My Den

DELHI 6

2009-02-23T22:57:00.002+05:30

I just returned from watching Delhi 6 and I am tired seeing all the heroines potrayed as bubbly, talkative, sensitive and chasing their dream (which means career and not a husband and kids) kinds. The movie had good theme but it had lot of loose ends, acting was disastrous! The director tried his best to get the best out of Sonam Kapoor, it is not his fault if the best was restricted to her smile and hairstyle! Anyway..hope everyone is doing good!

Practicality of life: nothing new that you do not know

2008-10-15T09:52:00.001+05:30

As we are young, we have lot of ideals, of being truthful to ourself, faithful to others, helping those in need, respecting others irrespective of who the person is, having certain mission on life. However, in practicality of this world, many get lost and their ideals are remolded: become good to those who are good to you, money is very important (or perhaps the ultimate aim) and ask them to help the needy? They would rather earn and do some charity. This is how life works; perhaps it is the test of ideals you held once. I would never like to lose my ideals, I know I have changed a lot in past years in quite negative sense, I want to go back to the person I was, I do not want to be practical. I remember that in 10^th, 11^th class, I used to regard the phrase “being practical” as very derogatory. I do not know why I started following its path. I regret it. This world is critical of everything. You take a step in some direction; people will tell you that you are stepping in a pit. Again, I regard all this as test of your ideals. Just have faith in what you are doing; the world will be with you. Dammit, I have changed so much. I just remembered that once in a declamation contest I had talked about self esteem being so important in life. How people with strong determination just focused on their target, nothing else mattered to them. I do not say that I have any big vision in life. But yes, I do have certain goals to fulfill, how I want to see myself 10years down the line. Anyway, life goes on..tata

BAD BAD

2008-10-07T22:00:00.002+05:30

Over the past few years, I have come to know myself much better and more I know myself, more I hate myself.

I have such poor temper and once someone gets in the net of my short temper, I make sure to make his/her life hell. This is so contrary to what Riju was once who had ideals like "behave with others the way you want them to behave with you", blah blah..This Riju aint any good.

HERE I AM..:)

2008-08-08T22:54:00.001+05:30

Sometime back I was reflecting on how clichéd everyone around me is, that everything is often so predictable that you just feel, ah, not again! But then (as it always happens with me) an afterthought follows..times change and one’s understanding of various happening of life also alter. Some person whom you once believed was the most diabolical in the world turns out to be quiet friendly, people whom you perceived as benevolent turn out to be complete dolts. I enjoy this dynamism in life, everything keeps on evolving, nothing is constant…it is fun.
P.S: When a girl is crying, a guy’s most clichéd response is “you look beautiful when you cry” (Source: Bollywood)…DUH!!

Bakwaas...........

2008-03-28T09:21:00.000+05:30

There are two categories of people in this world; first consists of those who believe in doing something, who evolve themselves over time, the second category includes those who are mere spectators in life, who spend their life discussing about the first category. Latter class is very interesting. They discuss what is the latest mirch-masala news on TV, what Mr.A is doing, what they ate last night, basically infinite meaningless accounting of what is happening in their “vivid” life. If they happen to be more “intellectually” inclined then they would have their own set of discussions which often are mere attempts to show how well they understand some author/movie/drama etc. (has to be “artistic”).

There are abundant channels to reinforce such character in a person. They will cater to your dead grey cells so that you don’t have to make any efforts to understand what is happening, however, as long as you don’t have to make those cells working you are cool about it.

Who is to be blamed, what is to be done?
I am not sure about it. In introspection I think the second breed has the easiest path to flow though the destination will ever remain hazy. Being the easiest, it has the highest demand. But it is the first one on which I desire to be on, always.

UNTOUCHABLES

2007-07-11T18:51:00.001+05:30

Thomas Friedman in his tryst with flat world defines Untouchables as people whose jobs cannot be outsourced. I will mould the definition and say Untouchables consist of those whose jobs cannot be substituted by another person. Such jobs can be divided into three categories: “special” workers, “specialized” workers, and another set of workers who are “really adaptable”.

Now in my quest for a job I am wondering which category I will fall in so as to be secured for lifetime.

Special workers are all the big names like Bill Gates, Larry King, Amitabh Bachchan, and Britney Spears. They are not afraid of their jobs being taken away mostly because the job they are doing have been created by themselves. The kind of acting, singing, reporting is like their copyright.
Some introspection: What job can I invent which will be my and only my copyright? Answer: Blank.

Let’s move on to the second one: Specialized workers.
This category includes specialized doctors (for example: Trehan, Venugopal), specialized lawyers, engineers etc. Their skills are always placed high and hence always in demand. No fear of loosing out to anyone and safe and secure future. Now which field can I specialize in? Tough question, but still searching for an easy answer.

Next category consists of “really adaptable” people. That means constantly upgrading your skill so that no one can overtake you from any side. That means constantly involved in honing your skills and also enhancing it. This adaptation is not like “Adaptation amongst reptiles” or “Adaptation amongst Aquatic animals” as they adapt once and that’s all. But here adaptation is ever evolving. For a lazy bee like me Thomas Friedman says “really adaptable”.

Is there any fourth option?

HULLO

2007-06-27T21:18:00.000+05:30

Tring Tring. Here I am back to blogging. How is my blog doing?
So anyone who happened to read my blog and had the misfortune of again visiting it must be wondering where was I and why the hell I am back..hehe
I will answer the latter part. I am back for my own selfish reasons as usual and that is to engage myself in writing ATLEAST SOMETHING.
Have been wondering though what I will write as there are so many things happening but writing it to bore others would be unjustified and uncalled for.
And here I am bidding adieu to the first year in college. It had been the most beautiful year ever. No, don’t worry I wont start with explaining how it was and what I learnt and what mistakes I committed and still didn’t learnt etc. No analysis. Only thing is that everything changed, my viewpoint (though I had none but still it sounds kind of philosophical to write..hehe), the way I look at things, I changed, some say for good n many say for bad but for me there was self-realization and right now I don’t care which direction it took me to.
Have been caught up in many things and in addition my laziness kept me away from blogging but now I hope to be a little regular.
Hasta la vista

GARDEN OF CHAOS....

