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Survival of the fittest
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"Survival of the fittest" is a phrase which is shorthand for a concept relating to competition for survival or predominance. Originally applied by Herbert Spencer in his Principles of Biology of 1864, Spencer drew parallels to his ideas of economics with Charles Darwin's theories of evolution by what Darwin termed natural selection.
Although Darwin used the phrase "survival of the fittest" as a synonym for "natural selection",[1] it is a metaphor, not a scientific description.[2] It is not generally used by modern biologists, who use the phrase "natural selection" almost exclusively.
An interpretation of the phrase to mean "only the fittest organisms will prevail" (a view common in social Darwinism) is not consistent with the actual theory of evolution. Any organism which is capable of reproducing itself on an ongoing basis will survive as a species, not just the "fittest" ones. A more accurate characterization of evolution would be "survival of the fit enough."[3] Furthermore, the term "fittest" or "fit enough" refers only to an organism's ability to survive, and not necessarily to physical strength, intelligence, or any other characteristic regarded as positive by human beings. Thus, "survival of the fittest" could simply mean "survival of those who are better equipped for surviving," which is a tautology.[4]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Survival_of_the_fittest
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YouTube - Mobb Deep - Survival Of The Fittest | ||||||
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Survival Of The Fittest: Drugstore.com Reports First Quarterly Profit
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| survival of the fittest lyrics | natural selection | charles darwin | survival of the fittest examples |
| herbert spencer |
"This is going to be a three- to four-year disaster," said Michael Psaros, managing partner at KPS Capital Partners, at a restructuring conference in New York.
The United States is going through a "Great Recession," which will provide investors in distressed assets with unprecedented opportunities, he said.
"We are going to invest an awful lot of money this year," Psaros said on Thursday. "There is an inexhaustible supply of bad management out there."
KPS Capital, which manages special situations funds and private equity funds with capital exceeding $1.8 billion, largely sat on the sidelines last year. The firm is ramping up its investments this year, he said.
"We're just very excited about this year and next," he said.
Holly Etlin, a managing director at AlixPartners with 30 years of experience in restructuring, said financial distress will last three to five years due to a lack of liquidity in credit markets and lack of debtor-in-possession financing, or DIP loans, used by bankrupt companies to reorganize operations.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Great_Recession_may_last_3_years_Experts/articleshow/4120010.cms
"The bad news is we are experiencing a severe global economic downturn. Global GDP should shrink in 2009," Flockhart told a conference in Hong Kong.
"China and India continue to have high growth rates. The good news is that this region will be the first to recover from the crisis," he said, citing a growing middle class as one of Asia's stronger characteristics.
Flockhart's view contrasts with that of IMF Managing Director Dominique Strauss-Kahn, who said last week that Asia would not pull through the global economic downturn on its own.
Asian exports have plunged at double-digit rates in the past month as a result of weaker European and American consumer spending.
China on Wednesday reported an unexpectedly sharp 17.5 percent drop in January exports, the steepest decline since records began in 1993. Weak exports have pushed Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore into recession and economists say Taiwan and South Korea are heading for recession.
Economic development in emerging Asia, however, is boosting the number of medium-income households and the region is relying on them to spur consumer spending and offset the export slump.
Flockhart said sweeping measures by governments around the world to stimulate growth were positive moves.
China believes it can still achieve 8 percent economic growth this year, helped by a 4 trillion yuan (US$585 billion) fiscal stimulus package announced late last year.
India expects its economy to grow by 7.1 percent in 2008/09, a six-year low, and has also introduced fiscal measures, but Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwali said this week that further stimulus would be needed to sustain growth.
I asked my son Tussu, ` Tell me, whether Lalu is going to declare any relief for the Commuters?’
While Bangalore-headquartered Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) would be the Indian partner, the Russian side would identify its partners, likely to be United Aircraft Corporation's (UAC's) transport and cargo divisions, in the next few weeks, President and Chairman of UAC, Alexey I Fedorov, said.
The jointly developed transport aircraft would be inducted into the Russian and Indian Air Force, he said on the sidelines of the ongoing South Asia's biggest airshow 'Aero India-2009'.
On Mig-35 not being inducted in Russian Air Force and its "negative impact" on India's request for proposals which requires the aircraft to be serviceable in India, Fedorov said, "I understand... India... disappointed", but declined to elaborate.
"Medical centres, aviation and infrastructures have not been spared. In recent times India has become a victim of terrorism including cross border terrorism. The 26/11 attacks was one such gruesome example. This needs to be tackled in a resolute manner. We will spare no efforts to deal with terrorists."
I am SORRY for my BAD DREAMs!
According to highly placed officials in the ministry, the upward revision in wages could be affected to the extent of 20 to 30 per cent.
The Ministry of Labour and Employment Secretary has already issued a draft notification on the subject and had invited comments and suggestions of stakeholders and experts. Currently, the minimum wages for most categories of workers stand between Rs 67.33 and Rs 180 per day. The last revision effected by the government was on August 24, 2006.
According to the draft notification minimum wages of unskilled workers will be hiked to the range of Rs 120 to Rs 150 per day, for semi-skilled workers it will be in the band of Rs 150 and Rs 180, skilled workers will be paid in between Rs 180 and Rs 210 and highly skilled workers will receive in the range of Rs 210 and Rs 240 as a day's wage.
The notification identifies 48 trades of unskilled workers, 94 trades of semi skilled trades, and 100 trades involving skilled workers for which the new revisions will be affected.
Among other sectors, the index for electricity expanded one per cent, while that for mining was up one per cent.
