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Benjamin Graham- Value Investing ROCKS!!! December 17, 2011

Posted by mysteriousmrwong in Books, Hobbies, Introspection, Life, Management, perceptions.
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Well Well Well, before you ask me who is this guy I am writing about, let me make one thing clear and that is :

This guy is first pragmatic real investor of sophisticated WALL STREET. Guy was looked up to by none other than Warren Buffett. And this I think is sufficient for all those who are even remotely interested in financial markets.

I was first introduced to this name by a dear friend of mine. Till that day I was as ignorant about markets as anyone else. Name didn’t ring any bells until I was told that Warren Buffett was inspired and guided by this fellow. I was intrigued by this fact and so my fascination began actually to explore what this man has to offer to someone like me, who is almost nine decades junior to him.

First book that I came across was Security Analysis by Mr.Graham. The sheer size of the book made sure that I take it when i was really ready for it technically and psychologically. Value Investing was the next book I saw, and was impressed by the it’s brief. So got a copy for myself n started reading it. As I went on reading this book I realized that every investor ( by investor I mean anyone who is part of markets directly by owning shares or indirectly  via mutual funds, insurance ULIPS, Pension funds, etc. which practically means almost any decently legitimate earning individual) should and MUST read this classic book on investing.

It deals with market psychology and the way investor should discipline himself while investing throughout his investment lifetime. Proper homework, patience and owning responsibility of decisions one makes are the most basic building blocks of a satisfying investment adventure. The language is simple and lucid, helping a layman to grasp the points easily.

I fail to understand why on earth do the experts don’t ever propagate what Graham has said. If they really would have done their jobs well as financial consultants, I am very sure that severity of so many market crashes would have been exponentially reduced. Exponentially reduced because if the experts would have just looked at the past and refrained themselves from repeating the same mistakes, the losses in markets would have been lot lesser.

Entire book is kinda of a same story being told over and over again in a different perspective every time. Allowing us to absorb the essence of lessons we should remind ourselves while actively investing for ourselves. This book is kind of a Bible for  any investor who is serious enough to take efforts for making sure that his/her money works for it’s master.

After all markets are full of contradictions. Exactly going opposite of common sense all the time just reflecting the same recourse in our daily lives as far as investment is concerned. Most of us work hard to earn money but are equally lazy when it comes to take effort to make it work for ourselves. I don’t blame markets for taking most of us for a RIDE. We deserve the punishment for our ineptness towards our own financial growth.

Graham would smile every time anyone follows his advice and earns respectable returns on his investments. After all he knows very well that you have EARNED for your efforts and surely would be safe in turbulent markets.

May God bless Him for sharing so simple yet profound insights to make our lives better!!!

Jan Lokpal- The Real Challenge August 21, 2011

Posted by mysteriousmrwong in General, Introspection, Life, Management, Political, Social.
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Today is 6th day of fasting by the Anna and his supporters. Am I one of them? Frankly speaking I don’t know. Knowing Indian system and its chai-paani entrenched approached towards its way of implementing things that it is theoretically expected to do, I see a long long way ahead that needs to be covered. These protests, fasts are are only good enough till they last. And now the question is how long would this really last? The enthused support from all quarters of the society over longer period of time, say for an year at least, should be visibly felt by the Government. And how it would be done is going to be a really big challenge. Following are couple of  issues that need to be addressed by proactive planning to avoid the derailment of this well conceived, accelerated and well supported anti-graft movement in post independence liberalised India:

1) Effective passing of Jan Lokpal:

The very fact that the both parties are now ready to reach the golden mean is something to cheer about. Finalising the draft would again see few more, if not more, rounds of heart burns for both sides. Hopefully this is not taken advantage off to create the chaos and dilute the draft. Once the bill is drafted, the discussion in both the houses would be interesting to note as this can again play a spoil sport for the severity of the bill. And if refuted, again it would lead to another phase of renegotiation between Anna and the Government. The time would be required or rather deliberately taken by the parties having vested interest in the failure of the bill.

Having passed the hurdle of being passed finally in Parliament and being enacted as law, the care needs to be taken to watch out every step that is being taken regarding the amendments that may be waiting in wings to blunt the anti-graft bill’s teeth.

