Vidya Balan bats for Moneybhai

Sex sells. A hot looking Vidya Balan is exhorting all us viewers of CNBC TV 18, to logon to Moneybhai.com where there is "no risk only kamayee." Moneybhai is only a game, but it sends all the wrong signals to newbie investors. Ask any seasoned investor "no risk only kamayee" is just that, hokum.

SEBI's PN Boruhaha Part Deux.

It has become fashionable for the securities market watchdog to raise the scepter of PNs from time to time. Maybe SEBI has run out to things to keep itself amused, so it has embarked on this venture to discipline FII's issuing PNs. Goldman Sachs is most definitely tickled pink by all of this and so is Citibank for that matter. Its (Goldman’s) total net revenues for FY 2005 were $24.782 billion. The fine of Rs.1 crore (approx $ 250,000) is to Goldman Sachs the equivalent of pocket change to you and me. But wait this gets better. Goldman’s pre tax earnings for 2005 were about $8.2 billion, as against the total FII inflows in 2005 (India) for $10.5 billion. I can imagine Goldman cowering before the wrath of SEBI can you?

SEBI is no stranger to making an fool of itself with respect to PNs; the case of UBS Securities does come to mind. SEBI is totally kicking ass and taking names as you can see:

"The 60-page order (SEBI's order) itself is an odd mix of innuendo and legal claims, endowed with more of an amateurish literary flavor than the professional competence of a legal department............... Instead, the SEBI order engages in elaborate innuendo that UBS tried to manipulate the market. SEBI then chickens out and does not actually charge UBS with market manipulation. The actual misdeed with which UBS is charged is delay in giving information."

It’s an open secret that a good portion of the so called FII inflow is dubious in origin. Infact a PN with its lack of transparency an ideal vehicle to launder ill gotten wealth. The final beneficiaries of a PN are hidden behind layers of shell companies and entities making it impossible to pin down the source of the money. Almost every one from promoters to politicians have money stashed abroad that is coming in through PNs. Further measures to curb the issuances of PNs and attempts to regulate them will yield precisely nothing. There is far too much at stake. This also the reason why the Finance Ministry is batting so aggressively on behalf of PNs. To further underline the hold of PNs on the markets as much has 52% of fresh FII inflows are through this route. So any attempts to curb this mode of investment in Indian markets will result in the markets imploding to the size not much larger that this full stop "." here.

Plans are afoot to bring about greater disclosure and transparency in PNs. It’s safe to assume that this will receive a quiet burial a few of months from now.

Kartik Kannan - The Future of Blogging in Chennai

Kartik Kannan is the future of blogging in Chennai, and if some people have their way in India as well. First a few words on the man himself. Kartik has a lot going for him. Perhaps his biggest asset is his pedigree; it does help if your boss/mentor is one of blogdoms leading lights Kiruba Shankar. Kartik's talent and penchant for blogging is evident by the fact that he is at such a young age the channel manager for India’s leading blog portal Sulekha.com. That folks is drive and talent for you.

Kartik's love for blogging is revealed by the fact that he left a plum job at Infosys to manage the blog channel at Sulekha. Some may choose to view this as one of the most assanine career moves ever, but not so Kartik. Indeed Kartik had found his true calling to shape the future of blogging in Chennai under the tutelage and able guidance of Kiruba Shankar. Kartik took to his new role like a duck to water. His move to leave comments /adverts about Sulekha on various blogs without the prior consent of the blog owner was truly breathtaking. Some might liken it to spamming, but then that would be making a mountain out of mole hill. After all violating a bloggers personal space is no biggie.

Kartik is also India's foremost authority on the role of blogs in branding. In recognition of his expertise on the subject, Karthik will present his take on Branding via Blogs in the upcoming unconference at Blogcamp.
The fact this event is ghosted by Sulekha and that Kiruba is his boss should be disregarded as a mere coincidence, a quirk of fate. There is no doubt that Karthik is a thought leader on Branding via Blogs as is evident from this. He is also something of a serial entrepreneur. This gem on tourism and travel can be found here. Notice if you will his amazing insight, and how he managed to arrive at a figure of Rs 100 just like that. Sheer mastery of the topic I tell you, I mean how else can you pull a revenue estimate out of thin air.

Another area of expertise is Kartik's nuanced understanding of interpersonal relations especially with the members of the opposite sex. He has demonstrated his mastery of this topic with his in-depth study, replete with case studies, statistical analysis and visual aids. For one so young he has mature head on his shoulders and is a picture of modesty. Here is Karthik on Karthik "THE WORLD NEEDS MORE MEN LIKE ME, to make it a better place. Most of my friends from the opposite sex at either workplace or college friends would also vouch for that, as they know how much of a difference I make when I talk to them". And you thought I was gilding the lily. And no Kartik is not a chauvinist, heavens no he is a man among men. Kind of like Charlton Heston back in the day.

Make no mistake people Kartik is the future of blogging in Chennai. Yes Sir the man himself, Kiruba and the rest of the select few are shaping the future of blogdom in Chennai. Their goal and dream is to transform blogging as a medium in the same way TOI, Deccan Chronicle, Headlines Today, CNN IBN and Times Now have done to their respective media. You just cant afford be left out of this paradigm shift happening in the desi blogosphere. And if you want in just gotta attend the unconference at Blogcamp , you just gotta. And you know what just like all the best things in life this is absolutely " F-R-E-E". Blogcamp Unconference be there or be square.