Reasons why i haven't blogged for a long time

1. i was afraid of plagiarism. i was afraid that someone might copy my original, brilliant works and pass them off as their own. the threat becomes more serious and grave with each passing grave as the popularity of my blog increases. the blog finally features in the first 106,564 search results when i google it. it has the readership of, hold your breath, one person. someday the world might actually care that it exists.
2. writers' block+laziness+procrastination=... do you really need me to spell it out?
3. do you really require another reason after reason no.2? in any case, even if you do, i am out of ideas, i am feeling quite lazy and i don't feel like doing it right now.
4. nothing important to say. just feel like typing some more. i like the clickety clack of the keyboard

however, the world needn't despair because i am back. temporarily. before i go out again and stop blogging for a while.

A Pen Is Mightier Than a Sword

And much easier to write with too.
there i have written something.

Overwhelmed!!!

college life has been so hectic that i have been unable to post anything. first there was the commuting across delhi, and then the hostel ( i am allotted a kitchen as my room) in case you are wondering. a pity, really, because there was so much to post about. from getting to know people in the beginning to cramming for mid semester examinaitons.
i have kinda lost touch with the whole writing thing. i haven't been reading the newspapers for a long time. don't know whats wrong with me. however, because i had to get that overwhleming feeling and frustration out of my system, here is my humble post to get things started.
from now on, i will blog my brains out.
whether the world cares or not.
muahhahaha.

the year without television

The first week has been on the whole a complete and utter failure. however i will not give up yet. i will valiantly struggle against the formidable army of ad-men and marketers who make switching off television a difficult thing to do for me.

The year without television

I am really annoyed with myself for not having studied enough over the past few years. I want to go back to a more balanced way of living. So I have come up with a decision that is quite radical to me: I will restrict my television viewer ship to a bare minimum. I will only watch television for news or for a really good reason ( and a fresh new episode of my favourite show doesn’t qualify as good reason). It is going to be very hard. I guess I will not even watch the Simpson’s, Spongebob Squarepants, Shinchan, or any of the tv shows I enjoy watching. It is going to be so hard. But I want to find if I get more satisfaction from studies and work. Anyway I used watch the shows I like only occasionally. Most of the time I used to pick up the remote to surf through channels and watch stuff I never liked. I used to be hypnotised by television. I was cognizant of the fact that most of programmes were utter trash but couldn’t bring myself to shut the idiot box. It was addictive. After the end of one show I kept going on to another, and another, and another. Finally, when I did switch off, I’d have a horrible empty feeling inside coupled with the guilt that I had wasted my time. Now I have decided to have a principle-centred approach to life.

The principle-centred approach is defined in one sentence as- “having everything in the appropriate quantity and avoiding anything in excess”.
Let’s see how it works out.

DCE/ NSIT Counselling for BE 1st Semester Students, 2008

Delhi General Category
Day 1
21 July 2008 was the first day of counselling for candidates belonging to Delhi General Category. The first four hundred rank-holders were called for counselling at the convocation hall in the civil engineering department building.
A tentative list of allotted branches for the prospective students was put up on a notice board outside the venue. Although the time of commencement of counselling was given as 10:30 am in the prospectus, it actually started at 10:00 am. However, the college held counselling for those people who were late to the venue later too.

The counselling was done in a brisk and transparent way, which was nevertheless a long wait for people whose ranks were closer to 400. Verifying officers sat in a single row on desks arranged on the dais in the convocation hall. Candidates were called according to their ranks and went along the row, submitting the necessary documents and collecting the admission slip and receipt along the way. There was a help desk and a hostel counter in addition to this. This hostel counter was only for those seeking admission in DCE as future NSIT students have to contact the college separately.

Most of the people there were torn between DCE/NSIT and other engineering colleges, particularly the IITs. For most of the top rankers, IIT probably won out as very few took admission in DCE/NSIT, especially for people in the top 100. Nearly everyone present there had a rank in the IIT-JEE 2008 regular merit list although many were not getting the stream of their choice. Others had their names in the JEE extended merit list. Most of the people were ranked less than 4000 in AIEEE (according to the AIR), i.e., they had ranks like 2000-3000 or even lesser. Many people I chatted with had gotten through at their first attempt.

