Formula 1-F1- Hungary Grand Prix 2017

Hungary:30-July-2017.

With the Ferrari's looking unbeatable since the FP3 and locking up the front row to start the Sunday race, it was clear that this was best circuit for the Ferrari's domination which it was famous for the late 1990's. So they did today, with little spice to spice up the race.

The starting of the race, Ferrari had informed that they need to work on Vettel's car for hydraulic issue, this was not as per the expected script. But he did have good start when the race started.  Then the dreaded steering issue which was handled well by Vettel and Ferrari for a change.

Ferrari powered to finish the race P1 and P2 as expected behind them were the Merc's of Bottas and Hamilton, the latter having a weekend to forget. But the question to be asked, Is Ferrari pace for real or circuit oriented, if it is latter, then Ferrari's are where they are as last year.

Ferrari also prevailed to favour Vettel over Raikkonen, clearly showing who is the No.1 driver in the team. Raikkonen's repeated radio message to swap fell to the deaf ears of the Ferrari management and the boss of Ferrari. Since there was no castorphic developments, the team and the media will call it a master stroke. But what it has shown is the pure favourism in the team sport. Vettel always wants to be the No.1 in any team he is in and any position he is in. This is clear from the days he was with Red Bull and his relationship with Webber which is known to all.

Any driver who wishes to  partner Vettel in Ferrari has to be No.2, there is no hiding the fact. Raikkonen has nothing to porve, he is champ and nobody can take that away. For his sacrifice today, Marchilleo hand him a year contract.

The race also showed the other side of the team spirit, the Merc's swapped Hamilton with Bottas and gave him 5 laps to make a move on Raikkonen, when Lewis was unsuccessful, near the chequered flag, Merc and Lewis swapped the position. It may be team order or sportsmanship, we may never know since the radio message was not aired.

Merc, has literally won the hearts of the fans in this race with the effort to maximise the teams position than favour the drivers.

Formula 1 has always been favouring a few teams, the past 4-5 years has been for Merc and Ferrari's, so what are we achieving in this?

The fans are uninterested in the Qualifying or the Race, since the race is between Merc's an Ferrari's, all the other 7-8 Teams are lapped or far off the pace. There is no hope for these teams to win or even challenge the front runners, there is SUB-FORMULA 1 race between these 7-8 teams, which is more exciting than the podium battle.

The old owners of the Formula 1 had clear favourism on the teams, if the new owners have to raise a red flag on he uncompetitive teams or face the closure of teams. Formula 1 has see multiple teams closing their shop in the past 5 years.

The best way to make the sport more interesting to do with the 30,40,70 places penalty, which makes no sense. It is a sport, to improve and to replace a machinery to perform better, there should not be any penalty.

As a fan of Formula 1, I assume the new owner who has experienced and skilled Formula 1 brains like Brawn will mend the sport to be more interest and level Play.

By Umesh

India - No home for elder citizen's

I was really thinking of a topic which would be away from the usual financials, markets and money. Suddenly I got a reminder from my parents to check on their renewal of medical insurance. That is when I decided to delicate this blog on the elderly citizens of India.

India, a country with a billion population and assumed to be most fastest growing economy of the world, know for its culture and values and each family makes sure the younger generations respects the elders.

But in the link, there are a lot to ponder about. If people have traveled and been living out of India would have seen, how the countries care for their elderly citizens by way of Social Security and Health care.

Rewind to India, during their working age, people work, pay their taxes regularly and once they retire they tend to expect only a few caring services. Most elderly in India would like the government to provide pensions and take care of the health care expenses. But in reality NONE are so worried about them. The government thinks of them as only workers who are bonded to work for the money paid.

To make matters worse, if a senior citizen wants to find a medical insurance privately, he is asked to pay a huge premium, which my all means will  be more than the annual pension a person receives.

So who is to blame, are we to be blamed or the government which always keeps media press meet to announce that we are growing and will achieve a GDP of  2 digits soon.

I personally know elderly citizens who want to have medical insurance, but the premium is so huge that it may eat up their penny pensions for years.

So were do we lack, the administration may put it's hand up and say we are huge country with a huge population but that is just a statement to wash the hands.

If there is will, there is way. Why can't the administration start an exercise to identified at least the pensioners try to get them insured for health with government run Insurance companies and make a rule that every hospital registered in the country shall accept this insurance provider. Who wants abide can stay, others can close shops.

It is easy said than done, but there should be a starting point. Each passing day, there are huge bad news engulfing the working class. Presently few IT companies have stopped insuring the parents of workers (http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/industry-and-economy/companies-tell-employees-sorry-no-more-health-cover-for-parents/article5463148.ece).

