2009 : A retrospective

I posted a similar blog at the beginning of this year, hoping that 2009 gives us happiness. Well it didn't turn out the way I wanted it to be.

I experienced a big jolt in my career. I kinda learned for the first time, how uncertain are our lives. Many of my friends can understand those cryptic lines.

Let's look at at the major events, either good or bad

Obama
Well the honeymoon is over, and Obama ain't a messiah. He can only achieve few things with these kind of republicans in the senate, and centrists like joe lieberman. But you've to give credit for moving this health bill past the senate. And he's just starting on climate control, immigration reform etc. I'm cautiously curious how much he's gonna achieve. And finally let's not forget Afghanistan. It's Obama's war now. I didn't read much about the troop spike in Afghan, but honestly I'm not sure what's the goal and exit strategy.

Rise of Retards
Move on Rush, Glenn Beck in the house. glenn beck, michele bachmann et al are the new superstars of fringe conservatives profiting from dumb people watching faux news. I myself realized for the first time, how people can be manipulated with distorted facts, out of contexts statements. Glenn Beck show is a quite a theater with his blackboard.

Health Care Reform
I didn't read the bill well enough to point the defects, but as per Paul Krugman et al it's a good progress. This is what I realized from the news. It's illegal not to have health insurance (??), government subsidizes the insurance for poor people and here's the best part. Insurance companies can't decline coverage insurance for people using the pre-existing condition as an excuse. That's a big progress.

Here's what missing. Single payer health care. It could've been lot better, if public option is part of the bill. Few democrats took their party for a ride cause of republican filibuster.

Climate Change
As always, few people wouldn't change. Even today half of the America denies climate change. That email scandal didn't help either. It bothers me so much that educated people gets carried away by the ultra right wing propaganda. And then few democrat senators already developed cold feet about cap and trade bill 'cause of the next year's mid term elections. Copenhagen Climate conference didn't make any substantial progress.

Bailouts and aftermath
So much has been written about the public bailouts. Putting the morals aside, returns from bailouts of the banks ain't so bad. Having said that, public can kiss good bye to the money lent to AIG, GMAC, GM. Freddie mac and Fannie Mae are effectively govt companies now.

Populist Outrage
It all started with outrage over bonuses on wall st amid the massive bailouts. And then glenn beck, michelle bachmann used it to stop the health insurance reform. Oh, remember the town halls and tea party protests from summer with angry elder people from middle america. Faux news tooks their propaganda by showing us clips from previous protest. Jon Stewart owned them. Bravo.

Telangana
At the tail end of year, this Telangana movement gained steam. Being from Andhra, I oppose this separate state. Having said that I don't know much about their struggles since 50s, so I'll restrain from making conclusions. But I'm sure about one thing. Students and employees who're doing all these protests are suffering from myopia. They're only looking for government jobs and politicians are looking for power. But if they loose Hyderabad they'll loose all the revenue which they enjoyed until now. Even if they retain Hyderabad, all the investments from the real estate will be gone and the revenue which comes along with that. movie industry might migrate back to chennai and IT companies might looks for safe locales in chennai, pune and banglore.
Every body knows about the education in Telengana, and the lands aren't suitable for proper agriculture.

I myself suffered from these protests as I'm in India. So many public and private properties are damaged cause of these. APSRTC is the prime victim and easy target for these goons in the disguise of students. These anti social elements should be reined.


and finally some good news
My sister got married to Deep Krishna in Nov and that itself makes 2009 a good year despite other setbacks. Congratulations!!

Few of my friends are expecting children now, congratulations and say hello to sleepless nights :-)

On a whole, 2009 has been an interesting year for me. Met many new people and old friends! Hope 2010 brings happiness and good health to all of us.
(I'm also secretly wishing for comprehensive immigration reform to be friendly for H1Bs!)

Happy New year.

Peace.

2008 : A retrospective

It's 2009 already, can't believe 2008 passed by already

2008 wasn't joyful to any one. Housing bust, Layoffs, Retirement portfolios, IRAs shrank to 50% or less, Wall street meltdown, Oil prices, commodity prices, Paulson's bazooka(wtf happened to that ?!), Series of Bomb blast in India, Madoff..

Looks like Recession is here to stay.
Even though I'm one of those million people who took a beating in the market, I want to write about few good things..

>CEO pay
So long suckers, gone are days of the exorbitant compensation packages, golden parachutes and Private Jets. With so much backlash from Public and Lawmakers, I hope this House/Senate approves a bill to limit these packages in the future also.

> More regulation on Wall street
Hedge funds, Commodity traders, Derivatives, Exotic financial instruments which no one understood. Huh. Now the dream run is over. Here's to the more regulation on wall street. Before cheering for that, I've to question the ethics/smartness of these senators leading the committees on Finance, Ways and means, Tax....

Christopher Dodd, Barney Frank, Charles Schumer. How good are these guys. All the mess happened while these guys are approving laws. Isn't time to bid adieu to these men?

>Commodity Traders
Remember last summer. We're taken for a ride by Hedge Funds, Commodity traders... Now with the burst of Hedge funds and frozen Credit, we're blessed with $1.6 gas prices.

>Oil Prices
Crude oil was 'flirting' with $150 per barrel price back in summer. Now it's $40. Though it's one of the fall outs of Weakening economy, it's bad news for this OPEC cartel. Couldn't be any more happier. And those high oil prices ain't so bad. It ended America's mad fascination for SUVs and Trucks.

Arjun murti, please take a hike!!

>Incompetent CEO's
Dick Fuld(Lehman), Angelo Mozilo(Countrywide), Robert Willumstad(AIG), Kerry Killinger(WaMu), Ken Thompson (Wachovia) and then few dickheads at Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae. Good bye assholes, corporate America wouldn't miss ya. I'm just waiting for Bob Nardelli and Rick Wagoner to turn in their papers. Sooner it is, better for Detroit.

>Iraq
I hate giving credit to Dubya's regime in any form. But there's some peace in Iraq. Though I don't approve the way it's accomplished, I'm happy for Iraqi citizens and armed forces based in Iraq

>Both House and Senate in control of Dems
That's right fellas. Since '92 , this is the first time we've both Senate and house dominated by Dems. Hope they'll be strong and bring some order in this country. If possible, please undo all the acts passed by Republican thugs. Abstinence Only education, ban on Stem cell research, Bush Tax cuts, Environment Protection...

>Obama in 1600 Penn Ave
After 8 years of Public housing, Bush is about to move out of White House. And a democrat in White House. This superseded all the sorrows and setbacks. Honestly, I'm not yet sold with Barrack's Hope and audacity. But hey, anybody can do better than dubya and evil Cheney. Good Riddance fellas..

>Sarah Palin stays in Alaska.
That's right, this 'hockey mom' wouldn't be moving to DC any time soon. Hopefully she never moves into Mainland. Though I don't have high regard for American Voters, they exceeded my expectations in this election. Just the thought of her as VP gives a chill in my spine.

Finally, I've two good news to share on personal front.

Karun, my friend and owner of this blog got married and my sister got engaged in Dec '08. Congratulations!!
In a way, I can't complain much about '08.

Hopefully '09 brings Peace and happiness to all of us. (and death to Islamic Terrorists)

Happy Sankranthi !!
Peace.