Most of the people I talked with preferred NSIT over DCE, especially for Computer Engineering and Electronics and Communication Engineering. Many couldn’t explain why they wanted to so. A few chose DCE because it was situated near their houses. I would be grateful to anyone who can enlighten me about the right choice between DCE and NSIT and the reason or logic behind it.

It seems for quite a few people IIT was still on their mind. There were Brilliant Tutorial posters and pamphlets on the campus, sporting the blurb, “Do you want to be in IIT in 2009?” or some such thing. I have heard that quite a few people join DCE and then prepare for IIT JEE alongside, leaving it when their ultimate goal, i.e., admission to IIT is attained.
(DCE/NSIT is rather cumbersome to type all the time, so henceforth in this blog post DCE will stand for both unless stated otherwise.)

I don’t know what is right thing to do; prepare for IIT or focus on studies at DCE. I, personally, am confused. I don’t know what to do now.

I guess what it will do now I focus on DCE, try to excel at it; try to be the best in the whole world. I may give IITJEE just for the sake of redeeming my hurt pride, but I may also just forget about the whole IIT prep thing.
I guess instead of spending another year at IIT, it is better to get a post graduation degree in MIT/ Cal tech or any other globally renowned institute. One academic year would be half the duration of the MS/ M.Tech/ ME/ MBA/ any other degree programme. And many people from DCE do get great job offers and admissions in great institutes… it really depends on the persons and how well they want to perform at DCE.

That was the day one. Prospective students called on subsequent or previous days for counselling are requested to contribute to this bog post through their comments to make it a more comprehensive report as well as a useful guide on the admission process. Any useful tip, report or any other thing will be appreciated.
Anyone who has knowledge about the admission procedure and the method for allotment of hostels rooms at DCE is requested to contribute.
The views and topics taken up over here are open for discussion. So feel free to dissect, analyse, contradict, oppose or add to them in any other way through thoughtful comments.

Movie Review: Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na

I saw jaane tu ya jaane Na today at select citywalk in Saket (that’s a really pricy mall, but that’s another story) and I will give a no-holds barred critique of the movie today. I am kind of scared to do a critique through any other media, especially vocally, because the movie was liked and appreciated by many and they would descend on me in droves for that. So I won’t rate the movie or have an overall impression of it. I just intend to bang on my keyboard whatever crosses my mind during this time.
Ok. Imran Khan has been cast well into a role that suits him. But what’s the deal with Genelia (I think that’s the name of the female lead actress). She’s slightly screechy, shrieky and annoying. I don’t think that she does justice to the role. I thought that the role of the hot-headed, red-blooded Aditi deserved somebody better. The actress is good in pieces, and sometimes she’s really great, but I don’t feel that is a consistent performance.
You, the reader may have extremely different views but I guess everyone is entitled to their point of view and I am just expressing mine.
I really liked the characters like the corrupt police guy, played by Paresh Rawal; the lead guy’s parents and their extremely different views on violence and parenting, Aditi’s introvert brother and the two weird people on horseback.
The movie was quite funny in places but some of the jokes were old and worn.
The movie became really stretchy in places where the two lead actors contemplate their feelings, and do pretty much nothing else. Also it was very predictable, especially in the middle.
Oh yeah. And people whose parents don’t get along, or fight all the time, or get a divorce, or are about ( you get the drift) do not always end up distorting reality and living in denial unlike the character Meghna in the movie ( I guess that was the name of the female who had the bizarre “what’s this” game).
Oh and the songs. I liked most of them, but for the life of me I cant remember them, let alone hum them, except for maybe “kahin pe nigahein” and that is because I heard it on the radio a couple of times today.

In the end… I won’t conclude because I leave that to you.

However I realised that my reality is very different form what was depicted in the movie. I don’t know why but I just felt that way.

the annoying emptiness

Post school and pre college is such a dull time. There is absolutely nothing to be done. I am so sick of dusting my room again and again. Of calling up my friends but none of them ever calling back promptly. Of my friends and family being busy whereas I have nothing to do. Of being so grouchy and grumbly and whining about too much TV and too little fun. Particularly of being bitten by the frigging mosquitoes.It’s like all my creativity has been sapped. I have read the same books in the house again and again. Therefore I turn to the internet, the great refuge of the lonely and the forsaken, to whine about my predicament.