The general index had expanded eight per cent in December last fiscal, showed data released by the Central Statistical Organisation (CSO). It also revised downward the industrial growth for November to 1.7 per cent from the estimated 2.4 per cent earlier.
Industrial production had fallen for the first time in 15 years to 0.4 per cent in October, against a growth of 12.2 per cent in like month last year. Officials attributed the fall to a demand slowdown.
The use-base classification revealed that the indices for intermediate goods fell 8.5 per cent, consumer durables 12.8 per cent and consumer non-durables, while that for capital goods was up 4.2 per cent.
In terms of industries, only seven out of 17 industry groups managed to show a positive growth in December 2008 as compared to the corresponding month of the previous year.
'Indicators are showing weakness across the board,' said Tushar Poddar of Goldman Sachs, a leading global consultancy, saying the decline of 2 per cent was lower than their own expectation of a 0.5 per cent slump.
The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Assocham) said in a statement that the latest figures clearly indicate that India Inc needs a comprehensive package to come out of the slump.
'Such a negative growth was never recorded in the recent past and a huge fiscal, excise and other duty concessions are immediately required to help industry fall back on growth momentum,' said Assocham president Sajjan Jindal.
'In the absence of handsome package, industry will have no other option but to downsize operation, hold back expansion and modification plans, restructure it drastically, and cut jobs.'
"We will spare no effort in getting to the bottom of this terrible scam and will take whatever measures are necessary on the basis of the findings," External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, who is also holding the finance portfolio, said at the Annual General Meeting of FICCI.
Mind you, the representatives of CII, India Incs, FICCI and ASSOCHAM along with the BRAHMINS CHITPAVAN from PUNE and Kayastha Brahmins from Bengal like Dr Amartya Sen, the So called Nobel laureate and SUPER AGENT of the GLOBAL ILLUMINITI Zionist, Arjun Sengupta and Dr ASHOK Mitra of Indira Gandhi nd CHETTIAR Gnagsters including Chidambaram and Kamalnath and the Washington supported planted world Bank SLAVES led by Dr MANMOHAN SINGH, the Planted Prime Minister, Pranab Mukherjee, the De Facto Prime Minister heading and running scores of parlimentary Committes and Montek singh Ahluwalia decied and Mke the ECONOMIC Policies. RESERVATION and QUOTA IMMUNED!
The government acted swiftly and is doing everything in the domain of investigations, protecting the livelihood of thousands of employees and restoring confidence among clients. Without naming Satyam, he said this one single aberration does not undermine either the reputation of the Indian IT industry or the country's standing as an emerging trillion dollar economy with the second-highest growth rate among the major developing countries.
"The adverse fallout of the (wrong-doings) in a single company cannot be allowed to cast its shadow on the entire Indian IT industry worth 60 billion dollars," Mukherjee said.
Mukherjee said India is an attractive economic partner for the entire world with external trade of around 350 billion dollars and FDI of around 25 billion dollars per year.
"I remain confident that we will be able to attract more FDI and that FII flows will return to our markets because this is where growth is happening and profits can be made," he said.
And now see the hypocrisy of another Brahmin leader, the ex Marxist who played key role in the Parliamentary Nuclear SOAP Opera reality show refusing Party Whip which later invited his excommunication. he saved Manmohan and STOPPED Mayawati in the best interest of the SUSTENANCE of Thousands year old Indian Manusmriti rule!
I've donated my body, will go with the scar: Somnath
UNNI RAJEN SHANKER
Posted: Feb 12, 2009 at 0834 hrs IST
As Somnath Chatterjee begins what could very well be his last session as Lok Sabha Speaker on Friday, there is no hiding his anguish at being expelled from the CPM.
Speaking to The Indian Express, he said: “I have never questioned the authority of the party to expel me. I have not questioned it, I have not challenged it. At the highest level, they have decided that I am not fit to be in that party and I have accepted it. Why should I try to impose myself on them through other processes? That’s that. That’s the greatest scar in my heart, I shall carry it till my last breath,” he said. “I have donated my body to a hospital...Therefore, I am not going to the grave but to the hospital with the scar.”
(The full text of the interview will be published tomorrow)
http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/Ive-donated-my-body-will-go-with-the-scar-Somnath/422522/
West Bengal may boast of STRING of ECONOMISTS who justify the Market economy. Who had been SCREAMING to launch BRAND BUDDHA and justify SINGUR, NAYACHAR, ANDAL and NANDIGRAM DE INDUSTRIALISATION! Who are BLIND and very SPRITUAL to pronounce Globalisation, Economic reforms, Urbanisation, Infrastructure, Development , Retail chain and GM seeds along with Nuclear parks and CHEMICAL Hubs. For whom PRIVATISATION and Retrenchment , Hire Fire happen to be the Most SACRED Rituals. Mind you, INFRASTRUCTURE is the best logic for Disinvestment. US President Barrack Obama has made this UNPRECEDENTED BAIL OUT Exercise as he ensured More Than enough Democrats VOTES to pass the STIMULUS!
ABHIRUP Sarkar, DIPANKAR DASGUPTA, Surjeet MRJIT, VIVEK DEBROY are the group of ECONOMIST MINNOWS engaged in ESCALATION Marxist Capitalism Agenda and all of them being the regular Columnists of ANADABZAR GROUP OF PUBLICATIONs, the self styled MOUTHPIECE of Kayastha BRAHAMINICAL RULING MARXIST CAPITALIST HEGEMONY!
Now see the latest article by Mr Dipankar dasgupta:
 | |||
http://www.telegraphindia.com/section/opinion/index.jsp
Now see the OPINION floated by TIMESGROUP ECONOMIC Times! |
Fiscal stimulus and new urban space to meet huge pent-up demand can both be achieved by building a new city as large as Delhi. |
Is services sector output overstated?
