Rich Farmers

Our country has a myriad set of laws that are ostensibly designed to protect the small farmer - who at one point was supposed to be the backbone of our economy. Thus there are laws that prevent farmland from being bought by "non farmers". The part which prevents easy conversion of agricultural land to residences is a good one IMO. We will come to that in a moment.

Around me, in the past couple of years, there are quite a few people who have bought agricultural land (wherever the law allows them etc.) and started farming. Now these are not the kind of farmers newspapers report will glorify or our youthful politician scion will visit. These are fairly well to do people who are passionate about horticulture, agriculture and grow exotic stuff or organic food or just like to grow something. They are not your so called subsidy seeking farmers, nor are they poor. They are into farming as a sabbatical from corporate life or as a hobby or business.

Yet, a lot of people even if they wish to cannot go ahead and do so - because of the rules that make it tough for them to do so.

My view is that such interests should be encouraged - even if they have sign an undertaking that they will use the land only for agricultural purposes etc. This does two things. One, the land stays as farmland. Second and more importantly, it puts people who want to pursue farming as a hobby or a business and pushes out those who want to do as a form of subsistence. In my view, this is a good thing - because the government can focus less on subsidising agriculture and giving out job schemes like REG schemes and focus on the real things that matter. (Anyway with the current government all this talk is useless, but whatever.)

Wishful thinking, but well...why not?

Thinking, Fast and Slow

Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahnemann. This is the book I have had in my hands for a few weeks. Now, dont get me wrong. The book is a great great read. Indeed I would wholeheartedly recommend it anybody who is interested in human nature and human behaviour. It is a power packed course in psychology. With the added bonus that it will show us, how we think. Think thats impossible? Try out some of the exercises in the book.

This book is no easy read. Well, you could skim through it, but that does no justice to the book or the topic. Daniel Kahnemann divides the brain into S1 and S2. S1 is the Quick-Gun-Murugan. S2 is the laid back arm chair Sherlock Holmes. Bad comparison, but this is written from S1 - so there! S1 is hasty, snappy and quick to make connections complete with all existing biases. S2, will, of course, give you the real whodunnit. Only if you choose to engage S2, because S2 is, well, lazy, among other things.

This book cannot read at S1 levels, has to be read at S2 levels. So, go for it.

And all you political analysts out there, do read this book. Very very instructive.

Lajja

I picked up a copy of Taslima Nasrins book - Lajja - its English translation actually published by Penguin. I have not read the original in Bengali - and I suppose assuming that translations usually do not capture emotions as well as originals. The original must have been quite a dark novel.

Reading the novel was quite depressing. The book pulls no punches - it is in your face and quite unemotional in describing violence and the despondency of the situation the protagonists go through. Also, it offers none of the usual politically correct language which one sees in a novel with a theme like this.

Anyway, if you have the guts to read it, do it, but be sure it will stick in your mind. Read the book for the rest, I suppose!

Statues in Mayaland

The Election Commission has decided to issue a notification asking for the numerous elephant statues and Mayawati statues to be covered as part of the Election Code in the run up to the UP elections. This is straight out of Alice in wonderland.

Does the EC really think those statues will affect the outcome of the elections? Does the EC really think that the electorate is so stupid and brainless as to be affected by the presence of the statues of a few leaders? And statues the only reason why people vote? So, overall, this is a laughable edict. By covering the elephant statues does the EC really think they are doing something to ensure free and fair elections? And by covering the statues as well? And what about real elephants?

What if Maya decides to show wildlife documentaries on TV all day long as part of a "conservation programme" never mind that there are no elephants in UP. And what if there are special screenings of "Haathi Mera Saathi" in theatres? Or if the radio blares "Chal Chal Chal Mere Haathi" all day long. But perhaps they are doing their job - or showing that they are doing their job. Like security theatre, this is election theatre.

Do see the absurdity in this proposal when taken to its logical conclusion. The Congress symbol is the "hand" - the human hand. Does this mean peoples hands will have to covered? I mean, they walk into the polling booth with two symbols of the Congress per person. This is subliminal advertising - is it not. I suspect the people will have to either cover their hands with gloves, but that would make it too obvious, or boxing gloves perhaps.

And then what about those numerous statues of Nehru, Indira and Rajeev? Will they be covered too? What about some of their pictures in government offices? And actually the picture of Mahatma Gandhi who Congress evokes not so subtly as part of their campaigns will also need to be covered. Especially in those currency notes - regardless of whether they are passed off as bribes for voters? May I propose Sodexho coupons? Or perhaps Credit Cards?