2) Implementation of Jan Lokpal:

Once the anti-graft bill becomes an enforceable law, the continuous monitoring is required. And for this to be done effectively, there has to be a non-systemic organisational body constituting of core group of individuals dedicated to oversee the effective implementation of Jan Lokpal. This body should be working parallel to Governments effort to execute it effectively. And in case of doubt it should ask Government to furnish the requisite details to clear the air.

This should be an ongoing process, the legacy that has to be percolated to every section of the society in it’s right spirit. Dripping into every household, trying to stir the emotive self of every parent, so that the next generation could be shaped in it’s very essence. Essence of being right, to be fearless, to prosper in level playing field and to be honest with oneself and people around. This opportunity can be also grabbed to seal the communal differences slicing our society. Bringing people together, binding them by common bond irrespective of their regional, communal, ethnic backgrounds for generations to come. This is the responsibility every supporter of this movement should be ready to take. This is the commitment that everyone lending their support,should be willing to walk down aisle with.

This would be real success for Anna and all the people who want a corruption free India. The day it happens, that would be the day, we can hold our heads high and see India win it’s most important war in it’s independent age.

AMEN!!!

Indian Democracy–Who are the Real Leaders?? If any…. August 17, 2009

Posted by mysteriousmrwong in Introspection, Life, Management, perceptions, Social.
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Well that is quite a tough question to ask in today’s 21st century India. No one can firmly say what makes leader – a Leader. Many theories have been proposed and opposed till date. But we still are trying to find the magical formula for designing a  made to order leader for ourselves or , shall I say, an elixir to transform ourselves into leaders.

I would rather opt for first option of designing tailor made leader. I am not alone. Most of the times we always want to look upto somebody to help us out or to crucify someone for some failed endeavour. This very basic instinct of looking for leaders outside ourselves is the most elemental difference between a leader and others, atleast I have observed so. Taking ownership for the things is the first baby step towards that delusional goal of becoming a perfect leader.

Are prefect leaders for real?? NO. After all nothing is perfectly sustainable over the period of time. Alexander- the Great, Adolf Hitler, Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Napoleon and list goes on. Newton said gravity pulls the things down to earth. Leaders too rise great heights in pursuit of their individual goals or ambitions. They achieve remarkable success and even more grand failures. But the glory of achievement is so dazzling that the failures faced and sacrifices made are easily covered. Leaders are applauded. They are at top of the world. But then the gravity comes in the picture casting its spell on this leaders causing their descend from the zenith of their life. Downfall can be sudden or gradual. Soon they are long gone. Either as legends or maniacs or mere eccentrics. But a story is left behind. Story that can inspire the generations to come. Their lives are studied in great detail and various lessons are drawn. Great amount of thought is spared to learn from the mistakes of this great men. And we say that had they chosen better alternative, they would have been more successful, or atleast delayed their downfall. But we very conveniently forget that, the person in question was doing his possible best at that point of time. So we come to conclusion that even greatest of the great leaders commit mistakes. After all they too are human, aren’t they?

Still we yearn for leaders, who would show us the way forward. In other words, we are scouting for someone to hand over the responsibility of our own well being. Trying to find a scapegoat who can be held accountable for either success or failure of the mission. If he succeeds, we are happy that our goals realised without any commendable efforts from our side and if we face failure, we already have a scapegoat ready to be executed at guillotine for public crucification.

Unless and until we learn to take responsibilities of ourselves, we cannot expect someone else to do the work for us. But to most people it is too much of work. Exactly this is the opportunity a true leader seeks. A leader wants to take charge of things and initiate  the action that will lead to the final goal. The true leader is the one who leads his heard to its destination. But the clever leader is the one who manages to paint the elaborate picture of his achievement, when in reality he really has failed to do so. But this is just a make shift arrangement. Doesn’t work for long time. This time can be used by leader to make amends. If he cant do so, he is doomed for sure.

So moral of the story is that, there are loads of opportunities around us to make difference to ourselves, the ones around us, the world we live in. If we don’t want to work for the change we want to see in the world around us, we don’t deserve that change. After all even the most competent leaders are not for eternity. The moment we realise this truth, we may start working. Till then we would keep the HUNT for our future leader on.

Cheers to Indian Politicos and Long love Democracy (or Slumocracy, as one of my friends love to say) .

” No man is good enough to govern another man without that other’s consent.”– Abraham Lincoln on Democracy.