25.03.2008

• Free radicals
• These are harmful molecules that cause what is called oxidative stress soon after eating, in humans.
• Anti-oxidants, the healthy compounds found in fruits and vegetables, can neutralise the free radicals.
• Now, do you understand why a fruit salad is recommended for dessert?
• God particle
• I am sure many of you would have heard about CERN, Europe’s atom-smashing laboratory on the border of France and Switzerland.
• This centre is doing research into what is called the Higgs Boson sub-atomic particle. This particle is so tantalizing for the physicists that they have named it ‘The God Particle.’
• It is named after the British Physicist Peter Higgs, who first proposed it in 1964.
• To study this particle, the centre is building what is called LHC – Large Hadron Collider. This is expected to explain dark matter and dark energy phenomena.
• Figures relating to six pay commission implementation
• The year 2008-09 is expected to take a hit of Rs. 12,561 crores. This is in addition to the Rs. 18,060 crores one-time expenditure towards paying arrears from 1^st January, 2006.
• Government revenues have been buoyant. The gross tax to GDP ratio is projected to go up to 11.8% in the current fiscal.
• But with both direct and indirect taxes targets likely to surpass the budget estimates, there is hope that the additional expenditure would be easily met. But will the burgeoning food, fertilizer and oil subsidies allow a smooth shouldering of this burden? Let’s wait and watch.
• What is Madrid protocol about?
• This protocol mandates that a trademark application has to be cleared within 18 months of filing.
• A parliamentary panel looking into this has recommended against acceding to this protocol, till the time the country builds adequate skilled manpower and requisite infrastructure.
• India is currently seeing a bad season on derivatives front. Elaborate.
• If you are asked such a question, the following paragraph from Rajrishi Singhal’s article offers the best answer. A likely question for those of you preparing for civil’s interview.
• First, came the news that ICICI Bank had incurred mark-to-market losses of over $260 million on credit default swaps in overseas markets. Next, engineering giant Larsen and Toubro made the startling disclosure that its overseas subsidiary had incurred losses of around $50 million due to wrong bets on commodity futures.
• All this comes on top of the global economic crisis that has been precipitated by complex derivative structures. What’s spooking the pro-reforms bloc is the fear that these mishaps might induce the authorities to clamp down on any further opening up of the market.
• Can global financial turmoil derail India’s growth?
• You can’t afford to miss this debate. A must read.
• All the three are real good experts in what they are saying. Didn’t find it worth condensing. May be I will do a notes sometime later. But till then, do read it in full.
• Ever heard of cat bonds & cat swaps?
• A very good definition appeared in today’s first principle column in ET.
• These are catastrophe bonds. These are a form of securitization used to transfer natural catastrophe risks to the capital market.
• More can be found here.
• How can asia help in the current financial crisis of the US economy?
• Wasn’t it just yesterday that we read a good article from Ramgopal Agarwala? A kind of sequel appeared in today’s ET.
• This is also a must read for us to comprehend the issue. Read it here.