LECTURE ON 'CLIMATE CHANGE'

Prof.Shankar, a renowned professor from the Institute of Mathematical Sciences, speaks on CLIMATE CHANGE: THE SCIENTIFIC BASIS
DATE: 18 December 2007
Time: 2 pm
VENUE: Anderson Hall, Madras Christian College

Campus Interview for All final year UG students

FIRST SOURCE (ICICI - ONE SOURCE)
Designation: Customer Support Associate
Selection Process: Pre-placement talk, Written Test, GD & Personal Interview.
Requirements: One passport size photograph, Updated Resume, Copies of all Educational Certificates/ Mark Sheets

TODAY IN THE CITY...!

Free Music Workshop: Kunnakkudy School of Music is conducting a free music workshop on Pancharathna Kriti on Thursday, November 29, 2007, from 6:00 pm.,
VENUE:
Kunnakkudy School of Music ,No 14/65, Rajaji Nagar 1st Street, Thiruvanmiyur, Chennai.
Contact:
Kunnakkudy School of Music at 9884086060, 9840507415

A Polish film festival in collaboration with the Indian Cine Appreciation Forum, Chennai presents Supplement by Krzysztofa Zanussiego, Thursday, 29 November 2007 @ 6.15 pm
VENUE:
South Indian Film Chamber Theatre, No 605, Anna Salai, Thousand Lights, Chennai.
Contact:
Indian Cine Appreciation Forum at 9840151956

BOOK FAIR 2007 - Muthuchidambaranar Pathippagam is organising Book Fair 2007, an exhibition of books, CDs, stationeries, fancy items, gift articles & many more and also offering 10% discount on all products.
VENUE: Muthuchidambaranar Pathippagam,
No AG-66, 3rd Street, River View Colony,
Anna Nagar ,Chennai
TIME:
Nov 5 2007 to Nov 30 2007
CONTACT:
Muthuchidambaranar Pathippagam, at 9840554385, 30535533

Book fest @ Chennai - Plethora of popular and old literary works...!

CROSSWORD is offering booklovers with a selection of popular works at its book fest, "Must Reads", which is on till December 9. The book fest will showcase books in a variety of genres. In the fiction category, readers can enjoy the complete collection of Ernest Hemingway, Italo Morrison, Milan Kundera, Haruki Murakami and many more eminent authors. The non-fiction category includes acclaimed titles such as "Man's Search for Meaning" by Viktor E.Frankl (Psychology) etc. There are also books on Philosophy, politics and history.

In addition, there are special offers on classic titles such as "The Catcher in the Rye", "To Kill a Mocking Bird", and on collectors' packs such as "The Ramachandra Guha Omnibus".

The fest is on at CROSSWORD STORE in T.Nagar. For details, call 42641850 - 55

On Leave..!

Dear Students, I'm on leave for two days - 29, 30 November, (Thursday and Friday) and so you won't be having my classes during these days. Keep up the spirit and i'll meet up with you again on Monday.
Stay happy, stay DYNAMICCC...!
Regards,
Rufus

Dear Pbt/Zoo Students

Dear I Pbt/Zoo students, In continuation of the discussion we had on the main yardsticks of diversity between man and beast, we will have an interactive session on the Present Civilization, how it has improved or degenerated compared to the good old past. Your thoughts and ideas are welcome.
Regards,
Rufus

Papers handled by me this semester for II BA & III BA English Litt;

Dear Students of II BA English Lit & III BA English Lit.,
The following is the syllabus that I will be handling this semester for your classes. It is albeit imperative that you get a copy of the Texts as early as possible. If possible, you can also read these texts at home for yourselves before class starts, to facilitate better interaction.
Regards and all best wishes,
Rufus
II BA English:
Modern Period - Fiction:
E.M.Forster : A Passage to India, Graham Greene : The Power and the Glory;

Prosody and Rhetoric:
1) Definition: Elements of Rhetoric-Style-Figures of Speech- Composition
2) Style: Definition-Qualities-Diction-Characteristics of Poetic Diction-Characteristics of Prose Diction- Diction as determined by Object and Occasion
3) Figures of Speech: Definition-Classification
a) Figures that promote clearness: Synecdoche and Metonymy-Simile-Metaphor-Personification-AllegoryFigures that promote Emphasis: Exclamation-Interrogation-Apostrophe-Hperbole-Irony-Antithesis-Epigram-Climax

III BA English:
New Writing - Fiction:
Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart; Shyam Selvadurai's Funny Boy;

A DIWALI WISH FOR MY DEAR STUDENTS - PAST AND PRESENT

May This Diwali be as bright as ever.
May this Diwali bring joy, health and wealth to you.
May the festival of lights brighten up you and your near and dear ones lives.
May this Diwali bring in u the most brightest and choicest happiness and love you have ever Wished for.
May this Diwali bring you the utmost in peace and prosperity.
May lights triumph over darkness.
May peace transcend the earth.
May the spirit of light illuminate the world.
May the light that we celebrate at Diwali show us the way and lead us together on the path of peace and social harmony
"WISH U A VERY HAPPY DIWALI"
Regards and wishing you all the goodness of the season,
Rufus

On Examinations

Dear Students, With the odd semester coming to an end, you might have had a fairly interesting tryst with the examinations. As regards the Papers handled by me, I would like to get your comments and feedbacks, with your suggestions included, on how easy or tough the questions were, and the strategies you had used to tackle them. This, I sincerely hope will help me introspect on things still to be done on the examinations front on my part. You can write to me at rufusmcc@gmail.com

Wishing you all happy holidays and a very Joyous Happy Diwali,

Regards,

Rufus

PS: Our blog will give you holiday special programmes on a day to day basis starting tomorrow.

THE THOUGHT-FOX

Introduction:

THE ‘Thought-Fox’ HAS often been acknowledged as one of the most completely realised and artistically satisfying of the poems in Ted Hughes’s first collection, The Hawk in the Rain. At the same time it is one of the most frequently anthologised of all Hughes’s poems. It is a poem of twenty-four lines divided into six stanzas. The title tells the reader that the poet is drawing an analogy between a thought—specifically, in this case, a poetic composition—and a fox.

A Poem about Writing a Poem:

The thought-fox’ is a poem about writing a poem. Its external action takes place in a room late at night where the poet is sitting alone at his desk. Outside the night is starless, silent, and totally black. But the poet senses a presence which disturbs him:

Through the window I see no star:
Something more near
Though deeper within darkness
Is entering the loneliness.

Night as a Metaphor for the Poet’s Imagination:

The disturbance is not in the external darkness of the night, for the night is itself a metaphor for the deeper and more intimate darkness of the poet’s imagination in whose depths an idea is mysteriously stirring.

The midnight is chosen at the time as it is without any addition to the day, as blank as the poet's mind itself. The time is unmarked and yet mature. The clock is alone as it is devoid of minutes and seconds, it being midnight. Further, the clock is alive as it is lonely. And there is something else that accompanies the loneliness of the clock-that is the poet's creative conciousness. The metaphor for the poet's fresh poetic perception is the "blank paper" where his fingers move.

The Composition of the Poem:

The image is first formless and can only be a professed feeling formless as the poetic vision of the poet itself, until it assumes concreteshape. It does not enter in a strained and enforced manner but as delicately as snow falls in. The fox's nose touches deftly against the twig, leaf. The nose feels its way through the darkness. At once the fox transforms itself to the concrete and persistent image of the poet's creative working progress. By utilizing an animal as the reflection for his thought process, one wonders whether Ted Hughes writes primarily through instinct.

