Kevin Rudd shops for a recovery.
HAVING inherited a booming economy when he led Australia’s Labor Party to power in late 2007, Kevin Rudd predicted optimistically last October that his country would avoid a recession during the global downturn. Now he is sounding more worried, and acting more defensively. This week he announced a stimulus package worth A$42 billion ($27 billion), one of the biggest in the country’s history. The government, he declared, would “move heaven and earth” to keep the economy growing. Barely a corner of Australian life will be untouched by the spending spree.
Yet there is no guarantee it will achieve its aim. The immediate trigger for the stimulus was a Treasury report that the global recession had slashed A$115 billion from forecast revenue up to 2012. While six of Australia’s top ten export markets are already in recession, the chief impact has come from the slowdown in one that is not: China, its biggest trading partner, and the main driver of a minerals boom that has fed fat company-tax revenues. Such booms have worked magic to keep “the lucky country” out of trouble before. But not now. Lindsay Tanner, the finance minister, cites figures showing how much Australia had come to depend on such revenues, and the shock when they abruptly fade away: at the latest boom’s peak, company taxes had grown to a quarter of federal revenue, from just 9% in the mid-1980s.
Growth forecasts for 2008-09 have now slid from 2.75% in last May’s budget to 1%, and to just 0.75% for next year. Mr Tanner concedes such figures are a bit “anaemic”, but says the chances of staying out of recession are still “reasonable”. Some economists are less optimistic. The test will be whether Mr Rudd’s stimulus has the right targets. About a third will go in cash handouts of almost A$1,000 each to encourage low- and middle-income workers, farmers and students to spend. A similar stimulus of A$10.4 billion late last year seems to have worked: after two months of weak demand, it helped push retail spending in December up by 3.8%.
But the bulk of Mr Rudd’s stimulus, almost A$30 billion, will go on infrastructure: new school buildings, road repairs and house insulation. And more is on the way. A body Mr Rudd appointed under Sir Rod Eddington, a businessman, is due to report soon on much bigger demands for public cash, such as for railways, ports and energy grids. Already, the revenue slump and stimulus spending have ended more than a decade of budget surpluses; the latest estimates project combined deficits of A$118 billion over the next four years.
On January 31st Mr Rudd prepared the ideological ground for this shift with a much-discussed article in the Monthly, a magazine. He blamed the global crisis on neoliberalism, or “free-market fundamentalism—and excessive greed”. Social democracy, he wrote, must now “prevent liberal capitalism from cannibalising itself”. This was also about claiming the political high ground. Mr Rudd accused the Liberal Party, the main opposition party, which ruled for 11 years before the crisis, of being Australia’s neoliberals. Malcolm Turnbull, the Liberal leader, wants tax cuts, not public spending, to boost the economy, and opposes the stimulus package.
The central bank cut interest rates by a percentage point to a cash rate of 3.25% on the day Mr Rudd announced his stimulus, the fifth cut since September. Glenn Stevens, the bank’s governor, says the monetary and fiscal changes will help to “cushion” the economy. If Australia nonetheless goes into recession, Mr Rudd and Mr Turnbull will keep trading charges on who is to blame: neoliberals or big spenders.
-The Economist.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Scrapbook for Taatta !!!
Okey! Here I am, finally contributing to the family blog! Hehe..
I am on a mission to put my time to good use and create a family scrapbook for my beloved grandfather. I need everyone in the immediate & extended family to send me in pictures of your family.
I will need photos of babies, childhood, weddings, work etc etc etc,
For those of you on Facebook you can upload it there (and also add me as Friend if you haven't already done so). The others can bring it to SP for the annual prayers (tentative 6th June 2009, Saturday).
Keep 'em photos coming mates!
I am on a mission to put my time to good use and create a family scrapbook for my beloved grandfather. I need everyone in the immediate & extended family to send me in pictures of your family.
I will need photos of babies, childhood, weddings, work etc etc etc,
For those of you on Facebook you can upload it there (and also add me as Friend if you haven't already done so). The others can bring it to SP for the annual prayers (tentative 6th June 2009, Saturday).
Keep 'em photos coming mates!
