Author: Atanu Dey

Economist.

Shourie’s Address at Mumbai on 12th September

A number of Rotary Clubs of Mumbai had invited Shri Shourie to address them on the evening of Wednesday 12th Sept, 2018 at the Yacht Club in Colaba. The following is a report of what he said. I lay out the main points. I believe I have faithfully recorded the ideas. 

For the record, I admire Shri Shourie immensely. I respect him for his integrity, knowledge, wisdom, scholarship, work ethic, and his tireless dedication to the nation. A brilliant raconteur, his wit never fails to entertain even as he informs. Also for the record, the following should not be taken as endorsed by him. It’s my recounting and could differ (but not substantially) from what he actually meant. With that disclaimer, here goes. Continue reading “Shourie’s Address at Mumbai on 12th September”

Public wealth return

What is not privately owned is public wealth. It’s everything that exists within the territorial boundaries of a country and the citizens have a legitimate claim to it. The question is this: who has the authority and the right to control it? Furthermore, when and how do the citizens of a country get access to their share of what wealth they collectively own?  Continue reading “Public wealth return”

The Catholic Church is Force for Good in the World

I love a good debate, and naturally so because I am the argumentative kind. Most of all, I like debates centered around religion.. The line dividing the opposing sides is sharp, and the positions irreconcilable. I delight in the skewering that monotheism takes in them.

A superb example of that is the intelligence2 debate in which the proposition before the house was “The Catholic church is a force for good in the world.” Opposing the motion were Steven Fry and Christopher Hitchens. For sure they are masters of their mother tongue, and more pertinently they are implacably opposed to the Catholic church.  Continue reading “The Catholic Church is Force for Good in the World”

Ask Me Anything – The Important Thing edition

“Doggie, wait here a sec. I have got this important thing to get done. Then we go on with our walk, okay?” 

Doing the important thing is not the difficult part of life. Indeed it’s the fun part. The difficulty lies in figuring out what’s the important thing.

Fortunately, a good many people have thought hard about what’s important and we have access to their writings. The ability to read has to be one of the most rewarding skills we learn.  Continue reading “Ask Me Anything – The Important Thing edition”

I Heart the 747 and the A380

If you ever saw me on a flight, you’d be convinced that I was a country bumpkin first time inside a plane. I look out the window (always a window seat, thank you) take pictures,  and always take videos of the landing and takeoff. On ground, I always look up when I hear jet engines. At the airport, I watch planes land and take off. I find airplanes fascinating — especially the big birds. The plane I love the most is the Boeing 747, the “Jumbo jet”, the Queen of the Skies.  Continue reading “I Heart the 747 and the A380”

Ganesh Chaturthi Greetings

After quite a few years, I find myself in India on Ganesh Chaturthi. At my friend’s place in Mumbai where I am staying, today (Thursday 13th Sept) we had Ganesh puja in the morning. There’s Shri Ganesh and of course his favorite modaks (left foreground). I have some videos too which I will upload to Youtube in a bit.

Here’s the invocation to Ganesh: Continue reading “Ganesh Chaturthi Greetings”

Disasters, Price Gouging, Greed, Ignorance, and Stupidity

You can bet on this fact: that occasionally there will be natural disasters like floods, fires, and earthquakes. You can also bet on a follow-on fact: that in those places, prices of essential goods and services will go up. And finally you can bet your life on this: that popular accusations of price gouging by greedy corporations and windfall profits will motivate politicians and bureaucrats to impose price controls.

Of all the harm that a natural disaster brings in its wake, one of the most harmful and the most avoidable is the deliberate, the imposition of price controls. It’s entirely human-caused. There is no justification. The move to control prices is based on ignorance of reality, a desire to do good, to signal a virtuous concern for the plight of the poor. It is wrongheaded and outright evil in its consequences. Continue reading “Disasters, Price Gouging, Greed, Ignorance, and Stupidity”

S Gurumurthy is a True Gandhian

Kerala floods have washed up more than the debris and garbage you normally expect. It has revealed S Gurumurthy to be a true Gandhian.

Here’s a tweet of his that Gandhi would have approved of.

Continue reading “S Gurumurthy is a True Gandhian”

Atal Bihari Vajpayee and the Right to Bear Arms

I respect two former prime minsters of India — Shri PV Narasimha Rao and Shri AB Vajpayee. If only they had had the mandate to make those fundamental changes that they wanted to make. Both, unfortunately, did not have the necessary popular support in the parliament. And equally unfortunately, those prime ministers who did have massive parliamentary support did not have the vision to put India on a path to prosperity. Indians collectively suffer very bad karma.

But I am thankful for small mercies. Today I learned that Shri Vajpayee supported the right to self defense and wanted Indians to have the right to bear arms. (Hat tip: Akshar Prabhu Desai.)  Continue reading “Atal Bihari Vajpayee and the Right to Bear Arms”