I was looking forward to the time after my exams as the magical time where I would catch up on all the things I couldn’t do during the exams. I thought I would read some good books, play some sports, miraculously make my blog the most read in the whole of blogosphere, take up some activities. Do something. But all the while I have been sitting on my butt the whole day. i wake up late, have breakfast even later, contemplate taking a shower, and finally take one just in time before lunch. This routine annoys me to no end. Life is too precious to be lived like this. And yet I am bound to this routine because of shear lethargy and inertia.
Another problem I face is that sports facilities and facilities required for other activities are not really easily found. Sounds like an excuse. But it really is true for anyone who lives in delhi and cannot afford to pay huge amounts of fees to the various recreational club. Its really, really frustrating.

finally a template i like

But nobody really cares. whaaaaaa.

Engineering the best

It would be an understatement to say that there is a mad rush for seats in engineering colleges in India. Maybe it is because it is one of the few professional degree programmes after which a decent job is guarantees. Most graduates receive what the journalists and media persons are fond of calling “fat pay packages”. I don’t know the scenario in other countries, but I came across a query in yahoo answers today regarding the prospects after a B.S. degree in engineering, which is obtained from the American universities. I was startled to see that their engineers do not usually command the highest packages immediately after graduation, according to those who answered the queries. One expressed the fear of getting the job outsourced.

It just underscores the fact that the competition indeed is global. I believe that the competition has always been global, but even more so in today’s day and age. Which is why IIT graduates, considered the best in India, generally have the best career prospects. However, those who are not in IIT need not despair. They can be as good, if not better, by serious dedication, hard work and application, you know all the attributes that are required in an IIT aspirant, and much, much more. This is because in addition to focussing on studies, one must try and excel at almost every field. One must be the best. However one should not focus on the outcome, but on the effort. Instead of sinking into a vortex of depression and negativity, one must always move ahead and redouble ones efforts and vigour. This strain of thought is so ingrained in the Indian philosophy and way of life. It is mentioned in the bhagvad gita, although this philosophy cuts across all divisions and religious boundaries. To quote the srimad bhagvad gita, karmanye vadhika raste ma phaleshu kadachan. It is always important to work and not worry about the outcome.

It’s really Oh yeah. A post that ruminates on life, the universe and everything, to borrow form Douglas Adams’ book. And when you thank heavens that this one got over I will be back with another, and another, and another, until, well, nothing really happens. So what really happens when we die? And why do so many humans ask this question?

strange that my mind is all buzzing with ideas and possible rants but when I sit down to blog all I can come up with is a blank. I cannot think of what to write about and pretty soon I will end this with some insipid little greeting like have a nice day.
Have a nice day.

Breaking news: the thing about news channels!!!!!!!!

A sensational post about the news channels!!!!!

Ok, not that sensational. But I had to have at least this much zealous fervour before attempting a piece on them. Twenty four hour news channels are opening up, well, 24/7. And evidently, the content is not much too report about. But we mustn’t be critical. We have got to laud the gusto with which the news anchors tell us about extremely significant issues of great national, nay international importance, like Amitabh Bacchan’s trip to a temple. The gentleman/lady in the suit enlighten us about every minor, yet significant detail, like who were they accompanied by, what vehicles they arrived in, what clothes they wore with so much breathless excitement that you think they might just wet their pants if Amitabh Bacchan was to actually walk into their studio.

Everything is breaking news, as if you hadn’t observed the big, fat captions. Whether it is a disastrous typhoon or Saif and Kareena, there is enormous equality in dealing with all the developments in the world. This is not to say that the news channels do not give importance to the main news. Anything about cricket is on top (omg, step by step analysis of the Bhajji-Sreesanth slap, including the angle of contact, duration of contact, its implications on national policy and eyewitness accounts!!!!!).

Bollywood news is a close second. Then there is the scoop on television shows, primarily saas bahu serials. Crime reporting follows up, with an in-depth coverage that leaves no gory detail uncovered and the reporters who strip the victim of all dignity by discussing every minute detail about their life (privacy, what’s that?).

