Outsource Parliament
22 Oct 2008, 0017 hrs IST, Jug Suraiya
Is it time we outsourced our Parliament? With a global recession looming, the need of the hour — as Wipro CEO Azim Premji has stressed — is for every
one, from companies to governments, to be lean and mean. If parliamentary sessions are anything to go by, our MPs are far from being either when it comes to getting on with the job: this year Parliament has met just 32 times (instead of a desirable minimum of 100), the lowest number of sittings since independence. Parliament costs the country Rs 440 crore a year to run. Or rather, to dawdle. This apart, there’s the incalculable loss of cost overruns thanks to legislative delay. Even when Parliament does meet, the event is more akin to a three-ring circus than to a meaningful attempt to tackle the huge and complex problems that beset the world’s most populous democracy: the well of the House is stormed; epithets and more tangible missiles are freely hurled. In a new twist to parliamentary theatre, a Bodo MP from Assam reportedly attempted a ‘striptease’ in the House in order to address — or undress — the issue of intercommunity clashes in the state. At this rate, the Union Cabinet might well redesignate itself as the Union Cabaret. How much longer can we continue to afford such literally criminal dereliction of national duty (125 MPs in the current Lok Sabha are so-called ‘history-sheeters’, and have a record of crime)? Taking a tip from Indian Premier League cricket which sources the best players from around the world, irrespective of nationality, suppose we were to have an Indian Parliamentary League comprising legislators from across the globe with tried-and-tested credentials in honesty and efficiency. Far from being a surrender of our sovereignty, a return to foreign rule, such an arrangement would in fact give Indian voters greater global choice in selecting their representatives. More choice means more democracy and more, not less, freedom. India could have a dream team of legislators which could include an Obama or a McCain (depends on who wins and who loses the US presidential race), a Clinton (Bill or Hillary, take your pick), and a Sarkozy (Carla, not Nicolas). As with all BPO operations, our new Parliament would be elsewhere, i.e. not in India. This alone would entail a huge cutting of costs in terms of ministerial housing. Currently, each mantriji’s Lutyens’ bungalow in New Delhi is valued at over Rs 150 crore. With ministers, along with other MPs, having been outsourced, all this super-prime real estate could be encashed to fund public coffers. The country would also save a vast amount of money on foreign junkets made by our parliamentarians. As all of our new IPL representatives would already be in foreign parts (from where they’d conduct our parliamentary proceedings via teleconferencing and the internet) all those expensive VIP (Visiting Indian Parliamentarian) trips abroad would be obviated. Our new VIPs — Videshi Indian Parliamentarians — would also not require the large-scale security bandobast that disrupts traffic for hours at a stretch and makes daily life a misery for the common citizen. With the IPL VIPs physically located far from New Delhi, the local police would no longer have VIP protection as their first — some would say their only — priority and perhaps could spend some time on preventing and solving crimes. There’s only one snag in the scheme. It’s a truism that all people get the government they deserve. What if our dysfunctional Parliament is nothing more — and nothing less — than a true reflection of the innate anarchy of our Indian ethos in which the rule book exists for one purpose only: that each and every rule in it be flouted, the more flagrantly the better? Would our videshi parliamentarians succumb to anarchy by association and become as unruly as the present lot? That’s the rub. As the old joke goes, when Lee Kuan Yew boasted that in two years he could turn Bihar into Singapore, Lalu responded that in two weeks he could turn Singapore into Bihar. He might have added: And in two days Bihar could turn Lee into a Lalu.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Live Within Your Means....
Hi!
Look... What I have Got for you...
By Emily Wax The Washington Post
October 15, 2008
GURGAON, India — With her flowing hot-pink Indian suit, jangly silver bangles and perky voice, Bhumika Chaturvedi, 24, doesn't fit the stereotype of a thuggish, heard-it-all-before debt collector. But lately, she has had no problem making American debtors cry.For the past three years, Chaturvedi has been a top collection agent at her call center, phoning hundreds of Americans a day and politely asking them to pay up.