The services-led growth remains a puzzle at a low per capita income, with 55% of the workforce still engaged in agriculture - defying a styled fact in economics
Kelkar's $500-billion revolution
We can all agree with Kelkar that the potential gains from reform are high. It remains to be seen whether the full potential is realised.
The Labor Department said the number of initial claims for unemployment benefits in the week to February 7 fell slightly from a revised 631,000 in the prior week that was the highest level since October 1982.
The four-week moving average was 607,500, an increase of 24,000 from the previous week's revised average.
The labor market, one of the best indicators of economic momentum, has been under heavy pressure from the global economic crisis as more firms slash workers amid a downward spiral.
The government's most recent monthly update showed the US jobless rate in January at 7.6 per cent as 598,000 jobs were cut.
Inflation slips to 4.39 pct, IIP down 2 pct
New Delhi India's wholesale price index rose 4.39 per cent in the 12 months to Jan. 31, below the previous week's annual rise of 5.07 per cent, government data showed on Thursday.
It was just below a median forecast in a Reuters poll of analysts of 4.43 per cent.
The annual inflation rate was 4.74 per cent during the corresponding week of the previous year.
The wholesale price index is more closely watched than the consumer price index, which is published monthly, because it covers a higher number of products and is released weekly.
India's Dec industrial output down 2 pct
India's industrial output fell 2.0 per cent in December from a year earlier, below the previous month's revised 1.7 per cent rise, data showed on Thursday.
The figure was below a forecast for an annual rise of 1.3 per cent in a Reuters poll of economists.
Manufacturing production fell 2.5 per cent in December from a year earlier.
Terror strikes assault on nation's values: Prez
Calling the attack in Mumbai as a deliberate plan to retard India's economic progress, the Government said terrorists from Pakistan have continued to attack India despite solemn commitments given by Islamabad at the highest level that it will not allow its territory to be used against India in any manner.
The sharp comments on Pakistan's role in fomenting terrorism in India were the highlight of President Pratibha Patil's customary address to joint sitting of Parliament, the first this year and the last in the current Lok Sabha.
In her more than hour-long address, she also touched upon the global economic downturn but expressed confidence that the Indian economy would grow at a relatively high pace of 7.1 per cent in the financial year of 2009.
Recounting the record of the Government in the last nearly five years, Patil said "looking back, we see hope. We have not only withstood the challenges but also emerged stronger."
Patil said "the spirit of ordinary people rising together as one overcame the challenge to our nation from terrorist violence.
"The calibrated and prudent economic reform pursued by our government is helping us to weather the extreme adversities of the global economic meltdown."
Noting that the nation may face multiple internal security challenges, the President said the country witnessed terrorist attacks in several cities with growing levels of sophistication and assistance from outside the country.
"Several innocent lives have been lost. The terrorist attack in Mumbai as well as the terrorist incidents in Delhi, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Bengaluru and Assam and before that on our Embassy in Kabul, were an assault on all the values that our country stands for," she said.
Patil said the attack in Mumbai was deliberately planned to retard country's economic progress.
"My government is heartened by the international support it has received after these attacks. There is greater appreciation in the international community of the threat that exists to the region and the world from the terrorism emanating from Pakistan," she said.
The President said Pakistan has eroded the achievements of the bilateral dialogue process and has caused a grave setback to relations.
Pakistan admits planning 26/11; India calls it positive
New Delhi/Islamabad India termed as a ‘positive development’ Pakistan's admission to involvement of elements based there in the Mumbai attacks and arrests made in this connection and expressed willingness to share whatever it can after examining the issues raised by Islamabad.
The Ministry of External Affairs said India will follow the process of action initiated by Pakistan through the end as it is keen to ensure that perpetrators of the crime are brought to justice.
"In their official response, Pakistan authorities have admitted that elements in Pakistan were involved in the terrorist attacks on Mumbai," the MEA said in a statement.
"They (Pakistan) are still in the process of investigating the attacks and have taken certain actions including the arrest of some of those who were involved and filing a First Information Report," it said.
"This is a positive development," the statement said.
Earlier, after a spate of flip-flops, Pakistan finally admitted that 'some part of the conspiracy' behind the Mumbai terror attacks was planned in the country and six persons have been arrested in this connection.
Pakistan's response to India's dossier on the November 26 Mumbai strikes was handed over to India's High Commissioner Satyabrata Pal with a list of 30 questions.
Islamabad also sought further information about Mumbai attackers including their finger prints and DNA samples.
"Some part of the conspiracy related to the Mumbai attacks was planned in Pakistan," Interior Ministry chief Rehman Malik said, an admission that comes after a series of conflicting statements from Pakistani leadership.
Malik said nine persons have been named in an FIR registered on Thursday in connection with the Mumbai attacks and six persons have been arrested.
Malik, who met Pal earlier in the day, said that some of those involved in Mumbai attacks were LeT operatives and the arrests were based on the preliminary investigations.
Pakistan has been under intense international pressure mobilised by India to crack down on the LeT and its frontal outfit Jamaat-Ud Dawah, which have been blamed for the Mumbai carnage that left 183 people dead.
"Actual investigation will start now as probe starts only after filing of FIR," he said.
Hamad Ameen Sadiq, who facilitated money transfer for the attacks, has been arrested along with another Pakistani national Javed Iqbal, who acquired the VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) connections from Spain, Malik told a press conference.
On Ajmal Amir Kasab, Malik said his statement has to be recorded in Pakistani court, suggesting that Islamabad would like to seek the custody of 22-year-old Kasab, the lone surviving attacker nabbed during Mumbai attacks.