Then they have coverage of recent developments, what some old-fashioned fuddy-duddy like me would call the real news. You know tragic disasters, political events, economic situations, crises, scams, important changes in different spheres of life, the drill. There is extensive coverage. And even if they don’t have extensive coverage, they will extend it by showing the same clips again and again until their equipment explodes or the viewers go berserk (or, if they are a bit more level-headed, they change the channel).
If the content is a little too staid, there are always the “attractive” (read: gaudy) sets, over the top captions and anchors in loud clothes and even louder voice. The news channels truly have a lot to offer, which I have been unable to cover in this post. I request you, dear reader to help make this post more comprehensive by contributing any points that may have been left out, or anything you want to say, through the comments. For more, watch this space.

Delhi transport: one project too many?

The metro constructions are in full swing, BRT is, by common consensus in a mess and new low-floor buses can be seen plying on the routes, existing along with the original old fashioned DTC buses and the much talked about, controversial bluelines. In addition, some ministers are keen on new transport systems like the monorail and god knows what else.

It is as if they want to try out every conceivable transport system ahead of the commonwealth games.

The metro project has, by and large, been a success. Although many citizens have been hassled by the process of construction, it has filled a gap for a mass transit system.
An aside here though. Some metro engineers and workers have not been sensitive to the fact that the area where they are working also inhabited by people. They have been using vibrating rollers for the roads without even taking into consideration the effect on the residents of neighbouring areas. The residents have suffered and complained but to no avail. Their complaints have fallen on deaf ears. The RWA members have not taken up their causes because mostly in such colonies, they live in the houses which are situated a considerable distance away from the site of construction and therefore don’t have to bear the brunt of the construction activities.
The vibrating rollers are to compress the pebbles and the earth together while fixing a road ( I do not the exact details, only the knowledge that has been gleaned by asking the construction workers at the site). They do so by sending across vibrations. The vibrations used to cause the adjoining houses to shake and sway. it was a terrible experience for the residents, especially for the ill and the elderly. The harried residents were denied their sound sleep at night since most construction activity would take place at night.

However, despite the trouble and the inconvenience, the general response to it has been good.

The BRT on the other hand, is a confusing issue. While I think that the idea of having designated cycle tracks and area for pedestrians is good, I think the plan is quite strange. There are so many weird things that I do not know where to start. Firstly, it is extremely odd to have the bus lane in the middle of the road, away form the pedestrian area. The pedestrians have to cross the road to board a bus. Secondly, I do not understand the reason to have constructed concrete dividers on lanes that bend and meander. The lanes are not straight. It is quite difficult to spot the dividers at night. The dividers can and do lead to accidents.

As a broad policy, I believe that the state transport system should not be a mess of different systems. The metro works fine for mass transit system, ie, when a lot of people have to travel to and from the same locations simultaneously. There should be a proper bus service, preferably courtesy dtc. It is absurd that the city should require a monorail when it already has the metro. Basically, guys, have something on your mind before you start working and do not start work helter skelter.
Another caution, there is a gianormous (read: giant and enormous) amount of corruption involved in such projects. Which is why ministers suddenly turn into supporters of bizarre projects, why consulting firms get strangely huge amount of consulting fees and so much other stuff happens that I may not even know about and I rely on you, dear reader to point it out. And, obviously the mandatory politics, to be practised for every issue, no matter small or large, significant or insignificant.

Ps: about medha patkar endorsing the brt as a vindication of the rights of the aam admi over the selfish interests of the car owner, I so agree with her.(she was reported as having said in the Indian Express something to the effect that noise over brt “failure” was raised by car owners who were unhappy because of less space for them) http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/Delhi-underground/323240/
Dear me, how very selfish of the car owners to expect so much space for themselves. Isn’t it bad enough that they complaint and grumble incessantly about the traffic delays when the vips go around to ensure the welfare of the aam admi? Especially when some of them may be thinking about sacrificing their commute along the reduced car spaces and letting go of their convoys for the rough ride of a private helicopter. Sheesh.
Btw: what about the aam aurat?

