When the government by a fiat says that you need a license to do something, the government (deliberately and knowingly) creates a vested interest. Government of Maharashtra gives a taxi permit / auto permit. So if I qualify as a driver, I should be able to go and pay a small fee (say Rs. 5k) […]

Read More →

I am convinced that there is a mafia out there of loan givers, steel manufacturers, cement manufacturers, etc. who want you to buy a house. I have been talking to a couple of builders, financers, investors….and frankly not convinced that the real estate market is any where near mouth watering levels. Same is true for […]

Read More →

What is being Rich and what is being Wealthy? This is a topic that I have spoken about too many times in the past….One of the steps required is to create different and various sources of income. For a beginner who is starting on a first or second job how is he/she expected to create […]

Read More →

Bankers in Europe did not behave like this when they were paid moderate salaries. By the time they were in their 50s and could retire they still had to worry about their partnership in the bank to be sold. Indian, Japanese and some other East Asian bankers are not in the same set as the […]

Read More →

A few days ago I had done a small note on Ayn Rand. She was a Economic Philosophy writer who found that US A had too much governmental interference. If you are a student of Economics you understand the word ‘rent’ in the correct sense. Rent seekers are those people who have been able to […]

Read More →

Prior to World War II most people in the world were happy living in rented houses. This gave rise to concepts like ‘pagdi’ where you paid a sizeable deposit and a small rent. Mumbai used to be full of such properties . In fact this gave rise to sayings like ‘Fools build (buy?) houses, Wise […]

Read More →

So SEBI has one more work for mutual funds. They are supposed to be the conscience keepers for corporate India. Good news. Next they may be asked to get a ‘good behavior’ certificate from unit holders – saying I will redeem them only for legitimate purposes. I will not use the proceeds for buying a […]

Read More →