2006-11-29T15:52:00.000+05:30

Hello people. I am sorry there is nothing much i can/have to write about. Just sharing a nice story from Indian Express, cut copy paste is an easy task u c!!!!Between a question, please give your suggestions over it(however small) "DO YOU HAVE TO JUSTIFY YOURSELF EVERYTIME, THAT IS WHATEVER YOU DO/HAD DONE WILLINGLY,UNWILLINGLY?"
Here is the article:

Garden of chaos
R. P. Subramanian

Once upon a time there was a gardener. His name was Bharat, and he was in charge of a little garden. All kinds of plants, small and big, grew in it. Alas, the garden had been cruelly neglected by its many previous owners. Trees and bushes wore an emaciated look. The well had run dry, weeds sprouted everywhere, and the soil was devoid of nutrients.
Advertisment

Slowly but determinedly, Bharat began to revive the garden. He pulled out the weeds, dug another well, and found a leaky but serviceable bucket, with which he drew water from the well for watering the plants. There was not much water to go around, but he made the most of what he had. He knew that the young plants — the seedlings—- needed more care than the sturdier adult plants. So he reserved most of the water for them. His efforts started to show results. All the plants in the garden perked up visibly and began to blossom.

And then, one day, a well-dressed man appeared at the gate and gazed critically at the garden. “Nice... but you shouldn’t treat all the seedlings with the same amount of care!” he remarked. “Trees hog much more water than bushes. Therefore you should give more water to bush-seedlings than to tree-seedlings. Also, don’t club all the bush-seedlings together. The ones with light green leaves need more water. And oh, don’t waste water on seedlings of bushes with red or yellow flowers, or with thorns; there are too many of them! Instead, save it for bushes with blue or white flowers, or those that bear fruit!”

Bharat was impressed by the stranger’s educated tones. “By Brahma, I never thought of it that way,” he replied, scratching his head. “All this while I’ve been thinking that all seedlings — whatever their kind, be they bushes or trees — deserve the same start in life. I’ll change my methods at once!”

Bharat did as the stranger had advised, but to his dismay the garden rapidly began to decay. Some kinds of seedlings died because of lack of water; others because of overwatering. Many adult plants withered away, leaving no young ones to replace them. Parasitic weeds began to sprout faster than poor Bharat could weed them out.

One day, the stranger reappeared at the gate. “Hey, I followed your advice... and look what’s happened to my garden!” Bharat cried indignantly. “Who are you anyway?”
“I’m a scientist,” the stranger replied loftily. “I have a PhD from the Institute of Affirmative Action...”

AGAIN SO HAPPY

2006-10-25T21:21:00.000+05:30

I am so glad today..met my once best friend in school. Dammit it has been 7 long years!!N where did i find her?ORKUT(though i find it a complete time waste)!!i am so happy today..feeling so good talking to her.

I AM GOING NUTS!

2006-10-20T18:10:00.000+05:30

Hello people
I don't know what's wrong(or i guess "right" would be the right word to use) with me today, i am going completely mad, the usual me...And so much enjoying that!!lolz.
Happy Diwali to all the lucky ones who get to read my blog!God will surely bless you!

THE CONTRAST

2006-10-10T21:13:00.000+05:30

So the holidays are coming to an end. The days are passing so fast, really. This monday is our school's annual day.
2-3 days back, I was coming home by bus and happened to pass by Janpath(those who don't know, thats a place where you are legally allowed to protest for anything and everything). Was appalled by the scene there. Around 150-200 IITians and medicos protesting against reservation and mere 4 people sitting for protesting against the armed forces special power act prevailing in North-East. Irom Sharmila who has been fighting for the same, has been on fast unto death since past 6yrs demanding the removal of AFSP.
Just see the mere contrast. In one case, it seems we have become so selfish, discarding the fact that SC/ST/OBC need special attention and if this special attention translates into 50% reservation for the 70% around population of the country, it is nothing but an Affirmative action to bring these communities on par with the rest of the elite. Dilution of merit is a very ridiculous concept i feel. Noone can deny that there does exists a correlation between amount of money you have and the kind of qualifications you obtain(ignoring the attitude which may differ). Give them a chance atleast to participate in the so-called "elites".
Ask women the question of "women reservation" in the parliament and see their response. I don't think anyone will deny that cause it benefits them after all and yes they have been discriminated against..no denying that either.(will benefit me if i wish to stand for elections, lolz..what say?)
AFSP gives since 1958 the right to shoot at anyone who is suspected to be a rebel. And many civilians have been killed using this act. And look at the brave woman, an icon for today's youth, has been nominated in the year 2005 for Nobel Prize for Peace.
"My fast is on behalf of the people of Manipur. This is not a personal battle"
Irom Sharmila Chanu, quotes BBC.

WORLD OF CONTRADICTIONS!!

Mon Annniversaire

2006-10-02T00:00:00.000+05:30

Each year I feel my birthday becomes more special..more warm..just because of such great people god has emailed me!!lolz..internet effect!
I love my birthdays.Everyone does, except those spiritual ones who say "Each day is my birthday"(comme mon pere who doesn’t himself remember his birthday, indifferent!)
And every normal person loves gifts.I am not the ones who says no, I don’t accept gifts, just your wishes would have been enough. I love gifts specially the ones which are personalized.
So here is a gist of some of the AWESOME(an understatement) gifts I got this year..

All in chronological order..

A CARD: that was by a friend in the college. I have a good collection of cards now. So I imagine myself one day getting all old n worn out and I will see the cards and be drown in the memories of my bachpan.

BOOKS: These ones were very special as they were in Hindi and by a friend who calls me "little girl". I have now thought/planned to read hindi literature, a break from Sidneys n Eric. N ya I got one in English as well, that was by a very humble uncle at British Council

FLOWERS: Oh man!!great fragrance ….I had them with me all the time in the evening. They were so pretty n girls always love flowers n moreover to be specific, roses!
FURTHER TO ADD HERE, SOME OF MY VERY GOOD FRIENDS HAD COME OVER FOR DINNER(THEY WERE LATE THOUGH!!..:( )..AND IT DID MEAN A LOT TO ME..ANOTHER GIFT!!!!

A DUPATTA n A CARD: I just got this craze of wearing suits all the time and had a scarcity of dupattas so my intelligent friend thought of giving this beautiful gift. The card was good, wont say great cause it had me when i am 16 n happy and 18, old and wrinkled..And a frog on its cover saying that it resembles me. Though i still found it very cute..

