The economics of Jesus

Thanks to CFA overdose, have been hypersensitive about economics and the implications. The obvious start was to re-read Freakonomics in an attempt to have an enlightened understanding . The first time I read it, it was more from a discussion and amazement point of view than otherwise.

Super-freakonomics released sometime back raises some interesting questions again..  can’t say I am much impressed by it. Though, one interesting point was when the authors were questioned by an Indian journalist as to how they will explain the actions of Jesus. What were the “incentives” when Jesus went on “cross” ?

Here is an interesting blogspot answering / commenting on the very same thing.

Without any personal opinion, I will like to to bring this to debate .
At the same I wonder, if such an article/book would have been allowed to publish in India, the land of tolerances as Amartya Sen puts it. The fanaticism is indeed taking the “argumentative” out of The Argumentative Indian. Much on this later.

Read-a-thon : Check !

I didn’t sleep, I read, I conquered !

I am done… had a wonderful time… very impressed with the organization of the event (Kudos to  Hannah (WordLily), Ana (Nymeth), and Trish (Hey Lady!) ).. and most of all..very impressed with myself ..

For more info on the event, visit Dewey’s Read-a-thon

Final Statistics

Time Duration: 5:30 PM yesterday – 5:15 PM today (signing off 15 mins earlier)

Title of Books read: Liar’s Poker, Shantaram, Chances of a Lifetime, Bobby Fischer goes to war, Hellen Keller: Story of my life

Number of Books since I started: 5 (Completed : 3.. Chances of a lifetime, liar’s poker and shantaram)

Pages read since last update: 311

Running total of pages: 1640 (1329 + 311)

Amount of time spent reading since last update: 170 minutes (:P)

Total Running time: 1261 minutes (21 hours 1 minute)

Mini-challenges: 19

I did complete an unsaid aim I had set for myself.. finished off 3 books and read two books partially…

I will love to return next time with a bigger pile of books, in a relatively less finer print to add more to the book count ..  Jokes apart, hats off to everyone who helped in making this event such a huge success…

Later!

Final meme

1. Which hour was most daunting for you?

Hour 11- 12 (which was about 5.30 – 6.30 AM here)

2. Could you list a few high-interest books that you think could keep a Reader engaged for next year?

All the books were pretty gripping.. considering Shantaram is already a well-read book.. Chances of a lifetime, though belonging to a diff genre altogether, is pretty fixating

3. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year?

None as such.. I loved every aspect of it..

4. What do you think worked really well in this year’s Read-a-thon?

The cheer-leaders and their enthusiasm really kept everything alive.

5. How many books did you read?

5

6. What were the names of the books you read?

Shantaram, Liar’s Poker, Chances of a lifetime, Bobby Fischer goes to war, Story of my life-Hellen Keller

7. Which book did you enjoy most?

Shantaram

8. Which did you enjoy least?

Story of my life… I guess I was just not in the mood

9. If you were a Cheerleader, do you have any advice for next year’s Cheerleaders?

Not really…

10. How likely are you to participate in the Read-a-thon again? What role would you be likely to take next time?

I will for sure.. there is no way I can let go off this excitement … I will be reader for sure.. will think of putting in a mini-challenge too

Read-a-thon Update#9

Yeyi.. .. another session over.. could not go through much during this time.. thanks to the India-Aus cricket match .. Really hoping to make up in the 3 hours left with me (discounting the time i will need for a lunch break)

Time: 2:15 PM

Title of Books read: Liar’s Poker, Shantaram, Chances of a Lifetime, Bobby Fischer goes to war, Hellen Keller: Story of my life

Number of Books since I started: 5 (Completed : 2.. liar’s poker and shantaram)

Pages read since last update: 152

Running total of pages: 1329(1177+152)

Amount of time spent reading since last update: 111 minutes (:P)

Total Running time: 1091 minutes (18 hours 11 minutes)

Prizes won: None 

Mini-Challenges participated in: 17

I pitched in Hellen Keller’s “The story of my life” too. I did not find it appropriate enough for this occasion. So, I will again be shuffling between “Chances of a lifetime” and “Bobby Fischer goes to war”. I so wanna finish them both. What an outrageously exciting feeling..

I am going in for a 3 hour session.. so the next post will be the final post for me.

Read-a-thon Update#8

Aha.. yet another book completed.. I am done with Liar’s Poker and I loved it inspite!.. Very smooth and very simple.. brings to forefront the most pertinent and sometimes the least asked question about one’s career.