The Fox is the Poem and the Poem is the Fox:

The fox is no longer a formless stirring somewhere in the dark depths of the bodily imagination; it has been coaxed out of the darkness and into full consciousness. It is no longer nervous and vulnerable, but at home in the lair of the head, safe from extinction, perfectly created, its being caught for ever on the page. And all this has been done purely by the imagination. For in reality there is no fox at all, and outside, in the external darkness, nothing has changed:

The fox is the poem, and the poem is the fox. ‘And I suppose,’ Ted Hughes has written, ‘that long after I am gone, as long as a copy of the poem exists, every time anyone reads it the fox will get up somewhere out of the darkness and come walking towards them.’

Conclusion:

Thus Ted Hughes emphasizes how important the imagination is, when creating a picture with words. The fact that he calls it a ‘thought-fox’ reveals that the fox is not real, it is imaginary. The poet at had first set eyes outside the window, for inspiration. Nevertheless, towards the end of the poem he comes to recognize that inspiration comes from within, and not outside. The window is starless still, yet-"the page is printed" Intuition reigns over inspiration here, and instinct over reason.

[With due acknowledgements to Prof. Richard Webster and Ms.Rukhaya Mk.]

*****

Monday - declared a govt holiday cos of the floods

Dear Students, Today has been declared a govt holiday across Tamil Nadu owing to the incessant rains and floods. So today's exams stand postponed. You are however, requested to counter check the same with the college authorities. Regards, Rufus

All the best..!

Dear Students, One more semester is coming to an end, manifest in the form of examinations. Wish you all the best. God bless!
Regards and all best wishes,
Rufus

Internal Mark Statement of II BA TAM/PHIL Students

Dear Students of II BA Tamil & Philosophy, For an e-version of your grand Internals Aggregate for Semester - I in Part II English, CLICK HERE. A hard copy of the same will be displayed in the English Dept Notice Board by 9 am tomorrow - Friday, 19 October, and clarifications, corrections, if any, can be done then and there. I shall be available in the Dept till 1.30 pm on all working days. Regards and all best wishes for your upcoming exams,Rufus

Internal Mark Statement of I BSc Pbt/Zoo Students

Dear Students of I BSc Pbt/Zoo, For an e-version of your grand Internals Aggregate for Semester - I in Part II English, CLICK HERE. A hard copy of the same will be displayed in the English Dept Notice Board by 9 am tomorrow - Friday, 19 October, and clarifications, corrections, if any, can be done then and there. I shall be available in the Dept till 1.30 pm on all working days.
Regards and all best wishes for your upcoming exams,
Rufus

Results of III CIA - III BA English [Women's Writing (Indian)]

Dear Students of III BA English, Please click HERE for your III CIA Marks for Women's Writing (Indian).
Regards, Rufus

THE GETTYSBURG ADDRESS for II BA English

Dear Students of II BA English, Please click HERE for an overview of Lincoln's Gettysburg Address.

Announcement

Dear Students, Your internal marks will be uploaded shortly. So please check back soon for updates and lesson summaries.
Regards and best wishes in your preparations for your exams.

On Keeping a Stealth Bomber at Bay...!

It's been two weeks now, since the red letter day when I decided to do away with my mobile phone once and for all... a gadget which is ummistakenly the latest gift of science bestowed upon an already burdended mankind! Of course, the reasons for dispensing with my mobile phone are not far to seek.!

for more on this article of mine, read HERE

Results of the III CIA for II BA English - Pract.Intro to Literature

The following are your marks (to be converted to FIFTY) for my part of the Paper - Pract. Intro to Literature

Sam Benjamin - 74
Dhanasekar, P - 70
Vanlalropuia - 76
Ashem Sanjoy Singh - 68
Satchin Joseph - 80
Shyam Gopal - 80
Thomas Varghese - 78
Sherine Allena - 77
Mercy Mary - 78
Gifty Varghese - 80
Stella, P - 76
Karan, F.K - 68
Christina Susan Sonny - 76
Smitha Susan Zachariah - 78
Aadithyan Mohan - 78
Jennita Queeny - 50
Kalaiarasi, C - 66
Shipporah Jayaseeli, G - 66
Cleeta, S.J - 72

PS:Clarifications, corrections, if any, can be made to me in the Dept before 1.30 pm, on all working days.

Results of the III CIA for II BA English - Pract.Intro to Literature

The following are your marks (to be converted to FIFTY) for my part of the Paper - Pract. Intro to Literature

Sam Benjamin - 74
Dhanasekar, P - 70
Vanlalropuia - 76
Ashem Sanjoy Singh - 68
Satchin Joseph - 80
Shyam Gopal - 80
Thomas Varghese - 78
Sherine Allena - 77

Announcements for II BA English

Dear Students of II BA English, Your III CIA marks will be uploaded by 10 pm tonight. I shall try to meet your class for a lecture on Lincoln's Address at Gettysburg, or else an analysis of the same will be uploaded shortly on this, our web blog. Regards, Rufus

Results of the Elocution as part of the III CIA for II BA English

A total of eleven students opted for the Elocution part of the III CIA which is valued for 50 marks. Students were evaluated based on the Conviction with which they presented their Revolution, its social relevance, its emotional appeal to the audience, and effective tackling of questions.

1. Jayanthi- 40/50
2. Irene- 37/50
3. Sayujya - 40/50
4. Rinila - 40/50
5. Noeline - 40/50
6. Bestin - 40/50
7. Daniel Jesudoss - 40/50
8. Adlin - 40/50
9. Richard - 37/50
10. Ashish - 38/50
11. Sreekanth - 41/50

PS: Students who've opted for Elocution, need not necessarily sit for their III CIA in my portions. However, it is imperative that you sit for the remaining fifty marks for the portions of Prof.RS

Dear Students - Internals reg:

Dear Students, Your Internal Marks are being worked out, and it will be made available to you on or before Wednesday, 10 October. As regards the lesson summaries, it should be uploaded on or before Friday, 12 October.

Dear Students of II BA English, Results of the Elocution conducted last week as part of your III CIA will be uploaded on or before 10.00 pm tonight.
Regards, Rufus

ONE-DAY MATCH IN LITERATURE..!

Today (Saturday), enthused by last week's reception that students gave to the conduct of special classes, I had specially and personally invited Prof.Bennet Sundersingh from National College to give a lecture on Poetry to our students. Though the class was meant to be for I BA and II BA English Students, many from other classes had also turned up.

Received him at the Railway Station and he started at 9.45 am and went on till about 1.15 pm. Then, had lunch with him and Dany sir. Nirmal sir popped in during the lecture to meet Prof.Bennet for a 'hello'. Students from all the five classes in Lit had turned up, and Bennet sir was in his elements, just enjoying himself, as he said later. Coffee and snacks were served to all the students.

The response from the students was so good that, almost the entire lot sat for the afternoon session of Prof.Dany on the NOVEL. It all ended by 4 pm.

I, on behalf of the students, take this opportunity to thank Prof.Bennet Sundersingh who took time off to be with us today amidst his busy schedule.

Contests in the City...!

Online Essay Contest - A nationwide online essay contest in English for College students on the theme, "Integrity and Good Governance." The contest is being organised as part of the 132nd birthday celebrations of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. Details of the contest are available at http://www.siv-g.org/

A Contest for Camera phone users - DREAMS DAY is organising a contest for camera phone users. Participants have to send in a one minute video to Sree Lalitha Kalakshetra, No.9, K R Koil Street, West Mambalam.
For details, call 09884344514

Kind Attention of Part - II English students - Thursday - Oct 11 Reminder

Dear Students of Part - II English (I BSc Pbt/Zoo & II BA Phil/Tam), Kindly don't absent yourself to class on Thursday, 11 October 2007, the last day with you this current semester, wherein your Internal Mark Statement for the current semester will be shown to you for your confirmation, clarifications etc. A review on the exam pattern will also be discussed, along with an academic review of the past one semester.