NIA's gift: I cant describe this gift in one word. It was by one of my best friends..She is just one hell of a friend..Every birthday I get a letter from her which generally says how nice n sweet I m…J ..so obviously I love that.Let me describe you this gift. It was in a jewellary box. Had a serene beautiful set of pearl earings+a letter+a cassette+some ghungrus+a candle+a green stone+ cheque which entitles me to a "lifetime of loyalty, love, friendship and support".That was so sweet but one of my silly friends kind of ruined it a little by putting some food over it. And justification? It will remind me of the fun I had on the treat..ha!!! So the cassette has been SPECIALLY recorded for me which includes my friend’s advices and suggestions, basically Rjing exclusively for me and John Denver’s songs.

A CAKE: This was made by a 12yr friend..i certainly felt ashamed as I don’t know much cooking and this girl knows everything !!!!N I know for sure that this being ashamed of myself will not at all inspire me to learn cooking..will need some special kind of force/inspiration for that and ya also time, busy people you see.

ANOTHER CAKE: Sent by another friend but I couldn’t eat it. Guess Why? Here is it’s photo.

CANDLE: I am wondering whether I can actually use it as a candle or not. It is one of those which has fruity fruity smell, very nice indeed.

LADY’S PURSE: This is quite contrary to what a friend calls me, little girl. Little girl got a purse. Last year i got 3 such purses!My friends surely think that I am getting richie rich. Mom is eyeing on this gift, I have to keep it safe. Liked the colour and quality a lot.

And how could i forget so many smses and calls!Its one day when you feel so Important!n Busy!

Lastly, a gift is awaited to be given by my parents, will take a month from now I guess. Very Excited about that!

ME ANGRY!!!

2006-09-14T17:48:00.000+05:30

Has it ever happened to you? You have been very angry at someone..they promised you something but u never got that..you are angry, damn mad at them. Whenever you then confont them, you just swift away with your face full of attitude...trying to show that buddy i m busy. The face tries to picturise and project that whatever they did is unacceptable but beneath, you are laughing...or atleast smiling.

They call on you, you act as if your ear-drums have gone for a vacation, they ask you something, you try to keep the response as short as possible and just nod if the words really are not required…trying to be a snob, a good one.
You wished that they would come to you, bribe you for something but nothing happens….all in the dreams..and even if they turn up, you move to the other place..perfect snob!

I had been once told by my junior, "one bad thing done by youcan erase your 1000 good deeds to that person". How true. Not that i did not know it before but sometimes it so happens that these small messages by someone remain etched in your mind forever.
And its cause of this that my anger always fails with such people. It is as if some other soul living in my body shouts and reminds me how valuable that person is, how much i have learnt from them n that whatever I am today it could not have been possible without them. Everything washes off!! But still you try to be angry, try n try.
And not even an hour passes that you come back to normal…. Chattering all the way!!

Three 9/11s — choose your own

2006-09-13T09:42:00.000+05:30

Another cliche "9/11 shook the world". World here for sure is synonymous to United States...in the history of mankind there have been two much more important 9/11s. Noone seems to remember that. We like to hang ourselves only to destruction and glorify war. Not on a single channel i could see a documentary or any kind of short film on Gandhi but talk of 9/11 of 2001, it was everywhere. Whole world seemed to remember how one unfateful day around 3000 innocents were killed but what about the daily killings in Iraq and Afghanistan..for that whole of our life will be gone in rememebering if ever started.

an article by P.Sainath..i know its long but do read it(i know u wont though), P.Sainath is one hell of a journalist!big fan of his articles n knowledge!

P. Sainath
There were three 9/11s in history. The New York one of 2001. The neo-liberal one of Chile 1973, and the non-violent one of 1906 — Gandhiji's satyagraha in South Africa. The authors of all three tried to change the world. Two brought bloodshed, destruction, misery, and chaos. But the Mahatma's WMD — Weapon of Mass Disobedience — helped change the world for the better.

FIVE YEARS on, the world is a more dangerous place than it was prior to September 11, 2001. Acts of terror, real and presumed, cause panic each month across the globe. Hundreds of people have been killed in terror attacks in many countries. Tens of thousands have been slaughtered in wars in Iraq and Afghanistan alone. Both nations have been ravaged and devastated. Millions of lives have been disrupted forever. Lebanon lies shattered. And more and more flashpoints — even nuclear ones — emerge. In a divided planet, there is one zone of agreement: the worst is yet to come.
The appalling crime committed in New York on 9/11 — when close to 3,000 people were murdered in the WTC bombing — is still fresh in memory. One claim of the time was that it had "changed the world forever." Did it? And in what ways? The West's search for security against a global threat continues. It was there in the 1960s too, when the satirical song writer Tom Lehrer sang an ode to it in his "MLF Lullaby." The `multilateral force' set up to `deter' the Russian threat was its subject. "MLF, will scare Brezhnev," crooned Lehrer, "I hope he is half as scared as I."
Changing the world in terms of `exporting democracy' has come a cropper. The bloodied streets of Iraq show us just how insane that notion was and is. As for Afghanistan, it gets more bizarre each month. Take the recent claim by British Foreign Office Minister Kim Howells. "Across the country progress is being made. Afghanistan had economic growth of 14% last year." Well, in 2003, the same country had the fastest rate of growth in the world — 21 per cent. More than half of that coming, as the United Nations noted, from opium. In any case, Afghanistan's figures improve if you just stop the bombing for a few hours. It's not hard when your base is zero. Or worse.
Both the crazies who brought down the WTC and those later responding to them, stay firmly convinced they are changing the world. The world itself remains somewhat stubbornly resistant to these notions. In every society, the Muslim-non-Muslin divide has deepened as neighbour suspects and lives in fear of neighbour. The war on terror translates too, into a war of suspicions and nerves. Meanwhile the basic pretexts for the assault on Iraq have collapsed. A U.S. Senate panel finds that Saddam had no link with Al-Qaeda whatsoever. And the weapons of mass destruction story has ceased to be even a joke.

