An ad for India

Here's an ad dedicated to a billion of us fuming at the moment.




Feels good to know I'll be doing something like this which would reach out to all my countrymen at the same time at Nokia...

ISI Chief summoned by New Delhi

(Disclaimer: My opinions, my views... Please do not quote these as a source anywhere!)

Finally it's a move that speaks of some spine on the part of the Central Government, never before have I heard of such a bold move in the international political scenario. What good would a mano-a-mano in New Delhi do for the PM is something a rookie like me can't understand. There would be similar chants of "condemning terrorist attacks" by the Zardari colleague no matter where they are... Maybe the Pakistani administration has nothing at all to do with these attacks, but would they accept the allegations at face value just because they happen to be in Indian territory?

Waiting eagerly for the responses from across the border, and wondering just what a huge amount of our national resources would be spent ensuring security for probably the most unpopular guy in the country !!!

Peace.

India's 9/11

(All the opinions in the post below are strictly my ponderings - I do not wish to offend / provoke anyone, and I have been and always will be a Mumbaikar to the core)


"It's the day after - and the trains are still crowded - damn, the spirit of Mumbai is unbreakable"

Is a SMS I get from a friend stuck in his office all night thanks to the curfews in the city. I've been hearing about this "Spirit of Mumbai" ever since I was a kid - be it the Babri Masjid riots, the innumerable bomb explosions, the charred trains or the calamitous floods. Praises have been sung about this spirit in media across the world.

This factor which amused me at the start and gave me a certain sense of pride is now forcing me to rethink my perception of the "spirit". Conventionally, a spirit is something that is obtained after the death of a living creature, and that is precisely what Mumbai has long been - dead !

People move on back to work after such disheartening occurrences not out of bravado or the spirit of showing the miscreants that we are "invincible". On the contrary, people move on because they can't afford to stay and mourn... Life has to go on only because life depends on daily livelihood - quite literally in most cases. People feel bad about what is happening, badmouth the media, curse the administration, blame the Gods and damn the terrorists - and get back to their lives as if nothing has happened. How will anything be accomplished if the cycle of events is this predictable - when only those who have lost their near and dear ones shed tears and are hushed by the promises of monetary compensations. Will there ever be a collective uprising against injustice in Mumbai, or any Indian city for that matter?

They say the public memory is short - let's see how short it turns out to be this time !!!

For voices from fellow bloggers on the Mumbai terror scene, check out the list at Indiblogger

26 - the unlucky date

Another dark day in Mumbai's Book... Some how the date 26th has not worked out well for India. Be it earthquakes, floods or terrorist activities... It scares my heart to imagine that I've been to most of these places in the past 1 year -

Orchid Hotel
CST Station
Taj
Vile-parle
Metro Cinema area
J W Marriot
Nariman Point
Leopold cafe...

As I write this post I see news of firings in JJ School and Cama hospital. Sitting in the TV room, these are some of the comments I get to hear...

"Koi AK-47 leke kaise ghoom sakta hai !"

"Is level ki planning karne waale smart log aise kaam kyun kar rahe hai"

"Isse to accha subah jaake vidhaan sabha mein aisa kucch kar dete"

Don't have anything new to write, just sitting still with hopes that no-one i know has been unfortunate enough to get affected. To my fellow Mumbaikars who have been unfortunate, I pray you find some peace and courage.

Mumbai is getting too big for the government to manage. Tears my heart to say this but I believe it's time the island city gets its own governance, security and entry barriers. The people of Mumbai have run the Indian economy for decades now, it's time they get their due diligence...What a big mockery it is that 26th Nov - Law Day in India was chosen to break the law and order in such mammothly disturbing ways !

And this is plain sad google

The same joke two days in a row?? How 'un'googlish !

Today's fortune: The guy who reads your fortune disappeared and our boss is furious. We hope you have a lucky day

The google sense of humour

Orkut sayz:

Today's fortune: The guy who reads your fortune lost his psychic powers (and his job). We hope you are feeling lucky.

Thank God there's no blame on India / Indians this time around !!!

Second level of hell...

