Columnist on Rediff

Here is a link to a columnist for rediff.com, Mr. B R Raman.

http://www.rediff.com/news/raman.html

From his articles, I believe that he was a former IB/RAW officer, some of the organisations, responsible for India's intelligence gathering mechanisms. He offers some very good insights into the working of India's (oft criticised) intelligence services, which normally, are very difficult to find (and in one reason maybe the reason why the media has a field day when "intel failures" occur). Some of his articles are quite good, if they sort of get a bit anti-American at times. I am quite impressed at some of his observations myself.

The train chugs along

After 3 weeks of holidays, I will once again, stare down the barrel for the next 13 weeks, as I attempt to study 4 subjects. A lot of things have happened over the past 21 days, with the major being the cowardly attack on Mumbai's citizens. A lot has been said and done, and hence I shall not say anymore. This piece, is just to wish everyone (or rather the few) who read my blog all the very best of luck for the 2nd semester 2006.

BEST OF LUCK!!!!

Pearls of Wisdom from Bill Gates

Bill Gates’ recent speech (circa 2003) at Mount Whitney High School in Visalia, California, is worthwhile reading for anyone. He concluded by outlining the following 11 Rules:

Rule 1: Life is not fair. Get used to it.

Rule 2: The world won’t care about your self-esteem. However, the world will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you start feeling good about yourself.

Rule 3: You will NOT make $40,000 a year right out of high school, and you won’t be a vice-president with a car phone until you earn both.

Rule 4: If you think your teacher is tough, wait until you get a boss.
Rule 5: Flipping burgers at McDonalds should not be beneath your dignity. Your grandparents had a different word for burger flipping ... they called it OPPORTUNITY.

Rule 6: If you mess up, it’s not your parents’ fault, so don’t whine.

Rule 7: Before you were born, your parents weren’t as boring as they are now. They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes and listening to you talk about how cool you are. So before you save the rain forest from the parasites of your parents’ generation, try delousing the closet in your own bedroom.

Rule 8: Your school may have done away with recognising that there are winners and losers, but life has not. In some schools they have even abolished failing grades, and they’ll give you as much time as you want to get the right answer on an exam. This doesn’t bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.

Rule 9: Life is not divided into semesters. You don’t get summers off, and very few employers are interested in helping you find yourself. You are supposed to do that on your own time.

Rule 10: Television is NOT real life. In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop, and go out and find a job.

Rule 11: Be nice to NERDS. Chances are you will end up working for one.