Basis Points!? January 18, 2008
Posted by madhavi mullagiri in Uncategorized.1 comment so far
Have heard this term so many times, and decided to know it today 
I am glad I did, because it is so easy a concept, and according to me sounds very powerful and scholarly (when you mention it) 
So when a change in a parameter we measure is from 5% to 6%, it would typically be a 20% increase in the normal sense. But using basis points, all arithmetic can be avoided to conveniently say 100 basis point = 1% percentage point.
1 basis point = (1/100)*(1%).
So 100 basis points = 100*(1/100)*(1%) = 1% percentage point
Neat!!
So if interest rates have been raised by 25 basis points = 0.25% percentage points => if the interest was 2.5%, now it will be 2.75%
Ah, finally I feel enlightened on this term.
Taare Zameen Par – the movie January 14, 2008
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Many films show hints of actors having rehearsed their roles. But this was one film where the action was natural, superfluous (and made eyes superfluous too!!), and could make the audience connect to some part of the film or the other. Excellent work by a debutante director, and a (child) actor
Love the movie – Taare Zameen Par – from the start – love the way the film portrays the urgency by the regular Indian middle class, the way the mom prepares for everyone to get to their office / schools, Ishaan (the kid, the protagonist) being punished (for being naughty) almost every day reminded me of my schoolmate, the absent notes, not getting the answer papers signed by parents are so much part of everyone’s childhood, and the 3*9=3 reminds me of Calvin (looks like it was inspired from Calvin and Hobbes … the spaceman spiff! the animation was great!), the mother where she sobs only on the way back and not breakdown in front of the kid, the reaction of the kid when reality dawns that he is now by himself, and that art book where he depicts his feeling of being gradually secluded by the family, the elder brother who doesn’t treat Ishaan as dumb but instead encourages the ’streaks’ of brilliance, the portrayal of a practical and ill-equipped helpless but a concerned father, a teacher who comes from the school for disabled and conducts the art class in a manner that maybe the regular way he makes it interesting to his set of students at tulip school which is immediately accepted by the regular kids at Ishaan’s boarding school, how the human touch of the art teacher (because of his background and profession as a teacher at a school – tulip school – for children with special needs) contrasts with the rigid hindi/english/art teachers, the dilemmas of the principal, gradual progression of writing ‘8′ right, transition of the child from naughty and arrogant – low – shy to accept his recognition – were very heart rendering but all these were such believable scenes without making the audience feel there is anything cliche about it!!
The beauty with which so much was put fit so well into the movie taking the audience progressively along a naturally convincing set of screenplays through excellent direction and amazing characters (note: I hate to call any of those actors because they were living their roles) brought about a feeling of overflowing contentment watching a movie.
Hats off to the entire crew.
I was particularly touched when Ishaan curiously walks after handing over his painting to see what his drawing sir drew. And his expression on seeing his portrait and the silent dialogue his art teacher and he have at that very moment, for some reason, is so etched in my mind, that I feel touched even as I write it. Great direction!
Another scene in the movie, where the children of tulip school put up an event and perform a dance/drama and the satisfaction (Pride – is a better word) on their parents face took me back to a dance drama ‘Lion King’ by the Spastics Society of Karnataka where I had a chance to witness how, if guided well (in this case directed) one could see what they can achieve.
Just a matter of building confidence in these kids I suppose,
like the art teacher did in TZP!
Unfair economics(st) … January 9, 2008
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Hey! I went to subscribe to The Economist and was excited to see them offer a complimentary copy of ‘The World in 2008′ and then I noticed I need to select the Delivery Country, so I selected India, and guess what! there is no complimentary copy AT ALL!! And I went on to randomly select United Kingdom and see they have a complimentary copy of ‘Pocket World in Figures’. I thought it was unfair subscribing from India gives no complimentary copy! Well, I expected our subscription should work out cheaper, but NO!!! Subscription to delivery country – India – costs Rs 5000 ($127.24) where as subscription to delivery country US with that complimentary copy for 51 editions (six of which are risk-free trial issues) costs just $98! So I just checked the price for delivery country UK and was surprised to know it was £83.00 ($163.82)! So wonder how the price is arrived at?
Further reading leads me to surmise it is probably because 54% of subscription of 1.2 million copies a week (as of summer 2007) is from the North America, 14% from UK, 19% from continental Europe. So just 13% is subscribed by the rest of the world. Maybe it is the volumes dictating the prices.
Let me ponder over this and decide if I, coming from a poorer country, want to pay that kind of money.
A patchy road – From the archives … October 8, 2007
Posted by madhavi mullagiri in daily quality ....1 comment so far
When the road was being tarred, there was a car that was parked.
They could not find the car owner, and just decided to continue with their job.
When the car moved out of the road, it revealed a neat patch that was not done!!
Surely, the classical dilemma -
compromise on deadline for quality or
compromise on quality for deadline
- must have crossed the minds of those working on the road!
Remembering Mr. L. B. Shastri October 8, 2007
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On Oct 2nd, I asked about 8 people if they knew which other eminent personality instrumental in the national freedom struggle and nation building shared their b’day with M. K. Gandhi and no points for guessing … no one got the answer!
I also reflected on the thought how the limited knowledge (of history) of people can make a mahatma’s personality shadow the small contributions made by lesser known people, such as L. B. Shastri!
Luckily for Vividh Bharathi, of the All India Radio station that plays age-old relevant song, while keeping up with the times, had a song aired where a lady is singing to her son whose B’day is on 2nd Oct and tells the kid that he should try to be like either of the two heroes or at least follow their path … and thats when it donned on me that it was L .B. Shastri’s birth anniversary too!