Neo-Liberal 9/11
September 11, 1973. Then it was the export not of democracy but of terror. This was the day the elected government of Salvador Allende in Chile was brought down. By the Chilean armed forces led by General Augusto Pinochet. And fully supported by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency. Allende was pushing measures that favoured his nation's poor. But even the most modest re-distribution of wealth was intolerable to the Chilean elite. As also to the U.S. corporations controlling so much of the economy.
"Make the economy scream," President Nixon ordered CIA boss Richard Helms in 1970. His order was duly carried out. A vast array of overt and covert actions were launched to wreck that nation's economy. "I don't see why we need to stand by and watch a country go communist due to the irresponsibility of its own people. The issues are much too important for the Chilean voters to be left to decide for themselves," declared Secretary of State Henry Kissinger.
The 9/11 of 1973 saw what analyst and author William I. Robinson called "the bloodiest coup in Latin American history." Over 3,000 people were murdered after the armed forces bombed and stormed the Presidential Palace. Allende himself went down in the battle. Estimates of people killed in the years that followed range from 3,000 to 20,000. Well over 100,000 people were arrested in the first three years. Many simply "disappeared." The film Missing starring Jack Lemon was inspired by this period.
Chile's National Stadium was used as a concentration camp. Thousands suffered gruesome tortures. And many of them were slaughtered. Among those tortured and put to death here was the legendary Victor Jara, one of Latin America's greatest musicians.
Chile's 9/11 also marked the start of the imposition by force of a neo-liberal economic model on an unwilling nation. U.S. economist Milton Friedman and his "Chicago Boys" ran riot in Chile. While the putschists raped, tortured and murdered pregnant mothers and children, neo-liberal policies had the same impact on the economy of the poor.
Some 25 years later, the U.S. and the Britain were still holding Gen. Pinochet's hand. The leader of Chile's bloody putsch was arrested in London while there on a visit. This followed an Interpol Red Notice. A warrant had been issued against him in Spain for crimes his junta had committed against Spanish citizens in Chile during his 17-year dictatorship. But his old friends in the West did not desert him. (The same powers are driving trials of war criminals in Iraq and elsewhere.) Pinochet is back in Chile — facing murder charges there too.
Latin America, though, is seeing a wave of anti-neo-liberal globalism protests. And a trashing of pro-U.S. regimes. Whether in Venezuela or Ecuador or Bolivia. Last year, tiny Uruguay became the first nation in the world to ban water privatisation. Others too, are reclaiming their natural resources from foreign corporations. The world is changing, but not in the way the authors of 9/11, 1973, hoped for. Moral authority in Latin America belongs to a Castro or a Chavez. No pro-U.S. leader comes anywhere close.

Non-violent 9/11
The first of the 9/11s did help change the world. That was the day Gandhiji's Satyagraha in South Africa first began — September 11, 1906. Today is the 100th anniversary of that launch of his non-violent resistance movement. Gandhiji was quite clear it was a war he was fighting against racism and colonial oppression in South Africa. A war he saw as touching anti-colonial sentiment in India as well. A war he felt he had a strategy for. "Only the general who conducts a campaign can know the objective of each particular move," he later wrote. "And as this was the first attempt to apply the principle of satyagraha to politics on a large scale, it is necessary any day that the public should have an idea of its development."
For decades, the weapon of mass disobedience he had developed rattled the British in India. Gandhiji always referred to 9/11, 1906, as the day it all began. "The term satyagraha was invented and employed in connection therewith," he wrote. And listed the times where he used it again — in India. It was to be used yet again in South Africa much later. It was also used by Martin Luther King in the civil rights struggle in the United States.
On that day in Johannesburg, the Indians Gandhiji spoke to were more than a little mystified by his notion that the might of the Empire could be engaged differently. It's a debate that lasts to this day. With no easy answers. Gandhiji himself acknowledged there were no "miraculous qualities as such in satyagraha..." And that a movement which lost sight of the truth would find the technique of little use.
Yet, the struggle put the South African government in the dock. It saw the repeal or suspension of some of the more obnoxious laws the Indians there were opposed to. Very importantly, it brought about a vital measure of Hindu-Muslim unity amongst Indians in South Africa for the first time. New factors were to make things a whole lot worse later. But at the time, it set off a process that caught on in many other parts of the British Empire. Not the least within India, led by Gandhiji himself.
The British had to contend with the rising of millions of ordinary people. His weapon and its allied tools helped forge great changes in Indian history. But this General was not for war. "War with all its glorification of brute force is essentially degrading," he wrote. "It demoralises those trained for it. It brutalises men of naturally gentle character. It outrages every beautiful canon of morality."
That was in an era when another global figure, then bigger than Gandhiji, had declared "War is the most natural, the most commonplace thing... War is life. ... all struggle is war." Hitler too, changed the world.
Three 9/11s. One that helped change the world for the better. Two that had much in common. The bloody slaughter of innocents, the brutalisation of millions. And the imposition of regimes hated and despised. Juntas with no legitimacy at all. Think of a Pinochet now hiding behind pleas of age, ill-health, and senility to escape justice Think of an Iraqi regime whose leaders almost no one can name. Or of a Hamid Karzai in Afghanistan whose writ barely runs across the presidential palace in Kabul. Who has to at all times be protected from his own people by American soldiers. Think also of a Henry Kissinger who has curbed his travel in recent years for fear of facing war crimes charges in more than one country in Europe. Think, too, of an old man who warned: "An eye for an eye will make the whole world blind."

WATER PRIVATISATION-SOLUTION OR A PROBLEM?

2006-09-11T18:05:00.000+05:30

Another boring article from my side. This one has been written for the economics magazine of our college. U can read first para n jump last if u wish to or u can read alternate ones..anything u wish..n leave ur comments if u wish to!!!Heartiest thanks to those who read it completely!n also to the ones who "try to"!