If on any account you are not able to make it on the 11th, kindly report to me well in advance and verify your internal mark statement, failing which whatever marks are entered or omitted against your name will automatically be binding on you.

Regards and all best wishes,

Rufus

ONE-DAY MATCH ON LITERATURE from an examination perspective.!

Dear Students of English Literature,

You've got the last special class of this semester - coming up this Saturday, October 06, 2007, at Selaiyur Hall Indoor Stage premises, (forenoon and afternoon inclusive) and you are invited for these two thought-provoking lectures, stimulating your intellect, and sharpening your wits, on two of the major genres in Literature - POETRY and the NOVEL.

The lecture on Poetry will be given by a very great scholar (more a friend than a scholar) from a prestigious College, and he has confirmed his participation today. In addition, we shall also have with us Dr.Nirmal Selvamony, our own great scholar, who has consented to be with us and interact with you, after the lecture. Make the best use of it.

The second lecture on NOVEL will be given by another great scholar, who has literally cast a literary spell on you last week. After the lecture, it's hoped that you will become a scholar in your own right, and your perspective of these two genres, it is sincerely hoped, will undergo a greater transformation, thus giving you enormous confidence and resolve to face your exams with double the amount of enthusiasm.

PS: I wish to emphasise that attendance will not be taken and participation is not mandatory. But participants make sure that you are present at least five minutes before the start of the class.Time: 9:30 am SHARP till 12.30 pm (approx). Please bring pen and a good note book for taking down unforgettable notes and quotes.

While Games and VLRefreshment will form part of the agenda, (both forenoon and afternoon), students are expected to make their own arrangements for lunch alone.

THE SCHEDULE

9.30 SHARP - Lecture on POETRY begins.

10.40 - 11.00 - Break - Tea, snacks and Games

11 - 12.30 - POETRY lecture ends.

12.30 - 1.00 - Question time and fruitful interactions between teachers and students.

1.00 - 1.45 - Lunch

1.45 - 2.00 - Games

2.00 - 2.50 - Lecture on NOVEL begins.

2.50 - 3.00 - Tea and snacks

3.00 - 4.00 - Lecture on NOVEL ends.

4.00 - 4.15 - Question time and interactions.

4.30 SHARP - THE END -

Remembering the Mahatma..!

"Whatever you do will be insignificant, but it is very important that you do it." - The Mahatma

Mahatma Gandhi’s life was not governed by policies, but by principles and values driven by his intense degree of personal accountability. Gandhi believed in a single standard of conduct for both his private and his public life. He formulated two absolute values of truth and non-violence. He committed to those values whole heartedly, and we can assert that Gandhi was the epitome of personal accountability throughout his life.

Here, it is worth taking to heart the following thoughts attributed to Mahatma Gandhi:

“Go to one, who does not come to you;

Talk to one, who does not talk to you;

Make up with one, who is displeased with you;

And, all these not for their good but for your own,

For, the world is a creditor and we are the debtors.”

Check back for Updates shortly...!

Dear Students, This blog is being updated. Check back soon for updates. Regards, Rufus

PS: Students of II BA English who have given their Revolutionary speeches thus far, find mention in the blog posted on September 27. Others who don't find your names mentioned, please relax. It's just a matter of a few more days before your speech finds a place here.
Regards, Rufus

Portions for III CIA

I BSc Pbt/Zoo: Students who've not attempted the Speech, are asked to write their III CIAs. Questions will be from the entire text book.

II BA Tam/Phil: Questions will be from the entire text book.

I BA English: Dr.SSJ & myself are sharing the III CIA between us, and questions will be based on whatever that has been discussed in Grammar in class thus far.

II BA English: Prof.RS and myself will be sharing the III CIA between us, and questions will be based on 'The Old Man and the Sea' & 'Ransom of the Red Chief.'
Students who have spoken out in class need not necessarily sit for your III CIAs.

III BA English: Mahasweta Devi's Mother of 1084 - an artistic cum critical perspective.

Holiday for students?

Dear Students, Uncertainties seem to be the order of the day - at least for today. As such, the management has decided to spare the students the trouble of coming to College tomorrow. Hence, students need not come to College tomorrow - Monday. However, this is NOT to be deemed an official announcement in any way whatsoever and as such, students are requested to clarify the same with the College authorities before arriving at any conclusions.
Regards,
Rufus

STUDENTS' SPARKLE

Students' Speak out!

JAYANTHI started off with her Revolutionary Speech on Puritanism. Tracing the Puritanic Revival in England, where vulgarity in all forms was banned till the Restoration, she added that this Puritanic revival, on the other hand, would start from within. 'Temptations oft times overtake us and overrule us, but I'd like to reconstruct the genuine love between God and man by my Revolution.' 'Remembering God at 20 is much much better than remembering God at 50,' she added. Spiritual Lethargy is another point that she wishes to address through her Revolution.
She summed up with a beautiful line "Having seen the world's fair beauty, Lord I would be blind once more."
Comments: You have a very good command over the language and the felicity and ease of expression, characterised by good communication skills and self-confidence, are your hallmark. Keep it up! Kudos! It was a great effort!

IRENE wanted to base her REVOLUTION on and within the framework of Christianity. Lamenting the plethora of sects available across the frontiers, on the religious front, she said, she wanted to unite all these sects under a single umbrella. Stressing the importance of the Cross, she said, "A single spark can bring about a great forest fire, and I would like to be this spark," she added. She expressed concern on the half-baked pastors who preach without proper training, and said, she would start a big Bible College to meet the demands. Quoting from the Scriptures in I Cor 1:18, she talked about worldly love which is enemity with God.
Comments: You've got Good language skills and good points, but a little more self-confidence and facing the audience might have proved better.

SAYUJYA based her revolution on a tirade against the present Education System. She came down heavily on the lots of technicality that has plauged the Education System and early schooling, which she feels, affects children greatly. Vocational Courses like Music and Arts, should be introduced at the early stages, where students' potential can be gauged, honed and effectively implemented, based on their preferences, likes and dislikes.
A practical side to studies, she felt, is the need of the hour. On the side of Implementation, she added that it should start from the higher echelons of the Government. A uniform syllabi is another agenda which would get adequate attention in her Revolution. The rural-urban divide should be bridged by deliberations and discussions with the Academic fraternity. In this regard, village planning has become indispensable, to make them self-sufficient. Water management, Solar power are some of the areas which she plans to look into, as part of the Village Planning agenda.
Comments: A good command over the language, self-confidence, and critical thinking are the highlights of your Speech. Added to that, some of the points on rural-urban divide were valuable and highly practical. Kudos! A noble effort!

RINILA's Revolution would be based on proper Garbage Disposal, and in this regard, her special focus would be on the youth, as she strongly feels that it is the youth who are going to take over 'tomorrow.' She would form a core group which would be divided into two main divisions, the first one to take on the government, and request for grants and rebates, while the second division would base itself on volunteers who would create awareness in schools and colleges through lectures, presentations etc. A perfect strategy for garbage disposal would be compost, where organic food is made into manure and put to effective use. With immense developments in the field of Biotechnology, she plans to hire people to help her in Idea generation, and also in garbage disposal. On the strategies she's planning to evolve to popularise her Revolution, she added that she'll make people excited about the Revolution through AD campaigns, slogans, etc. She cited Dharwad - a quiet, pleasant, and fast growing city in the northern part of Karnataka as a model district for garbage disposal and effective town planning.
Comments: You've got good communication skills, poise, and self-confidence, and the fact that you've come up with a pressing need of modern industrialised India, where the importance of cleanliness is and always been pushed to the periphery is laudable. Kudos! A good effort!