And by the way Bangalore and other cities have JNNURM printed all over its newer city buses. JN stands for the initials of Indias first Prime Minister who the Congress never fails to invoke. And there are the many roads named after quite a few Congress politicians - mostly first dynasty members. What of them? A temporary name change perhaps? And then there are a thousand schemes named after various members of the first family all over the country. Whitewash them perhaps? And there are some buildings, hospitals, bus stops, bridges which sport the dynasty names. Cover them all up in packing material perhaps?

And that is just the Congress. What about similar edicts in future elections? MNS Maharashtra, if I am not mistaken has the "Train" for its symbol. So, are we planning to shut down Mumbais local trains during the run up to the BMC elections? Or will trains run sans locomotives? And what of the lotuses? The Baha'i temple is a huge concrete lotus in the heart of the capital, dammit. And what does one do about the pesky sun - the damn thing rises each day. And I wonder what the EC did about it in the run up to the Tamil Nadu elections- given that it is a symbol of DMK? And then if I remember right, the bicycle is a party symbol too. Do bicycle riders keep them at home or cover it up and ride them? The AIADMK has two leaves as its symbol. I shudder to think of the implications.

A quick glance at the election symbols will tell you that the symbols are everyday objects by and large  - designed for easy recollection across linguistic and cultural barriers. Parties can and will make bigger things out of them just as the Congress party has perfected the art of naming various government schemes across the country. So, the first thing to do is to perhaps reverse those naming conventions and move onto a more apolitical nomenclature.

Overall, the EC does have a point. But then, the ruling party should not be allowed to politicise names of buildings, bridges, roads, schemes - because needless to say all these have subliminal effects. Of course, no subliminal effect is as great as cash transfers during elections or fatwas issued by certain communities and the election  commission would do well to focus on the real things that affect the outcome of elections than statues in Mayaland.

(This was published as an Op Ed in The Pioneer, here)

The emperors new clothes

Got the idea of the title via a @doubtinggaurav tweet. Could be a meandering post, so, be warned!

The year 2011 in politics will go down in history as a great year of David versus Goliaths. The first David (with an organization propping him up) of course was Anna Hazare who took on the might of the Congress and the first family. And the second David of course is Subramaniam Swamy who has taken on the might of the Congress and various ministers single handedly and has proved that the Indian Legal System can be worked through. More power to both of them, though I dont necessarily agree that a Lokpal will solve the incessant corruption in the country. A government that can appoint puppets can appoint a puppet anywhere and destabilise any institution. Thank you Anna Hazare and Subramaniam Swamy for fighting. In the year of "ooth" and so called "oothful leaders oozing charm" not living up to the mark, thank you septuagenarians for fighting. And thank you Rahul Dravid too (as @saliltripathi pointed out).

2011 will also go down as a year in which the spectre of corruption has seen to be visibly corroding the country from inside and outside. We are probably being ruled by the "most corrupt government ever" and perhaps even by the most "incompetent leaders ever". Given this background, I have my own doubts that much of the bull run in the recent past in the market was fuelled by all this dirty money. So, while the small investor is now nursing his injuries the ultra rich enjoy their stay in tax havens.The middle class is well and truly screwed. Well, thank you for the LPG subsidy atleast. In any case you exist only to pay taxes.

The current ruckus around the Food Security Bill points in the same direction as NREGA to fuel our future towards a subsidy fuelled population that believes in being entitled. My recent visits to Kerala, TN and some interior parts of Karnataka only supplements this. In both places, labour for agriculture is not available since people to work in the REGA and take home free food grains. In Kerala, migrant labour is coming in from other states. Soon, even Maharashtra will need "UPites/Biharis". The only question is how long will "UPites/Biharis" need to find work given that soon food and work will come in free in any case.Thank you for democraticising corruption through nicely named schemes. Atleast somebody is making money. And some farmers in some other countries will soon make money in the name of FSB.

But the sad part of last year has been the blatant one sided reporting from the media. Look around yourself, on your television screens, print media and you will find very few reports castigating the government for its conduct. On the one hand, the media went hammer and tongs against BJP CMs but remains quiet against Congress CMs and ministers. And we are at this unique point in history when the opposition is blamed for all the crap that the government is spreading. Amazing no. I thought the whole point of life was to take responsibility, but it looks like spreading conspiracy theories and ascribing blame to someone else is what our so called leaders taught us over the past couple of years. Oh, well, thank you for the description of those non-existent robes of integrity and whatever else, media.