Friday, January 23, 2009
Monday, January 19, 2009
Flashback - Mr. C after the big AAA op in 2006
For those of you who missed visiting Appa when he had his big op here are some shots taken the day he came out of ICU.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Let's Meet the Other Inhabitants of 210
Hi! folks !! During all your trips to SP over the years have you encountered the other inhabitants there? Meet some of them today in our Animal Planet.........
1) Meet Mr. Monitor Lizard. He happily gallivants around the gardens scrouging for food and makes occassional visits to the wet kitchen area. He lived a happy & prosperous life. Just like we all make mistakes, either this or another Mr. Monitor Lizard made 1 big mistake that cost him his life. The drain running under the dry kitchen cum dining area must have been a favourite hide n seek location for him. One day the poor guy ran into the drain from the bathroom side hoping to exit near the fence side but our friend probably forgot that he had put on some additional kilos. All that managed to exit was his head but the body was caught inside :-(. What happened after that and the graphic details of how it was removed will not be elaborated here but remember to ask Devi (akka, athai, periamma,etc) the next time you are there. Only she can describe it....................
2) Tah daaaa who else but Mr.Batman himself having his afternoon snooze under the cempedak tree after a heavy meal the night before. He (or probably one of his ancestors) used to reign terror in my life when he unwittingly flew into the house and took refuge in between the steps of the staircase. Imagine studying alone late at night at the foot of the stairs when out of nowhere comes this blind bat flying in all directions. Uuuuuuuggghhhh........ After that no need to say laa, tutup buku, TAK tutup lampu, cabuuuuuut naik atas aje.
3) Mr Bees here maybe familiar to some right? They are very healthy bees with their seemingly heavy dose of Vit A intake here!!! May we never get in their flight paths ever. Amen.
Dat's all for now folks. Have a good week ahead.
Note : I am not sure how many of our familiy members are actually reading this blog other than the authors and followers. All immediate & extended family is warmly welcomed. Those already here please spread the word to the others. Please, please, please make your presence felt. Leave us comments, let us know if you want to be included as co-authors as we want everyone's contribution here.
2) Tah daaaa who else but Mr.Batman himself having his afternoon snooze under the cempedak tree after a heavy meal the night before. He (or probably one of his ancestors) used to reign terror in my life when he unwittingly flew into the house and took refuge in between the steps of the staircase. Imagine studying alone late at night at the foot of the stairs when out of nowhere comes this blind bat flying in all directions. Uuuuuuuggghhhh........ After that no need to say laa, tutup buku, TAK tutup lampu, cabuuuuuut naik atas aje.
3) Mr Bees here maybe familiar to some right? They are very healthy bees with their seemingly heavy dose of Vit A intake here!!! May we never get in their flight paths ever. Amen.
Dat's all for now folks. Have a good week ahead.
Note : I am not sure how many of our familiy members are actually reading this blog other than the authors and followers. All immediate & extended family is warmly welcomed. Those already here please spread the word to the others. Please, please, please make your presence felt. Leave us comments, let us know if you want to be included as co-authors as we want everyone's contribution here.
How poor are they who have not patience! What wound did ever heal but by degrees.
I’m off for the weekend. Dear Uncle and Aunty….Please write something/anything…I'm totally stealing the show here..I’m waiting with battered breath for your post!
Have a good weekend all.
Lots of love from the land down under,
Nalina.
Have a good weekend all.
Lots of love from the land down under,
Nalina.
Nowhere to hide
Dear loyal readers,
Upon popular demand, I shall relive the horror of Blind date no.2 and blind date no.3. Blind date no.1 already vividly explained below.
After this story, you’ll know why I rely on alcohol (my love guru) for everything.
Blind date no.2
He calls me up from an unidentified/private number (Mr. Mystery Man)……clearly my mum would have given him my number and she conveniently didn’t tell me.
I still remember the phone conversation…because it was all highway to stammer land…
Him: Heellloo ooo ooo….Ceh ceh ceh can I speaker wi wi wi with Nalina please?
Me: Yes it is.
Him: How how how how do you do? Want want want shall she shall we have lunch sometime?
..... Basically phone convo went something like this. I think he was sweating as well.