"India has recently seen an important development on the water entitlement issue with the state of Maharashtra passing, after years of study and EXTENSIVE consultation with civil society, local communities and all political parties, the Maharashtra Water Resources Regulatory Authority Act, 2005, the heart of which is the creation and management of a water entitlement system" says John Briscoi, senior water advisor, World Bank(Hindu, 22nd March 2006)
It’s interesting to know how the bill was passed on the last day of Maharashtra’s assembly amidst other 16 bills. The bill was not read, forget being debtated by the assemply but yes certainly passed. And the result? World bank announced Rs.1700 crores towards water projects in the state.
More interesting is the "two-child norm" on which this act is based on. It says that if the farmer has more than two children, he will have to pay one and a half times the new rates of irrigation. Thankfully the law has not been enforced yet!
As India is moving towards becoming world’s one of the fastest growing economy, at the same time it is also easily succumbing to the pressure of International Organizations like World bank and IMF to move towards privatisation. Privatisation of water is becoming one of the most disturbing trends in developing countries. According to an estimate by Mande Barlow, "water business" is worth $400 billion(annually) worldwide.
In 2005, through filing an RTI by Parivartan, an NGO exposed on how Delhi Jal Board changed its criteria, deleted scores by officials for giving a multi-million water supply contract to PriceWater House Cooper(PWC). Arvind Kejriwal of Parivartan aptly termed it as an "ideological corruption".
Water Privatisation is infact one of the conditions that determine the extent of loan under World bank’s Assistance strategy.
Many countries under the pressure of World Bank privatised water distribution. Suez, a French multinational increased water rates by 140% in South Africa forcing 11% of the community to reply on river water. This led to 1,20,000 people being affected by Cholera. Bolivia is another country where water privatisation led to manifold increase in water rates. All those who couldn’t afford it were denied water supply. Masses led by Oscar Olivera protested against this injustice which eventually led to the set up of an enterprise which is neither private nor state-owned. As Mr.Olivera puts in "Private enterprises are for rich people and state enterprises are basicallt private enterprises of a political party". True to an extent
World Bank it seems is propogating "Survival of the Richest".
Chile and Latin-America rejected privatisation of state run water company. Uruguay went ahead for an amendment in their constitution saying, "Water is a natural resource essential to life. Access to water and sanitation are ‘fundamental human rights’ and ‘public service of water supply for human consumption wil be served exclusively and directly by state legal persons" India today needs to learn from such a small African Country working for its "aam aadmi".
It’s inefficiency on the part of government they say is leading them towards Privatisation.Leakage losses in Delhi are as high as 40%, highly inefficient for sure but is privatisation the answer?
Rajendra Singh, perhaps can be termed as "Water God", revived five dead rivers in dry state of Rajasthan, has since 1985 built some 4,500 earthen check dams, or johads, to collect rainwater in around 850 villages in 11 districts in the State. Residents of Neembi in Jamwa Ramgarh tehsil of Jaipur district spent Rs.50,000 in building johads and is today earning around Rs. 3 crores annually by selling agricultural products.
Some further argue that increased prices will lead to greater incentive for producers to produce more of the good and better efficiency! Sounds a good justification for propagating free market theory involving basic necessities and making richer "more" richer.
Another set of argument says that privatisation is the only effective way to deal with "water crisis". The very concept of terming the situation as "water crisis" is questionnable. Billions of litres of water guzzle out daily in private water parks, golf course all over the world. There is never a "water crisis" at such places. Coke itself used 283 billions litres of water worldwide in 2005. We already know what happened in Rajasthan.
The solution doesn’t lie in privatising. We have seen it through examples all over the world that privatising basic commodities will only led to exclusivity of water consumers (if that term can be used). MNC’s are certainly not charitable organizations, their aim cannot be prosperity of common man but just profit as seen in countries like Bolivia, Canada, Argentina, South Africa. One can understand any businessman making profit but making profit at the cost of human misery is an unpardonable offence.
In France, "Electricite de France", a government owned company provides 95% of electricity in France and ranks as the world’s largest electircity company in terms of production capacity.
Delhi Metro is the perfect exampls of how public sector can run as efficiently as an successful private company.
Solution lies in forming water cooperatives as already in existence in towns of Rajasthan where people are coming forward, collecting money to build their own water distribution system. Government has also formulated a policy to encourage such cooperative efforts in water resource management and distribution giving 50% grants to such water cooperations. Obviously it should be 100% funded by the government but as it is said "something is better than nothing".
In 1990 Nobel Laureate Octavio Paz in his Nobel Lecture said, "Market economy cannot be simply a cause for joy. As a mechanism the market is efficient, but like all mechanisms it lacks both conscience and compassion.
We must find a way of integrating it into society so that it expresses the social contract and becomes an instrument of justice and fairness. The advanced democratic societies have reached an enviable level of prosperity, at the same time they are islands of abundance in an ocean of universal misery. A society possessed by the frantic need to produce more in order to consume more sends to tends to reduce ideas, feelings, art, love, friendship and people themselves to consumer good. Everything becomes an item to be bought, used, and then thrown on the rubbish dump."

UNTITLED

2006-08-14T19:17:00.001+05:30

Voila!!!Nivya, my friend has written a poem which is yet to be titled but already stolen..its on Independence Day..please leave your valuable comments, me and nivya will surely appreciate that..

UNTITLED

It’s the same night once again
With the same bondage
Not of the aliens this time
But of the minds cage

Think of everytime you have stood back
Due to indifference and fear in your heart
How may lives you could have changed
But how upon them you dart

Tonight resolve to break this change
which hold u tight
for your blood must run through yout heart
to give happiness and light

Be deaf to what the world says
And expects you to repeat like a parrot
Listen to your free mind
And let you be the country’s tarrot

In the morning when the sun rises
Let your heart say
That I will make a difference
As its our independence day!!

Mon amie, Nia!!!!!

SCHOOL FOR SUCCESS

2006-08-13T19:52:00.000+05:30

Hi there!
Since i am not much free kinds nowadays so cant post an entry(wanted to write about how college is going and how i was thinking i am getting messed up but everything sorted out automatically) as of now. But here is a very interesting report on a school build by Anna Hazare, great social worker and presently part of the protest against the proposed deletion of file notings from RTI.

SCHOOL FOR SUCCESS
SUNANDA MEHTA

AHMEDNAGAR:WHEN the Shri Sanstha Nilobray Vidyalaya in Ralegan Siddhi village in Ahmadnagar district turned 25 last year, the authorities’ wish-list was short. They just wanted the walls of the school to be plastered.

