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Is crude price decline good or bad? – Energy Economics 102!!

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Crude prices have declined by more than 20% since June this year, creating turbulences/confusion across various governments. So, the question: Is it good or bad? The answer is: If you are a net oil exporting nation then it is bad for you and if you are a net oil importing nation then it is good for you. Going away from Macro Economics into Micro Economics, All oil producing companies are having a tough time trying to sell their product. Going by the analogy of countries all oil consuming companies should start feeling good. But on the contrary, every one is suddenly concerned whether they are oil producing company or oil consuming company. Why? Many oil/energy consuming companies which are heavily dependent on oil & natural gas as their input have seen a decline of more than 20% in their input costs. So, technically their margins should have gone up. Yes, the margins would go up only for those companies whose sale price hasn't come down as much as the input cost...

Washing feet or hands .. which is more important???

The other day during a journey we halted for a while and when asked for a proper place for defecation, we were disappointed and disgusted at the place, and yet they were charging money to use that place. It may not come out as a surprise to many, but many of us in India still wash our shit with our hands!! We are just too ashamed to discuss about it. How many of us tried different and innovative techniques to try and use water instead of paper to perform the daily duty. But that's not the agenda of the blog. Wiki has a very good page about it ( Human_feces ) We have a belief that whenever we come out of toilet, it is really important to wash our feet. While, yes there is emphasis to wash our hands but we are specifically asked to wash our feet since misfortune may follow un-washed feet. Nothing was said about the hands part!!!! I was going through this article today which said that 60% of the open defecation of the world is in India due to various reasons ( fixing...

Hope Dakota doesn't become Dakota!!

North Dakota has seen an increasing trends in various kinds of violence. Drug abuse, domestic violence and various other crimes have seen an upsurge in the recent years, albeit it still is below the country's average. Now, why am I suddenly writing about North Dakota?? This is one state, which has seen a sudden rise in shale gas production, which has more than doubled in a span of a small time. It now has one of the largest proven reserves and is expected to play a strong role in making US, the leading natural gas producer. The new oil & gas has produced lot of jobs, especially in mining, oil & gas technicians and various other jobs and suddenly the unemployment opportunities have become a thing of the past. While I was going through a movie, I realized that many places across the world, which have seen a sudden upsurge in wealth have become some of the most insecure places. For example, m any countries in Africa, Central & Latin America, Middle East, Central ...

Mensus!!

The topic continues to intrigue me. Honestly I continue to not understand it at all. As a boy from south India, where any open discussion regarding the biology of a woman is considered taboo, it took me quite a while to realize what exactly is it. Since then, it's been a confused topic for me. We, do follow this tradition of keeping women separate during the mensus stage. I did ask why, never got a valid explanation. No one at home complained about it. But things aren't as straight forward as they seem.  It is one of the traditions/rituals unknown, and appear to be un-called for. I am still looking for answers. It is not a philosophical journey. But it is another case where I should fight on behalf of ....!!  I've started asking questions. It is one of those instances where I think it is wrong, yet I hope it is correct. Wiki has some answers, read some interesting blogs ( Menstruation perspective ), but am not entirely convinced either ways. (Or do I not w...

Next PM candidate!

It is clear that Mr. Narendra Modi is the next PM candidate. And if all the dirty politics are kept away and if Mr. Gandhi remains the PM candidate, then in every likelihood the perception is that Mr. Narendra Modi will be the next PM. But, what if Mr. Gandhi is not nominated as the PM candidate? Then, who should that person be who can be nominated from the congress party that can stand the personality of Mr. Modi and has a cleaner image. In the recent past, while congress/ gandhi family has been running the show, the face of the nation i.e. the PM has always been an academician or a shrewd politician, which isn't the trait of the gandhi clan. Hence, even this time the PM candidate may be a person most likely with exemplary clean image and a well rounded and grounded personality. Imagine this! What if the next PM candidate from Congress party is Mr. Nandan Nilekani. He is amazing, excellent credentials and can appease all the youth. And, because he doesn't have the poli...

Raghu Ram!

I remembered a beautiful carnatic classical rendition "Raghu Vamsa Sudhambudi" This is a song, praising Lord Ram, who belongs to "Raghu" family hoping that he would bring all the good luck and charm.  The song sets the tempo for further course of action and is a hope that the Raghu Ram will take care of the reins and lead every one ashore.  Hope Mr. Raghu Ram can do so. If you did not already get my intentions. This is a request and praise of Mr. RaghuRam Rajan who is the next RBI director. Not that the earlier chairman Mr. Subbarao did anything bad, it is just a hope that Mr. Raghuram rajan will be able to better handle the government and make it understand it's work better. This was a simple blog requesting the almighty (RBI chairman, I guess holds the key for a lot of activities) to bring a shape to the country. He will have to break the lock of Chidambaram and unshackle the country's growth potential.  Otherwise most of us will end up doing nothi...

I wish that I did not know

When all that matters is, what will happen the next day. When you know the inevitable When you know the eventuality cannot be stopped When you know you are going to lose an identity When you know your voice is unheard When you know your days are counted When you know your next morning will be split When you know your next drop of water will have to be fought for When you know the decision may never give an option to look back When you know that you will be forced to pay for the visit which we believed was common ancestral property When you know that the days of bilingual talk are over and the pride in staying together ceases to exist All this, when I know that no anguish matters any more! I wish that I did not know!!