Random Musings

The blog where we try to pry out all the significant little things from the insignificant little corners they have been pushed to, away from our sight. Where we discuss and examine things that usually people don’t tell you about.
Where I get to post my musings on any random subject I fancy. Wheeeeeeee.

I recently read in the newspaper about the chief minister of Madhya Pradesh taking to riding a bicycle and talking about cutting down on the security and stuff. A political party called it ‘drama’. I think that this is one of the better forms of ‘drama’ by politicians. At least it doesn’t harm the environment. In contrast to their cavalcades, with at least 20 cars and red beacons and sirens, designed to efficiently put the common man at discomfort and waste the exchequer’s money.
Btw this blog has no political leanings. It is to be absolutely apolitical. Any attempt to construe the meanings of the things written here to be something unintended will be unwanted and really, really cheap.

All this reservation stuff is giving me the heebie-jeebies. I am really scared that unless I get a truly amazing, spectacularly wonderful rank in the engineering entrance exams I will not be able to get through anywhere.
What I don’t really get is why is the general category student being penalised so? Haven’t we a right to education. Why should it be our needs and our alone that are sacrificed at the altar of social justice?

I believe the number of doctors, engineers, research scholars, etc is very few in comparison to our population। And most of the graduates are deemed unemployable by the leading global and domestic firms and companies. This is evident in the mad rush for iit graduates. A whole many government schools ar e in shambles. the quality and quantity of graduates is generally deemed to be pitiful for a supposed giant of the 21st century. So I suggest that if the politicians and ministers are really concerned about the plight of the people, they take a long, hard look at the education system today. That they try to improve the system that caters to a large amount of population, many of whom are underprivileged, those who have borne the brunt of the caste system. Because the majority of the population doesn’t even get proper schooling. The majority include a lot of people who have been stigmatised by the caste system.
we all have a chance to help india improve. let us strive to be better than we are.

it's so good to be blogging

wheee. now i finally have an outlet to publish all the thoughts that have been full to bursting inside me.

fine print

Fine print
The place where we search for those significant little things shoved in insignificant little corners.

An outlet for all the random things that I like to ruminate (finally), in the true tradition of blogs.
The major reason why it took me so long to open a blog was because I tried to find out what is to be written in a blog. After a lot of research ( ok, a couple of google searches), I have come to a conclusion that a blog can be about anything under the sun. which is exactly what this blog is going to be about. Unedited and unrestrained.
As for the title, well that’s another story I’ll tell when I am in the right frame of mind.

One thing that really creeps me out in the world is so many vested interests in all the things we come across. Sometimes I feel like crying out loud where is the justice, where is the fairness in the world.


I recently read in the newspapers that a major American tobacco company is sponsoring research projects at an American university under an agreement which gives it a right to stop the university from making any research related to adverse effects of tobacco use public. This is so wrong. Tobacco kills. In the worst way possible, claiming lives not only of the users but also of those who are exposed to second hand smoke. It is bad enough that the companies make money by selling such products. They profit on people’s addiction, their ill health and diseases, their miseries and woes. It is even worse that they are withholding such vital information from the public. They don’t even let their consumers know what they are doing to themselves and others through their action.

I am glad that Delhi University has become a smoke free zone. I hope that all public places in Delhi become smoke free zones. We need to have a zero tolerance policy against that to safeguard the interests and health of non-smokers. It was shocking to learn that second-hand smoke is one of the leading causes of lung cancer among non-smokers. I see no reason to allow smoking in public places. It is like killing a section of a population for no fault of theirs just because of the selfish pleasure of the smokers and profits of the cigarette industry. It just makes me fume (pun unintended).

And now my mind is blank. I guess this is what they call a writer’s block. My mind was overflowing with creative juices which have been sucked dry. I had so many things to write, so much stuff to give which suddenly has been wiped out the moment I sit in front of the computer. Hmmm.

I saw rang de basanti recently. I can see injustice everywhere around me but I wonder of the method shown in the movie can be applied practically. I also wonder if the youth around are ready to bring about a change. To bring some sanity in the world.

I wonder.

Ah rains in delhi. There come the mosquitoes.
And so I have finished my first instalment of musings with many more to come.
Maybe I will start writing novels in instalments and publishing them on my blog, like
Dickens’s serialised novels. Hmm. Interesting.