Malik said the investigators had traced the shop from where the engine for the boat used by the attackers was purchased and arrested the owner of the shop.
Cases have been registered under the Anti-Terrorism Act against nine persons including Kasab, Malik said. Nine terrorists travelled to India from Karachi and three boats were used by them, he said.
This is in variation from the version of India, which has said that ten terrorists came from Karachi. Admitting the variation, Malik said it will be clarified with India.
Three e-mail accounts and Voice Over Internet Protocol was done from Spain by one Javed Iqbal who was living in Barcelona.
"Don't ask how we got him here. He was lured to Pakistan and arrested," Malik said, adding "we have requested the Spanish government to cooperate".
Zakiur Rahman Lakhvi, the LeT commander who India says masterminded the attacks, has been located and is under investigation, he said.
Another LeT operative Zarar Shah, a communication expert, has also been located. The money for the attackers was paid in Italy and the amount came from Islamabad.
Some SIM cards used by the terrorists were procured from India. "We would like to know how those SIMs were procured? We would also like to know how they were able to travel in a dinghy with weapons and grenades," he said.
Malik also sought more details and clearer pictures of some of the suspects from India. He said India had given an unclear photograph of one Ali from Sialkot. "It is as common a name as John in New York and Sharma in Delhi."
"We have asked them to reply to 30 questions. We need answers to those queries to strengthen the prosecution. We have done our best in investigating the attacks. We have gone the extra mile in probing the attacks," Malik said.
Sadiq, who hails from Punjab province, was identified as the "main operator" in facilitating and coordinating the Mumbai attacks. Malik identified two other accused only as Khan and Riaz.
Malik did not specify whether Lakhvi was named in the case. He merely said Lakhvi had been detained and was under investigation.
Malik said Sadiq had operated two bank accounts from which transactions related to the attacks were made. Information provided by Sadiq led investigators to two militant hideouts, one in Karachi and another located a short distance from the southern port city.
The suspect identified as Khan purchased the engine that powered the inflatable rubber boat used by the attackers to travel from a trawler to the Mumbai shore and other articles like life jackets. Khan also gave sleuths a phone number that helped them trace Sadiq, Malik said.
Javed Iqbal, who was living in Barcelona, was "lured" to Pakistan and arrested, Malik said.
Iqbal had named some other persons living in Spain and linked to the attacks. Pakistan has asked the Spanish government to arrest these persons, Malik said.
The Pakistani investigators also traced three boats that were used by the terrorists. Malik named two of the boats as Al-Husseni and Al-Fauz.
Al-Husseini was reportedly capsized at sea while Al-Fauz was traced by investigators even though it was repainted and renamed Mashallah. The crew for both these boats was the same and they had been identified, Malik said.
"We have located those locations which were used by the terrorists before launching themselves. They had some kind of training, they went to the ocean twice. Some of the accused who have been arrested, they have given us the full run-down," he said.
Malik said the leads and financing trail connected the attackers to their leaders, including Lakhvi and LeT communications expert Zarar Shah, and would be "helpful for the investigators to move forward in the FIR".
Following are the highlights of Interior Ministry Chief Rehman Malik's remarks on Pakistan's probe into the Mumbai terror attacks:
* Some part of the conspiracy behind the strikes plotted in Pakistan
* FIR lodged against nine persons, six arrested
* All booked under Anti-Terrorism Act
* Mastermind Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi located and under investigation
* Hamad Ameen Sadiq, who facilitated money transfer to the terrorists, arrested
* Another Pak national Javed Iqbal, who acquired the VoIP phones for attackers in Spain, arrested
* Pakistan wants Ajmal Amir Kasab's statement made in court.
* Pak seeks answers from India to 30 questions, including information on finger prints and DNA samples of all the terrorists.
Pak's nukes not a deterrent: Antony
Bangalore Defence Minister A K Antony on Wednesday dismissed suggestions that Pakistan's nuclear capabilities may be a factor in any hesitation by India to carry out a surgical strike against terror camps and said its restraint should not be construed as a weakness.
"It (nuclear weapon with Pakistan) has nothing to do with that (decision not to strike). India's restraint should not be taken as a weakness," Antony told reporters in Bangalore on the sidelines of the Aero India show.
Blaming 'responsible elements in Pakistan' for the November 26 Mumbai terror strikes, he said the attacks were inspired and sponsored by these sections in the western neighbour.
Stating that the security situation in the region would not change in the near future, the minister said: "I do not think there is going to be a big improvement in our vicinity."
He said modernisation of the armed forces was a top priority of the government and added that the meltdown, though had impacted the nation's economy, would not be allowed to affect the budgetary allocations for defence of the country.
"We all know that there has been some impact of recession. Compared to other countries, we are less affected. But we still have problems. Despite this, modernisation of the defence forces will be our highest priority and it will continue," he added.
Ten things to do if you lose your job
Reuters
If you have been made redundant, then remember that chances are it wasn't your fault. The current financial crisis is a global event. You are not alone. Stay positive and don't wallow in your situation. It is time to dust yourself off, regroup, think about what you really want to do with your life and realise that, even though it probably doesn't feel like it now, this could really be a blessing in disguise.
KNOW YOUR RIGHTS
Your employers have to follow stringent guidelines when making any redundancies. First of all, they need to give you a written explanation of why you are losing your job. They are also required to prove that the decision was taken objectively and not because of factors like age or gender. They should also try to find you another position in the company if possible.
