October 31, 2007
by Atanu Dey
14 Comments
If I were to suggest that between the Earth and Mars there is a china teapot revolving about the sun in an elliptical orbit, nobody would be able to disprove my assertion provided I were careful to add that the … Continue reading
October 31, 2007
by Atanu Dey
0 comments
“If poverty were simply an economic problem, we would be closer to a solution by now. But underdevelopment is a web of economic, political, institutional, ethnic, and class-related connections with persistent historical roots.” That’s Bob Solow, eminent neo-classical economists, winner … Continue reading
October 30, 2007
by Atanu Dey
0 comments
One of my gurus at UC Berkeley was Pranab Bardhan, professor of economics. “He has done theoretical and field studies research on rural institutions in poor countries, on political economy of development policies, and on international trade. A part of … Continue reading
October 30, 2007
by Atanu Dey
0 comments
Fires, floods, earthquakes, riots. What’s not to like about southern California?
October 29, 2007
by Atanu Dey
0 comments
Germans! Source.
October 29, 2007
by Atanu Dey
0 comments
Really productive ideas, like internal combustion and the assembly line, are hard to find… But the techno-hype that surrounds us has some real costs. It causes businesses to waste money; it causes politicians to seek high-tech fixes (give every child … Continue reading
October 28, 2007
by Atanu Dey
5 Comments
There is no easy way for me to go about discussing a subject that I think requires some degree of hard thinking. It is always so when what one is dealing with matters that lie at the foundation of one’s … Continue reading
October 26, 2007
by Atanu Dey
0 comments
As if the OLPC was not Rube Goldbergian enough! What will they try next, I wonder. Try this definition of a Rube Goldberg device from the Wikipedia and tell me that it does not fit the OLPC to a t.
October 23, 2007
by Atanu Dey
17 Comments
This blog is undergoing change. Not just in the looks but new editorial policies will be followed. New improved looks (50% increase in the number of columns, in case you have not noticed), tags, login for commenting, and whatnots. Form … Continue reading
October 21, 2007
by Atanu Dey
10 Comments
Durga Puja Greetings For Bengalis, this is the biggest festival of the year. Today, the last day of the five-day event, is called “Bijoya Dashimi.” Mother Durga, who had come with her children (Saraswati, Lakshmi, Ganesh, and Kartik) to visit … Continue reading
October 20, 2007
by Atanu Dey
10 Comments
Mr Adam Smith It is not just an article of faith among economists (such as yours truly) that markets allocate resources most efficiently under a set of set of assumptions; it has been mathematically proved by theoreticians and empirically demonstrated … Continue reading
October 20, 2007
by Atanu Dey
4 Comments
I am often asked by people if they can re-publish my blog posts. Most of what you read on this blog is original in the sense that I write the stuff and therefore by common convention, automatically the copyright to … Continue reading
October 18, 2007
by Atanu Dey
0 comments
Philosophically, I belong to the Advaita Vedanta school of thought (and many other schools as well). Check out the Non-Duality Cartoons site. (hat tip: Amar K).
October 18, 2007
by Atanu Dey
2 Comments
Perhaps you have read it before on this blog. Now “The Age of Profound Ignorance” is available to a wider readership on LiveMint.com. (If the previous link does not work, please use this one.)
October 18, 2007
by Atanu Dey
4 Comments
Does anyone, other than the recipients and the Nobel Prize committee, take the Peace Prize seriously any more?
October 17, 2007
by Atanu Dey
0 comments
UC Berkeley on YouTube. My alma mater. Now you can virtually attend many of the lectures and events at UC Berkeley. I will miss Berkeley a little less because of this. Here’s a video on “Energy Self-sufficiency in the 21st … Continue reading
October 17, 2007
by Atanu Dey
11 Comments
I have been reading about the Rs 1 Lakh (about US$2,500) car that Tata Motors is planning on selling soon. It scares me witless. These days, oil is selling for around US$85 a barrel. India imports most of its fossil … Continue reading
October 15, 2007
by Atanu Dey
0 comments
“To laugh often and much; To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; To earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; To appreciate beauty, to find the best in others; … Continue reading
October 13, 2007
by Atanu Dey
6 Comments
When a pickpocket meets a saint, all he sees are pockets. Thus goes a well-worn Zen Buddhist saying. Our perceptions of the external world are filtered through our internal desires and motivations. This process is not linear; a powerful feedback … Continue reading
October 4, 2007
by Atanu Dey
21 Comments
The other day I received a forwarded email informing me that in Mumbai there is a traffic law which requires that a taxi driver has to comply with a request — no, not request but rather a demand — for … Continue reading