For funds, the school decided to approach its former students. The alumni took less than a week to pool together the necessary Rs 2.5 lakh. It was payback time and not one former student wanted to miss the opportunity. Because, were it not for Nilobray Vidyalaya, each of them would have had to bear the stigma of ‘failure’ all their lives.
LOCATED in the back of beyond in Maharashtra, Nilobray has a focus few other schools can aspire to match. It specialises in taking failures and repeaters from all over the state and ensuring that they clear their board examinations with flying colours. Not only does the school have a near-80 per cent passing average, but it has also produced national level sportspersons over the years.
“This year again, we are planning a celebration of sorts to commemorate our silver jubilee. Again we will ask our former students to be on the committee and take charge,’’ says Annasaheb Kale, the school’s principal, confident of his former students’ response.
The confidence is not unfounded. Ask Sandeep Tarde and Vaibhav Wagh, who joined Nilobray after failing repeatedly in their earlier schools. Today both boys, who passed out of the school four years ago, compete in rifle shooting and football at the national level.
Then there’s Nilesh Khambe, a Std X student who was asked to leave by his Pune school after he failed in Std VII. The boy scored 68 per cent in his last exam and is also a national-level kabaddi player.
“Every school in the state wants only brilliant students on their rolls. Where will the low-scoring students go? Most would end up as criminals. It is to prevent this from happening that we decided to dedicate this school to failures,’’ explains crusader Anna Hazare, the man behind the institution.
LITTLE wonder then that when Amol Shivaji Ravre applied for admission at the three years ago, his application received top priority at the school office. The boy had failed twice in the previous class and had never performed well in studies.
Today Ravre’s ninth standard report card shows a proud 60 per cent and as the 15-year old talks of his dreams of joining the army after passing out of school, there is a newfound conviction in his voice.
At any given time there are at least 800 such students at the Vidyalaya. “Most of these so-called failures are actually just misguided youngsters. Students who fail elsewhere do well here because we give them focused attention in an encouraging atmosphere,’’ says Hazare, who now wants to introduce vocational training.
To minimise distractions, students lead a structured life. The day begins early, at 5.30 am, and ends at 11 pm after being divided up among academics, sports, studies, yoga, general knowledge and practical training in crafts.
“We can watch television once a week, but because we are so busy all the time, we don’t really miss seeing it,’’ says Khambe who wants to pursue kabaddi even after passing out. Excellent food, a deep student-teacher bond and a conducive learning atmosphere are the other factors contributing to the success of the experiment, feels Kale.
Subhash Pathare, the school’s geography teacher cites examples of freshers addicted to tobacco and liquor who turned over a new leaf within three months of being in the school. “Thanks to Anna none of this is available in our village, which is half the battle won,’’ says Pathare.
Then there are those newcomers who, despite being in the sixth standard, do not even know how to write their names. “For such students we have a special class every morning, where we start with the barakhadi (alphabet) and go on till they can catch up with the rest of the class in terms of reading and writing,’’ adds Pathare.
BECAUSE of its success, the school now gets students from all over the state for its 800 seats. Occupied strictly on a first-come-first-served basis, the coeducational school has a hostel only for 250 boys. Day scholars don’t pay any fees, while the hostellers pay Rs 40 per day.
The teachers’ salaries are paid by the government, which also gives the school an annual grant.
With 60 of its 85 candidates for the tenth standard board examination passing with flying colours, the school has reason to be proud. “But what pleases me the most today is not just the fact that we made them into individuals who can contribute to society, but also that they are good human beings,’’ signs off Hazare.

GUIDE FOR INTERACTING WITH JAPANESE

2006-08-05T21:38:00.000+05:30

Here are some of the tips which were given to the Indian teachers going to japan for teaching English. Found them interesting so posting here.

1. The Japanese often find the Indians somewhat arrogant. Perhaps this is because an Indian, with his superior English language, has a tendency to talk down to the Japanese. Even in India those of us who have been educated at English-medium schools tend to speak down to those who have been through vernacular schools. Actually, apart from having 100% literacy, most of the Japanese acquire a reasonable knowledge of English at the high school stage – it is just that they lack the practice of speaking it. They are generally shy vis-à-vis foreigners; the language problem makes them more so.
2. They appreciate our democracy in the context of free elections and a free and highly vocal press but are shocked at the wide economic disparities.
3. When speaking to them, our language should be simple and sentences short.
4. Precise facts and figures are appreciated.
5. Exaggerations must be avoided. They respect cautious and conservative individuals who can be credible.
6. We have a habit of saying "no problem" in an over-confident manner. The Japanese have had many sad experiences, facing problems at every juncture in India. Hence, avoid saying "no problem".
7. Punctuality is extremely important in Japan. Apart from anything else, it shows that you have respect for the other person’s time
8. The Japanese respect the Indians as highly intelligent people but they also feel that often we are a bit too "clever". In dealing or negotiating with them, it is advisable to overcome their fear of our cleverness at an early stage. This is best done by putting one’s cards on the table honestly and conveying transparency.
9. They find many Indians boastful, domineering and tending to monopolize a conversation or discussion. They like people who are prepared to listen. A degree of humility is appreciated.
10. They appreciate the Indians’ debating capacity but find many Indians excessively argumentative (i.e. arguing for the sake of arguing) and not pragmatic enough. They, on the other hand, are a highly practical people, more proficient with their hands.
11. By Indian standards, their systems sometimes appear inflexible. This is because they plan things in the minutest detail; having done so, any sudden change becomes difficult. We on the other hand are always improvising and can, therefore, be flexible.
12. It may take longer than elsewhere to arrive at an agreement in Japan but, once an agreement is reached, they are entirely dependable and trustworthy.
13. They are extremely neat and hygiene-conscious.
14. And finally, friendships, once made, are long lasting.
by Arjun Asrani(Former Ambassador of Japan)

One Nation-a poem not my mayankji but a song!!

2006-07-18T15:28:00.000+05:30

As reported earlier by me abt the following poem, frndz it aint a "poem"..since i m a "gawar" in rock music, didnt know that it happened to be a song by SOULFLY...some confusion b/w some ppl..anyways.still u can read on the following lyrics..

A vision of unselfishness, a union of black and white
One nation of all races, it's clear within my sight
I see it clear, no hate, no fear, no soldiers sent to die
A state that's free and thrives on peace, no greed, no threat to life

We won't build the weapons of war which looms over your heads
We'll not feed the war machines that lead our youth to death
We won't close our eyes to the atrocities which abound

We won't stand and watch until we're six feet underground
The future is our burden, we can't stand and watch
As the world around crumbles, opposing armies march
We work towards our goal: one nation - unity
And you must be the convert who works towards world peace

Muthafuckers around us who stand and say no way
Opposing lessened armies, they say are here to stay
But no one knows until we try, what we all can do
I won't watch children die, it's up to me and you

Our world is divided, the boundaries have been drawn
Ideas are decided by where you have been born
You can't judge people by the government of their land
They're flesh and blood like us - why don't you understand?

The future is our burden, we can't stand and watch
As the world around crumbles, opposing armies march
We work towards our goal: one nation - unity
And you must be the convert who works towards world peace

Great na?

"Don't give anyone right to effect you in anyway"

2006-07-11T09:55:00.000+05:30

People who really know me know how I am. A lil hyper at many times. I let things easily effect me as in if something is wrong it's very difficult for me to accept it the way it is. If I love something/someone, I m gonna be crazy abt it/him/her, that’s me! Extreme at times.

