Why did Sensex crash from 20K to under 10K?

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/rssarticleshow/msid-3901597,flstry-1.cms

A voice of sanity. Its amazing how sentimental we become when it comes to making our decisions. Like the author says here:

“It is strange that when prices fall in general, we are all happy because goods are now better value. But when stock prices fall, we shed copious tears. Exactly the same stocks with exactly the same economic fundamentals were great buys with Sensex at 20,000; but they are bad investments today with Sensex at some 10000 odd!”

On the whole though a good time to buy.

The Satyam Opportunity

I might be a bit naive in here but let me stick my neck out. I dont own any shares of Satyam till date but this to me seems to be a great time to buy Satyam shares. I am looking at a good jump in share prices in the next year plus dividends or bonus options if the current board decides to fight this out. I believe I should be buying more of Satyam

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/rssarticleshow/msid-3888972,flstry-1.cms

The latest news about Satyam which I vaguely instinctively believe is trading at Santa Claus bargain rates. Let me lay down some rules:

1. The share capitalisation will be atleast 20% from current levels up in 2 months time (considering that it has fallen 40% in the past weeks)
2. There is a very good possibility of a massive dividend - mainly as a move to assuage the shareholders and temporarily prevent massive sell off

So in the by end of Feb my holding of Rs 100 should fetch me atleast 120 + a handsome dividend.

Top Technology Breakthroughs of 2008

http://www.wired.com/gadgets/miscellaneous/news/2008/12/YE8_techbreaks?currentPage=all

A look at what 2008 brought us and where we might be moving in 2009. While this list tends to be only technology related at present, some of these are nonetheless very interesting. My favourites:

• Flexible Displays – Leading the way to wearable computers and all other kinds of possibilities.
• GPS – We are now seeing the trend of attaching GPS coordinated geographical information to any and every kind of database available. Imagine reminder services that not only remind you of time but also the place of activation. So the next time you are at a superstore your mobile will automatically bring in the grocery list. Ahh.. life will be so much easier.

Looking back at 2008.

Looking back at 2008.

A year where some would say there were more losers than winners. I would personally call it a year we learnt a lot. A lot about getting simple. Getting back to the basics.

All of a sudden, being in cash and having solid content has become more important than having a potential. We are all in a process of Getting Real. Getting to know the real value of things. So in a way, its been a good year. An adventurous year……

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7786169.stm

The New Trend in Automibile Design

http://images.businessweek.com/ss/08/07/0714_royal_college/1.htm

 

The new trend in Automobile Design

 

The Vehicle Design Masters program at the RCA held its annual degree show a few weeks ago, showcasing an array of transport designs created by the graduating class of 2008. In all, 18 students—including three PhD graduates—developed projects which dealt with the current issues of accessibility, aerodynamics, environmental impact, ergonomics, legislation, materials, production, safety, and technology, as well as the aesthetic principles of vehicle design.

 

It is quite interesting to see the designs that are basically extrapolations of the present state of automobile design into the future with each designer showing a certain leaning to some particular aspect of the experience of driving.

 

So you have designs that are energy efficient (an all too common concept today) to ones that try their hand on the customisation of the space to suit the rider.

Its also interesting to see how the current range of materials available are dictating the forms possible. Clearly, the limitations of sheet metal is being discarded to make way for the fluidity of plastic and glass derivatives

 

Another interesting concept is the issue of the driver’s interface with the vehicle. One of the concepts offers no windscreens but something of an electronic screen that relays the exterior environment to the rider inside. While the other has a complex system of pipes to generate the engine noise that drivers instinctively identify the vehicle’s movement with (and which, with the advent of silent engines will be a thing of the past). Then there’s the vehicle that has essentially a formless interior with a flowing strips of plastic forming waves that respond to the user’s body and mould themselves (a hyper sophisticated form of a bean bag)

 

It is my personal view that automobiles like footwear are at the forefront of design evolution in the manner they are evolving and responding to the change in design and material. They then become the initiators of a style language that is then picked up by the other fields (eg architecture being amongst the laziest of the lot)