April 22, 2021 - Short Post

Business

How Politicians Find Newer Ways To Take ‘Speed Money’

Speed money is a term regularly used to get work done when dealing with the various government agencies. ‘Green Tax’ was the term used to get work done from the environment ministry in the previous government. With the current government bringing in more transparency and plugging loopholes to make it tougher to make ‘money on the side’, the politicians too are becoming smarter –finding ‘legitimate’ ways to take speed money. I learnt of one such method while interacting with an industrialist of a leading diversified listed conglomerate. This group was to set up a new manufacturing plant in one of the states and was given two options by the politician. The first was the conventional cash. The second option was to invest in the equity capital of an unlisted company at ridiculously high valuations. Since he did not hoard black money, the industrialist chose the second option. The modus operandi was simple. His group invested in a company that had no operating business, hence was basically a paper company or a shell company. On paper it looked like a fraudulent transaction but would never get questioned. This company had many such ‘investors’ who invested to get their work done. ”I am willing to spend money and pick shares in such shell company, even if at a later date I have to write off the investments,” he explained. Ingenuity thy name is politicians!

Post By Arun Kejriwal

Politics

TN’s Game Of Thrones Heading For A Photo Finish?

The Game of Thrones for Tamil Nadu has never before seen such heated speculation. Whichever party is about to win according to the main characters, it ain’t over till the fat lady sings. DMK Supremo MK Stalin waiting in the wings like Prince Charles, AIADMK Chief Minister Edappadi Palanisami smug in his expectation of a runaway electoral win with his considerable heavyweight alliances, the BJP hopes of a breakthrough, Chinnamma Sasikala sulking at her unexpected down turn of fortunes after thumping hard on Jayalalithaa’s gravesite, the lesser political parties hoping to pull off a bargaining coup. TN is awaiting the poll results with abated breath! So wearing masks is not an option. They say in Urdu, Bade Miyan Tho Bade Miyaan, Chote Miyaan Subhanallah. This political ilk may well be outflanked by the greed and ambition of the Babu class. After a full five year stint as part of the ruling power, the race is already on for the next tranche of share in goodies — portfolios, berths, lobbies. Word on the street, many an IAS and IPS incumbent has already started kite flying. Stalin and son Udayanidhi were tracked fiercely by some bureaucrats. Stalin’s family posse of 15 including cousins Maran winged their way to Kodaikanal, to savour some quality time away from these pestering aspirants, and a savvy scheme for family squabbles to be settled.

Post By Our Roving Editor

Politics

Is Tamil Nadu CM Putting Up A Brave Face?

The AIADMK caretaker power centre is no pushover either. Chief Minister Edappadi Palanisami found out in good time that at least 15 of his erstwhile MLAs were planning to jump ship. So he called in the Judas team, coolly read out his numbers chart — his party would be neck-and-neck with DMK according to his intelligence wing’s math. So think twice before you kick this ladder, he advised. The lost souls quickly caught on, but they are still marked. Greed can make for a tenuous perch. As they say in Hindi, Na ghar ke, na ghaat ke. One does think, may be Super Swami Jaggi Vasudev’s popular motivational words, athanaikkum aasai padu (desire everything) inspired them. The thrills and chills of an election, and its outcome! Meanwhile, going by the betting market predictions, it is clear that the odds are against the ruling AIADMK.

Post By Our Roving Editor

Celebrities

The Other Side Of Bhimsen Joshi

“Ganyarache Por” (Singer’s Son) is the Marathi title of Raghavendra Joshi’ s memoir. In English, however, it is presented as “Bhimsen Joshi, My Father,” indicating the book’s essential dilemma. It inhabits an unusual space in that it is neither the usual hagiography of the ‘authorized biography’ nor is it a mere muckrake. The Singer’s Child writes uninhibitedly about his father’s twice-married life in a warts-and-all tale. Though generally affectionate about its subject, it’s accompanied by revelation and detail. Among the many biographies of the concerned vocalist even the most celebrated – Mohan Nadkarni’s – rarely delves into the personal space. Books like this alluded pussy-footedly to the singer’s dual marital status discreetly, usually creating the impression that after an unhappy prior relationship or even due to the death of his first wife the Pandit remarried. This book tries to undo the airbrushing and is quite candid about the mechanics of the dual household. It is unabashedly a quest for some justice for his late mother and himself for the litany of humiliation heaped on their first family by the second. The book abounds in these; from the singer’s surreptitious flight to Nagpur with his supposed pupil to the often precarious existence of the early years of his semi-abandoned family. It is even a fight for recognition as the father was sometimes ambivalent about their status. The writer is frankly envious and deeply saddened by the discrimination practiced by his father. Unfortunately, Raghavendra passed away in February 2020

Post By Balkrishna Nayak

Sports

Maxwell Gets Back His Match Winning Mojo Under Kohli

The continued success of Glenn Maxwell in Royal Challengers Bangalore colours is a big lesson in man management. Playing for his fourth IPL team, the expensive batting all-rounder got back his match-winning mojo only now under the leadership of Team India and RCB skipper Virat Kohli and the team management that have given the Aussie the mental space he needed to find his old form. As colleague AB de Villiers, the biggest 360 degree batting star of IPL, pointed out: “It’s about feeling backed and he feels that here, with Virat, myself and all the coaching staff, all his teammates back him. He knows he has extraordinary talent but for that to blossom he knows he must be happy, and I think he is just in a happy space at the moment.” To do well at sport, they speak of “good headspace” and that is what the enigmatic Aussie, bought for Rs 14.5 crore, seems to be in as he cracked his highest score since 2014. As the show pony in three previous IPL teams, he may have been put under enormous pressure. In RCB, where he is only the third musketeer after Kohli and ABD, Maxwell is flourishing

Post By Tamil Raja

TRENDS & VIEWS

Editor’s Note: Big Punch In Small Pack

It is the Third Anniversary of Short Post and as a news media startup launched during the Covid-19 pandemic it certainly feels better than good to find ourselves where we are today. Here, I must cite the unstinted support of our seasoned contributors, all senior editors in the country, who brought a great degree of maturity and sagacity to the Short Post newsroom. But for them, our tagline “Authentic Gossip”, an Oxymoron, would not have matured viably. Our user numbers may be small but our stories have created the desired impact among people who matter — decision makers and influencers. We offer a big punch in a small pack and Short Post with its 225-word stories has been punching above its weight category. Having posted close to 3,000 stories in the last 36 months, Short Post, I feel, is an idea whose time has come.
And this is vindicated by our two marquee advertisers – IDFC FIRST Bank and ICICI Lombard. Both believed in our story and have supported us from Day one. A big thank you to both.
If you look at the media landscape – print, TV and digital — it is a mixed bag. There are job losses as some outfits have closed down while a lucky few were bailed out by large corporate houses. Yes, there is a lot of action in the digital space. However, the entry of corporate houses has raised the question of independence of news media outfits. Sadly, there are just a handful of independent media outfits in the country that are highly respected for their neutrality. At Short Post, our credo is not to take sides, prejudge issues or be biased but, informing readers of behind-the-scenes happenings. In essence, Short Post strives to be a neutral editorial platform — neither anti-establishment nor pro-establishment.
As I said last year, disruptions in the media world are moving at a fast and furious pace. Technology is playing a very big role in how content is generated and consumed. But, we are neither alarmed nor perturbed as it is all a part of the evolution process. What gives us comfort is that AI is unable to create original gossipy content. And that is the news arena where we have achieved a distinction.

TRENDS & VIEWS

Editor’s Note: Big Punch In Small Pack

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