Time: 12:10 PM

Title of Books read: Liar’s Poker, Shantaram, Chances of a Lifetime, Bobby Fischer goes to war

Number of Books since I started: 4 (Completed : 2)

Pages read since last update: 165

Running total of pages: 1177 (1012+165)

Amount of time spent reading since last update: 115 minutes

Total Running time: 980 minutes (16 hours 20 minutes)

Prizes won: None

Mini-Challenges participated in: 14 (includes the hourly challenges)

We have entered into the last quarter… what a day and I am so very confident of making it till the end. The second quarter was the most difficult for me.. Right not I am feeling all young and vibrant again

Shall complete one of these two books for sure.. hoping to close in on both..

Read-a-thon Update#7

A session with loads of milestones.. FINALLY I have completed Shantaram..  what a remarkable piece of literature.. .. I have moved on to Chances of a Lifetime by William Christopher.. looking forward to it..

Time: 10:00 AM

Title of Books read: Liar’s Poker, Shantaram, Starting with Chances of a Lifetime

Number of Books since I started: 3 (Completed : 1)

Pages read since last update: 172 + 1

Running total of pages: 1012 (YEY… 1000+)

Amount of time spent reading since last update: 120 minutes (exact two hours  )

Total Running time: 865 minutes (14 hours 25 minutes)

Prizes won: None

Mini-Challenges participated in: 12 (includes the hourly challenges)

As time has passed, I have infact picked up on my reading speed and slowly let go of the mini-challenges. Initially, I made sure to take a break every hour to participate in the mini-challenges. The enthusiasm has subdued a bit thanks to the lazy slump of meat my body has been transformed into… I am awake for the past 25 hours and there is still atleast 8 more left

Shall complete Liar’s poker this session

@Dewey

Though I have never met her in person, but this event has provided me with enough examples on how wonderful she must have been.

Dewey is the person who conceived this idea of a read-a-thon, and from what I recall as one the comments of the current admins.. the first read-a-thon was taken care of single handedly by her. Some well paid off enthusiasm.

Kudos to  Hannah (WordLily), Ana (Nymeth), and Trish (Hey Lady!) for continuing the tradition. As a first time participant, I can say that you guys have created a wonderful event.

May god bless Dweye’s soul. RIP.

Read-a-thon Update#6

Huh. some long session… Shantaram really is keeping me all hooked up.. wonderful literature !! I actually wanted to write down all the quotes but I guess I am running out of energy

Time: 7:50 AM

Title of Books read: Liar’s Poker, Shantaram

Number of Books since I started: 2 (Completed : None yet)

Pages read since last update: 246

Running total of pages: 839

Amount of time spent reading since last update: 175 minutes (some session )

Total Running time: 745 minutes (12 hours 25 minutes)

Prizes won: None

Mini-Challenges participated in: 11 (includes the hourly challenges)

Its daytime again.. I have somehow survives the night-scare..there should be more life around even if it is in terms of morning rays and chirping birds.. read through such time and you sure will realize the importance of such things

Mid event survey

Mid-Event Survey:
1. What are you reading right now?

Shantaram and Liars poker

2. How many books have you read so far?

Shuffling between two

3. What book are you most looking forward to for the second half of the Read-a-thon?

Chances of a lifetime by Warren Christopher

4. Did you have to make any special arrangements to free up your whole day?

Not really.. It was an off@ my office.. I had to give up a concert’s free pass though

5. Have you had many interruptions? How did you deal with those?

Na.. not many.. just a food delivery guy and a couple of 5-minute conversations.

6. What surprises you most about the Read-a-thon, so far?

The enthusiasm of the cheerleaders.. its actually the most important thing that keeps this event alive. On a lighter note, the fact that random.org did not pick up my name even once is also much intriguing to me

7. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year?

Nothing in particular as of now..

8. What would you do differently, as a Reader or a Cheerleader, if you were to do this again next year?

Plan out before, so that I can focus more on reading rather than blogging and jumping around through mini-challenges, though they are fun as well

9. Are you getting tired yet?

Yep.. a bit drowsy.. but the next 12 hours should be fine.. ‘ll be the day time

10. Do you have any tips for other Readers or Cheerleaders, something you think is working well for you that others may not have discovered?

A bean bag and loads of water .. Music did work for me at times…

Read-a-thon Update#5

Almost.. almost 12 hours .. Its getting tough now.. feeling pretty sleepy and heavy headed already ..

Time: 4:40 AM

Title of Books read: Liar’s Poker, Shantaram

Number of Books since I started: 2 (Completed : None yet)

Pages read since last update: 152 (40 Liar’s Poker and 112 Shantaram)

Running total of pages: 593

Amount of time spent reading since last update: 120 minutes

Total Running time: 570 minutes

Prizes won: None

Mini-Challenges participated in: 10 (includes the hourly challenges)

Not much to comment from my side.. I shall be back to reading in some time now…