Categories
Quotes

Is my life wasted?

Question:I am turning 27, and feel I have wasted a lot of time. Is it too late?

Answer: Too late for what?

If you slept through your 26th birthday, it’s too late for you to experience it. It’s too late for you to watch “LOST” in its premiere broadcast. (Though, honestly, you didn’t miss much.) It’s too late for you to fight in the Vietnam War. It’s too late for you to go through puberty or attend nursery school. It’s too late for you to learn a second language as proficiently as a native speaker. It’s probably too late for you to be breastfed.

It’s not too late for you to fall in love.

It’s not too late for you to have kids.

It’s not too late for you to embark on an exciting career or series of careers.

It’s not too late for you to read the complete works of Shakespeare; learn how to program computers; learn to dance; travel around the world; go to therapy; become an accomplished cook; sky dive; develop an appreciation for jazz; write a novel; get an advanced degree; save for your old age; read “In Search of Lost Time”; become a Christian, then an atheist, then a Scientologist; break a few bones; learn how to fix a toilet; develop a six-pack …

Honestly, I’m 47, and I’ll say this to you, whippersnapper: you’re a fucking kid, so get over yourself. I’m a fucking kid, too. I’m almost twice your age, and I’m just getting started! My dad is in his 80s, and he wrote two books last year.

You don’t get to use age as an excuse. Get off your ass!

Also, learn about what economists call “sunk costs.” If I give someone $100 on Monday, and he spends $50 on candy, he’ll probably regret that purchase on Tuesday. In a way, he’ll still think of himself as a guy with $100 — half of which is wasted.

What he really is is a guy with $50, just as he would be if I’d handed him a fifty-dollar bill. A sunk cost from yesterday should not be part of today’s equation. What he should be thinking is this: “What should I do with my $50?”

What you are isn’t a person who has wasted 27 years. You are a person who has X number of years ahead of you. What are you going to do with them?

-from Quora

 

Categories
Video

Will 2013 be a year of recovery for quant funds?

Categories
Links

Linkfest:Jan 09, 2013

Some stuff I am reading today morning:

Pakistan troops slit the throats of two Indian soldiers (Firstpost)

Nokia India suspected of 2500-3000 Crore tax default (BusinessLine)

Fight over restaurant bill erupts into riot (NYTimes)

Cold wave triggers sharp rise in vegetable prices (ET)

SEBI to pass final order on Reliance insider trading (Mint)

McDonald’s seeks higher royalty from Indian arm (BS)

Lending money to friends (Subramoney)

Quant hedge funds had a rough 2012 (Bloomberg)

AIG’s directors will spend tomorrow pretending they will sue the government (Dealbreaker)

How the Rothschilds built a fortune that lasted for centuries (BusinessInsider)

Categories
Humor

Hitler responds to Asaram Bapu

Categories
Mumbai Realty

Is Mumbai in a real estate bubble?

Had an opportunity over the last few days to check out a few realty projects in Mumbai

One project I checked out was L&T Realty at Parel.This project was launched in Oct 2012 and was sold out in a couple of days.The launch price was 16000 Rs psf and is now currently quoting at 19000 Rs psf.Of course, this does not include many other charges such as floor rise (Rs 100 psf per floor) etc.They have one 2BHK available on the 37th floor which has a ticket price of 3.8 Crores !!

The area around this project used to be where the textile mill workers used to stay.Wonder how they feel about the gentrification of their neighborhood.Am reminded of this song from Shanghai which aptly captures what is going on

Now funny thing is possession of these hugely expensive flats is in 2017 !!When I asked the sales person what price does he expect the prices to be on possession, he replied that he expected the prices to double !So will a 2BHK of around 700 sq feet carpet in Central Mumbai cost 8 Crores in 2017?The mind boggles.

The next project which is creating waves in the Mumbai realty market is Lodha at Worli.The presentation is enclosed below:

[gview file=”https://alphaideas.in/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Codename-Lodha-Blue-Moon.pdf”]

Now, the interesting part of this project is that buyers will not be able to do the site visit during the pre launch phase.There are no layout plans nor any site plans shared with the buyers.So effectively, buyers are booking flats like cinema tickets.You don’t know whats in the movie but you are hoping something good will happen.

Also, there is a lockin clause till possession ie buyers can’t sell the flat during the construction phase.And finally, the expected possession is 2017.

Despite these onerous conditions, this project is expected to be a grand success.Some realtors have told their clients to book blindly saying there will be atleast a 25% appreciation by April 2013.

And the party continues….