With the U.S. financial crisis plunging Americans into debt, her business is one of the fastest-growing sectors in Indian outsourcing. It also is one of the few sectors of outsourcing in India that is still aggressively hiring.Sitting in a narrow cubicle, her headset switched on, Chaturvedi listens every night to increasingly disturbing tales of woe from the other side of the globe."My mortgage payments are just too high, honey. I just can't make the payment this month," a weeping woman with a Southern accent recently told her in response to a call for a $200 credit card payment. "I'm sure y'all heard about the credit crunch and gas prices. I'm flat broke."
"Ma'am, I am here to help you," Chaturvedi calmly said. "Maybe you could make a small payment, $100 or $50, anything that you can."Few places in India absorb and imitate American culture as much as call centers, where ambitious young Indians with fake American accents and American noms de phone spend hours calling people in Indiana or Maine to help navigate software glitches, plan vacations or sell products.
The subculture of call centers tends to foster a cult of America, an over-the-top fantasy where hopes and dreams are easily accomplished by people who live in a brand-name wonderland of high-paying jobs, big houses and luxury getaways.But collection agents at this call center outside New Delhi are starting to see the flip side of that vision: a country hobbled by debt and filled with people scared of losing their jobs, houses and cars."Lately, 25-year-old Americans are telling me that they are declaring themselves bankrupt," said Chaturvedi, raising her eyebrows in shock. "These days the situation is so emotional, so fragile. We have to have so much empathy and patience.""It's like people are totally drowning," said Omkar Gadgil, 24, who goes by the alias Richard Rudy and was a math major in college.
He is brainy and considered the office expert on the intricacies of debt collection. "There has just been years of overspending and now, the crash," he said.In the past, debt-saddled customers often were annoyed by Chaturvedi's calls from the open-air office at Aegis BPO Services. But now they seem depressed, defeated. Even men sob into the phone, several agents said.Chaturvedi's ability to work deftly around the standard line, "The check is in the mail," is now being challenged by clients throwing out new responses: "How do you expect me to pay? This is the worst crisis since the Great Depression."Chaturvedi, using the pseudonym Carol Miller, said she has never seen it so bad. Many of the young employees say they are flabbergasted at just how widespread the financial ruin appears to be.
Talking to so many anguished Americans has taught these agents a lesson: Live within your means.
Look... What I have Got for you...
By Emily Wax The Washington Post
October 15, 2008
GURGAON, India — With her flowing hot-pink Indian suit, jangly silver bangles and perky voice, Bhumika Chaturvedi, 24, doesn't fit the stereotype of a thuggish, heard-it-all-before debt collector. But lately, she has had no problem making American debtors cry.For the past three years, Chaturvedi has been a top collection agent at her call center, phoning hundreds of Americans a day and politely asking them to pay up.
With the U.S. financial crisis plunging Americans into debt, her business is one of the fastest-growing sectors in Indian outsourcing. It also is one of the few sectors of outsourcing in India that is still aggressively hiring.Sitting in a narrow cubicle, her headset switched on, Chaturvedi listens every night to increasingly disturbing tales of woe from the other side of the globe."My mortgage payments are just too high, honey. I just can't make the payment this month," a weeping woman with a Southern accent recently told her in response to a call for a $200 credit card payment. "I'm sure y'all heard about the credit crunch and gas prices. I'm flat broke."
"Ma'am, I am here to help you," Chaturvedi calmly said. "Maybe you could make a small payment, $100 or $50, anything that you can."Few places in India absorb and imitate American culture as much as call centers, where ambitious young Indians with fake American accents and American noms de phone spend hours calling people in Indiana or Maine to help navigate software glitches, plan vacations or sell products.
The subculture of call centers tends to foster a cult of America, an over-the-top fantasy where hopes and dreams are easily accomplished by people who live in a brand-name wonderland of high-paying jobs, big houses and luxury getaways.But collection agents at this call center outside New Delhi are starting to see the flip side of that vision: a country hobbled by debt and filled with people scared of losing their jobs, houses and cars."Lately, 25-year-old Americans are telling me that they are declaring themselves bankrupt," said Chaturvedi, raising her eyebrows in shock. "These days the situation is so emotional, so fragile. We have to have so much empathy and patience.""It's like people are totally drowning," said Omkar Gadgil, 24, who goes by the alias Richard Rudy and was a math major in college.