NOELINE spoke on revolution among orphaned children. Children who have lost both their parents, have become a victim to child labour, begging, AIDS, physical harassment, bonded labour in the guise of adoptions etc. In some instances, children are made to transport drugs too. Twenty years of war has left 40,000 children homeless in Sri Lanka. Thus, psychologically speaking, their mind is almost dead. Taking care of children and controlling them is quite a challenging task. Spending time with them daily, and listening to what they have to say, is a great source of psychological therapy for them. The Government and the media concentrate a lot on Scientific advancements, agriculture, sports etc, but nobody seems to be bothered about the children of today, to whom we are going to hand over the reins of tomorrow.
Comments: Your speech had a great impact because you spoke with conviction. Congrats. The Revolution that you've taken up is an indispensable necessity from the societal perspective, and as such deserve special kudos.! You were confident throughout, and you also have good communication skills. Keep up the good work!

SPECIAL CLASS for I BA & II BA English on Saturday

Dear Students of I BA Eng & II BA Eng., You've got A SPECIAL CLASS coming up, on Saturday, 29 September 2007, at Selaiyur Hall Premises for giving final touches to the syllabus handled by me. I wish to emphasise that attendance will not be taken and participation is not mandatory. But participants make sure that you are present at least five minutes before the start of the class.

Time: 9:30 am SHARP till 12.30 pm (approx).

PS: Games and VLRefreshment form part of the agenda.

JOB FAIR for all GRADUATES @ CHENNAI

Saturday and Sunday, 29 and 30 September 2007 from 10 am to 6 pm at MAYOR SRI RAMANAATHAN CHETTIAR CENTRE, 75/2 Santhome Road, MRC Nagar, Chennai - 28. Click HERE to REGISTER FREE.

Announcement for all my Students

Dear Students, With the Odd Semester of this academic year drawing to a close, I would like to remind you that marks of your I & II CIAs will be available for scrutiny, clarifications and corrections till Wednesday, 26 September of this week. After that, no changes or corrections whatsoever will be entertained, as the marks will be submitted to the coordinator the next day (Thursday). So it's your duty and responsibility to ensure that you check out on your marks with me personally, or through our website HERE.
Regards and all best wishes, Rufus

SPECIAL KUDOS TO THE SPECIAL SIXTEEN

The students, whose names are mentioned below, deserve a special appreciation and a special gift each, for a special reason. They made the teacher proud today.
And the sixteen good ones are:

From I BSc Pb & Pbt
Shain Samuel
Lalsangliana Ralte
Emmanuel Antony Raj
Alister, M
Darwin, C
Subhashini Sreedharan
Vignesh, K
Logeswari, S
Annie Jenifer
Ashwini, M

From I BSc Zoology (Reg)
Premalatha, M
Roselin, I
Tovito H.Sema
M.S.Dawngliana
Franklin, S
Sachin T. Jose

TOTO - THIRD ANNUAL AWARDS FOR YOUNG WRITERS

TOTO Funds the ARTS (TFA) invites entries for its third annual awards for young Indian writers (18 to 30 years) in English.
Two cash awards of Rs.25,000 each will be given in January 2008. Submissions can be a novel, short stories, play scripts or poetry and should ideally be not more than 10,000 words. Entries must be accompanied by a signed statement confirming the applicant's work has been published in print(give details), and also affirming that the submitted work is original.
Submissions can be mailed to totofundsthearts@yahoo.com or posted to TOTO Funds the Arts, H 301 Adarsh Gardens, Eighth Block, 47th Cross, Jayanagar, Bangalore, Ph 080-26548139. Last date for submission is October 20.

GOOGLE INDIA @ MCC

Dear final year UG/PG Students,
Prepare yourself for a challenging interview on Monday, 24 September 2007 at 9:15 am at the Botany Gallery, for the Position AD WORD REPRESENTATIVE @ GOOGLE INC. Shortlisted candidates will be interviewed on 08 October 2007.
You are asked to bring your X, XII, UG/PG Originals. Come in formal wear for the Interview.
For more details, Contact The Campus Placement Cell.

II BA English Students - Announcement regarding your III CIA

I BA ENGLISH - WE AND WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO REVOLT AGAINST..!

It was the Social Ethics class, but with a difference. Dear Students, for once, you outshone the stars in the sky... given the chance to think on society oriented thoughts, each of you gave a logical, well structured response, and it's been crystallised in this post for further reference. Now that you have brought out the revolutionist within you, much depends on how you get the guts, to work towards achieving this Revolution, albeit in your own imaginative way, in pen and paper or speech and dais.

Arunan - A Revolution against GLOBAL WARMING

Georgy - A Revolution against increasing number of political parties.

Vivek - A Revolution against BEGGARY.

Madhavan - A Revolution against MIGRATION.

Prabhu Raj - A Revolution for the BETTERMENT OF SOCIETY.

Baskar - A Revolution for the IMPROVEMENT OF THE POOR.

Mainar - A Revolution in THE FIELD OF EDUCATION.

Charles - A Revolution against UNEMPLOYMENT.

Karthick - A Revolution against INDISCIPLINE.

Rajesh - A Revolution for SAFEGUARDING HUMAN RIGHTS.

Jaison - A Revolution for SOCIAL JUSTICE.

Tamilvanan - A Revolution AGAINST INCREASE IN POPULATION.

Martin - A Revolution AGAINST DIVORCE AND REMARRIAGE.

Isha - A Revolution for BETTER AND CLEANER ROADS.

Navitha - A Revolution FOR COMPULSORY EDUCATION IN ENGLISH.

Thirumoorthy - A Revolution AGAINST CHILD LABOUR.

Nadia - A Revolution AGAINST EXPLOITATION OF ANIMALS IN LABS.

Nigel - A Revolution AGAINST ILL TREATMENT OF ANIMALS.

Dayanand - A Revolution AGAINST PRE MARITAL SEX.

Isaac - A Revolution AGAINST MALPRACTICES.

Vignesh - A Revolution AGAINST DOWRY.

Shloka - A Revolution AGAINST STAIRS.

Dolly - A Revolution AGAINST CORRUPTION.

Supraja - A Revolution AGAINST ILLITERACY.

Sylvia - A Revolution AGAINST LOVE MARRIAGE.

Kalpana - A Revolution AGAINST CASTE SYSTEM.

Sudha, M - A Revolution AGAINST INEQUALITY.

Sheela - A Revolution FOR ARRANGED MARRIAGE.

Sudha, S - A Revolution AGAINST DRUGS.

Stanley - A Revolution in THE FIELD OF MUSIC.

Ajit - A Revolution AGAINST THE PRESENT POLITICAL SYSTEM.

John - A Revolution AGAINST HOLLYWOOD, BOLLYWOOD AND KOLLYWOOD.

Priya - A Revolution FOR PEACE IN THE WORLD.

Shruti - A Revolution FOR CLEANLINESS.

Ashita - A Revolution AGAINST TERRORISM.

Ankita - A Revolution FOR THE PROTECTION OF NATURE.

Ebarish - A Revolution AGAINST CRUELTY TO ANIMALS.

Riyukta - A Revolution AGAINST RELIGIONS.

Arun - A Revolution FOR SUBTLE PDA (PUBLIC DISPLAY OF AFFECTION).

Sam - A Revolution TO MAKE EVERYONE HAPPY.

Deepak - A Revolution AGAINST FICKLEMINDEDNESS.

PS: Thanks to Riyukta for the neat minutes.

Revolutionary Replies on the Revolution - II BA English do it with Aplomb:

The question was hypothetical in Nature, where students were asked, "If you had the means of bringing about a Revolution, a particular aspect in Society you feel needs a thorough overhaul, which aspect of society would you base your revolution on?"
The answers were Revolutionary going by any indication.
Richard's Revolution : Everything in today's political system has gone wrong. A radical change in the entire system should be brought about beacuse the future and destiny of the nation, lies more in the hands of the politicians.

