Nagarbhavi. Strawberry Fields. Legala. Amma's. Aishwarya Bakery. Rohini. Surya Terrace. Wine Ocean. Projects. EMC. LnD. DisCo. SDGM. Jagannath Iyer. Spiritus. Moot Courts. JayGo. Lizzy. Nandi the Mutt. Sudhir. If any of these sound familiar, we might be friends yet.

Monday, July 27, 2009

The Mooter's Last Sigh

I often stress more about not stressing enough. In these troubling moot times, I have come down to strolling without direction in the library to deal with my non-existent stress.

In other news, Gayathri - who is the "Information Scientist" (click here) at our esteemed university - has grand plans with the Rs. 37 lacs granted by the UGC for IT development. I'm cool with whatever she wants to do with all that money; but must she call herself that? Information Scientist?


Friday, May 08, 2009

France's Most Celebrated Chanteuse? W. t. f.

Dear Vimal,

I am left with no doubt that you appreciate music and musicians beyond measure; and feel the overwhelming desire to share a striking song with the rest of the world whenever you chance upon one. While I can understand where such joy about music is coming from, I am writing this mail in order to urge you to understand that we, the rest of us, are NOT interested.

I love my music too, and love to explore new genres and artists; but I do not remember delegating you to help me in the same. I am sure you will find many ballad lovers out there in the world in whose company you can continue this journey of musical discovery; but I would like to request you to kindly not impose your songs on unsuspecting law schoolites merely because they happen to be part of the law school mail network.

You may comfort yourself that you have shown 400 people yet another musical gem; but in this part of the world, we call it SPAM.

You are spoilt for choice. Mail yourself. Create a mailing group, if you must. Mail people who have expressed an interest in your music. Put up notices on 19 (1) (a). But, for the love of the goddess Hathor, please stop mailing the rest of us. In other words, please stop spamming. It ought to be a punishable offence.

In the hope that I have convinced you of the subtle difference between spam and voluntary mailing lists, and with best wishes for your travails in the world of music,

Regards,
Scarlett

P.S. I did, in fact, mail him.
P. P. S. DPC blues.

Saturday, May 02, 2009

A Clarification. Not An Apology.

THIS IS NOT A SARCASTIC POST ON THE AC WARS --- THIS IS NOT A SARCASTIC POST ON THE AC WARS --- THIS IS NOT A SARCASTIC POST ON THE AC WARS --- THIS IS NOT A SARCASTIC POST ON THE AC WARS*

No, really. This isn’t.

For Mr. Mighty Bihari has rendered me a great service. By providing me with fodder for an update in a blog that I thought was long gone, dead and decomposed; he has necessitated yet. another. post.

Now, firstly, be clear that this is NOT a sarcastic post. The objective of this exercise, if I may humbly quote, is to express my RE-action which is necessitated by the spam volleying that followed The Great AC Wars. For my non 3rd year readers, a clarification is, however, due. Of course, this is only a clarification. Not an apology. And I swear I didn’t take anybody’s assistance in writing this.

It had all started with the ACs that were all in working condition, as The Monty had informed us in a pleasant mail. On a hot summer day, however, tempers were running high. A young girl felt ill and cold, and shivered uncontrollably when her classmates insisted that all the four air conditioners be switched on. This, however, was not to last. Her knight in shining armour, from the Indian heartland and from Lalu’s creed, came to her rescue. In the face of the cold draughts of air and a Shankara ambling in, the Mighty Bihari pushed away the perpetrators of cold and gloom, repeatedly flung the AC plug against the wall shattering it into a million little tiny pieces and saved her from the frosty clutches of death. And then, dear readers, he decided to clarify. Mind you, he did not apologise.

Never was a clarification so poignantly drafted. It was emotional, sarcastic, socially conscious and even scientific. Not only did it contain pointed philosophical comments on a life or its lack thereof, and the evils of “undemocratic majoritarian tyranny” ; it also dwelt on the thermodynamic issue of airconditioners and their cooling effect. In fact, I am of the opinion that we have accidentally struck upon a eureka discovery moment here. Such understanding of the dynamics of cold air must be patented.

It must be admitted that the AC plug ping pong (apparently, Sports Comm is considering making an event of it) was the unhealthy consequence of great debate and prior discussion between all concerned parties. The real concerned party even attempted to pull the ping pong champion away, and was nonchalantly shook off. In my opinion, that was no mere act of self popularsiation. I put forward that it was merely an act of great love, adoration and, of course, idiocy.

Anyway, the first mail had me “counting my chickens before they hatched”. I thought the war had been won. But, it is summer and tempers are obviously running high. Another mail followed. After a scientific dismissal of the theory propounded, the perpetrator of cold and gloom challenged the Bihari. The AC will remain switched on, it proclaimed. The perpetrator also claimed that he is closely related to Arindam Chaudhary. I did not see the connection; but I’m hoping someone has.

The counter –reply (and the last episode in this series, sadly) was below the belt. Some more scientific debate on the relative effects of bench proximity to the air conditioner on thermal conditions was followed by a rude dismissal of all those who have been slapped by people. Especially by their friends. There was only an address furnished for further correspondence, be it verbal or physical. No more free show, that means. :(

But, the end had not been reached yet. Of course, the sensitive folks were enraged. Oh no. They could not simply sit back and laugh, and had a penny’s worth to say. They thought that "Destroying things that are common property is just ...unacceptable."


I beg to differ. It is all acceptable. For sheer entertainment value.



Welcome back, fellows. :)



*For more details, refer to S. Kumar, “A Clarification, NOT AN APOLOGY”, ug2006 Mail Account, May (2009) and following correspondence.