I know its not a good quality at all so I asked my best friends about it. They say "Don’t give anyone right to make u frustrate/angry". At first thought I don’t accept it, why? In reality we don’t give anyone such right but that person automtically takes. The attachment with a person becomes so strong that the right automatically flows.

But then on second thought, it is helping me right now. Wyy shall we keep ourselves so attached to people who perhaps don’t think the same way for us? Attachment is the word here. As our culture says "Shun off all ur attachments". Once I was heavily attached with my cell. I lost it and I cried like hell, for me it meant a lot, a lot!! but then I realised my mistake. The deep attachment I had built up with my cell proved fatal for me. The new one which I got now, it is more advanced than the earlier one but now I aint that attached and I must say I am happy now.

I accept this thought not completely for there are few people (few things as well) in my life as in everyone’s whom I have given that right. . . I can't help it, it's automatic as I said but I am being careful not to rush through things now.

N0thing!

2006-07-07T20:09:00.000+05:30

Hmm...

Getting bored!!!! Feeling kind of lonely also. I mean man there is nothing to do except reading books, irritating my cousin sis and dad n mom, watching the same old news! There is nothing new, nothing happening. From a week now my college will be starting so very apprehensive regarding that also, kinda scared of the new environment. . .

Went to school today to meet all the teachers, same old school. Not missing school, not missing anything, may be yes may be no. School was fun but then now it seems as if it was some chapter of life which is finished, no more…so I have stopped thinking over it even.

Plus the bad weather. . . Why the hell can't it rain???? Feeling very low for reasons I don’t know, I cant understand. Some friends are busy and I don’t want to disturb anyone. Everyone is on with their lives.

Missing chatting with friends, missing laughing over things I enjoy from my heart. Not that pretentious laugh which I do confess I often do, bad I know, wonder umm…anyways..

Au revoir
Hope you enjoying!

My best medicine - Music!

2006-07-04T13:30:00.000+05:30

I love it. . . Can't be without it. I hate rock music, dunno how people listen to it (I hate it perhaps cause I don't listen to it). Somehow rock music makes me more tensed and out of world. I don’t like Punjabi music either, primarily because I don’t get the words (which I think most of the fans of even Punjabi songs don’t, but they like it because u-r-supposed-to-lov-it). Neither do I get the sense of listening to such jumpy numbers, really gets on my nerves and these remix songs! Some songs are actually well remixed but some are too bad plus their videos are big time cheap. Songs of great legends and the body of a woman, both for SALE. . .anyways. . .

So I got this CD "Reincarnation" by Ayaan and Amaan Ali Bangash. Man!!! Have not ever heard such soothing music. Literally it takes off or rather sucks out all the tension and worries n stuffs you with lots of optimism and smiles!!! Food for soul it is for sure without saying anything, without muttering a single word but yet telling you that the world is so beautiful. It has even the power to treat my cold which my friends would know is a sure BIG DEAL. It's basically Ayaan and Amaan playing sarod mixed with some other instruments + singing meaningless words (my friend told me the musical verbatim of it but cant recall). My cousin sis hates it and terms it is bakwaas. . .hehe. She gets very irritated when I hear it and starts off her radio which produces A VERY BAD remix!

Its getting so hot. I was out with my tons of friends yesterday! Left home at 9:45 in the morning and came back at 6:45 in the evening. The place was too far, took one hour to reach there (It was a treat from a very adamant friend who wasn't ready to change the venue but it's ok since all the time it's what we want). After eating there at Pacific Mall, we thought of going for a movie but bad planning it was, tickets were not available. So then we thought of going to India Gate and that was fun!

I hate Malls! I don’t like that culture at all. The floor of pacific mall was vibrating so much, it felt as if that place gets continuous earthquakes and how peaceful it was at India Gate! Played like lil kids, aankh-micholi and chain-chain! Dunno if I m gonna enjoy in my college like that. . . :-(

Let me be "Me"

2006-06-24T14:21:00.000+05:30

Whenever I used to meet someone too studious (or geek as they are termed), I used to pity at them for having literally zero life beyond books, no friends, no parties, no music...nothing. I used to think how better off I am from people like these as, though I may not be a genius in studies but I do manage to involve myself in other aspects of life. But after some introspection lately I realised how wrong I was to make such conclusion. How am I to say that the lives of such studious people is BORING? Perhaps to an extent it may be for me but how can I even think that these people don’t enjoy their lives immersed in Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Maths…Their cup of tea might not act as a stimulant for me but I have no reason to believe that it doesn’t for them.

I might enjoy being with my friends, chatting with them, reading novels et al and so does this so called other breed enjoys their interests! Its their life and they have every right to do whatever they wish to in life. Perhaps for them, I might be a not so enthu about studies and because of that a boring kind of a girl.

I had taken up French in 9th class. I was nervous of my performance in 10th Board Exams in French so I joined Alliance Francaise. I must say that studying there gave me a complete new dimension for French. In every break I used to go to the library and listen to French Radio and get lots of French books. I used to spend days studying the French comic books (tintin) and make lots of extensive notes and I enjoyed the whole experience like hell! My other friends there didn’t think the same and I believe that they termed me as geek! But I never cared because I was just pursuing my interest, my passion and not committing any crime! So I let them do their part of gossiping and kept myself invloved in doing what I wanted to.

Now when I compare my experience of being geek to people around me today I realise how wrong I had been. These people work hard, put in all their blood in the preparation of various entrance exams and get amazing ranks. I used to think it's because of some in-built talent that they are able to do so but now I feel its more because of the hard work and so much perspiration they had put in since years for achieving their goal.

I guess we should allow people to be what they are and not make conclusions without knowing anything about the person.

Amen!

Rendezvous with Amjad Ali Khanji

2006-06-05T19:55:00.000+05:30

Yesterday, I had an opportunity to meet the great sarod maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khanji. Dad knows him personally as he belongs to MP as well. So he invited dad and me for a small meeting (though it went on for 1hr 45min.). The time decided was 6 pm at Habitat Centre and mind you he was there exactly at 6 (or I think 2 min. before). Sad part is that it was just he and not his sons (I find Ayaan more mature and cute). I also have had talked to Ustad Amjad Ali Khanji on phone occasionally when he calls to talk to dad. A human being with such a strong grip on the Indian traditions and culture is I think very hard to find in today’s world. Whenever he would call, he would first say "Namaskar" and then further introduce himself and ask for dad. I would obviously fumble with excitation. His voice, his articulateness automatically sets you to admire and respect him. But the tragedy of our country is that the same person doesn’t really get the respect which he without any doubt deserves. It was really very disheartening to know how he is being muddled in our country’s bureaucracy.