I plainly remember being at work and wanting to squeeze the life out of my mother for trying to set me up with these world class suitors.
We agreed to meet up at BSC. The Amrikan chilies at BSC ( his pronunciation of American chilies)
Where was god when I needed him the most?
Anyway…
I went to BSC and he was late and I got pissed off and went to the Times bookstore …browsing stuff and just passing time….then Mystery Man calls and says he is wearing a white linen shirt and khakis standing in front of chilies’.
As I walked towards the entrance of chillies..I saw a figure.
Back was faced towards me.
It was a figure. From the 80s.
Looked like Shan seteppa in his hay days.
Plus he had his hands at his hips in the most womanly way you can think of. BOTH hands. And his hip slightly swayed.
We went…made small talk….or I made small talk..he stammered all through the way…this time I didn’t eat much…my inner chi told me to behave i gather. Because I was nauseous throughout lunch.
Dears Readers, I’m alive today…as I survived Date no.2..rather intensely emotional experience with a man that had womanly mannerisms.
The fruit of all this can be seen when….. he tells his mum who then tells my mum…'That girl is too tall’….
There is a god.
We need a separate blog for Date no.3 (I’ll save the best for last).
Upon popular demand, I shall relive the horror of Blind date no.2 and blind date no.3. Blind date no.1 already vividly explained below.
After this story, you’ll know why I rely on alcohol (my love guru) for everything.
Blind date no.2
He calls me up from an unidentified/private number (Mr. Mystery Man)……clearly my mum would have given him my number and she conveniently didn’t tell me.
I still remember the phone conversation…because it was all highway to stammer land…
Him: Heellloo ooo ooo….Ceh ceh ceh can I speaker wi wi wi with Nalina please?
Me: Yes it is.
Him: How how how how do you do? Want want want shall she shall we have lunch sometime?
..... Basically phone convo went something like this. I think he was sweating as well.
I plainly remember being at work and wanting to squeeze the life out of my mother for trying to set me up with these world class suitors.
We agreed to meet up at BSC. The Amrikan chilies at BSC ( his pronunciation of American chilies)
Where was god when I needed him the most?
Anyway…
I went to BSC and he was late and I got pissed off and went to the Times bookstore …browsing stuff and just passing time….then Mystery Man calls and says he is wearing a white linen shirt and khakis standing in front of chilies’.
As I walked towards the entrance of chillies..I saw a figure.
Back was faced towards me.
It was a figure. From the 80s.
Looked like Shan seteppa in his hay days.
Plus he had his hands at his hips in the most womanly way you can think of. BOTH hands. And his hip slightly swayed.
We went…made small talk….or I made small talk..he stammered all through the way…this time I didn’t eat much…my inner chi told me to behave i gather. Because I was nauseous throughout lunch.
Dears Readers, I’m alive today…as I survived Date no.2..rather intensely emotional experience with a man that had womanly mannerisms.
The fruit of all this can be seen when….. he tells his mum who then tells my mum…'That girl is too tall’….
There is a god.
We need a separate blog for Date no.3 (I’ll save the best for last).
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Comments
Hey Ms Nalina! We kaypohs also want to read about the subsequent 'delightful' blind dates as well. I know I have heard the stories before but I dun mind repeats; i just love your very graphic descriptions. Hehe.
And please don't disable your comments option laa......
And please don't disable your comments option laa......
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Miss Nalina's mid 20's
May 20th, 2006 by nalinakiru
I’ am not much of a bloggie. But I would like to pen down a few things. Before you call me a PATHETIC loser accountant. Let me.
Being brought up in a somewhat an orthodox Indian family, filled with drama mamas every week, I have my mother, on one hand, a classic from Tanjore and on the other hand, my father who is away half the time.
My point is, if you came from this sort of background, and you have just hit 25 and you happen to be a female and still single, you are bloody screwed. At least around here, that’s how it feels. Screwed in the sense, you are forced to go on dates with people (proper losers), your mum sets you up with. Yes I know, pretty lame in this day and age, but as depressing as it sounds, it’s happening all right.