It is likely that you should be due some compensation. You will only receive redundancy pay if you have worked at the organisation for more than two years but any less than this and you will still be entitled to notice pay (a week's wages for every year you have been in your job). If you are eligible for redundancy pay, then your employer needs to provide you with a written explanation of how the final amount was calculated.
If, however, you feel that you have been treated unfairly and you want to contest your employer's decision, then you need to act within six months of the initial notice of redundancy.
PLAN YOUR FINANCES
Now that you can no longer rely on your regular salary payments, it is even more important then ever to manage your finances sensibly. If you do receive a decent redundancy payment or you have some savings, think carefully about how you want to use them. You might want to pay down some debt, such as credit cards or other expensive personal loans.
BE HONEST WITH PEOPLE
While it is scary to suddenly find yourself out of work and potentially unable to meet your mortgage, credit card or other repayments, the worst thing you can do is not tell anyone. Your lender may actually be able to help you, so long as you tell them as soon as you can. Chances are they will offer you a three-month (possibly longer) freeze on payments. Energy providers also have such provisions in place to help customers.
CUT OUT LUXURIES
Gym memberships, subscriptions to satellite television or any other regular payments soon add up and you will need this money to live on.
FIND NEW SOURCES OF INCOME
Like most people who are made redundant, you will want to find a new job as quickly as possible. Until then, however, there may be alternative income streams that could help you in the short-term.
CLAIM WHAT YOU ARE DUE
There is still a certain stigma attached to claiming benefits, but don't let your pride stand in the way of any payments you are entitled to.
REVAMP YOUR CV
Have a good think about everything you have achieved and make sure anything worthwhile ends up on the page. Be concise and keep your CV to two pages and remember that you are selling yourself, so do not be bashful.
UPGRADE YOUR SKILLS
While there is probably little or nothing you could have done to avoid losing your job, there is plenty you can do to help you get a new one. Retraining or improving your skill set it one of them and this is one of the best ways to spend your free time as you search for a new job. Be sure that you know what it is that you want to do -- it may be that you want to go in a totally new direction. Your local university or college may offer courses that interest you, so contact them directly or go to direct.gov.uk for a list of available courses.
SEE IT AS AN OPPORTUNITY
Finally, it is important that you think of redundancy as an opportunity rather than a disaster or a failure on your part. It may have been the case that you did not like your job anyway but perhaps lacked the confidence to make the change you always wanted. Now that the decision has been forced upon you, you can now potentially do anything you want. Start your own business, work abroad, go back to university or start again. Who knows, losing your job could be a blessing in disguise.
Prasad, who desisted from carrying out any upward hike in the passenger fares despite increase in global prices of crude oil in the past five years of UPA rule, may this time announce some pro-people schemes ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.
Though it is a vote-on-account exercise, sources in the ministry said Lalu is keen to share the benefits of the reduction in oil prices with passengers.
Speculation is rife that Lalu might slash passengers fares in certain sector while seeking budgetary grant for April-July period.
Despite the global meltdown, railways have carried 74.55 million tonnes (MT) of freight during January this year which is 2.9 per cent more than the same period last year.
Railways have recorded an annual growth of 14 per cent in overall traffic earnings during the UPA regime.
Besides highlighting Ministry's achievements in the last five years, the interim budget is likely to have proposals for introduction of more trains including Garib Raths.
Garib Rath, which provide AC comfort to passengers belonging to poor sections of society, was introduced by Lalu in 2006-07.
Currently, there are 20 Garib Raths and a few more are likely to be announced this time.
As the Railways have already hiked the freight rate of carrying foodgrains, pulses, flours and fertilisers by 8.3 per cent, it is likely that the freight rate will remain unchanged.
While the budget is likely to register a cash surplus before paying dividend at about Rs 25,000 crore, the operating ratio is also expected to be more than last year's 76 per cent.
The implementation of the Sixth Pay Commission for the railway employees is the reason for the higher operating ratio in the current year than the last financial year, said a senior official of the ministry.
Since there are many complaints against the quality of food being served in trains and platforms, railways are planning to revamp the whole catering system.
IRCTC has proposed to change the menu from traditional 'thali' system to combo meal system in trains and for this 150 kitchen cells would be set up across the country.
The emphasis will be on hygiene and quality of the food in the kitchen cell system, said a senior IRCTC official.
Keeping the Mumbai terror attack in mind, the budget is likely to spell out a series of measures undertaken by railways to strengthen security including filling up of vacant RPF posts and installation of integrated security system at sensitive stations.
Tenders will be issued shortly for installing state-of-the-art security equipment at Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai in the first phase.
Commissioning of the pre-feasibility study for the bullet train in Pune-Mumbai-Ahmadabad route, awarding the contract for the ground work on the Dedicated Freight Corridor, installation of escalators at 100 stations are likely to find place in the budget.
Aiming at curbing accidents at level crossings, Prasad is likely to announce construction of railway overbridge and underbridge at certain identified places.
The extension of train operation from Rajwansher to Baramulla in Jammu and Kashmir is likely to find a special mention in the budget.
Jindal to deliver Republican response to Obama speech
The Republican leadership in the Congress tapped Jindal, seen as the fast emerging national leader of the party, a day after the White House announced that Obama would deliver his maiden State of the Union Address as President at the American Congress on February 24.
The 37-year-old Republican was invited by House Minority Leader John Boehner and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell on Wednesday and assigned to deliver the party's response.
Jindal would make his address from Louisiana.
"Governor Jindal embodies what I have long said: the Republican Party must not be simply the party of 'opposition', but the party of better solutions," Boehner said in a statement.
