramatic crescendo on Sunday, June 1, 2008. Life is expected to return to normal now that our daily dose of the 3-odd hr entertainment show is over. And it is unlikely to stage a comeback atleast till October 2008 and that too only if the Champions T20 cup takes off as planned.

The success of the IPL can be gauzed by how much the IPL had become a part of our daily life! Look at what the IPL has achieved - thank god for the instigation provided by the ICL else IPL may never have been conceptualized, despite whatever Lalit Modi may claim. The IPL has proven to be successful beyond any of our's wildest dreams! A hit with the masses, the stadium sales, the advertisers, the sponsors and the TRPs, all bear fruit to the unprecedented success that the IPL has enjoyed! Lalit Modi has even suggested holding the tournament twice a year from 2011 onwards - what option does ICC have but to make room for the IPL in the Future Tours programme! The game is attracting viewerships across all age groups and geographies and it's not only the organisers who are happy with the success - the players too are reaping benefits of performing in this niche tournament! With their salaries likely to go through the roof from next year onwards (when the cap of $5 million may be removed), the ICC better take proactive measures to ensure that players do not cut short their international careers to participate in the IPL.

The inaugural edition of the IPL has enjoyed unprecedented success and had become a daily ritual where we finished work in time and ensured that we were seated in front of the TV sets by 8 to cheer and egg our franchises on! The next day, at work, was obviously spent in lauding this format and analyzing the game, with expert views coming from both genders! The format and unpredictability of the game has stumped everyone - some have had a pleasant experience while others are fuming at the surprises coming their way! The least we have seen is an unearthing of the talent that abounds in India - if not for ODIs or Tests, we atleast got a healthy pool of youngsters to choose from for the international Twenty20 matches.

And oh, the IPL had also freed us of the daily overdoses of the saas-bahu serials, albeit it was a temporary respite! Now that the IPL is over, we need to return to the normal grind of life and ensure that we sleep-walk thorugh the days till the T20 games are back on TV. As a report in the Times of India website claims, the soaps are back at the top of the TRPs chart - yet another proof of how the IPL had an impact on our daily routines. Click here to read the full report.

P.S. A report in the Times of India website also stated the the cap on players' salaries is unliely to be lifted next year. This is likely to ensure that all franchises have equal purchasing power. Click here to read the entire report.

Mohd Asif: Guilty or not Guilty?

What is with Pakinstan and its fast bowlers? They have a nose for getting into controversies, it seems! Take the latest Mohammed Asif's detention case in Dubai on grounds of having a drug substance with him - read the report here in TOI .. Now while the authorities have cleared him of the drug charges, statements coming out of the camp of the fast bowler suggests that the authorities decided to vent their ire out on him after he slapped one of them. [Yes, he says he has been implicated. Read the report here.. Thank TOI for the great coverage.]

Previously, both Asif and Shoiab were banned for using drugs but the ban was later overturned. The report in TOI eve suggests that some BCCI officials are not impressed with the way the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) handles these drug issues. Oh well, issues, opinions, perspectives - Some things just never change, do they?

And hey, yet another feather in the cap of our Indian ODI and T20 captain, M.S. Dhoni -he has become the first Indian to be invited to attend the Portugal-Switzerland game at the Euro 2008 in Switzerland on June 15, 2008. Read the full report here. Way to go Dhoni!

Rumbling on & on!

It's been a long time (yep, only 24 hours) since I last scribbled my thoughts in this space. I can think of a multitude of excuses to explain why I didn't but I wonder if anyone will be interested in listening to me going on on! Just in one of those states of mind when the mind is tired out of its wits and is still fuming over the mistakes committed some time back!

Hmmm.. You guessed it right! I want to let go of some pent up emotions, feelings, my thoughts on some things that I've done. Take Monday for example - nothing too outstanding about it except that it was yet again hot, sunny and unbearably uncomfortable! We were all praying for rain but the Met office dashed off all such hopes, saying that no rain was expected in the next 24 hours! And lo & behold, look what we got - a solid downpour which lasted for over 2 hours and yes, yours truly was stuck, taking shelter under a bus stop for the entire duration when it was pouring and howling like cats and dogs!

Anyways, past is past and what's gone is over and done with - still, my mind is aches from all the rain it witnessed yesterday! Oh, and my fascination with the art of cooking still continues. I've finally perfected the art of making that Barista Frappe as reported yesterday.. Took me 4 glass-full of efforts but the end result was worth the effort. However, the state the kitchen was in at the end of this trial was another matter altogether - took me longer to clean the kitchen than it did for me to make the cold coffe. --- sigh --- Innovation (& creativity) sure do come at a great cost

A Walk in the Rain!

Grrrrrrrrr... Had a torrid time yesterday reaching home! Even after 23 years of existence, I made THE fundamental mistake of believing the met forecast that "Kolkat will not experience any rain in the next 24 hours"! And boy, did it rain last evening! I first amde the mistake of taking a walk back home - the walk covers distance of around 3 km (all in vain to get rid of my paunch).. Then I decided to take shelter at a bus stop in Salt lake - the rain was mild compared to the downpour later!


Boy, I stood shivering in the bus stop for over 2 hours and then when I finally decided to go home (cozz my tummy was growling like mad), I was maddeningly soaking wet! I also had to drag my new Reebok shoes through the BIG puddles of water!!!!! Hanging precariously from an auto, me and my bulky bag finally made it home by 9:15 p.m. The only consolation of the evening was some yummy dinner - it was really awesome!



By the way, the markets remain in a dismal state of mind - very rangebound trade and flow of negative news continues unabated. Makes you wonder when are we gonna witness the golden run once again! I believe patience is the key to success in these markets - back fundamentally strong scripts and invest money in those companies which have a good business plan, good management and execution skills.

The SenseXXXational Brewmaster :-) !!

Hey readers, the trouble with my net connection continues! Spent over a hour in the reliance outlet on saturday trying to get the trouble rectified but to no avail yet. They may replace my modem with a new one if the problem does not get resolved in the coming week or so! 'Til then, I got to live with that slow connection - sigh!


Had a productive session on Saturday despite the frustrating time spent in Reliance. Went to Victoria Memorial and got a few photos of the surrounding area! Hope to do a feature on Victoria Memorial in the near future - once the speed of my net connection improves. Am currently looking for a few topics to write upon - I would be very glad to take up a topic of your choice! So please feel free to ping me on Gmail or leave a comment here if you have an interesting topic to share with me!


Oh and by the way, I have mastered the technique of making the perfect Barista Frappe - Yes people, I'm well and truly on my way to becoming a brewmaster too! I forgot to take a pic though - so am sharing one of those pics which I found on the net! And here is my secret recipe - the serving is adequate for 3+ people:

4 spoons coffee powder (I used Nescafe)
4 spoons sugar
1 glass milk (250 ml)
375 ml water
6 scoops of Vanilla Ice Cream (Use Kwality Wall's Vanilla Pack for the best effect)
Heinz Chocolate Sauce (optional)
And oh, several ice cubes!

Firstly, we need to brew the coffee - for this pour the water into a vessel and add the sugar & coffee to it. Now stir them well and let them simmer/boil for 15-20 minutes. After that, add several ice cubes to the mix (10+) to rapidly cool the hot black coffee. After the temperature has gone down, pour the black coffee into a mixer and add milk & ice cream to it! Mix them well and lo and behold, you are all set and ready to enjoy a lovely glass of Frappe! The chocolate sauce is basically used as a dressing - I'll actually need to shoot a video for this and then share it with you!

N.B.: Some of you may need more sugar - I advise you to add sugar according to your taste.