You are allowed to hate me...

First of all let me clarify that I am not trying to explain myself, I am against reservations and no one can really change my mind. It's gone on too long and despite what Vaibhav says, is NOT effective.

What I am disappointed about, is his immediate reaction to what he perceived as my assumption of superiority. Possibly (but I won't take the brunt for it) prompting him to write this post.

What I was trying to elucidate - possibly with a degree of political incorrectness - was that reservations are almost never used for anything other than buying votes anymore. Upper middle class students are going to college at the exchequer's expense while the really needy ones have to settle for second best and if anyone doesn't believe that he should get a reality check.

If dalits are disillusioned by their unchanging social status then they will sure as hell never change it with stamp on their I-cards that says they can study for free. I am sick of hearing stories about how dalits need reservation, what they need is a free library and parents who don't drop them out of school, both of which are not really achieved by notarising their caste certificates. How it can be done, I don't know. Those at the bottom have to work harder, as unfair as it may sound it is the only way and you are allowed to hate me for speaking the truth.

P.S: If anyone is surprised at the blatant use of the word "dalit" then I must say that I prefer it to "backward class" because I don't believe their is anything backward about anyone's class irrespective of what the government would like to print on a piece of paper.

The best laid plans of Mice and Men...

"Ah...another one!" was my exact reaction to our man Arjun's proposal. I firmly believe that no one can become successful in the true sense, on borrowed capability. With all due respect to those who will be (that's right WILL be) selected via reservations to the IITs/IIMs... "You just ain't got it son!"

To be successful at anything you need more than an opportunity; you need talent, determination and most importantly you need to believe that you belong. And those who get in through back doors never feel at home. We all know what the intentions are behind reservations, so there is no need to write it here. One must only remember that, in the long run, only those who deserve to succeed, will.

On a more practical note, those appearing for entrance tests need not worry, IITs might increase intake (already there is talk of adding 200 seats).

Orkutus Inhabitus...

It seems almost yesterday that no one quite knew what "orkut" was. Now EVERYBODY is there. It's great pastime for jobless bums like yours truly and some people with jobs who have no work (case in point one Sanket Bhale).

So for the benefit of many who will join heretofore orkut has come out with an official classification of its inhabitants:

1. Hunky Dory Salman fan: Has a display pic of Salman Khan/ Hrithik Roshan, can't speak to women without using the words "babe", "hot" or "sexy".
2. Lovelorn Romeo: Uses sentences like "The moon asked me who is the fairest of them all...blah blah blah". Has had no luck with non-virtual love so tries in cyberspace. Thinks that the only way to get a girl to like you is by being a combination of William Shakespeare and Don Juan DeMarco.
3. Female hungry engineer: Yes, this is a predominant and ever increasing race. Calls anything with breasts "beautiful", tells EVERY ONE of his friends if the girl scraps back. Every one of his friends in turn scrap the girl too, expecting the same result. This leads to the birth of "I'm going to kill whoever sent me an invite" (see number 4)
4. I'm going to kill whoever sent me an invite: Girl gets invite from friend, decides to join, gets hounded by class 3 losers. Plans to kill friend.
5. I'm so hot, I can't take the admiration: An interesting breed of women, their personal profile describes them as "very attractive", their photo however does not. Easy and gratifying target for class 3.
   
6. Uncles/ Aunties: Forty somethings trying to "connect" with the "young generation". Always preaching - never listening kind of bozos. Don't know whether they are seen as parents or friends, try to be both and end up being neither.
   
7. Just here to make friends: Minority class of entities, but still worthy of mention. Not unlikely to flirt now and then but all in all absolutely harmless.