New investment norms throw FDI gates open
Times of India reports:
NEW DELHI: Foreign direct investment has been made easier than ever before. In a move that could effectively make caps on FDI meaningless, the
government on Wednesday said equity investments routed through companies in which majority ownership and control is in the hands of Indians would be treated as fully domestic equity.
Under the existing norms, if a firm with, say, 40% foreign equity and 60% Indian equity had invested Rs 100 crore in another firm, Rs 40 crore of this amount would be treated as FDI. Under the revised norms passed by the Cabinet on Wednesday, it will now be treated as zero FDI.
Analysts TOI spoke to said this change in the treatment of indirect FDI would virtually open up all sectors including, retail and insurance. The new norms would also allow increased FDI in companies through the direct and indirect route. Sectors like insurance and telecom, in particular, could see more FDI flowing in.
In sectors like telecom, for instance, Bharti Airtel and Vodafone will now have lower FDI on paper than they do at the moment, without any change in the shareholding pattern.
PWC executive director Vivek Mehra said the new norms will allow foreign investors to invest in the retail sector. Here's how: Foreign company 'A' can form a 49:51 JV, company 'C', with an Indian company 'B'. C will qualify as Indian. If it now invests in another downstream company 'D' to any extent below 100%, even up to 99.99%, D will be treated as having no FDI. Since D has no FDI, it can operate in any sector including retail, in which FDI is not allowed.
A bland press release was issued after the Cabinet meeting, in which the issue was hotly debated, stating that any foreign investment through an investing Indian company would not be considered for the calculation of the foreign investment if the investing Indian company was "owned and controlled" by resident Indian citizens.
An "Indian company" is defined as domestic investment in a company being more than 50% (even by one share) and controlled by Indian partners. So, investments by any such company will now be treated as entirely domestic.
The only exception will be when a joint venture company creates a wholly-owned subsidiary in India. In that situation, the foreign stake in the subsidiary company will be considered as equal to the stake in the holding company.
Investments by any company which has a majority foreign stake will be considered entirely as FDI. Thus, if Hindustan Unilever — in which Unilever Plc has more than 50% stake — were to invest in any other firm, its entire investment would be treated as FDI. Under the existing norms, the portion of its investments which is treated as FDI is equal to the foreign stake in Hindustan Unilever.
The government note said: "The adoption of these guidelines will simplify, streamline and rationalize the methodology of calculation of indirect foreign investment across sectors leading to investor friendly, credible and predictable regulations. This would facilitate greater foreign capital inflows and send a positive signal in the present difficult economic scenario."
Ernst & Young Associate Director Ganesh Raj pointed out that under the revised norms, even investments by Indians through companies owned and controlled by them but registered abroad would not count as FDI. Essar's investment in Vodafone, for instance, is partly counted as FDI since part of it comes from a company registered abroad. However, now this would be treated as domestic investment. Similarly, part of Singtel's investment in Airtel will now not be counted as FDI since it has invested through Bharti Enterprise, a JV in which the Bharti group has a majority stake.
Readers Opinions | |
| New investment norms throw FDI gates open | |
appusami,India,says: India SOLD out!This is the greatest blunder or deliberate treachery by the Globalists. [12 Feb, 2009 0453hrs IST] drbmsharma,gwalior,says:Going little deeper, it is a freshened look at the definition and basis of calculation of domestic vs. foreign investments. Does it really bring foreign direct investment is a million dollar question? A real foreign investment ( and not paper) flows on international interest differentials and potential productivity of the capital-inflows. The writer is of the view that the nation as a whole is not talking of the financial inflows but the real foreign direct investment traceable to the foreign capital/technology and so on. A financial investment simply changes the ownership structure and it does not promote domestic income generating capacity and employment generating capacity. From this perspectives, the said definition of classifying a domestic vs. foreign direct investment is not at all linked with employment and income generating capacity of the economy. [12 Feb, 2009 0442hrs IST] P.M.G.Pillai,Mannar Allpauza kerala,says:Dear On Line Editor,Making the FDI more liberal for the timebeing is will help finance to come in liberally but there must be a strict control at a lter stage so that FDI s do not throttle our domestic investment in any way.Flow of investement uninterrupted must be welcome because that wil help for industries etc to grow and develop quickly. [12 Feb, 2009 0344hrs IST] | |
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/New-investment-norms-throw-FDI-gates-open/articleshow/4115006.cms
News results for FDI
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Bid process to be defined in 7-10 days: Satyam
"We expect the (bidding) process to be defined in 7 to 10 days," Karnik told reporters.
"It's a work in progress. I can't give any deadline. I can only tell you, this needs to be done quickly."
Karnik said on Wednesday many potential suitors had approached Satyam, but a formal sale process was yet to begin.
The board has appointed Goldman Sachs and Avendus, an Indian investment bank, to look for strategic investors.
Obama nears win on stimulus plan to boost economy
The new president, three weeks on the job, had wanted broad bipartisan support for the economic rescue plan but deep differences with most Republicans over the size and scope of the plan prevented him from achieving that goal.
Instead, just a handful of Republicans are expected to vote for the measure which includes tax credits for individuals and families, tens of billions of dollars for infrastructure projects and aid for the growing rolls of unemployed as well as assistance for those without health care.
Government data released on Thursday showed the number of US workers filing new claims for unemployment benefits eased last week but by less than expected, showing the labor market in the grip of a deep recession.
The stimulus package is split 36 per cent for tax cuts and 64 per cent in spending and other provisions, just below the 40/60 split Obama called for in his effort to begin pulling the economy out of the recession that started in December 2007.
The stimulus package was finalized after marathon talks between a small group of negotiators in the House of Representatives and Senate. Both chambers may vote on the final bill as early as Thursday, but the timetable could slip.
