मुझे मत रोको

The lyrics of the song aren't extra-ordinary but somehow the way Kavita Seth has rendered the composition is quite soulful. I mean some relief amongst all this crap that FM channels keep churning.

मुझे मत रोको मुझे यार के घर जाने दो
मैं हूं परवाना मुझे शम्मा पे मिट जाने दो

उसको पाना ही मेरी ज़िन्दगी का मक्सद है
गर वो मिलता है मुझे मर के तो मर जाने दो

दिल की आंखों ने मेरी अपना सनम देख लिया
अब इसी दर पे मेरे दम को निकल जाने दो

Listen to the song and the album on Raaga. Checkout other popular sufi/ghazal compositions from the lady, worth a listen.

Apparently, Chandigarh does have its share of classical centric cultural activity going on in Pracheen Kala Kendra (Web of melody captures city audience), should catch one of these concerts sometime.

B-Theory Punchlines

(I believe the following are original compositions, any aberration may be reported)

Punchline:
Fuddu, fuddu fuddu fuddu yeh jahan
Fuddu, fuddu hum bhi yahan
Product: Life in 2006
Inspiration: Rang De Basanti - Ziddi

Punchline (more like an anthem):
Shit kari sukh karan
Shit kari dukh hoye
Nagar dhindhora pher doon
Shit na kariyo koye!
Group: Association of the Victims of Acidity
Inspiration: Tirlok Gurtu - Remembrance

Punchline: Give us 15 minutes, just 15 minutes, we'll change your life
Product: Prostitutional Inc's Devirginator
Inspiration: Bajaj Capital

Punchline: No one can beat you (as well as we can)
Product: Delhi Police ka danda
Inspiration: Slobodan Milosevic

Punchline: Clean Hair, Green Hair
Product: Fructis (for dry and damaged hair)
Inspiration: Delhi Government

Punchline: Thoda aur chalega
Product: Car-backing collision protection device
Inspiration: Saffola

Punchline: Hum Hain Na!
Product: Bhojpuri version of Main Hoon Na
Inspiration: ICICI Bank

Punchline: Kuch log Sumo Victa chalate hain!
Product: BPO's Population Eliminator
Inspiration: Sumo Victa

(Watch this space!)

Social Entrepreneurism

Aaditeshwar Seth has done an excellent job of collecting link and writing briefs about a lot of efforts going in this area (on my wishlist for years now, time to see some action, I guess). See his meticulously created blog.
Though I have never met him but have heard about him from my ex-roomates. This guy needs to be tracked, followed and read!

As the congressmen like to say: Aaditeshwar aage badho, hum tumhaare saath hain! :)

Generating Jobs: Indian Legislature Style

What the fuck is going on?

I haven't had any time to read about this new legislation thing in papers, but from what I've heard around and read in emails, this absolutely sucks. I mean 50% reservation in the 21st century. Are you out of your frickin' mind or something? It is no surprise that no political party is opposing it too. Damn you guys, go eat some crap. what good is the reservation supposed to do? Does anyone make sure that reservation is being used for the upliftment? I guess not, there were this brother and sister duo in my college who entered through the SC quota. And they were certainly not from under-privileged strata of the society. Both their parents were IAS officers. And yes, the parents themselves became IAS (and rose through the ranks) because of quota. Isn't this ridiculous? As if these quotas were not enough, there is a quota for freedom fighter's grandchildren, a defence services quota, a sportsperson quota. Where does it stop? Most of the people filling the seats in the last three quotas come from families which certainly don't need government aid to make ends meet. And whats with waiting 50 years for upliftment of the downtrodden?

This is a sure shot receipe for societal chaos and eventual breakdown. And we (including me) should not let it happen. For beginners, please join the Anti-Reservation Action Forum on orkut, I am not sure what they plan to do, but at the least it will be a single way to address people who are concerned.

Then, please sign this petition and this.

I am also looking for ways to use private firms to form a policy that will cause rebellion against the ridiculous legislation. Here is how it is supposed to work: Private firms decide not to go to campuses, hire only through their own recruitment process which filters the wheat from the chaff, campuses forsee tougher time and a dilution of their brand (lets face it most people know certain campuses only because certain firms visit those campuses and the foolish cycle continues), and thus the campuses, with all their faculty, current student and alumni - basically the crème de la crème of the society rises, more actively than at present, against the bill. Any pointers to such a thing already taking place will help.

Ah, coming to the subject of this post, on deeper thought, I conclude that the legislature let this bill pass to conform to their long standing promise of generating jobs. Here is how, let's make it a figure-it-out-yourself exercise.

1. Go to the nearest video rental shop and rent The Day of the Jackal
2. As you will notice, a lot of men, at one count about 100,000 are in one way or the other involved in catching Jackal.
3. Think about what this reservation will lead young, capable, and frustated guys into.
4. Yes, crime is the answer.
5. Who is incharge of (how successful is the story of another day) keeping tabs on crime?
6. Good, you're learning. It is the Government.
7. What is needed to keep tabs on crime?
8. Yes, men (Or "yes men", whatever)
9. So more crimes mean more men required.
10. More men required means, more jobs.

Ah, there is a little problem. 50 % of these men will be from the Scheduled and Other Backward Castes. All their life they would have gotten in through the backdoor. So they will be less capable of doing anything right. Or, lets just say less willing. So they will encourage corruption. And more crime. Voila! This is a self perpetuating way of creating jobs. Hail reservation.

I am disgusted.