Fareed Zakaria's Post American World

One of the better books I have read recently, this book from the famous Newsweek columnist makes a case for the gradual shift in American power to emerging nations (rather boringly described as "the rise of the rest") . In the light of the financial meltdown, the shift seems even more pronounced and there is some coverage of the sub prime crisis in the book. 

The author points out American strengths (technology/innovation, higher education, immigration) and what it should do to maintain a position of strength in an environment where other powers are gaining strength even as America stagnates.

There is also a fair amount of coverage of the rapid rise of China and the gradual and chaotic rise of India, which is quite interesting and astute. 

Highly recommended.

Some reviews of the book can be found here , here, and here.

Local unionism in France

If you thought this only happens in Kerala/West Bengal, think again.

"The first scene of director Luc Besson's latest movie From Paris With Love, starring Travolta, was meant to begin in Les Bosquets de Montfermeil – a tinderbox housing project near the epicentre of nationwide suburban riots that swept through France in 2005.

...

Hundreds of residents were due to take part in the £30 million crime film, which also stars Jonathan Rhys Meyers, either as extras or as temporary film staff - including security guards and caterers for the cast and crew.

But they were gutted to discover that the shoot had been called off after ten stunt and special effects vehicles parked next to the town's sports stadium had been burned down before dawn on Monday."

...

Police have opened an investigation amid reports that local youths had tried to blackmail Mr Besson into taking on more locals and paying them higher wages. One had warned Le Parisien beforehand: "Unless they get our say-so over wages and the people employed, they won't be able to film.""

Upcoming hindi movie releases

Here is an interesting websites that provides information on upcoming hindi movie releases.  Not much interesting coming up in Oct except for Fashion.

Apple's new laptops

Lap dances to laptops - Apple is coming out with a new line of laptops next week.

What could be interesting is this: "One site reported that the entry price of a Macbook laptop would fall to $799, potentially a drop of $300."

This may be a good time to buy Apple stock - which is trading below $90.

Going broke, have a lapdance

The NYT reports that:

"The implosion of the financial markets seems to mark the twilight of the secondgilded age. History may look back with scorn at $30,000 couches, $600-an-hour therapists, $25,000 hot chocolates andsuper Sweet 16 parties.

The Wall Street folks, you’d think, seem tobe saying goodbye to all that.

Except, apparently, in one area: strip clubs (or “gentlemen’s clubs,” as they like to brand themselves).".

Not that there are no logistical issues here:

"Mr. Zherka and the club decided to introduce a premium product: the $1,000 lap dance package.

The package will buy a 20-minute lap dance, a bottle of Dom Pérignon and a private Champagne room. Not to mention, as Mr. Zherka did, they also “get to keep the girl’s G-strings.”

That raised eyebrows. Does she take off the G-string there (seems illegal), and if not, how does the customer know it’s really the G-string she was wearing?

Mr. Zherka replied: “She can’t take off the G-string in the room with the guy. She has to go out to the locker room and take it off.”

But management, he assured, was going to reinforce the G-string distribution. (Apparently, the G-string is even going to be autographed, as amNewYork noted this morning.)

What is the normal rate for a lap dance at V.I.P. Club?

It’s $20 for a song, or about three minutes of lap dancing, Mr. Zherka said.

A quick calculation showed that the lap “dancee” could get more than 20 minutes of lap dancing for only $140.

Mr. Zherka responded: “Yeah, right. But you are not getting the G-string, you are not getting the bottle of Dom Pérignon and you are not getting the Champagne room.”

Still, is there really a market for this? Why not just start with the $100 or $500 lap dance?

That is where the market seemed to be heading. “A lot of people are coming in and spending $2,000 and $5,000 and $10,000,” Mr. Zherka said. “They are spending like they are making millions and millions of dollars. I don’t know if they are depressed or what.”"

And it ends with an awesome quote:

"“Yeah, you can get a woman, but you can’t get women”"

Amen to that.

On gender equality

How about looking at the gender equality issue, as far as pay-parity is concerned, from a completely new standpoint. This is what a new study claims to have done.

"In previous studies, academics have looked at variables like years of education and the effects of outside forces such as nondiscrimination policies. But gender was always the constant. What if it didn't have to be? What if you could construct an experiment in which a random sample of adults unexpectedly changes sexes before work one day? Kristen Schilt, a sociologist at the University of Chicago and Matthew Wiswall, an economist at New York University, couldn't quite pull off that study. But they have come up with the first systematic analysis of the experiences of transgender people in the labor force. And what they found suggests that raw discrimination remains potent in U.S. companies.

Schilt and Wiswall found that women who become men (known as FTMs) do significantly better than men who become women (MTFs). MTFs in the study earned, on average, 32% less after they transitioned from male to female, even after the authors controlled for factors like education levels. FTMs earned an average of 1.5% more. The study was just published in the Berkeley Electronic Press' peer-reviewed Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy."