One of the criticisms of the plan is that it will cause the swollen US budget deficit to grow even larger. Before factoring in the latest stimulus plan, US government bond dealers estimated the 2009 deficit would top $1.6 trillion.
"Combine this new spending and the borrowing it will require, with the trillions of dollars still needed for the banking system, and we are about to test the outer limits of our national balance sheet," the Wall Street Journal said in an editorial.
'UNCHARTED TERRITORY'
"We aren't deficit scolds, but these levels are uncharted territory, especially if any economic recovery is weak because the spending doesn't stimulate," the paper said.
As part of his campaign to build support for the package, Obama will fly to Peoria, Illinois on Thursday to visit a factory owned by heavy equipment maker Caterpillar Inc, which he has said would rehire some laid-off workers if the stimulus is approved.
"We're at the doorstep of getting this plan through the Congress, but the work is not over," Obama said. "When we do, the challenge will shift to administering successfully this endeavor of enormous scope and scale."
Obama had demanded that Congress act before the end of the coming holiday weekend in the hope that the stimulus would begin to create and save up to 4 million jobs. Senators put the jobs number closer to 3.5 million under the compromise deal.
Passage of the bill in the Senate has hinged on the support of a handful of moderate Republicans and negotiators agreed to scale back some proposals to win their backing.
Three moderate Republican senators, Susan Collins, Olympia Snowe and Arlen Specter, had demanded that the negotiators pare the bill to below $800 billion before they would vote for it.
The White House agreed to narrow a tax credit for workers that would now total $400 for individuals and $800 for couples. An earlier version of the bill would have granted $500 and $1,000 respectively.
To help states facing growing budget shortfalls, the House had proposed $79 billion while the Senate had agreed to $39 billion. They compromised at $54 billion including some funds that could be used for modernizing schools.
Money for building new schools was stripped out and congressional negotiators also scaled back tax incentives aimed at boosting flagging home and automobile sales that were deemed too expensive.
Obama indicated on Wednesday that the federal government might also offer more help to struggling U.S. automakers but only if they make progress and present clear proposals next week that show they can be commercially viable.
"My goal, consistently has been to offer serious help once a plan is in place that ensures long-term viability and that we're not just kicking the can down the road," he told reporters from 16 regional newspapers. "What the nature of what that help ends up looking like, I think is going to depend on the plan."
Contraction in IIP will not lead to revision in GDP:Economists
The drop was on the back of a 2.5% year-on-year contraction in manufacturing activity ,which has close to 80% weight in IIP, confirming fears that the economic slowdown had lead to bigger than expected drop in demand in overseas and domestic markets.Only 7 out of 17 subsectors in manufacturing posted growth in December.
The consumer goods segment contracted by 2.7% as the consumer durables fell by 12.8% as the excise duty cuts and interest rate cuts failed to stimulate demand.
Economists dismissed chances of revisions in the country's advance forecast of GDP growth, which stand at 7.1% for the year to end-March 2009, due to unexpected contraction in industrial output. The advance estimates of GDP pegs manufacturing growth at 4.1% while cumulative growth till December remained at 3.3%.
Pronab Sen, the country's chief statistician told ET that the GDP growth for the financial year is unlikely to be bleak, adding that the recently announced fiscal package that seeks to boost spending and cut levies on goods would help consumption and limit the downside risks to economic growth.
The consumer goods production contracted by 2.7% in December largely on back of a 12.8% dip in consumer durable production. Saumitra Chaudhari, Member, Prime Minister's Economic Advisory Council who dismissed the 12.8% fall as as aberration said "council is of view that industrial activity will show a recovery in final quarter pushing up the cumulative growth for the year. Keeping in mind the dislocation caused to the sale and manufacturing of a wide array of projects after September 2008, we assess that manufacturing activity will grow by an average of 2.5% in second half of 2008-09, yielding an annual average of 4% growth for full year. This has an upside built into it if the improvement is some what stronger in closing months of 2008-09."
ABN Amro Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI), a lead indicator of manufacturing activity, seems to confirm December may well be the bottom. The PMI dropped to 44.4 in December from 45.8 in November but was improved to 46.7% in January 2009. However to the extent a reading below 50 on PMI indicates that the manufacturing sector may be contracting, the revival may only be moderate.
"For preparing the provisional figures for IIP numbers we get data from around 50%, of the companies which are supposed to give data. The provisional figures are highly influenced by the numbers we get. The data sourcing is done from companies, which have been here in 1993-94, and data from some of the companies which is seeing fast growth is not captured by IIP," added Mr Sen.
Intermediate goods — first stage manufactured goods covering a whole range of chemicals, steel and plastic products, yarn etc which go into production of finished goods — has contracted by 8.5%.
But economists points out with the economy recovering the demand for these commodities can be met through imports.Capital good segment which has dropped into negative territory in month of November bounced back into positive territory in December and showed a 4.2% growth. While the manufacturing index fell in October, the electricity generation index and mining index — each carrying a weightage of 10% in the industrial production index — were mixed but remained in positive territory.
Analysts are expecting aggressive action on the monetary policy front with inflation no longer remaining a concern and the central bank trying to arrest the slowdown. Shubadha Rao, Chief Economist at Yes bank said "we are expecting a repo and reverse repo by 50 basis points in this fiscal."