Here I always thought I'd get into the first level with my resume ;)


The Dante's Inferno Test has banished you to the Second Level of Hell!
Here is how you matched up against all the levels:

Level	Score
Purgatory (Repenting Believers)	Very Low
Level 1 - Limbo (Virtuous Non-Believers)	Low
Level 2 (Lustful)	Very High
Level 3 (Gluttonous)	Moderate
Level 4 (Prodigal and Avaricious)	Very High
Level 5 (Wrathful and Gloomy)	Moderate
Level 6 - The City of Dis (Heretics)	High
Level 7 (Violent)	Very High
Level 8- the Malebolge (Fraudulent, Malicious, Panderers)	Very High
Level 9 - Cocytus (Treacherous)	Moderate

Take the Dante's Inferno Hell Test

So you think you can dance...

Look at this guy ... the most amazing dance video I've ever seen ~~ ... If only I were half as good during t-nites, my section would have won hands down (and with a lotta stomach pains )





On another note, "Indian society" has progressed (?) by leaps and bounds ever since I' remember.. Every subsequent generation is more independent of the older one. I ponder over the day when I see 15 year olds moving out of homes and getting into live-ins. I've been away from home for the last 5 years, and I miss home :(

Of Kangaroos and Mobile Phones

Got an offer from Nokia yesterday, but the task of being a semi-placecommer kept me busy - Won't write anymore ... I fear TOI will quote anything I put here as an article tomorrow, never expected a respected name like TOI to use "anonymous" students for an article, and that too with all the wrong numbers :P

On another note, am sooo hating Matthew Hayden these days, "India is a third world country" he says, well yeah - this third world country kicked your kangaroo ass fair and square. Alwayz thought the protagonist in the "grapes are sour" joke was a fox, maybe it's time they changed it to a Kangaroo :)

Cheerios

The stage is set

It's time to perform ... let's see whether there are applauds or rotten tomatoes in store for me ...

The world watches while young aspirations are tested...

Tschuss

From Longlisted to shortlisted

Guess I won't be completely vela on day ZERO here ;)

Bell the CAT - Tips from a guy who got lucky :)

With CAT around the corner, and all those of you who care enough to prepare for it. Here's some stuff that helped me in the last few days: (Feel free to add on stuff through comments, I'll edit the post accordingly)*

1. Mock CATs : Make sure you have got enough Mock CATs in your belly, the syllabus is restricted to the minimum of all 10th boards (To spare the anguish of different papers for doctors, engineers, CAs and so on). There's only so much they can do to frame new questions. Learn how to solve questions you don't from the Mock CATs - if you are unlucky enough, all 75 odd questions turn out to be those you thought would never come and never cared for !
2. Strategize : You just need to get about 30% questions right in every section. Right at the start, decide how much time you need to give to each section (based on Mock CAT experiences) - Look at the total number of questions in the section, start reading, choose and solve the easy ones, and keep track of the number you have answered. As soon as you are confident that you've scored 30% of the total score in the section - Move on to the next. Repeat the cycle and read the remaining questions when you've got some surplus time left.
3. Don't compare : CAT is not meant to be solved completely in 2.5 hours, so don't fret if the girl sitting next to you has solved 3 questions more - (compliment "her" if you see some future there though ;) ).
4. Know your fractions : Although I never did, many people claim knowing things like 1/16 helps you in the exam.
5. Look for candies : Someday, some papersetter might decide to give you an easy break with putting in some absurd options. Try to develop a knack for picking out that answer thats "screaming" to be picked. A little uncommon common sense like "evens don't add/subtract/multiply to odd numbers" , round numbers usually operate together to give answers in rounds etc... can save you a lotta effort.
6. Choose well with verbal : It's smarter to answer questions where the answer flows from the question directly than to read questions where all 4 options need to be evaluated before a conclusion can be made. (Standard disclaimer applies)

Hope this is remotely helpful. If you happen to be reading this a day before CAT and haven't done any of the above - chill, it's a matter of how calm / lucky you are in those 2.5 hours.

More gyaan on the exam general prep by a fellow vela-iima-guy boondiii here

Cheerios


*If you are attempting to read this ridiculously small font, you need to get a life - Blogs are not subject to any jurisdiction and all standard disclaimers about the author's view blah blah apply by default ;)