Again, we live in a generation where apart from curiosity and information, I am not sure if knowing these things are of relevance. While debating this thought, I thought it may be worthwhile to know a little bit more about the third Prime Minister of the country a little more. I was glad to learn the stuff I read on the wiki.
So Jai Jawan Jai Kisan (jai the soldier, hail the farmer) is what this man said, and the state of farming or agriculture does not sound too great in India at the moment! We hear of farmer suicides every now and then! And subsequently several farmers moving out to cities for non-agricultural options while some decided to stick on to agriculture. Led me to thinking if it was a good or a bad trend? Although, it looks heartening that we are progressing in the right direction as can be seen from the trend in the GDP, still cant help wondering if, by decreasing our engagement in agriculture, are we seeking trouble in the future? … like the terrible shortage of food the nation faced in 1967 … ?
hmm … coming back, while one man was a master strategist in gathering the nation to fight the freedom of independence (when there were far lesser communication channels), the other had his fair share on important contributions too!
Though it might seem irrelevant to think of these two people (and many other souls born on 2nd October), it is important to recognize and remember the contributions of these people have helped shape up the nation that way it is today!
On the other hand, I was glad to see this poster at a school, but alas, those kids might not even understand the import of the thoughts and actions of these two men!!
These are men at work! August 7, 2007
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… they are working to set right a fault in the BSNL lines on a rainy saturday evening! This was quite a unique sight along the kerb of a busy road in Indiranagar (in Bangalore). So what about it? Well, the working conditions! See these men … sitting in the mud and slush, under a tent made using a plastic sheet. I think they could have been better equipped.
I wonder who is to realize that people at work should get the right gear for whatever work they are doing!
I wonder if it is lack of education or awareness. I guess it is both. With education you know why you need what you should need and with awareness of rights/standards you would know you can demand those.
And for most part I guess it is ignorance and indifference …
Where do you go to my lovely! July 29, 2007
Posted by madhavi mullagiri in Music.1 comment so far
Look what I found on YouTube! A song that I was bowled over, from the first time I ever heard it (in Mar 2000), by Peter Sarstedt.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqLH2Sjatn0
I distinctly remember lots of folks I know remember La Bouche’s “where do you go to my lovely”, a song typically played on dance floors during 1997 – 2000 in Bangalore, and I was expecting to hear a mellower version of the same like typically is the case with the original version of the song, like was in the case of “Can’t help falling in love” UB40 version Vs. Richard Marx version Vs. Elvis Presley’s version, and I knew I would end up liking the older version in any case. But hey! this was different! It was a classic! Brilliant! Lovely! I mush have heard it a hundred times over years, and love it each time I hear!
And my Sunday is made!
Rajni is a Phenomenon June 13, 2007
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To know who is phenomenon, one needs to watch the gearing up by the fans of this star for the upcoming release – Sivaji The phenomenon is Rajni. I have always been amused by his antics on the screen, truly entertaining! Some tidbits from the upcoming movie Sivaji:
1. Director Shankar used 2500 junior artists for the introduction scene of Rajnikant.
2. A huge set of glass house was built to shoot Sahana song.
3. 4K DI (Digital Intermediate) digital camera is used for the first time in India for this film.
4. Helium Balloon light is used to shoot a song. The crew has to use 13 helium cylinders for the lighting.
5. The team of Shankar saw important footages of most of Rajnikant’s films since his debut in 1975. They found that Rajnikant looked best in Padikkadavan (1985) film. Then Shankar summoned the make-up artist to come up with a similar hairdo for Rajnikant 22 years later.
6. Rajnikant donned 15 different hair styles for this film. He also tonsured his head and shaven off his mustache for a get-up in this film. A make-up artist from France is flown in for this purpose.
7. A few songs of this film are shot in the US of A and Sapin.
8. Rajnikant’s daughter supervised the 600 scenes of Computer Graphics work that lasts for 50 minutes in this film. It took over an year to do this CG work.
I would any day be entertained watching a movie starring this 57 year old actor!
Russell Peters in Bangalore March 3, 2007
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I thought it worthwhile to pay and see his show from the third row on 27th Feb, and it was fun! I particularly liked the imaginative Terminator 8 bit the American guy enacted before Russell took the stage. He was funny too!
I must admit however that the edited videos were funnier, but I guess this is how live stand-up comedies are!
I did notice some of the elder folks were quite uncomfortable when Russell Peters started talking explicit stuff! Surely the youngsters who brought them must have quite regretted it.
A sunday toast! February 22, 2007
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With slight apprehension if I was doing the right thing giving up the only day I had free last week, I decided to attend the First South India conference of the Toastmasters International – (District 82P Division B).
After a slightly boring cliche’ inaugural, it was time to hear Mr. Srinivasan (who assumed office as the DG and IG of Karnataka police). His speech was simple for a non-flambouyant person to understand, sometimes colloquial, but so full of humour while being sincere. I have never before admired the captive power of a pause in a speech.
The educational sessions revealed an interesting aspect of public speaking: You may be confident, immaculately dressed, your speech extensively researched and your English impeccable; but if you don’t connect to the audience, or listen (to the active feedback your audience gives) with your eyes, you can be sure you lost it. Like Ken Blanchard says – ‘Feedback is the breakfast of champions’, it is important for a champion speaker to absorb feedback!
The sumptuous lunch was followed by a competition, and some speeches were simply cool. The undisputed winner had me wipe my tears atleast 6 times; I could not control them as I laughed my heart out! It got me more tears than speeches that tried to apppeal to my empathetic self. Well, it was not just me, the whole hall was in splits on the harmless subject of a Home maker!
At the end of the day, I believe it was a Sunday well spent.
But it set me thinking, where the heck did I put in those Aaah’s and Ummm’s in my talk? Too much exposure to amatuer reporters on news channnels? Well, I have turned to reading news!
