Two Cents for My Idle Thoughts

Two Cents for My Idle Thoughts?
(You are, by now, used to my usual disclaimers!)

Ganga Prasad G. Rao
http://myprofile.cos.com/gangar


- Like whether foreign governments who stand to benefit from a warmer climate are promoting expansion of coal-based power and power-sector deregulation in poor and populated, but coal-rich nations to achieve their goals (while claiming to further Millenium Development Goals!)...??? (India can go nuclear when the Antarctic has been colonized!!)
– Like whether the US will invade 'Iran' as a face-saver to cover its 'withdrawal' from Iraq and whether the invasion of Iran is a thinly-veiled strategy to eventually confront Russia in a world-war by moving in to oil-rich Kazhakstan/Azerbaijan on behalf of the Saudis?
– Like whether the entire sub-prime crisis is a cleverly-thought out cover for arranging 'energy security' payment from Saudi Arabia (through German and Japanese Banks) for the protection provided to them by US not only from Iran and Iraqi elements, but also from competition to oil from emerging nuclear technology and gas – no thanks to the talks of a fledgling 'gas cartel' formed by anti-capitalist/anti-American countries including Russia, Venezuela, Algeria and Indonesia (on Forbes.com sometime in April)?
– Like, whether coal got the better of gas by not reacting to the lure of a 'cartel' despite the pressures of global warming....?????
– Like, you guessed it, whether gas and nuclear power (including thorium power) is being suppressed for another three decades of a 'fossil fuel' super-cycle (if we have to spend billions on cooling the earth, might as well scorch it first!)?
– Like the developing countries might just agree to a decades-long investment in the stock market plan as a compensation for agreeing to a 'no emissions reductions' deal with the rich countries. (Let global warming warm the poor on cold nights while I enjoy my capital appreciation in a jacuzzi!)
– Whether global financial systems are being systematically manipulated to get away with engineered bankruptcies? (That's one default in a thousand over the past two years. Surely you can live with it!)
– Like, we (at least in India) are silently and subtly, breaking in to two classes – the rich, and the brash on one side and the poor, educated, 'meek' and disciplined on the other?
– Whether political parties put up a show of public opposition to various matters after making under the table deals prior to the drama?
– Whether the recent multi-billion international fund launched by Sundaram BNP doubled up as a convenient tool to siphon away the booty before the government fell and the commies took over? (and whether some of the DLF/Everonn IPO 'blackshoe' money found its way in to this fund?)
– Whether the fumigation program has reduced the mosquito population by even a millionth (and whether the targets are mosquitoes or the 'pests at work/home' among us)?
– Whether the dollar exchange rate will slide all the way down to Rs 8 a dollar eventually – as the country advances – the exchange rate in the early eighties?
– Like, how polluted Chennai would be, if we were not blessed by the diurnal sea breeze (and would I be alive to write about it!)
– Like, the number of cyclones in the Bay of Bengal has reduced drastically over the past decade (we should try to relate it to the sun-spot activity before suspecting global warming! - though warmer surface temperatures are supposed spawn more cyclones)
– What happens to the funds in the 'Fund Reserves' category mentioned in the Annual Report of Mutual Funds. Surely, it is not transferred to the 'Investor Protection and Education Fund' and thenceforth to your financial advisor/agent/shoppe? (and you thought your agent was a fool to share his commission with you!!!)
– How does the US reconcile all the millions of 'foreign aid' it disburses to various nations over the years when it does not pay its dues to the UN and runs a trillion dollar deficit. Foreigners must be pretty darn important to the US, or, .....God help us!!!
– Whether the flyash-based cement measures up to technical strength requirements or is inappropriately used in engineering constructions and whether they will give way in the manner of the Minneapolis bridge?
– Whatever happens to the crores of 'river cleanup' funds that are announced every few years. The Cooum isn't getting any prettier or less nauseous. (and we frolic not a couple hundred meters away on the Marina beach.)
– Whether hedge funds and investment houses coordinate action (with the tacit support or knowledge of the government) to precipitate financial 'crisis' in the stock markets. Times of crisis and panic that induce price volatility can only help the well-informed and the well-endowed, not to mention those with access to resources.
– Whether capitalism turns every God-given necessity (air, water, wilderness, etc) in to a luxury meant only for the enjoyment of those who subscribe to its philosophy????
– And finally, whether it matters to turn richer in an absolute sense when the world of recreation and luxury is only available to those wealthy on a relative basis.

Think about it (and leave the yellow journalism to me!)