The more I see it the more the country is headed in the direction of the North Koreas. As an old joke used to go about USSR. "The newspaper is full of truths, half truths and lies.The sports news are the truth. The weather forecasts are half truths and the rest all are lies." Thank Evan Williams for Twitter. And thank you, Sibble for not blocking it. Yet.

A reading of the novel Animal Farm is highly recommended. Sort of the reflects the state of India at this point.  So, is it all gloom, boom and doom? Hopefully not. I hope that our democracy (whatever that means) wakes up and elects the right leader and government and stops this rollercoaster ride to disaster. Till then, we have the time to do what it takes to ensure that it happens. How? Tweet more and create more awareness to begin with! Thank you, all those on my timeline to keep me sane...

Google Chrome advert on Tanjore paintings

This particular advertisement (for Google Chrome) using the Tanjore paintings as an example is simply mindblowing. It made me sit up and take notice for one. It also made me curious enough to go to the particular website to see what is all about. I suspect this video will generate more hits the site than anything else. Also, very very inspiring. Indeed, the web is what you make of it. And why web, life as well.

Honda Brio

I spotted the Honda Brio yesterday and me and the little one were stunned by the looks of the car.

The overall size, the punchy small look and the back. And the back of the car, oh the back of the car – is awesome. Not sure what makes it so, is it the large glass area or just the shape,whatever it is.

I think this is the best looking small car in the Indian auto world. I thought the Beat was good, but the Brio beats all the others by a mile. So, as far as my auto predictions go (despite my lack of enthusiasm for oil burners), this one seems to be a hit!

The app world

It is a long and old debate on why there is no Google or Facebook originating out of India. The debate has never really been settled and I have usually lingered on the side of the fact that it is no big deal. And that the IT, ITES itself is an industry.

But look at the world of mobile apps. And ask that question to yourself. Why dont we see creative, breakthrough ideas originating from India? What we get to see is usually Hanuman Chalisa and apps for the normal media (like newspapers, TV channels) or B2C stuff (like ICICI on mobile). Sure, there are a few on bus schedules and a few on railways schedules as well, but none that stand out.

I asked the same question to @vishalgondal (CEO of Indiagames) on twitter and he named a few - including Prison Mayhem (produced by 99games online), Bruce Lee, Ra.one Genesis (by indiagames), Quarrel (UTV Ignition) and others. I have tried a couple of them and some of them were nice - but nothing out of the ordinary.

When I say out of the ordinary, let me qualify. I mean, look at the 2011 best apps (one of the zillions lists available on the net) or the best games of 2011 on the App Store and there is nothing that stands out of India.

Again, you might ask why is this a big deal or why should this be a big deal. I think that there is much more creativity waiting to be unleashed there than the current sets of apps coming out of India. Why? Because there is so much that India has - that can be derived out of its rich culture and heritage and there is much potential for some of them to be turned into apps! Are the game developers listening?

On Retail

Swaminathan S Aiyar often has this knack of generating "Eureka" moments for readers. Well, I will speak for myself here. I used to a regular reader of his columns in the olden days of print only, but these days, I prefer to use twitter to pick and choose my readings - and I was pleasantly surprised to see another one in this column.

He argues that online shopping is the real threat to small shopkeepers, not necessarily big hypermarkets and he actually argues that nobody can actually stop it.

I am not sure about it in entirety, but then who can be "sure" about anything (usually 100% surety is surely wrong). But anyway, the Eureka moment was how he calls big box hypermarkers as 20th century and he uses the Thanksgiving data in the US to drive home his point.

And that part surely rings true. I am a big fan of online shopping. For one it allows me to shop in remote and get someone to deliver for one. It also gives one access to all ranges and sizes - which may or may not be available in that specific shop that you happen to reach. It also allows one to reach retailers and products you might otherwise find it difficult to reach.  It saves time - so if or someone is on a short trip, all I need to order my stuff and await delivery. I have tried all of these and I totally love it. But most of that is in the US context.

In India, I am a big fan of Flipkart - and it is worth checking if all bookstores are reporting the kind of numbers they do. Also, Amar Chitra Katha which is not always available in all shops (for god knows what reason). We are still some distance away from getting to big online shopping like the US - though much of KSRTC and Indian Railways and other travel stuff is best done online.

But whatever it is, he is right on the fact that indeed online shopping is the future (rather present). Also, why should a retail chain invest in costly land and people when it can all be done with a smooth online experience.  And why should we have to drive down someplace, search for parking, wait for billing - retail experience sucks in most places. So, more power to this idea and as long as the Maomatas of the world keep opposing FDI in retail and ignore online shopping, great for customers!