Me being me, rebelliously didn’t want to go to these things. I mean, are you crazy? I frankly do not have the time and patience for this. Mother and the other 50 thousand aunties obviously do not agree. Your expiry date is coming up child..blah blah blah…if you don’t do something, you might end up being a wrinkled up prune child..blah…why are you so stubborn child..blah blah…etc
Marriage? That’s a heavy word to me. Given my stats with regards to men, I’ll deal with all of it in my own time. I basically didn’t want to hear this wrath every freaking day of my life. So I figured, why don’t i just go for some free wine and get it over and done with, just to shut them up. Only once and they’ll leave me alone.Forever.They agreed (Well, they lied).
You know what is even sadder?..These retards they set me up with!.I only went on one so far and iam planning to keep it that way, even if I have to be at war with 50 old aunties.
Let me tell you about the 1st date
He calls me up.
Date: Hello, yis this Nalina? ( in a nauseating Indian slang )
Me: Yes. It is. (already irritated)
Date: So, when can we meet?
Me: Not this week.Maybe next
Date: Ok. Where?
Me: Up to you (Secretly thinking of killing him at the Mandarin Oriental)
Date: (He actually said this)..iam in shah alam, you in damansara, why don’t we meet in the middle?
Me: (This made my hair stand, and trying hard to not cry) Ok sure. Call me.
I was thinking, holy mother of god, how on earth am I going to survive this date. This dude is not capable of a decent conversation, he better be hot at least to compensate. Women generally are pre-programmed to want to have everything perfect.
On that day
I walked in to the restaurant, aloofly scanning the whole place for any baboon like creatures eagerly waiting. A bitchy thought yes! Iam no Pond’s Femina Miss India contestant, but I shudder to think of having lunch with a baboon who can’t speak English. There was no Baboon, but there was someone that resembled a giraffe in clothes. Moments like this, you REALLY believe in god and start to pray. Please not that one, please not that one…to my horror…IT was the giraffe…he was an absolute fashion disaster ( I believe clothing is an extension of your personality)..he just didn’t have it,his hairstyle was tragic( center parted together with a whole tub of brylcream)…nerve-tingling ( in a bad way)…he didn’t know what to order at all, so I did all the ordering .and..i did all the talking, I gave him one chance to speak and he spoke of his job so proudly, I told him about my wonderful job, where I vouch receipts, work 9 to 9 the next day, pondering over how to bullshit my managers…i also told him I want to marry a rockstar…i didn’t feel like impressing this person, so I kind of lost my ‘feminine vulnerability’ and ate like a man right through the entire time.
Apparently the stud muffin thought I was greedy, loud,etc…and didn’t want to see me again.This rocked my mum’s world. It’s like I ruined her life or something.
Without wasting any time, she planned for a 2nd one. Which iam trying very hard to avoid. I mean, on a serious note, can you blame me?
Note: Since my only Bro DhanaRaj is still single and swinging….pressure is off me for now :) Pending, the 210 squad‘s (headed by Tata C)/Subang crew’s (headed by my Amachi) futile attempts to get us hitched.
I’ am not much of a bloggie. But I would like to pen down a few things. Before you call me a PATHETIC loser accountant. Let me.
Being brought up in a somewhat an orthodox Indian family, filled with drama mamas every week, I have my mother, on one hand, a classic from Tanjore and on the other hand, my father who is away half the time.
My point is, if you came from this sort of background, and you have just hit 25 and you happen to be a female and still single, you are bloody screwed. At least around here, that’s how it feels. Screwed in the sense, you are forced to go on dates with people (proper losers), your mum sets you up with. Yes I know, pretty lame in this day and age, but as depressing as it sounds, it’s happening all right.
Me being me, rebelliously didn’t want to go to these things. I mean, are you crazy? I frankly do not have the time and patience for this. Mother and the other 50 thousand aunties obviously do not agree. Your expiry date is coming up child..blah blah blah…if you don’t do something, you might end up being a wrinkled up prune child..blah…why are you so stubborn child..blah blah…etc
Marriage? That’s a heavy word to me. Given my stats with regards to men, I’ll deal with all of it in my own time. I basically didn’t want to hear this wrath every freaking day of my life. So I figured, why don’t i just go for some free wine and get it over and done with, just to shut them up. Only once and they’ll leave me alone.Forever.They agreed (Well, they lied).