Sujatha: The present education system should be thoroughly overhauled. A more practical approach is needed.

Allan Gladwin: Communism should be brought back, as equality will prevail if communism is ushered in.

Sidharth: There should be dual party politics as there is a profusion of political parties in India now, which is detrimental to National progress, and hence should be minimalised.

Pradip's Revolution: A revolution in the field of Humanism, where brotherhood and sisterhood will be promoted, and where humankind gets respected.

Sushant: A revolution against the current economic scenario. Now there's a huge gap between the rich and the poor, which is not good for the development of the Nation.

Srikant Reddy's Revolution: The Home Department should be completely revamped, overhauled and revolutionized.

Jayanthi: A revolution in Puritanism is the need of the hour.

Daniel: Revolution in the field of leadership.

Sam: A revolution against corruption.

Judah: A revolution against beggary.

Dhanasekar: Religion and caste should not be made use of, by politicians to their advantage.

Gifty: Red tapism has affected all strata of society. There is a great need for a revolution against red tapism and dirty politics.

Christina: A cultural revolution should come about.

Bestin: A revolution against all forms of addictives involving banning of drugs and tobacco.

Blaisen: A revolution against Brain Drain is a very pressing need of the hour.

Satchin: For changing the system, the good people of the society should use unethical ways to change the bad.

Ilenthirayan: A revolution in the field of Law and Order.

Shipporah: A revolution in each and every person's mind in society since society is made of individuals.

Kalaiarasi: Revolution should happen within the individual.

Karan: A revolution against all forms of terrorism, both local and global.

Noeline: A revolution against the plight of orphans.

Jennita: A revolution against Adulteration.

Adlin: A revolution against the quota system in Education.

Irene: A revolution in the field of Religion.

Cleeta: A revolution in the opinion of the people, directing their thoughts towards morality, manners etc.

Swaroop: Revolution in the field of Defence.

Vanlal: A revolution against discrimination

Sanjoy: A revolution to bring in Integration.

Rinila: A revolution against the exploitation of Nature

PS: Thanks to Bestin, for the lovely minutes.

II BA English - Remarks...

Dear Students of II BA English Litt., Today it was a lively time with you all. Ardent, lively, enthused, inquisitive and interactive in every sense of the term. Whatever observation given by you, is very valid, and as such, this is to become an extended session as part of your III CA. Hence, work on the respective topics that you've brought out in class to the maximum and bring out the artist in you.
Regards and all best wishes,
Rufus

ESSAY WRITING CONTEST

The Tamil Nadu Social Welfare Board has announced an essay writing contest on 'Female Foeticide.'

Those aged below 40 years can send in their entries to Chairperson, Tamil
Nadu Social Welfare Board, 21 Abdul Razack Street, Saidapet, Chennai - 600 015 on or before September 14.

According to a press release, cash prizes of Rs.10,000/-, Rs.5000/-, and Rs.3000/-, for the first, second and third places and Rs.1000/- as consolation prizes will be awarded at a seminar on female foeticide to be held by the month-end.

The TOPPERS..!

WINNERS OF THE GRAND PRIZE - The TOP THREE of the II CIA, Practical Introduction to Literature, have been chosen by a jury of two eminent experts and these are the winners:-
And these are the remarks of the adjudicators, in a nutshell:
1. Bestin Samuel, FOR A LOVLI 'MUSICAL'SYNTAX,
2. Sayujya, S, FOR GOOD STYLE AND SYNTAX,
3. Vanlalropuia FOR THE ART OF SCREEN PLAY, SYNTAX AND NEAT PRESENTATION.
CONGRATS DEAR WINNERS...

P.S: The WINNERS will be getting a Cash Prize of Rs.200/- each, and a citation, which will be presented by a special guest, at a class ceremony.

II BA TAM/PHIL MARKS UPLOADED

Dear Students of II BA TAM/PHIL,
Your First CIA Marks have been uploaded. CLICK HERE to access the marks. Clarifications, if any, can be made within ten working days of the publication of the results. Regards, Rufus

Our Deepest Condolences..:

We deeply condole the demise of our beloved Professor Dr.Vishnu Bhatt, [formerly Head, Dept.of English, Madras Christian College] this morning. The mortal remains will be at his house from 11.30 to 2.30 noon today. A man of great scholaticism, students admired him for his simplicity, and easy accessibility. He was an acclaimed scholar beyond compare.

A noble heart, he was a students' professor, who never had a 'no' for any of his students, who came to him for help. His guidance, love and easy-going nature, endeared him to all his students. His notes of lessons, and his scholarly essays are still a source of academic delight for all of us. We, as a Department, condole his death. May his soul rest in peace.

Grammar Marks Uploaded

Dear Students of I BA English, Marks of your I CIA in Grammar and Linguistics have been uploaded on our WEBSITE. The overall performance has been encouraging and quite satisfactory. Kudos..! Keep it up, and do much better, in the third CIAs. CLICK HERE for the Marks.
Regards,
Rufus

Teachers' Day - A Tribute

Today is a very special day. Why? It's Teacher's Day. It is the day we celebrate the great people who have transformed our lives for the better through the medium of education. The people who significantly contributed in promising a life of education, erudition and learning. It's our teachers.

Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. That's exactly what a teacher has done for us and we celebrate this joyous occasion in remembrance of one of the greatest teachers of India, on his birthday , our first Indian President, Dr.S.Radhakrishnan, a distinguished alumnus of our own Madras Christian College.

Dr. Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan was born on 5 September, 1888 in Tirutani, a well-known religious center in the Madras State. He was the second son of Veera Samayya, a tehsildar in a Zamindari hailing from a middle-class, respectable Hindu Brahmin family.

Dr.Radhakrishnan was married in 1906, at the tender age of 18 and while still a student, to Sivakamamma, and spent a happy married life with her for fifty years before she died in 1956.

Bright and precocious, with a scholarly disposition and a serene demeanor, from the very beginning, Radhakrishnan spent the first eight years of his life happily and fruitfully in his home town with his parents. The tranquil and challenging atmosphere of that famous and well-loved place, as well as the benign influence of his parents who, as was common in the South, were intensely religious in the traditional sense, went far in molding his character and sowing a lively seed of religiousness in him.

Dr. Radhakrishnan was educated at Lutheran Mission School, Tirupathi (1896-1900), Vellore College, Vellore (1900-1904), and finally the crowning glory of his education was at Madras Christian College (1904-1908) which shaped not only his destiny but also the destiny of our GREAT NATION.

On this special day, I deem it a humble privilege to remember MY GREAT TEACHERS, including Miss. Helen, Late Miss Noeline, Mrs.Sybll, Mrs.Rita, Mrs.Selvi, Mr & Mrs.Veeradhas, Dr.Suresh Frederick, Dr.Ranjan Samuel, Prof.P.Natarajan, Dr.Manalan, my admired librarian, Prof.R.Duvarakan, Prof.Daniel David, Mrs.Baby Eliammal, Dr.J.Edward Manickam etc., for making me who I am today, with their guidance, their encouragement, their appreciations, their commitment and their patient endeavour in bringing out the best in me. You have influenced me a lot, and shaped my way of thinking to a great extent, dear teachers. I am so proud that I had you as a part of my life. Your BLESSINGS sustain me and continue to direct my paths dear revered TEACHERS. Every word of wisdom and knowledge that you have told me, years ago, still keep ringing in my ears and they give me strength and nourishment for daily life. “A good teacher is like a candle - it consumes itself to light the way for others," goes a good old maxim. I thank you dear Teachers, for you have proved it true in my life.

*Thanks to Nikita C, for valuable inputs on Dr.Radhakrishnan.

For a beautiful speech on Teachers' Day by our beloved Dr.APJ Abdul Kalam, based on his own personal reminiscences, CLICK HERE.