He is brainy and considered the office expert on the intricacies of debt collection. "There has just been years of overspending and now, the crash," he said.In the past, debt-saddled customers often were annoyed by Chaturvedi's calls from the open-air office at Aegis BPO Services. But now they seem depressed, defeated. Even men sob into the phone, several agents said.Chaturvedi's ability to work deftly around the standard line, "The check is in the mail," is now being challenged by clients throwing out new responses: "How do you expect me to pay? This is the worst crisis since the Great Depression."Chaturvedi, using the pseudonym Carol Miller, said she has never seen it so bad. Many of the young employees say they are flabbergasted at just how widespread the financial ruin appears to be.
Talking to so many anguished Americans has taught these agents a lesson: Live within your means.
Friday, October 10, 2008
DRONA or DARAWANA
Hi !
Drona has been released and the hype has been punctured. The way the movie was projected, that is First Super Hero who is here to save the world,First Super Hero with a lady Body Guard; whose Body is guarded by the Super hero himself most of the times, the CGI created special effects and the Joco-serious Villian , with the Jocker attitude and the our Mogambo type costume.....
It was all messed up. Nothing worked..I was convinced from the veery beginning that DRONA would be the greatest Blunder of 2008. C'mon man, Abhi.. doesnt have that X factor ... that persona that guides the audience to the theatres... The Movie has been the delight of the C grade theatres,the very next week; the theatres who are busy all the year round with "Jawani Ki Jalan" type movies.
Infact, Nothing could have saved DRONA.The film lacked the heart of any movie and that is the story.. You cant fool the people again and again by the CGI created shit, when hell lot of Hollywwod is released in Hindi these days, after all they cant create the MAtrix or attempt Lara Croft..then why the shit , again and again, I wonder.
This film should have been made on a 20 cr budget. It could have been achieved by having LESS CGI, more comic book mode, a few more people instead of the awful waste of effort on the Riz Rizaida persona, and instead of Prague a village setting for Drona’s growing up. This would have made the film less of a liability and perhaps even more appealing.
This is what the Boxofficeindia.Com comments:-
Boxofficeindia.Com Trade Network
Drona looks set to incur huge losses the sort which have never been witnessed before. The film has a budget of 50 crore and release costs of about 6 crore taking the total cost to 56 crore.
Drona has been released and the hype has been punctured. The way the movie was projected, that is First Super Hero who is here to save the world,First Super Hero with a lady Body Guard; whose Body is guarded by the Super hero himself most of the times, the CGI created special effects and the Joco-serious Villian , with the Jocker attitude and the our Mogambo type costume.....
It was all messed up. Nothing worked..I was convinced from the veery beginning that DRONA would be the greatest Blunder of 2008. C'mon man, Abhi.. doesnt have that X factor ... that persona that guides the audience to the theatres... The Movie has been the delight of the C grade theatres,the very next week; the theatres who are busy all the year round with "Jawani Ki Jalan" type movies.
Infact, Nothing could have saved DRONA.The film lacked the heart of any movie and that is the story.. You cant fool the people again and again by the CGI created shit, when hell lot of Hollywwod is released in Hindi these days, after all they cant create the MAtrix or attempt Lara Croft..then why the shit , again and again, I wonder.
This film should have been made on a 20 cr budget. It could have been achieved by having LESS CGI, more comic book mode, a few more people instead of the awful waste of effort on the Riz Rizaida persona, and instead of Prague a village setting for Drona’s growing up. This would have made the film less of a liability and perhaps even more appealing.
This is what the Boxofficeindia.Com comments:-
Boxofficeindia.Com Trade Network
Drona looks set to incur huge losses the sort which have never been witnessed before. The film has a budget of 50 crore and release costs of about 6 crore taking the total cost to 56 crore.
As of now the India theatrical share is heading for 10 crore (4 days nett 9 crore, 5 crore share) and Overseas for 3 crore (4 day gross 3 crore, share 1.75 crore) giving it theatrical revenue of just 13 crore and revenue from other sources may be about 10-12 crore. So the total revenue for Drona will be about 25 crore on a cost of 56 crore meaning massive losses in the region of 30 crore.