Tansen as we know has been a great musician of our country. Ustad Amjad Ali Khanji wants an academy to be set up in Madhya Pradesh on his name, a centre for music, dance and art. He has written innumerable letters to the state’s bureaucracy, the cultural ministers, secretaries but not got a single acknowledgement letter from any. HOW SHAMEFUL! All these letters were personally drafted by him. Prime Minister had announced during a cultural meet in Gwalior that this project will be taken forward. Ambika Soni says that she has approved of it and the money has already been allocated. But nothing as for now has taken shape.

Gwalior, a city where Ustad Hafiz Ali Khan, father of Amjad Ali Khan lived doesn’t have a single auditorium for cultural events!! Ustad Amjad Ali Khanji told us how he and other artists perform in Gwalior with sand blowing on their face. Is this what a human being of such high stature deserve? This is the respect which a country which prouds itself with its rich cultural heritage give to people like him? In foreign, there is museum for every great legend including all the musicians and artists, writers. The place where Shakespeare was born is so very well maintained today. Drawing inspiration from Beethoven museum, Ustad Amjad Ali Khanji formed a Sarod Ghar in Gwalior devoted to the great legend Ustad Hafiz Ali Khan. Shouldn’t Government have had taken initiative here? Though they did give all the funds required then but is it enough?

It was embarassing to know how the treatment Ustad Amjad Ali Khan is receiving at the hands of our "esteemed bureaucrats". I came to know through newspapers that he wasn’t even invited for a Madhya Pradesh Cultural Festival organized last month. State where he was born, where he gave so many musical renditions doesn’t acknowledge the same!!

He is not even the member of Bharat Bhawan which is one of the biggest cultural centre in Bhopal. He has sent so many suggestions to the state government to improve the cultural scenario of the country but all in vain. In the web of this bureacracy and politics we are loosing what we are known for. Ask for spending crores of money on barely 11 minutes show during the closing ceremony of Commonwealth Games and their rains the money and here, the actors and actresses and various other stars demanded lakhs even though they represented their own country, Saif after performing at commonwealth said that he felt very patriotic. But his patriotism did cost us heavy! And on the other hand we have artists like Bismillah Khan. We are it seems lost in the maze of what sells and what doesn’t.

I wonder why these bureaucrats behave so irresponsibly, insensitively when these are the ones who are supposed to be few of the brightest of our country. They are the ones who are able to crack IAS exam but still!!! I don’t wish to generalise here as there are at the same time numerous other bureaucrats who are worth their positions.

Our culture is our pillar and if this pillar breaks, I don’t think we will have anywhere to go. In the game of politics and bureaucracy we are losing our heterogeneous and soft image. Let these musicians, dancers, artists who know our culture, understand it, suggest policies and implement them. Frankly I don’t know how to conclude this. There is so much to be done. Heere (Diamond) ko chamkane ki bajaye hum usse aur kaale paani main duba rahen hain! Let's hope this diamond continues to shine even then.

Metro Guide

2006-06-01T14:48:00.000+05:30

Since this metro has come up, you have to take all the guests to see this wonder (for us Indians, it surely is). Yesterday was I think the fourth time I took some guests to the Metro. Best deal is to buy a six rupee token (great creative Indian mind) go to Kashmiri gate, then come back to Rajiv Chowk and catch up the blue line till Jhandewalan to see the unplanned city through Metro.

Yesterday, mom insisted on buying eight rupee token (the reason I havent found yet). That was till Chandni Chowk. So we took the same route and returned back to Rajiv Chowk. Then further as planned went to Jhandewalan. I insisted that we should get down to Jhandewalan and buy another set of tokens since I anticipated that the same token wouldn’t work. But my dear mom had some other plans!!!

She said that the same token (through which we got in Rajiv Chowk) would work. I was for sure very skeptical about it. But mom will remain mom. So we tried our luck (to be precise mom). Tried to put in the token at the exit and it said INVALID. The security guard (or whoever) saw us and checked all the tokens and politely yet with I-caught-you attitude asked us to go to the customer care counter. Mom told the customer care guy that we purchased the ticket for Chandni Chowk. He smiled perhaps thinking "Indians pakke Indians hi rehange" and demamded 10 bucks each as fine.

I was enjoying the whole process cause it was in a way MY WIN!!! lolz. After giving the fine, as expected, mom started justifying it by saying it was "ANOTHER EXPERIENCE" (there were many more justifcations as well) and I didn’t loose my chance in telling everybody how mom got us into such an embarassing position and ya, after we gave the fine, there was another big bunch of people who met the same fate, but they seemed to be Biharis I guess. . . ;)

Finally! I have my own Blog account

2006-05-29T20:12:00.001+05:30

Hi friends!

I am so glad today to have created my own blog account. Hmm. . . So what am I supposed to write here? I for sure would not share my personal details, don't want to bore you with that but I hope to be connected to my friends through this blog and I ORDER you to "kindly" leave your comments.

So all of you must be right now entangled in the web of MISSION ADMISSION. These channels hype it so much that it feels as if all of us are going for a war in Iraq! So how is life going? About me, uumm. . .I don't know but somehow I feel laughing seeing how things are going in my life. Why laughing, I frankly don't know the reason, after all you can't find reason for each and every thing in life. There is so much uncertainity, uncertainity over whether the subjects I am going to take up be as interesting as I have always thought so, over whether I will be able to make real friends in my college, will I be ever able to pursue what I always wanted in life, will I be able to excel in my subjects. Also will I be able to meet the expectations of people around me? The last one though should be meaningless since it's your life and you it's master but the really high expectations of people do submerge you. It feels as if I could run away to a place where no one knows me and does not have any expectations from me but then these are the people who fuel u up to meet the challenges of life, weird dichotomy of life!

What are u guys doing nowadays??? Me is just reading non-fiction books and scanning all the newspapers. Trying to absorb all the happenings and widening my knowledge on various aspects. Plus the admission thing which is making my brains go round and round. . .Ok then, please keep me updated with whats happening!!! Hope to meet you soon.

Hey! Did you catch up with Fanaa and Da Vinci Code? I hope to see the two in the coming week!

Au revoir