II BA English Students - A New Novel

Dear Students, We are on the road towards another interesting journey, and this time a shift from the woods to the city, where, instead of the woody Thornfield or Marsh End, it will be a shuttle between the two great Metros London and Paris. Come prepared with a working knowledge of this famous novel A Tale of Two Cities by one of the most famous novelists of the Victorian era, Charles Dickens. Regards, Rufus

Swan Song for JANE EYRE, come Monday

Dear II BA English Students, It's time we bid a tearful adieu to Jane Eyre cos come Monday, she's going to undergo a change for the better in her life, and we shall bless them "Showers of Blessings". So, if possible, be there.
Regards,
Rufus

LITERATURE AND SCIENCE

LITERATURE AND SCIENCE – Aldous Huxley

Introduction:

In this essay, Aldous Huxley puts forth the view that all our experiences are strictly private, but some experiences are less private than the other. The visual, auditory and olfactory experiences of a group of people watching the burning of a house are likely to be similar. The intellectual experiences of the same group who make the effort to think logically about the causes of this particular fire are also similar. But the emotional experiences of the fire watchers are likely to be different. One member of the group may feel sexual excitement, another may feel aesthetic pleasure, another horror, and yet others sympathy or inhuman glee etc. Therefore, these emotional experiences are more private than sense experiences and intellectual experiences.

The Man of Science and the Man of Letters:

The man of science observes his own and other people’s public experiences, correlated these concepts into a logically coherent system, and then tries to prove, by observation and experiment, that his logical conclusions correspond to certain aspects of events in the world of nature.

The man of letters is also an observer, organiser and communicator of his own and other people’s more public experiences of events taking place in the worlds of nature, culture and language. These experiences constitute the raw material of poetry, drama, novels and essays.

While the man of science ignores his own and other people’s private experiences, for the man of letters, the outer reality is constantly related to the private experiences.

Difference in the Treatment of Subject matter:

The way in which the literary artist treats his subject matter is very different from the way in which the same subject matter is treated by the man of science. While the scientist examines a number of particular cases, notes all similarities and uniformities and forms a generalization, the man of letters does not generalize at all. His method is to concentrate upon some individual case, to look into it intently that finally he is enable to look clean through it. Every concrete particular, public or private, is a window opening on to the universal.King Lear, Hamlet, Macbeth – are about highly individualized human beings in exceptional situations.

The World of Literature and the World of Science:

The world with which literature deals is the world into which human beings are born and live and finally die. The world in which they love and hate, experience triumph and humiliation, hope and despair, sufferings and enjoyments, of madness and common sense, of silliness, cunning and wisdom. Every human being is aware of this multifarious world and knows where he stands in relation to it.

On the other hand, as a private individual, the scientist is the inhabitant of a radically different universe. Knowledge is power, and by a seeming paradox, it is through their knowledge that they control, direct and modify the world. Every science has its own frame of reference, its own system of coordinating concepts and explanations.

The man of letters addresses himself to the paradoxical task of rendering the randomness and shapelessness of individual existence in highly organized and meaningful works of art. The ambition of the literary artist is to speak about the ineffable, to communicate in words that words were never intended to convey. Every literary artist must therefore invent, borrow some kind of uncommon language capable of expressing, at least partially, those experiences which ordinary vocabulary and syntax fail to convey.

Conclusion:

Aldous Huxley concludes by saying that our more private experiences, in all their subtlety, can be recreated, in some sort and so made public and communicable. Hence the writer’s task is quite a Herculean (hopeless) daunting task! However, inspite of all the pens of the poets, and in spite of all the scientists’ electron microscopes, cyclotrons and computers, the rest is a vast silence - Experiences that cannot be comprehended either by a scientist or by a man of letters.

Language Enthusiasts' Meet Postponed

Sl.No Name of Candidate-I CIA Test II CIA
(Assignt)
1. Anandhi, B 66 66
2. Annie Jenifer 70 65
3. Archana, N 68 75
4. Ashwini, M 72 78
5. Beni, T.S 52 50
6. Gayathri, B 54
7. Jane Elaine Linda 72 80
8. Jasmine John 64
9. Jenefer, W 72 50
10. Kethzial Nireshini, M 64 78
11. Logeswari, S 72 76
12. Melanshiya Shanthini, S 54 50
13. Nandhini, R 70 75
14. Parimala Devi, R 64 50
15. Priyadarshini, J 72 80
16. Rama, E 66 65
17. Ramya, K 68
18. Rebecca Murmu 56 65
19. Revathy, S 72 76
20. Sandhya Devi, B Ab 56
21. Shanthirani, M 54 55
22. Subhashini Sreedharan 64 75
23. Sweety Selva Kumari, P 70 75
24. Yogalakshmi, R 64 55
25. Alister, M 60 60
27. Antony George Reegan, A 60 70
28. Aswin, M 54 60
29. Daniel Vinay Kumar, V 64 56
30. Darwin Vinesh Rudy John, C 54 45
31. Elijah Victor, S 66 60
32. Emmanuel Antony Raj, P 44 56
33. James Samuel Dhanraj, D 62 60
34. Kalaiarasan, G 48 66
35. Lalsangliana Ralte 72 70
36. Muthupillapan, S 42 40
37. Selvin Prabhu, W 60 45
38. Shain Samuel, S 52 60
39. Vignesh, D 62 66
40. Vignesh, K 66 64
41. Yuvaraj Kumar, A 52 60

Practical Introduction to Litt., - I CIA - II BA English - Marks

Dear Students of II BA English Litt., - Following are the marks for the paper - Practical Introduction to Litt., Clarifications, if any, can be made within ten days of the publication of the marks.
Christina Susan Sonny 77
Cleeta, S.J 72
Gifty Varghese 74
Jayanthi, L 78
Karan, F.K 74
Kamatchi, M 67
Koil Thangam Adlin 78
Irene Grace, D 76
Jennita Queeny 66
Kalaiarasi, C 65
Mercy Mary, D 77
Noeline Shirome, G 76
Rinila Rachel Ramesh 78
Sayujya, S 78
Sherine Allena Joseph 70
Shipporah Jayaseeli 67
Smitha Susan Zachariah 76
Stella, P 74
Sujatha, M 72
Aadithyan Mohan K 74
Allan Gladwin, D 66
Ashish Ittyerah Joseph 75
Ashem Sanjay Singh 70
Bestin Samuel 78
Blaisen Bonney Tom 62
Daniel Jesudoss, J 74
Ilenthirayan, S 60
Judah Eleazar 64
Karthi, E 58
Pradeep Kumar, E 30
Richard Rakesh, A 72
Sam Benjamin 55
Satchin Joseph Koshy 55
Shyam Gopal 78
Sidharth Varma 76
Srikanth Reddy 72
Thomas Varghese 66
Sushant Ekka 77
Swaroop, P.S.S 73
Vanlalropuia 78

II BA English - I CA - Practical Intro to Litt.,

Dear students of II BA English, After an enjoyable perusal of each and every answer sheet of yours, I've come up with the results. It obviously takes some time to key in the details onto the web; And, yep, the three great grand prize winners...

Coming to a consensus required a considerable amount of clock work on my part, because almost every paper had a fair amount of creativity embedded within its structure. So I had to abide by the parameters strictly to narrow down to the magic number three. Till now, i've downsized the good ones to five. And mmm.. selecting from this five is on...
Best wishes and keep waiting till then,
Regards,
Rufus

II BA English - I CA - Practical Intro to Litt.,

Dear students of II BA English, After an enjoyable perusal of each and every answer sheet of yours, I've come up with the results. It obviously takes some time to key in the details onto the web; and that may happen anytime before tonight. And, yep, the three great grand prize winners...