If the administration does not take any steps soon, this can lead to a catastrophic effect.

I would like to invite any suggestions or comments which can help in this respect.

Indian Markets - Directionless & Fundamentless

The Indian Markets have become unpredictable for a few quarters. Big boys of the indexes have underplayed their hold. With disappointing results to allegations of mismanagement and wrongs mergers and acquisitions in the name of growth have actually hurt these companies.

The recent state elections results wherein Congress the principal party in UPA been performed very poorly, has anything but added more volatility in the markets.

 So, what is wrong with our markets and industry, did we celebrate the growth of economy too soon?

The answer is YES, WE DID. The markets reacted to each and every baby step the industries took, by no means where they to be seen as major achievements. The business media and the trade analyst made sure that the stocks of such companies were well publicized.

Retail investors, who until such time were happy with 8-9%  return on safe investments were lurred by such claims and wanted to hit the jackpot with ease.

The market regulator nor the Finance ministry, was not tracking the markets were on a bullish mode. Statements like India is future economy of the world, who will lift the recession etc were played in public. When there were allegations that FII/DII were the major players in the market. A single statement from the Finance ministry that these were all allegations made by vested interest who didn't want India to grow.

So, what is happening now, the loss of political stability, huge budget deficit, ECB(External Commercial Borrowing) have all eaten the apples in the companies, who are looking to reduce the interest and debts by selling once acquired companies.

Retail investors who had their savings invested in the markets are the first to bear the burn. Neither can they logout of the markets since leave alone the ROI, certain cases the capital has eroded such that makes no sense to come out.

India's growth story may be intact as per the Finance Ministry and the Planning commission, but the hard reality is IT IS NOT.

The sooner we understand the better. Already financial organisations including all the majore government owned banks have been burden with huge NPA's and scouting for capital infuse from the government. The conditions of these banks are just outside the ICU of hospital. If one major bank fails, will trigger catastrophic after actions which will be impossible to handle.

Your valuable review on the above blog is  solicited.

The Refugee Life in my own city and my flat…….

By the time I have posted this in my blog, almost all must have heard the news about the floods in Chennai.

This time around we the Velcherians are a happy lot …since almost all the areas of Namma Chennai was flooded. It was only a few years back when it was an usual news of Velachery being flooded, Now I am relieved person to find that most of Chennai was flooded and people we helplessly stranded.

I live in the ground floor , I have been this house since April 2003 (… to bring back some GOOD memories for a few … the same year when KVB started rolling off with Flexcube…. ). I have seen two huge rains and flooding in my area. I was not effected by the earlier one…. But the Floods of 2008 had marked the mark in my house.

I had a inside felling on the night of 27th November,2008 there may be a attack of floods in my house, after dinner around 9.30PM…( a candle light dinner….sorry guys not a romantic one… there was no power since 7PM). I went to bed at around 10.30PM. Had a good sleep until 3AM. I woke up with the sound of the rain, so went and checked around my house to find if the attackers (…rain water) had entered . I was relieved and went back to bed, but the sound of water (… sound if waves of water) outside my bedroom woke me up again around 4.30AM. I went to my Living room and there they were … the attackers… they had entered my sweet home…. ( by the way people … they had there own Plan of entering through the Kitchen sink outlet…it caught me in the wrong way…as Indian Defence say …My Intelligence Bureau failure ).

I woke my wife who was still asleep, and took a few furnitures and clothes and put it over my cot. Water was having a great time enjoying the comfort of my house. We got some bricks from our neigbours and put it under our refrigerator..so that water does not enter the fridge.

There was I and my wife , living like a refugee in our own flats, the next day we spent the whole day in Sunil’s house in First floor, who were very kind enough to accommodate us. He and his family were the best samtarians who really helped us.

As the rains subsidized , I and my wife with the help of Sunil, drove the attackers from house…. They the attackers were reluctant, but with available resources … ( broom sticks… ) we were able to drive them away …. And now were are back to our flat … hope this never come again….

People this just a jovial write up… but the mental torture you are put is tremendous…

The rain was so heavy that the flow of water will show you ............ :)

One rainy day in Istanbul from the apartment I live.

Investment

I was reading through some article in Money Control where they have asked to invest in Gold and Gold Funds. I had some clarification on these two investments.

If we buy Gold Coins from Bank or any other market, can we resell it to the bank or gold merchant? Do they deduct the usual wastage etc on the sell.

Can any one detail on how the Gold Mutual Fund works.

Your views on this is much awaited.....