May 2009 - Posts - A Daily Download

May 2009 - Posts

Why we believe

Posted by Sukumar Ranganathan at 
On Friday, India went to bed preparing itself for days, maybe weeks of uncertainty before the next government was sworn in. On Monday, it came into work, expecting almost the world of the new government whose swearing in is imminent, and merely a matter of form. The events of the intervening days may explain why the stock market breached the upper circuit...

More>>

So, what's your letter of choice?

Posted by Sukumar Ranganathan at 
I read this morning that the recovery we are seeing in the Indian economy could be a W-shaped one. That set me thinking -- not about the economy or the recovery, but the alphabet. The thing is, economic cycles are plotted against time, which means that not every letter can be used to describe either a boom or bust. Time is usually plotted on the X-axis...

More>>

Is Delhi better than Mumbai?

Posted by Sukumar Ranganathan at 
That's my finger. I voted today -- the choice was quite simple really; I simply voted for the candidate who took the trouble to meet me and tell me what he plans to do if elected -- and, according to the Election Commission, so did one out of two Delhi-ites. That number is much higher than the 41-44% turnout seen in Mumbai, despite the general perception...

More>>

I watched Watchmen

Posted by Sukumar Ranganathan at 
Last Sunday, I watched Watchmen . Despite the not-so-favourable reviews the movie received internationally, and the fact that director Jack Snyder chose to do away with the entire metafiction loop in the book, I enjoyed the movie. Here's why: 1. The title sequence: Set to Bob Dylan's The Times They Are A Changing, this has to be the most evocative...

More>>

Traffic and the slowdown

Posted by Sukumar Ranganathan at 
Are there fewer vehicles on the roads of Indian cities? And is this because of the slowdown? If so, does it mean that most people whose job requires them to be on the road are now spending more time in the office -- not exactly the best way to boost sales in a slowdown? Or does it simply mean more people are using public transport? An executive I met...

More>>

Why Mumbai showed India the finger

Posted by Sukumar Ranganathan at 
Mumbai may have flipped India a bird by simply not turning up to vote yesterday -- despite attempts by activisit groups to get them to exercise their franchise. According to the Election Commission, voter turnout in Mumbai was between 42% and 45% this time, as compared to 47% in the 2004 parliamentary elections. But does anyone know why those who voted...

More>>