You know what is even sadder?..These retards they set me up with!.I only went on one so far and iam planning to keep it that way, even if I have to be at war with 50 old aunties.
Let me tell you about the 1st date
He calls me up.
Date: Hello, yis this Nalina? ( in a nauseating Indian slang )
Me: Yes. It is. (already irritated)
Date: So, when can we meet?
Me: Not this week.Maybe next
Date: Ok. Where?
Me: Up to you (Secretly thinking of killing him at the Mandarin Oriental)
Date: (He actually said this)..iam in shah alam, you in damansara, why don’t we meet in the middle?
Me: (This made my hair stand, and trying hard to not cry) Ok sure. Call me.
I was thinking, holy mother of god, how on earth am I going to survive this date. This dude is not capable of a decent conversation, he better be hot at least to compensate. Women generally are pre-programmed to want to have everything perfect.
On that day
I walked in to the restaurant, aloofly scanning the whole place for any baboon like creatures eagerly waiting. A bitchy thought yes! Iam no Pond’s Femina Miss India contestant, but I shudder to think of having lunch with a baboon who can’t speak English. There was no Baboon, but there was someone that resembled a giraffe in clothes. Moments like this, you REALLY believe in god and start to pray. Please not that one, please not that one…to my horror…IT was the giraffe…he was an absolute fashion disaster ( I believe clothing is an extension of your personality)..he just didn’t have it,his hairstyle was tragic( center parted together with a whole tub of brylcream)…nerve-tingling ( in a bad way)…he didn’t know what to order at all, so I did all the ordering .and..i did all the talking, I gave him one chance to speak and he spoke of his job so proudly, I told him about my wonderful job, where I vouch receipts, work 9 to 9 the next day, pondering over how to bullshit my managers…i also told him I want to marry a rockstar…i didn’t feel like impressing this person, so I kind of lost my ‘feminine vulnerability’ and ate like a man right through the entire time.
Apparently the stud muffin thought I was greedy, loud,etc…and didn’t want to see me again.This rocked my mum’s world. It’s like I ruined her life or something.
Without wasting any time, she planned for a 2nd one. Which iam trying very hard to avoid. I mean, on a serious note, can you blame me?
Note: Since my only Bro DhanaRaj is still single and swinging….pressure is off me for now :) Pending, the 210 squad‘s (headed by Tata C)/Subang crew’s (headed by my Amachi) futile attempts to get us hitched.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Marumaval Comments
Due to the consistent flow of Mojito's and Gin with Bitter lemon my marumaval was left out on the pictures.
You have to blame the bartender - Dhana Raj.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
2008 Maxwell Tower Annual Dinner (1)
Assam Kumbang Sisters...having lunch together
(Above)Mother & Daughter bonding.....
It was a nice way to start 2009.The average age err... not relevant. The KL gang made it happen again. There were many interesting topics tabled on that evening such as Potential Marriage Proposals, Post India Trip diagnostics by Puvanamala, Vinodhan and Shamssavani, Pre India Trip Preparation by Shanmuganathan & Vasugi.
(Above)Mother & Daughter bonding.....
(Side) Dhana Raj trying to impress as a potential groom.
Looks like Damansara Ladies are all there except for Nalina Devi. Sarita is discovering a low budget manicure services as side income...bad times!
What a pair.........Hey is that a MAS stewardess I see??
It was a nice way to start 2009.The average age err... not relevant. The KL gang made it happen again. There were many interesting topics tabled on that evening such as Potential Marriage Proposals, Post India Trip diagnostics by Puvanamala, Vinodhan and Shamssavani, Pre India Trip Preparation by Shanmuganathan & Vasugi.
Stay tuned for more updates on the evening's happenings.........
Hello Hellloooo Hellllooooooo & HAPPY NEW YEAR. Welcome, welcome, welcome to our fresh initiative to start 2009...........the long awaited and the long delayed family blog. We are babies in this area & warmly welcome constructive feedback, esp from the 'babies' in the family who are bigger experts!!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