Drona is certain to be the grandmother of all disasters in terms of losses. Films like Umrao Jaan (2006) and RGV Ki Aag (2007) were amongst the biggest debacles ever but the losses on Drona will be more than the combined losses of those two disasters. Umrao Jaan(2006) lost around 10 crore while RGV Ki Aag(2007) lost around 15 crore. This year another super debacle Love Story 2050 also lost 15 crore but a 30 crore loss is double of we have ever seen before for any film.
Although most of the trade knew Drona was not going to be a huge hit as was being projected prior to release with the makers claiming to make Drona 2 as they were super confident of Drona, the sheer volume of losses has still shocked everyone.
Friday, October 3, 2008
The Days Gone By..
The festival season has started. Its all about Loads of MITHAIS and New clothes.. We were so crazy about these days. Five days Chutti.. What else you want? Days were spent planning new clothes and my Father used to take all of us to his friends cloth shop where our clothes were stitched, Same cloth .. Same color.. No Zip in the half pant as it may result to accident if you stuck your P_ _ _IS... , This is What he said?
DURGA PUJA has arrived. Early bath and hurry to the Puja Pandal in the GRP camp. The entire day was spent in the PANDAL.. children from the locality would come with their new dress and we would to have delight .. and how can one forget the DELICIOUS 'Khichdi". in the afternoon..
The evening... WOW.. that was the party time.. We used to get 10/- and it was more than enough.. If you had some savings of yours then you were KING. Chakri, Jhoola, Plane... So Much.. in so Little... Egg Rolls.. Bikaneri Namkeen.. Toy Gun... The whole World was ours..
Roaming around to watch each and every pandal of the city was an obsession. How good the days were?
Then came DIWALI and KALI PUJA. New Dress again..patakhe, Mitahais and KHEER... No five star can prepare Kheer better than my MOM,, and I bet on that.......
We used to 'PATAKHA PHOD' Competition, the whole night. an there were no Clean Environment Activist, those days... The next was the video day.. In UP , the next day after DIWALI is called PARUA.. that means NO WORK day.. No work for anything.. Even tools and the cattles are left free in the fields to graze the whole day.. No WORK.. Full ARRAAM.. Complete SHUT DOWN.. We used to plan movies that we want to watch the whole night..VIDEO ON HIRE... the Whole locality will be at our door.. the dinner was early.. We were so excited,,,,,we used to watch movie for the whole winter night without a blink..........
The days are gone.. Gone is the peace of mind....
Bring Back,, Bring Back,, Bring Back .. My Pony to me.......
Love for Ever
Chandra
DURGA PUJA has arrived. Early bath and hurry to the Puja Pandal in the GRP camp. The entire day was spent in the PANDAL.. children from the locality would come with their new dress and we would to have delight .. and how can one forget the DELICIOUS 'Khichdi". in the afternoon..
The evening... WOW.. that was the party time.. We used to get 10/- and it was more than enough.. If you had some savings of yours then you were KING. Chakri, Jhoola, Plane... So Much.. in so Little... Egg Rolls.. Bikaneri Namkeen.. Toy Gun... The whole World was ours..
Roaming around to watch each and every pandal of the city was an obsession. How good the days were?
Then came DIWALI and KALI PUJA. New Dress again..patakhe, Mitahais and KHEER... No five star can prepare Kheer better than my MOM,, and I bet on that.......
We used to 'PATAKHA PHOD' Competition, the whole night. an there were no Clean Environment Activist, those days... The next was the video day.. In UP , the next day after DIWALI is called PARUA.. that means NO WORK day.. No work for anything.. Even tools and the cattles are left free in the fields to graze the whole day.. No WORK.. Full ARRAAM.. Complete SHUT DOWN.. We used to plan movies that we want to watch the whole night..VIDEO ON HIRE... the Whole locality will be at our door.. the dinner was early.. We were so excited,,,,,we used to watch movie for the whole winter night without a blink..........
The days are gone.. Gone is the peace of mind....
Bring Back,, Bring Back,, Bring Back .. My Pony to me.......
Love for Ever
Chandra
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