Coming to a consensus required a considerable amount of clock work on my part, because almost every paper had a fair amount of creativity embedded within its structure. So I had to abide by the parameters strictly to narrow down to the magic number three. Till now, i've downsized the good ones to five. And oh.. selecting from this five is on...
Best wishes and keep waiting till then,
Regards,
Rufus

I CIA Marks - Reg

Dear Students of I BA English / II BA English, Results of the I CIA for the papers which have not been given so far, will be uploaded shortly, ahead of your II CAs. So fingers crossed till then.
Regards,
Rufus

No Workshop this Saturday

Dear Students, Due to the upcoming Second Internals starting Monday, we wont be having our Language Enthusiasts' Meet tomorrow. All the best for your CAs. I BSc Pbt / Zoo, and II BA Tam / Phil Students will not be having your II CIA in Part II English. You will be tested in another way, and that will be conveyed to you shortly.
Regards,
Rufus

Good Books from Great Writers..! A List of Unputdownable Authors...!

To aid and assist reading good fiction writers and good fiction, a good compilation of the same has been brought out exclusively for my students.



Robert Ludlum , the author of twenty-one novels, each one a New York Times bestseller. There are more than 210 million of his books in print, and they have been translated into thirty-two languages. He is the author of The Scarlatti Inheritance, The Chancellor Manuscript, and the Jason Bourne series--The Bourne Identity, The Bourne Supremacy, and The Bourne Ultimatum--among others.



Every spring, lawyer-turned-novelist John Grisham dominates the publishing world with a new bestseller. Nicknamed "Hurricane Grisham" by journalists, he has taken Hollywood by storm as well: Grisham's made-for-adaptation legal thrillers have spawned the blockbusters The Firm, The Pelican Brief, The Client, and A Time to Kill, inspiring Film Comment to concede that he may be one of cinema's new auteurs.



Thomas Leo Clancy Jr. (born April 12, 1947), better known as Tom Clancy, is a US author of bestselling political thrillers, best known for his technically detailed espionage and military science storylines. The Hunt for Red October, Patriot Games, Clear and Present Danger, and The Sum of All Fears have been turned into commercially successful films.

All but two of Clancy's novels feature Jack Ryan and/or John Clark.



Scottish writer who became known for his well crafted adventure thrillers, The sea or the icy north was Alistair MacLean's favorite setting, from H.M.S. Ulysses , and Ice Station Zebra to his late collection of short stories, The Lonely Sea. A number of MacLean's books gained a huge success as films, among them Where Eagles Dare, starring Clint Eastwood and Richard Burton, The Guns of Navarone, starring Gregory Peck, David Niven, and Anthony Quinn, Ice Station Zebra, and Breakheart Pass, starring Charles Bronson. He also used the pen name Ian Stuart.



James Hadley Chase wrote most of his books using a dictionary of American slang, detailed maps, encyclopedias and reference books on the American underworld. Most of the books were based on events occurring in the United States. Best known for his crime stories, Many of them having been made into films, most notably No Orchids for Miss Blandish, which was filmed twice where it was titled The Grissom Gang . He was wildly popular in Asia and Africa. He also enjoyed success in France and Italy where more than twenty of his books were made into movies.



Jeffrey Archer's writing career has spanned almost 30 years. His bestselling novels, which range from Not a Penny More>, Not a Penny Less to Kane and Abel and The Eleventh Commandment, have sold over 120 million copies throughout the world. In August 2001, he was sentenced to four years in prison for perjury. During that time he wrote three highly praised and bestselling works of non-fiction entitled Prison Diaries. He was released in July 2003. He is simply unputdownable.!



Frederick Forsythis probably best known as the best-selling author of The Day Of The Jackal, the film version of which is currently one of the top grossing movies in the American charts. This, together with The Odessa File quickly established his innovative style. Some of his other popular fiction include The Dogs of War, The Devil's Alternative, The Fourth Protocol, The Negotiator, The Deceiver, The Fist of God, Icon and Avenger, etc.,



PG Wodehouse the greatest comic writer ever, Ian Fleming, who created the character of James Bond, debuting in the 1952 novel Casino Royale, Paulo Coelho who has sold over 86 million books in over 150 countries worldwide and translated into 66 languages are some of the other unputdownables.

PS: This list is not exhaustive.

A Report on the Language Enthusiasts' Meet | Saturday, 17th August 2007

Language Enthusiasts' Meet | 17th Aug 2007

Topic for today’s Debate: Single People Have More Fun, Money & Happiness than Married People

The cream of the Meet was, more than the Debate, the lecture that Prof. Daniel David gave the audience on the topic meant for Debating –

Single people have more fun, money and happiness than married people.

And the verdict that he passed today was… well… read on to know more about it!

The Prologue

- Prof. Daniel David

When you get married, there are two shops you've got to avoid - one is the Textile Shop and the other is, the Jewellery shop. Unless you are an absolute idiot, you wont accompany your wife to these shops, and thus launched his address.

Money and Happiness have to go hand in hand. How do you get happiness out of your money? By sharing it with others. Which better person to share with, than your own beloved wife.?

What's your concept of wife? Is she a servant? A baby sitter, or a pleasure giver? According to Prof. Dany, his concept of wife is ideal.

She's the best friend that you can ever have. That's why the words 'sorry' and 'thank you' aren't supposed to be used for a wife, cos she's yours.

The Epilogue: - Prof. Daniel David

You guys took a social perspective on the question. How much can you contribute to society by remaining single, or by getting married.?

I think the affirmative side (those who argued for bliss of bachelorhood) spoke well. Catholic priests thought that the main reason not to marry is for the good of the society.

But when the question of security is concerned, why do people get married? Live-ins have become particularly common in Bangalore, especially in the IT industry, so common that society doesn’t question you at all. The family brings pressure on you to get married.

Responsibility is something that we are naturally proud of.

As Class representatives, as Captains of Teams, Organising Secretary of a meeting like this, etc, dont you feel good about it? It's a drive.

If your Money can’t give you fun and happiness, it's not worth it. Both fun and happiness are emotions. Both groups didn’t deal with the emotional side of it. We marry for a sense of security.

There are two ways of looking at marriage:

1. Bondage

2. Binding (Bonding)

 

What many people look for is bonding, not bondage. (especially guys nowadays)

Married life keeps you together through thick and thin. Marriage is not just signing on the dotted line. And, Children form the mortar in the concrete.

As far as contribution is concerned, single people are able to contribute more to the society, but when Security is concerned, Married life is important.

Happiness and fun depend on Security. If you've pre-marital intercourse, you come away feeling 'sick'. And this sort of a relationship breaks easily because the guy tends to avoid the girl like a plague after that. You can’t possess the woman's body unless she's yours. There comes real happiness. Marriage kills love, but there arises a great sense of obligation on your part.

Some people can contribute more towards society, but is there fun and happiness involved? Well, it again depends on individuals.

Thus Prof.Daniel David concluded the debate on this note: Without a sense of security, you can’t have fun and happiness.

And the verdict was - It is better to stay single than to get married! 😊

He ended up saying, Marriage has many pains, but celibacy has no pleasures.

After the Debate, My Fair Lady, the musical, based on Shaw's Pygmalion was screened for 45 minutes, and the Meet ended sharp at 12.40 pm, sticking to the itinerary.

Self Assessment - the first Step to Achieving Success and becoming a Leader:

The Language Enthusiasts' Meet, organised this past Saturday, 18 August, was an eye-opener for each of us gathered, as students assessed their positives and negatives.

They say that a gentleman who is able to assess and evaluate both his positives and his negatives, in an unbiased, honest manner, has the qualities of a good leader, and a good teacher. Since, he alone can understand that man is capable of making mistakes and so, as a leader, he can be more elastic, compatible, broad minded in approach, and try to invigorate his subordinates with love and kindness.