My own barometer of geneder equality is that the day we have an equal number of females in airport lounges is the day when we'll have meaningful equality. And, as I answered in an interview discussion recently, I don't forsee that happening in India at least for the next 100 yrs but the tide is surely but surely turning.

Time up for Steve Fossett conspiracy theories?

Is the Steve Fossett disappearance mystery finally over? It would seem so. Too bad!

"US investigators said yesterday they had retrieved human remains from the wreckage of a small plane piloted by the adventurer Steve Fossett, which was spotted on a remote mountainside in northern California.

A "very small" quantity of human remains, but enough to provide a DNA sample, was retrieved from the debris and handed over to coroners, according to Mark Rosenker, a transport safety official. He did not say what investigators found, but said it was not surprising that little was retrieved as it had been more than a year since Fossett went missing.

The confirmation came three days after a hiker discovered personal items belonging to Fossett in a remote part of the 3,000 square mile Inyo National Forest in the Sierra Nevada, near the tourist area of Mammoth Lakes."

Another Index

Trust the Economist to come out with another interesting index - this time to correlate market crashes with articles on the same.

"MANY comparisons may be made between the devastation being wrought on America's financial system today and the Wall Street crash of 1929. One similarity that the world is desperate to avoid is a repeat of the depression of the 1930s. Hopes are pinned on the American bail-out plan that the House of Representatives is set to reconsider on Friday October 3rd. If the fear of depression is anything to go by, the future looks bleak. A survey of newspaper articles over the past two decades shows a sharp spike in mentions of the dreaded D-word, as commentators have started to think the worst. The prognostications may possibly turn out to be true, or perhaps the only thing we have to fear are the fears of journalists themselves."

When Rama took a break to offer namaz

This is cool, and quite suprising in this day and age: 

"Lucknow: Masood Ahmad recalls the hush that fell when he went onstage to announce an unscheduled break during the raging battle between Lord Rama and Ravana, last Dussehra. The huge audience assembled at the Bakshi Ka Talaab ground was not amused. A few even began to boo, till the reason for the interruption was explained. 

The Ramlila cast — including Rama, Ravana and Lakshman — Ahmad explained, needed to offer namaz and break roza . Not a single protest was heard thereafter. The show resumed only after the actors rolled up their prayer mats post-namaz and shared the iftari snacks — right on stage."

Ban them books

Time has run an interesting special on 10 books that were banned at some point. 

Some unexpected titles in there like 'The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn' and "Harry Potter" series along with some of the greatest ever works of literature such as 'A Brave New World" and "Nineteen Eighty Four". And yes, "The Satanic Verses" does find a mention.

Rona with Drona

The choice was between Kidnap and Drona - tickets were available for both but the wife said Drona, so Drona it was. Terrible mistake. What a waste of a movie. Abhishek tries to pay a superhero and completely sucks at it - he sleepwalks through the movie as if he was forced to do the movie. He looks too ordinary to carry off a superhero act anyway. 

The director seems to feel that a series of visually great ad clips can make a movie - Drona proves him wrong. In the absence of a coherent and progressive storyline, there is an attempt to make every scene look like a climax. Inspite of the obviously desperate attempts, there are no redeeming moments in the entire movie. Not a single scene that tugs at your empotions in any way - NONE. 

The only  good thing about the movie is Priyanka, who looks ravishing. I think she'd have done a better job if she were the super-heroine.

The songs are poor and the background music is terrible enough to give you a headache. One of the worst I have ever heard in my life and there's too much of it.  

Some early reviews of the movie can be found here , here, and here. 

Advice for Wall Street

Here's a cool proposition for Wall Street firms : pay McKinsey to tell you that you can save money by cutting down on consulting costs!

To be fair to McKinsey, this is only one of the suggestions from the big-daddy of consulting. 

"A recent article in theMcKinsey Quarterly argues that Wall Street’s ailing banks could slash up to $2 billion each from their bloated overheads without damaging employee morale. The authors, who work for McKinsey, a leading strategy-consultancy, highlight several areas that bankers could cut—including fees paid to consulting firms. Presumably this includes McKinsey, which has advised most of America’s once-mighty investment banks at one time or another."

The Economist H2O debate

Here's an interesting forum to voice your thoughts if you are interested in environmental concerns. 

Great format by the Economist!

Jai Hanuman!

Indian railway employs 'monkey-man' to protect passengers

"Walking round on all fours, with a tail sticking out of his red shorts and a brown face mask, Acchan Miyan scares the monkeys at Lucknow station, northern India. 

Railway bosses insist their "monkey-man" is an effective way to protect their passengers from the mischievous animals, which are prone to snatch food from travellers and tear seat covers from trains.

The 42-year-old says he has been driven to the unusual profession by poverty, but is convinced that his efforts are helping passengers.

But it is hard to tell who is the more bemused, the passengers, or the remaining monkeys sitting around on roof rafters, munching on bunches of bananas, watching the show below."