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/Economy/Indicators/Contraction_in_IIP_will_not_lead_to_revision_in_GDPEconomists/articleshow/4119081.cms
26/11 oils wheels of arms bazaar |
| SUJAN DUTTA |
Bangalore, Feb. 11: The November attack in Mumbai has turned into a unique selling proposition for global arms majors to sell more to India, and, for India, to justify ever-increasing expenses on guns, bombs, aircraft, fences, radars and spyware. In an arms-bazaar-like Aero India 2009, the military aviation exhibition that was opened by defence minister A.K. Antony here today, 26/11 was invoked in every discussion — between businesspersons and government officials, among businesspersons of Indian and foreign firms and inter-governmental meetings — to expand the market, to sell more and, for India, to buy more. The 26/11 strike has created demands that did not exist before and at the Yelahanka air force base, where Aero India is being held, every firm, big and small, global and local, is citing it to hawk its wares. For aviation companies like Lockheed and Boeing and EADS and Dassault, homeland security system makers like Lumenera Corporation that sell surveillance cameras to malls and for border fencing firms, 26/11 is the biggest reason to urge India to invest more in military and protection equipment. In 2008-09, India’s defence budget crossed Rs 1 lakh crore for the first time, three times more than the expenditure on health and education. A jittery India is responding with nervousness after the successive terror strikes last year. It has decided to fast-track procurement of essential military equipment. Today, Antony said the outlay for purchases would be hiked substantially in the next year. This would happen even though the ministry is likely to end the current financial year without being able to spend a portion of the Rs 35,000-crore allocated for new purchases in 2008-09. “It is not only the Mumbai attacks,” said Antony, justifying the eagerness to hike military expenditure. “If you look at the security scenario in our neighbourhood, anybody will tell you that we should be prepared at all times.” The defence establishment under Antony is contending with a hawkish view from the Right that India’s response to the terror attacks was limp because its armed forces were ill equipped. Asked if he felt satisfied with India’s military response, he replied: “I do not know what you mean by that. My response is that restraint should not be taken as a sign of weakness.” The Mumbai attacks figured in discussions between Antony and the visiting French minister of state for defence, Jean-Marie Bockel, this afternoon. France is selling Scorpene submarines to India’s navy and Agosta submarines to the Pakistan navy. Bockel ducked a question on whether France would cease military supplies to Pakistan till Islamabad curbs terrorism that India alleges was sponsored by it. This is a major concern in New Delhi, but big foreign arms suppliers have not really addressed it. The US is Pakistan’s biggest arms supplier. It supplies to Pakistan, for instance, a version of the F-16 Fighting Falcon made by Lockheed Martin. Another later version of the same aircraft is competing for a $12.5-billion-plus Indian Air Force order. For better or worse, 26/11 is generating business that is potentially worth hundreds of billions of dollars and, as of now, India’s nervous shopping means that long-term worries are fading into the background. Antony has also suggested, to the delight of the arms bazaar, that for New Delhi, the business is recession-proof. http://www.telegraphindia.com/1090212/jsp/frontpage/story_10522780.jsp |
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Charles Darwin
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Charles Darwin | |
 Charles Robert Darwin. At the age of 51, Charles Darwin had just published On the Origin of Species. | |
| Born | 12 February 1809(1809-02-12) Mount House, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England |
|---|---|
| Died | 19 April 1882 (aged 73) Down House, Downe, Kent, England |
| Residence | England |
| Nationality | British |
| Fields | Naturalist |
| Institutions | Royal Geographical Society |
| Alma mater | University of Edinburgh University of Cambridge |
| Academic advisors | Adam Sedgwick John Stevens Henslow |
| Known for | The Voyage of the Beagle On The Origin of Species Natural selection |
| Influences | Charles Lyell |
| Influenced | Thomas Henry Huxley George John Romanes |
| Notable awards | Royal Medal (1853) Wollaston Medal (1859) Copley Medal (1864) |
| Religious stance | Church of England, though Unitarian family background, Agnostic after 1851. |
Signature | |
Notes He was a grandson of Erasmus Darwin and a grandson of Josiah Wedgwood, and married his cousin Emma Wedgwood. | |
Charles Robert Darwin FRS (12 February 1809 – 19 April 1882) was an English naturalist[I] who realised and demonstrated that all species of life have evolved over time from common ancestors through the process he called natural selection. The fact that evolution occurs became accepted by the scientific community and much of the general public in his lifetime, while his theory of natural selection came to be widely seen as the primary explanation of the process of evolution in the 1930s,[1] and now forms the basis of modern evolutionary theory. In modified form, Darwin’s scientific discovery is the unifying theory of the life sciences, providing logical explanation for the diversity of life.[2]
At Edinburgh University Darwin neglected medical studies to investigate marine invertebrates, then the University of Cambridge encouraged a passion for natural science.[3] His five-year voyage on HMS Beagle established him as an eminent geologist whose observations and theories supported Charles Lyell’s uniformitarian ideas, and publication of his journal of the voyage made him famous as a popular author. Puzzled by the geographical distribution of wildlife and fossils he collected on the voyage, Darwin investigated the transmutation of species and conceived his theory of natural selection in 1838.[4] Although he discussed his ideas with several naturalists, he needed time for extensive research and his geological work had priority.[5] He was writing up his theory in 1858 when Alfred Russel Wallace sent him an essay which described the same idea, prompting immediate joint publication of both of their theories.[6]
His 1859 book On the Origin of Species established evolutionary descent with modification as the dominant scientific explanation of diversification in nature.[1] He examined human evolution and sexual selection in The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex, followed by The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals. His research on plants was published in a series of books, and in his final book, he examined earthworms and their effect on soil.[7]
In recognition of Darwin’s pre-eminence, he was one of only five 19th-century UK non-royal personages to be honoured by a state funeral,[8] and was buried in Westminster Abbey, close to John Herschel and Isaac Newton.[9]
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