Students at the Meet were asked to list out three positive things about themselves, and three equally negative things. Given below are some of these reflections:
First, for the positives, or USPs:

I dont tend to hurt anybody.
Interested in listening to lectures.
Fear of God.

I'm quite bold.
I can look a person in the eye.
I've got enormous self confidence.

I've got a cool temperament.
I like to be active all the time.
I can convince people easily.

Perseverence is my forte.
I honor my word to others.
I can easily get along with others.

I'm always positive.
I read a lot, and love music.
I like helping others in whatever way I can.

I've got a liberal thinking.
Flexibility to accept the new.
If I start something, I make sure that I complete it.
Reading is my favourite pass time.

I love playing Cricket.
I'm gregarious by nature.
Have tremendous will power.

Humility is my hallmark.
I've got no bad habits.
I am always patient.

I'm Calm and cool headed.
I dont like to get into controversies.
I get attracted to serene things like idealism and music.

Self-confidence is my USP.
I've got the spirit of questioning.
I'm gregarious, i.e., I like being in company.

I always have a satisfaction in helping others, espcially in studies.
I tend to be friendly with everyone.
I have properly planned my life.

Good Interpersonal Skills,
Critical Thinking.
Public Speaking without fear or shyness.

I Never get angry even if anyone teases or makes a joke at my expense.
I tend to adjust to any situation.
I always lend a helping hand in time of need.

I can mingle with all kinds of people equally.
Many quarrelled with me but when they apologise, I tend to patch up.
No bad habits till date, and that makes me a proud son of my parents.

Now for the negatives:

I'm a bit lethargic and sloppy.
I'm not highly ambitious.
I'm never considerate about the feelings of others.

I lack concentration.
I'm a bit shy.
I get nervous during the eleventh hour of any event, be it an exam or a speech.

I'm an emotional wreck.I tend to be lazy sometimes.
I'm a bit introverted, shy sometimes.

I keep postponing things.
I have a fear on whether I'll succeed or not.
I lack consistency.

I've got no proper aim in life.
Laziness is my benchmark.
I never get too close with friends.

Laziness is my core weakness.

Laziness is my main nemesis.
I've not got any clear cut ambition for my life.
I'm not serious in my attitude towards things.

I get angry quite easily.
I'm a bit reserved by temperament.
I cannot mingle with others easily.

My inner situation depends on outer situations.
I tend to live through the eyes of others, sometimes.
I've got poor HR/PR
Sloppiness.
Slight negative thinking.
I've got a bit of fear.
I lack boldness sometimes.

I tend to do too much talking.
I'm lazy sometimes.
I've got no proper aim in life.

Procrastination is my main nemesis.
I freak out with friends a lot.
I'm a bit shor-tempered.

I lack confidence.
I keep postponing things.
I tend to get angry easily.

I lack vitality i.e enthusiasm
I sometimes tend to leave work midway.
When it comes to execution of resolution, sometimes, I miss the mark.

I'm shy, and not bold.
I sleep a lot.

I cannot tolerate if I lose. I curse myself for the next two days on that.
A bit of nervousness.
I'm a bit lethargic and sloppy especially in getting ready.

The purpose of these reflections is to help awaken such a consciousness, and to help each individual to consider his or her own personal situation in an area which is so fundamental for the full exercise of his innate qualities towards a 'humane' being endowed with the qualities of a Successful Leader.

Read these positives and negatives about yourself, periodically, whenever you feel like self-introspection, and I assure you, the same negatives which you find here will become your postive points sooooon. ALL THE BEST..! And dont forget to keep me posted..! Regards and wishing you the best..!
Rufus

What do you expect from your girl? The boys speak out...!

While discussing Maya Angelou's poem, 'Phenomenal Woman,' we had a round of ideas, where boys and girls where asked to give their expectations from their respective partners. These are some of the views the guys had to say, regarding their expectations from their GIRL:
JAN-FEB: Shyness is one quality which we would expect, and apart from that, she should not fight with her mother-in-law.
MARCH-APR: She should be simple in demeanour, Society-oriented, and should spend whatever spare time that she gets creatively. She shouldn't use more cosmetics, and she should be submissive too.
MAY-JUNE: She should be bold, courageous, faithful, not addicted to megaa serials, and never get into gossips, and last but not the least, she shouldn't be a voracious eater.
JULY-AUG: She should be caring, lovable, sensitive to our needs, should have a sense of independence, should not be easily carried away, avoid ego, should have a sense of humour, and above all be feminine.
SEP-OCT: She should be understanding, and should speak casually, without any affectations.
NOV-DEC: Shouldn't have boyfriends, should be humble, be patient, have a sense of forgiveness, and above all, common sense.
The girls couldn't have their say, because of lack of time. They hope to come out with their missile attack in the next class, hopefully.

THE GREAT DEBATE - Come and battle it out in the battle of wits...!

Dear Students,
This Saturday's English Workshop, (18 August 2007), will feature the Second Great Debate which will be on any ONE of the following topics:

1.Single people have more fun and money than married people. So it is better to stay single than to get married.

2. People in my country are a lot happier and better off now than they used to be.

3. All men should be able to cook, iron and do the household work. They certainly shouldn’t expect their wives to do these things for them.

4. Generally speaking, women have a much harder life than men.

Students who have really interesting Debating topics, (purely Debate oriented, not GD oriented) can mail them to me at my email id.
The rules regarding Debating will be discussed in tomorrow's blog, and a five minute Intro to the art of Debating will be given before the start of the Workshop on the Grand day.

Students SHINE...!

This Independence Day, we would like to celebrate the Students who are using their God-given talents to their maximum. The students whose achievements we've outlined here below, have distinguished themselves in the field of their heart's delight, and made the most of it. Kudos dear students.! A host of other young achievers will be uploaded, when time permits..! We, as a College are proud of you..! Keep shining..!

Students in Song...!

Little do people realise the enormous power that lay within the student, especially as (S)he sails through the ocean of MCC. (S)He can become the Captain of the Ship or be a part of the crew that steers the ship towards laurels and achievements. Amar and team is witness to One such student power, wherein the creative side of the students has been brought to the fore.

Congrats dear Amar and team, on your recently released wonderful album titled "Kalluri Saaral."
Music for this DVD has been scored by Amar and Mervyn Inbarajan, while Editing, Camera and Direction was done by Moses Raj Kumar. Peterson is on the Lead Guitar, while Handle Jim plays on the Base Guitar, and Dinakaran on Rhythms. Vishwanath, Jagan, Shruthi and Nandhini are the lead singers, and Chorus has been performed by Vaja Halth Ali, Sai karthick, Amar and Mervyn Robinson. Research, Concept and Script Research by Revathi, V. Congrats on your dynamic efforts. It is indeed a beautiful feather in the Cap of our college. Keep rocking...!

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY..!

THE WORLD'S SEVENTH LARGEST COUNTRY
FOURTH LARGEST ARMY
THIRD LARGEST RAILWAYS
SECOND FASTEST GROWING ECONOMY
FIRST IN PRODUCTION OF MICA...
WORLD'S LARGEST DEMOCRACY
WORLD's LARGEST WORK FORCE...
OUR INCREDIBLE INDIA...!

Let's celebrate together the SPIRIT of INDEPENDENCE and remember the soldiers and the martyrs who gave their life for our FREEDOM.
And let's pray the prayer of RABINDRANATH TAGORE in GITANJALI:

WHERE the mind is without fear and the head is held high
Where knowledge is free
Where the world has not been broken up into fragments
By narrow domestic walls
Where words come out from the depth of truth
Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection
Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way
Into the dreary desert sand of dead habit
Where the mind is led forward by thee
Into ever-widening thought and action
Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake.