Attention - Students of II BA English Litt.,

MIMESIS - 08'

The Chief Guest Speaks..:

'You may be a workhorse, but still...'

Alumna Speak | T. V. Gayathri

The entire class was eagerly awaiting the arrival of their Speaker of the day, Ms T. V. Gayathri, an illustrious alumna of our College, who was scheduled to address the I Pb & Pbt/ Zoology classes, at 8.30 a.m, today, in my S-220 class with them.

Gayathri arrived quite on time for her first lecture at her alma mater and she sounded cool and confident right through the length of her lecture which was both interactive and lively.

After sharing a few thoughts about her good old days in MCC, she spoke on the need for improving one's Communication skills to be successful on the career front. 

She emphasised on the importance of mastering at least one programming language, with the help of which, one can build up on the other languages, which are just patch-ups or improvements of one over the other.

"You may be a workhorse, but still you get your worth, value and recognition in any sector, including the Software sector, only if you've got a PG degree", she quipped.

Ms Gayathri also suggested that students should make use of all the spare time that's at their command, to do some specialisation or the other. 

Making a list of 'C' type questions and preparing oneself towards this end will help a lot in getting through most of the interviews, she observed.

Outlining the various stages through which an interview is done, she said, the panel is usually split into two groups, of experienced and inexperienced lot. 

They begin by asking you the simple question, "Tell me a few things about yourself..." She also demonstrated, with a student (Vignesh) on how to make one feel at ease in the company of a person, who feigns ignorance of the other person's identity. Instead of harping on your negative qualities, just say "I need to improve on these areas.. etc."

"In IT, as is the same with any given field,

if you are able to expose your talents,

if you are able to outsmart others,

if you are able to make an impact, and

if you dare to differ,

you get all the opportunities,

AND, the WORLD IS YOURS..." she concluded.

Prof. David Albert participated. 

II BA English - II CIA Marks - Modern Period

Dear Students of II BA English Litt.,
The following are your II CIA marks for the paper Modern Period, for my part of the test. As Department festivities are scheduled for Monday and Tuesday, your answer sheets will be given to you on Wednesday, 27 February 2008. Clarifications, if any, can be made within ten working days of publication of the marks. Regards, Rufus

1. Ashish - 60
2. Juda - 56
3. Kamatchi - 60
4. Sidharth - 72
5. Jayanthi - 70
6. Irene Grace - 62
7. Ilenthirayan - 38
8.Sujatha - 66
9. Karan - 44
10. Richard Rakesh - 62
11. Cleeta - 66
12. Sherine - 62
13. Thomas - 64
14. Shyam - 68
15. Blaisen - 66
16. Daniel - 66
17. Christina - 64
18. Smitha - 62
19. Ashem - 56
20. Vanlal - 72
21. Bestin - 72
22. Allan - 62
23. Sushant - 68
24. Noeline - 70
25. Aadithyan - 72
26. Jennita - 62
27. Mercy - 70
28. Sayujya - 70
29. Rinila - 70
30. Addlin - 68
31. Gifty - 66
32. Dhanasekar - 62
33. Sam Benjamin - 56
34. Swaroop - 56
35. Srikanth - 52
36. Shipporah - 52
37. Kalaiarasi - 32

For Part-time jobs...:

For part-time job offers, check out on this WEBSITE. Candidates are advised to personally verify the authenticity of the employer, with regard to place of job, timing of the job, expected remuneration etc before committing themselves to any offer. Regards and all best wishes, Rufus

Oxford Book Store Discount SALE...!

Oxford Book Store announces

a DISCOUNT SALE

with discount of up to 90 per cent on books.
Dates: Friday, February 15, 2008 to Saturday, March 15, 2008
Venue: Oxford Bookstore, No 39/12, Haddows Road,

Apeejay House. Contact: 2822-7713

II BA English Litt - II CIA Marks - Rhetoric

Dear Students of II BA English,

The following are your II CIA marks for the paper on Rhetoric, for my part of the test. As Department festivities are scheduled for Monday and Tuesday, your answer sheets will be given to you on Wednesday, 27 February 2008. Clarifications, if any, can be made within ten working days of publication of the marks. Regards, Rufus

1. Ashish - 60

2. Juda - 56

3. Kamatchi - 60

4. Sidharth - 72

5. Jayanthi - 70

6. Irene Grace - 62

7. Ilenthirayan - 38

8.Sujatha - 66

9. Karan - 44

10. Richard Rakesh - 62

11. Cleeta - 66

12. Sherine - 62

13. Thomas - 64

14. Shyam - 68

15. Blaisen - 66

16. Daniel - 66

17. Christina - 64

18. Smitha - 62

19. Ashem - 56

20. Vanlal - 72

21. Bestin - 72

22. Allan - 62

23. Sushant - 68

24. Noeline - 70

25. Aadithyan - 72

26. Jennita - 62

27. Mercy - 70

28. Sayujya - 70

29. Rinila - 70

30. Addlin - 68

31. Gifty - 66

32. Dhanasekar - 62

33. Sam Benjamin - 56

34. Swaroop - 56

35. Srikanth - 52

36. Shipporah - 52

37. Kalaiarasi - 32

For Aspiring Writers...:

Oxford Bookstore's online writing programme on http://www.oxfordbookstore.com/ has launched its latest version e-Author 5.0. e-Author rewards the finest of new writers every year.

In this regard, OXFORD Bookstore invites original unpublished works of fiction from amateur novel and short story writers across the country. Harper Collins India will publish the winner's novel and Reader's Digest has been roped in to publish the prize-winning short stories as a special supplement.

The total prize money on offer is over Rs.1,00,000/- which includes a Rs.50,000/- grand prize for the novel writing winner and a Rs.30,000/- grand prize for short story writing winner. The winners will be decided by a panel of literary stalwarts. Those interested should mail their entries to eauthor@apeejaygroup.com by March 24.

In the City...:

FREE WORKSHOP On Group Discussion and Personal Interview for MBA Aspirants, Saturday, 23 February from 11 am to 2 pm at Stella Maris College, No.17, Cathedral Road. For details, 98438 78829

SANTHOME EMPLOYMENT OFFICE organises THREE-DAY CAREER GUIDANCE FAIR at Bharathi Women's College, Prakasam Salai, Broadway from Wednesday, 27 February 2008. Experts would be delivering lectures on various topics, including higher education and job opportunities, competitive examinations and entrepreneurship, for the benefit of college students. Chennai Collector R.Jaya participates.

You are Invited...!

Dear Students, You are invited for a TALK by T.V.Gayathri, an illustrious alumna of our College, on Monday, 25 February 2008 at 8.30 am in the S-220 class. After the talk, spanning twenty to thirty minutes, there will be an interactive session.
Regards, Rufus

II BA English - Notes on Rhetoric

Dear Students of II BA English, The notes on Rhetoric (in its entirity) have been given to your classmate Dhanasekar. You are expected to photocopy the text and bring it along for the classes on Rhetoric.
Regards, Rufus

Department Representative Elections announced..!

Elections for the post of Department Representative to the Student Council have been announced. For details, refer to the respective Notice Boards.

Attention - Students of I BSc Pbt/Zoo

Dear I BSc Pbt/Zoo (Reg) Students, FOR YOUR I CIA MARKS, CLICK HERE

Join the Summer Research Internship Program 2008

Centre for Civil Society invites applications for its

Summer Research Internship Program 2008.
[Every year 30 students are selected from all over India and abroad through a competitive process of a written application and an interview. Their work is published in newspapers, college magazines, our books, and some interns are also interviewed by the media.
This program is supported by Sir Ratan Tata Trust under its initiative on Youth and Civil Society. ]

Benefits:
*Training in skills of research, analysis & writing through hands-on projects
*Publication of select papers in newspapers, magazines, and CCS publications such as The Economic Times, Business World, The Statesman
*A certificate of successful completion of the program
*A monthly stipend
*A chance to participate in international seminars
*A chance to compete for prizes for best published articles after the internship

How to Participate?
*Period of Internship: Summer (May-July 2008).
*Internship is also offered post July 2008 (See details)
*Eligibility: College students or recent graduates in any discipline can apply from all over world.
*Place of Internship: Choice of any location in India
*Application procedure: Download and fill in the application form.

For further details, and application download, click HERE

The 29th Convocation and 116th College Day celebrations

The 29th Convocation and 116th College Day Celebrations

Date and Time: Tuesday, 11th March 2008 at 3.00 p.m.

Chief Guest: Mr. Paul Chandrasekharan Sabapathy (B.Sc. Physics '60-'63), (St. Thomas Hall)

Mr. Sabapathy is the Chairman and Post-Chancellor of the University of Central England. He recently received a rare honor of being appointed the Lord Lieutenant by the Queen of England for the country of West Midlands.

Further information related to Convocation can be had from:

For further details, visit the College Website HERE

HR Conclave - For Students with Potential for Fashion...!

Pearl Academy of Fashion,(PAF) is organizing a HR conclave, at G.R.T. Convention centre
Theme: “Empowering Retail man power”.
Date: 22nd and 23rd February, 2008
Day One: People-focused session with Speakers from the Retail Industry. The workshop is aimed at creating future leaders for this industry.
Day Two: After a brief screening, potential students will be put forth for a face to face with the future employers. For further details, visit their WEBSITE HERE

Attention - Part II English Students

Dear Students of I BSc Pbt/Zoo & II Tam/Phil, The last date for submitting your Assignments, as part of your II CIA is Friday, 29 February 2008. The Assignments can be placed on my table after signing on the prescribed sheet, as proof of submission.

For All ye Wildlife Enthusiasts...!

Central Zoo Authority (Ministry of Environment & Forests), Govt. of India, conducts International Conference on “ India ’s Conservation Breeding Initiative”
21st to 24th February, 2008, New Delhi , India

Also, Small Grant Fellowships - for initiating Research Activities at Zoo Level are available at their WEBSITE

BCL Members Invited..!

Book Release function – ‘’Tales from Puffugees’’ by Jaspar Utley to be held in BCL premises on Thursday, 21 February 2008 at 6.30 pm. S.Muthiah, Editor, Madras Musings will release the book.

VIII Study Circle Meet of OSLE - Calling all Eco Enthusiasts...!

OSLE-India invites you to the 8th Study Circle

Date: 22th February, 2008 (Friday)

Time: 5.00 p.m.-6.00 p.m.

Venue: Bishop Heber Hall (Guest Room), Madras Christian College

Speaker: Dr. Mark C. Long
Topic: John Muir and the Idea of Wilderness
About the speaker: Dr. Mark C. Long is Associate Professor of English and American Studies, and Chair of the Department of English, at Keene State College. He has been serving on the Executive Council of ASLE-US since 1996. He is the coordinator of the ASLE Mentoring Program and also the member of the Editorial Advisory Board for the journal ISLE: Interdisciplinary Studies in Literature and Environment. He has several essays and books to his credit. His forthcoming writing includes a 12, 000 word essay on the poet A.R. Ammons which will appear in the volume Twentieth Century American Nature Writers: Poetry in the Dictionary of Literary Biography series.

Home Work: It will be appreciated if you could read up on John Muir, his writing and prepare some questions, when you attend the study circle. This will enable you to be familiar with the topic in discussion.

CAMPUS PLACEMENTS - MCC

CYBERNET - SLASH SUPPORT
Job Title: Support Engineer / Support Executive
Dt: Friday, 21 February 2008, 9.45 am
Venue: Botany Gallery
Place of Posting: Chennai
Salary: Rs.1,89,324/- (Gross)
Qualification: Any Graduation, with Good Interpersonal Skills, Basic Knowledge in Hardware, OS Skills: Excellent Communication Skills
Selection Process: Extempore Round, Online Test, Technical Panel Round, and HR Round
********************************************************************************

AJUBA INTERNATIONAL INC.
Job Title: Trainee - Accounts Executive
Dt: Friday, 22 February 2008, 9.45 am
Venue: Botany Gallery
Place of Posting: Chennai
Salary: Rs.17,000/-
Qualification: Any Graduation
Web: http://www.ajubanet.net/

Students at their Rhetorical Best...! An Overview...:

Noeline spoke on the Topic - "Is Religion/Religious Belief Irrational today?"

First, she proceeded to outline the meaning of the terms 'Religion,' 'Irrational' and 'Belief.' Then, she posed a question, 'Man by nature, is irrational. Do you agree? - and 'yes' she said. Every human being has got a special sense which helps him think and reason. Outlining the broad divisions of Religion as 'Revealed Religions,' and 'Non-Revealed Religions,' she said while the former was a result of Divine Agency the latter was a product of Human Enquiry.

Religious belief, according to her, is necessary. Colleges and schools are institutions meant for Education. Thus, it is imperative that an institution is necessary to mould us in a particular way of life. So is religion. We know there is air. But why do we need a fan? to feel the air. Similarly, religion helps us to feel and know God.

Religion, she says, doesnt divide people at all. It is individuals who divide. Finally she summed up by saying that Religious belief is not irrational... it is rational.

Questions were asked by Bestin, Sreekanth, Sayujya, Jayanthi, Richard, Smitha, Gladwin etc.

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Sujatha gave her oratory on the topic,"Is Indian Independence a Success Story?" According to her, Indian Independence is partly a success, and she began to enumerate the factors authenticating her viewpoint.

The English first came over to India as tourists, then traders, and finally as Rulers. Before Independence, we were working for the British, but even today, we fly abroad and still work for them..!!! She also justified the concept of Brain drain by saying that people like Sunitha Williams and Kalpana Chawla have done our Nation proud by working for the US, as the facilities in NASA cannot be arranged by India. America just gave a platform to our talents. The reason is that, in a majority of cases, people lack encouragement from the government.

If you register at an Employment office, chances are you may not get a job even after 30 years, but if you give some 'money', you will get a plump government job in two or three years. The administration has become corrupt.

Irresponsible Activities of youngsters also add to the sad plight. Many of us do not use our talents. We are ashamed of taking up even part time jobs, unlike in the West where students earn their livelihood by taking up some part time job or the other to fend for themselves. Added to that, today's youth irresponsibly follow Western culture.

Gandhiji, though he was in the West for sometime, he burnt foreign goods and advocated Indian goods.

We havent achieved real independence as yet, because we still depend on various countries for our many needs. One of the solutions which she advocated was, to follow Indian Culture and Gandhiji's principles. Finally, she said, Indian Independence is 75% a success story, leaving the rest for the audience's guess!

Sreekanth, Siddarth, Sayujya, Richard and Gifty posed questions.

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Sayujya spoke on the topic "Is a woman's life much harder than that of a man's?" Women, are generally speaking weak, physically. But most of the women who earn today do not do it through physical strain, although she said, women in villages have a very hard life growing and harvesting in the fields.

On the reservations front, she said, the whole issue is a bit overdone. Trains and buses have special allocations for women folk. What about men? In some cases, application forms are cheaper for women, income tax slabs are far cheaper for women etc etc.

Also, in the name of freedom and liberty, women have the right to blame a man, accuse him and still can get away with it. But what about a man? The system is heavily prejudiced against the men folk, she argued.

While there are laws for 'Violence against Women', there should also be stringent laws for 'Violence by Women.' How can a woman escape by hurting, abusing a man? In terms of cooking, babysitting, etc it's of course a much harder life for a woman. But in terms of liberty and the freedom they're getting, it's a bit too much. Life is a bit tougher for men today. She concluded by taking the balanced approach, and finished off by saying that women have freedom and liberty, but they should see to it that they dont abuse or misuse it.

Ashish, Smitha, Sreekanth and Noeline posed questions.

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Addlin spoke on the topic, "Is happiness connected with having a lot of money?" First, she posed a question to the audience, "Are you all happy today?" Then, she proceeded to outline the difference between 'wanting money' and 'wanting lots of money'.' She also spoke on the need for satisfaction in the economic front. When we get satisfied, we are happy.

"$10m to me, is great money, but for Bill Gates, it's a meagre amount." she said. Lots of money leads again to love of money, and it ultimately leads to dissatisfaction. She gave an illustration about a person who was feeling very dejected because hed didn't have shoes to wear, until he saw a man without a leg.

Finally she concluded by saying that, when money becomes your master, it's evil.

Richard, Noeline, Shyam, Bestin and Gladwin asked questions.

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Smitha spoke on the Parallels between Religion and Science. She brought out some instances that highlight these parallels through The Bible, the Hindu Concept of "Dasavathara", Darwin's theory of Evolution etc.

In the realm of Karma, the tagline is "Your actions determine your destiny." A.K.Ramanujan, in his essay, "Is there an Indian way of Thinking" defines Karma as a chain of causes and consequences. Similar parallels can be seen in The Holy Bible also, where it is said, "As you sow, so shall you reap." Similarly, Newton's Third Law of Motion also states that there's an equal and opposite reaction.

The fall of Jericho wall can be equated with the Theory of Resonance, which states that when a body vibrates, with a frequency equal to the natural frequency of another body, the body also starts vibrating.

In the realm of Religious practices like Meditation too, we can analyse it in terms of science. Like, in meditation, oxygen intake will automatically increase better functioning of the body cells, contributing to a better functioning of your body and brain.

To conclude, Science is based on facts, while Religion is based on faith. Hence, though religion and science are often considered to be incompatible, there is an invisible thread somewhere linking the two binary opposites, of science and religion.

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P.Dhanasekar debated on "whether Women have much harder life than Men or not." While stating that he was not against men and for women, he vouched that women indeed have a harder life than men.

He delved into the Sociological factors, where their genes and chromosomes wouldnt support them to do a lot, and hence they're genetically weaker. Even physically also they are weaker, as they can't lift a weight that a man can easily lift.

Coming to the Psychological factors, he said, women have become bigoted and narrow minded because of their religion, family customs and traditions etc. Domestic factors like housekeeping, taking care of husband and children are also indicators.

He lamented the fact that there is a lacunae of Penal laws and Property Laws to sufficiently address the problems of women.

He also stated that women are a bundle of emotions. A man may marry an illiterate woman, but a woman won't marry an illiterate man. That means she wants a settled life, not a satisfied life.

Women are, accordin to him, 1) Aquarium fishes, which can swim only the length and breadth of the aquarium and not above or beyond that realm. 2.) Race horses - they run for the sake of their masters (parents, husband and children) and not for their own sake or for their own benefit. 3.) Prisoners - they are arrested and imprisoned by the shackles of sentiments, values and virginity. 4.) Innocent ancient soldiers - They are having the powerful guns/rifles (penal laws) but they don't know how to use it to protect themselves. 5.) They are envelopes / protecting coats - Like a king coming behind his soldiers to protect him from his enemies, women are used by men to do work but rarely get the praise or reward for the work done.

Finally he concluded by dashing off the line, 'Dominance gives pride, whereas Dependence gives pleasure" The choice is obviously in the hands of the women.

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Ashish Ittyerah gave his oratory on the topic, "Are written examinations alone the yardstick for judging a student's capabilities.?" On his personal views on written examinations, Ashish felt that, it's just something that forces a student to mug up something and write it down on a sheet of paper. At a certain point of time, students won't even care what they are reading and just mug up something just for the sake of getting some marks.

On the drawbacks of written examinations, he said that studies conducted by researchers state that a person can't concentrate for more than 20 minutes on the same subject. Then how can a person concentrate in the exam which is sooo long?

On alternative methods for evaluating students, he suggested that Group discussions and seminars, help retain content better, and aid in better understanding. The most important thing in a person's education is the building up of a good personality, and these alternative forms of evaluation help you achieve it better, he opined.

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Blaisen Bonney Tom spoke on "Should Reservations be scrapped?" Defining the term Reservation, he opined that the basic criteria for reservations is a person's caste. Defining the reservation system in the context of the Indian Constitution, he quoted Article 15, which states that there should not be any discrimination on the basis of caste, creed, race, gender etc. Even though the constitution states that reservation system is considered to come under the concept of "Protective Discrimination" - a discrimination shown to protect a particular group of people.

Sixty years ago, during the eve of Independence, there were lots of people from the lower castes, socially downtrodden and ostracised. Hence, reservation system was necessary for their upliftment. But now the situation has changed. They have improved on a lot of fronts. Thus, he concluded by observing that, Reservations should henceforth be based on economic (class) considerations, and not on caste considerations.

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Sherine spoke on the topic, "Has Science made man's life quite comfortable?" From the invention of the wheel and pottery to the invention of IC Chips and supercomputers, from the ancient wisdom of medicine - Ayurveda to the modern methodology of cloning, from the Pythegorean theories of mathematics to Stephen Hopkins' Interpretation of space and time, science and its varied applications have really made the earth a better place to live. Science has transformed mankind from a mere evolutionary product in the lines of 'apes' to that of the most advanced and powerful animal that ever existed on planet earth.

It has helped man fight dreaded diseases ranging from small pox to malignant tumours and cancers. It has even helped in the preservation and creation of art and music. The fact that it has grown into a number of branches speaks to the enormous influence of science.

Science has helped man understand the characteristics of material particles with the size of a few nano meters and also huge astronomical bodies. Science has made many things possible that were not even in the dreams of humans a thousand years ago - Biological child, man in space, man on moon, Dolly the cloned sheep, superconductivity principle are just some of those.

She concluded by admitting that scienc is a double-edged sword. Atomic science could be used for the production of electricity and at the same time for the production of the dreaded atom bombs too. Still, the choice is left to man to decide whether to use science as a helping friend or a 'frankenstein' - that would ultimately kill its creator. She concluded by saying that the role of science in the betterment of mankind is indisputable and the progress of mankind in all the spheres of life is living proof of that.

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Shyam Gopal gave his oratory on the topic, "Is being happy connected with having a lot of money?" tHe started off his speech by opining that 'money can give you happiness so long as you know just what you can and can't expect from it. It can't buy back all your youth when you're old or a friend, when you're lonely. Now, by saying that being happy is connected with having a lot of money, he said that it is essential to understand just what brings you happiness in the first place. Innumerable studies suggest that having friends matter a great deal. Large scale surveys by the University of Chicago's National Opinion Research Centre, for example, find that those with five or more close friends are 50% more likely to describe themselves as "very happy" than those with smaller social circles. Compared with the happiness increasing power of human connection, the power of money looks feeble indeed. So to get happier, he suggested that one should use one's money to invest in one's friendships.

Doing this, according to him, can bring us more joy than having things. In conclusion, he had this to say: 'Our preoccupation with objects obscure an important truth: the things that don't last create the most lasting happiness. One reason may be that experiences tend to blossom as you recall them and not diminish."

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Cleeta spoke on the need to implement a ban on the Public Sectors. Defining the term, she said, in a public sector, the government owns all the assets and provides service for the people. She then proceeded to outline three spheres wherein the Public Sector has not been given enough care and attention due to the sheer apathy of the governments, and they are: 1.) Health care, 2.) Education 3.) Infrastructure etc.,

While the government should work for the public sector, it should also provide conducive environment for the growth of the private sector, towards enhancing productivity growth, she opined.

She also suggested that the government should take some steps for improvement like providing institutional infrastructure for eg., Property rights, Law and Order etc., In conclusion, she said that, if the government is not able to deliver the goods effectively, they should go in for privatisation, because in the end, what matters is not whether an Institution is Public or Private, but how it caters to the common man, especially the poor.

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Gifty gave her oratory on the topic, "Is Being happy connected with having lots of money?" According to her, happiness is not connected with having lots of money. Happiness is not all about money at all. It's the matter of being content with what one has. The main roof of happiness is love. People with a very heavy bank balance are still not happy with their life. Money can only give materialistic happiness which can't last for long. It can't bring a natural glowing smile on your face. She also observed that, while money is essential for our basic needs, true love is only through love, joy, peace etc., True friends can be won over only by love and affection.

While commenting on the present globalised world, she opined that people's heart and mind is all about and after money, resulting in restlessness, as they are now worried on how best to safeguard the money. Quoting the Buddha, who was a great king, and was with the poor, and Mother Teresa, who left everything to serve the poor, she said that true happiness doesn't lie in money. In our life, when we look back, there will be some unfilled spaces.

One can buy an expensive bed, but can one buy a peaceful sleep? We take all our problems to bed. She concluded by saying that, the guy who begs on the streets, sleeps much more peacefully.

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Addlin spoke on the topic "Is being happy connected with having lots of money?"  She spoke thus: Happiness is always associated with contentment. On the contrary, money never gives satisfaction. Wealth cannot give happiness. Good health, peace of mind and sufficient riches give happiness. The riches or money have no specific value. Happiness is the art of making a boquet of flowers within reach. When we yearn for earning lots of money, we tend to fall into the pit of love for Mamon. This Mamom - lots of money can never be reached as it does not have the peak value constant. Let us assume that we posses riches and wealth in abundance - our thoughts are always preoccupied as to how to invest further. We are pushed to the situation that we require pills to put us to sleep. This riches can be destroyed just by a minute's disaster. Whether the wealth is hoarded for the next generation is another question to worry.
Happiness is not connected with what you have but your attitude. Herald Abort complained about everything until he saw a man with no legs who was happy. He felt ashamed of himself and started counting his blessings and forgot what he did not have.
If you loose your wealth you lose nothing.
If you loose your health you lose something.
If you loose your character you lose everything.
Happiness could be gained through your practice of principles of life which is far valued than Mamon - money. Secret of happiness is to make others happy, says Gandhiji. Money is a means to cater to our needs. But to gain lot of money we stoop down to mean levels and become greedy. This attitude of avarice causes money to become the root cause of all evil. Then there is no place for a virtue of happiness to be gained.
Until money becomes our master, it stands as an answer to every need of human beings.
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CAMPUS PLACEMENT - CYBERNET - SLASH SUPPORT

CYBERNET - SLASH SUPPORT
Job Title: Support Engineer / Support Executive
Dt: Friday, 21 February 2008, 9.45 am
Venue: Botany Gallery
Place of Posting: Chennai
Salary: RS.1,89,324/- (Gross)
Qualification: Any Graduation, with Good Interpersonal Skills, Basic Knowledge in Hardware, OS
Skills: Excellent Communication Skills
Selection Process: Extempore Round, Online Test, Technical Panel Round, and HR Round

CAMPUS RECRUITMENT - AJUBA

AJUBA INTERNATIONAL INC.
Job Title: Trainee - Accounts Executive
Dt: Friday, 22 February 2008, 9.45 am
Venue: Botany Gallery
Place of Posting: Chennai
Salary: Rs.17,000/- Qualification: Any Graduation
Web: http://www.ajubanet.net/

In the City this week...!

III Rajaji Memorial Lecture on "Need for an ever-green evolution" Monday, 18 February, at Bharathiar Illam, T.P.Koil Street, Triplicane. Agricultural Scientist M.S.Swaminathan speaks. For details, call 28440607.

Free Materials for Spoken English: Nava Bharath Soft Skill Academy will be distributing spoken English materials free of cost. The study material includes grammatical items and phonetic symbols comprising both vowel and consonant symbols. For details, 98407 22178.

INTER-COLLEGIATE ORATORICAL COMPETITION

Presidency College, Chennai is conducting an Inter-Collegiate Oratorical Competition on Wednesday, 20 February 2008 at 2 pm. One of the topics is: How do animals contribute to Human Welfare? For further details, please do check it out on the College Notice Board.

THE INLAK SCHOLARSHIPS...!

Dear Students, Inlaks Scholarships provide the opportunity to young people with exceptional talent in any field to broaden their vision and improve their skills to operate in society, thus making them a future vehicle of change in their environment. The scholarships are of two types: university courses and specific programs. For more details CLICK ON THEIR WEBSITE HERE.

Students take to the Dais in this Order..: - II BA Eng Litt.,

Dear Students of II BA English Litt.,

The following is the order in which you all will take to the dais for your Speech, as part of your II CIA for the Paper Prosody and Rhetoric. Students will be judged based on the following criteria given in this website. The time limit for each participant would be five + two minutes, at the end of which, questions will be asked by the audience.

1. Noeline

2. Sujatha

3. Sayujya

4. Shyam

5. Thomas

6. Bestin

7. Blaisen

8. Smitha

9. Sushant

10.Richard

11. Dhanasekar

12. Gifty

13. Karan

14. Sherin

15. Christina

16. Gladwin

17. Karthik

18. Sreekanth

19. Daniel Jesudoss

20. Swaroop

21. Ilenthirayan

22. Pradeep

PS: Those whose names do not figure in this list, will have to sit for their written test on Monday, 18 February 2007.

HOW TO ANALYZE AND CRITIQUE A SPEECH..:

This article has been reproduced (with slight modifications, in parts), from www.sixminutes.dlugan.com with prior permission. Students can access the original article HERE. We sincerely thank Andrew Dlugan for giving his consent in quoting from his post. Thanks Andrew once again!

Studying other speakers is a critical skill, and quite an essential skill for a public speaker. The ability to analyze a speech will accelerate the growth of any speaker.

The Most Important Thing to Analyze: The Speech Objectives:
Knowing the speaker’s objective is critical to analyzing the speech, and should certainly influence how you study it.
 What is the speaker’s goal? Is it to educate, to motivate, to persuade, or to entertain?
 What is the primary message being delivered?
 Why is this person delivering this speech? Is he/she the right person?

The Audience and Context for the Speech:
A speaker will need to use different techniques to connect with an audience of 1500 than they would with an audience of 15. Similarly, different techniques will be applied when communicating with teenagers as opposed to communicating with corporate leaders.
 Where and when is the speech being delivered?
 What are the key demographic features of the audience? Technical? Students? Elderly? Athletes? Business leaders?
 How large is the audience?
 In addition to the live audience, is there an external target audience? (e.g. on the Internet or mass media)

Speech Content and Structure:
The content of the speech should be selected and organized to achieve the primary speech objective. Focus is important — extraneous information can weaken an otherwise effective argument.

The Speech Opening:
Due to the primacy effect, words, body language, and visuals in the speech opening are all critical to speaking success.
 Was a hook used effectively to draw the audience into the speech? Or did the speaker open with a dry “It’s great to be here today.“
 Did the speech open with a story? A joke? A startling statistic? A controversial statement? A powerful visual?
 Did the speech opening clearly establish the intent of the presentation?
 Was the opening memorable?

The Speech Body:
 Was the presentation focussed? i.e. Did all arguments, stories, anecdotes relate back to the primary objective?
 Were examples or statistics provided to support the arguments?
 Were metaphors and symbolism use to improve understanding?
 Was the speech organized logically? Was it easy to follow?
 Did the speaker bridge smoothly from one part of the presentation to the next?

The Speech Conclusion:
Like the opening, the concluding remarks are also quite critical to speaking success.
 Was the conclusion concise?
 Was the conclusion memorable?
 If appropriate, was there a call-to-action?

Delivery Skills and Techniques:
Delivery skills are like a gigantic toolbox — the best speakers know precisely when to use every tool and for what purpose.

Enthusiasm and Connection to the Audience:
 Was the speaker enthusiastic? How can you tell?
 Was there audience interaction? Was it effective?
 Was the message you- and we-focussed, or was it I- and me-focussed?

Humor:
 Was humor used?
 Was it safe and appropriate given the audience?
 Were appropriate pauses used before and after the punch lines, phrases, or words?
 Was it relevant to the speech?

Language:
 Was the language appropriate for the audience?
 Did the speaker articulate clearly?
 Were sentences short and easy to understand?
 Was technical jargon or unnecessarily complex language used?
 What rhetorical devices were used? e.g. repetition, alliteration, etc.

Intangibles:
Sometimes, a technically sound speech can still miss the mark. Likewise, technical deficiencies can sometimes be overcome to produce a must-see presentation. The intangibles are impossible to list, but here are a few questions to consider:
 How did the speech make you feel?
 Were you convinced?
 Would you want to listen to this speaker again?
 Were there any original ideas or techniques?

CA on Rhetoric

Dear Students of II BA English,

As regards your II CIA on Rhetoric, it will be a choice between the Spoken and the Written. Those of you who have opted for the Spoken part, kindly note that the topics have been given out in our class on Friday, February 2008. Those of you who've opted to take your written CIAs check HERE toaccess the broad overview of the portions for the II CIA.

Please note that on no account your status can be changed from written to spoken, or vice versa because your time slots have been prepared.

As regards the Spoken part, please check back on the presentations by your immediate seniors HERE.

Note: Students who have opted for the Spoken version of the CIA, cannot sit for their written CIAs.

The following are the Students who've opted for the Written CIA.

1. Satchin
2. Rinila
3. Sanjoy
4. Vanlal
5. Samuel
6. Jennita
7. Kalaiarasi
8. Mercy
9. Stella
10. Kamatchi
11. Shipporah
12. Swaroop

Check back soon for updates...! All the best...!!

Announcements... II BA English - Assignments - Reg:

Dear Students of II BA English, For your Assignment on Rhetoric, for those of you all who come under my purview, your Assignment topic is as follows:

Choose any famous Speech by a well-known person that has inspired you and analyse its appeal based on the Canons of Rhetoric, or else, with the Various Elements of Rhetoric.

You are expected to analyse the Speech chosen, based on its Rhetorical features, the main theme and background of the Speech, most famous lines in the Speech, the success of, and the universal appeal behind the speech etc.

Originality and Creativity will be much appreciated and suitably rewarded. All the best.!

For a Database of and index to 5000+ full text, audio and video versions of famous public speeches, sermons, lectures etc, you can CLICK HERE. For yet another selective compilation of most famous speeches, CLICK HERE

And the Debate goes on and on...!

The debate on Science versus Religion, as part of the finishing stages of the novel "The Power and the Glory" in the very first hour of the II BA English class, yesterday, was heated right from the start.

The topic for the debate was: Do you think religious belief is irrational, in the present era of scientific progress, where every work of nature and its manifestations, right from the wind mill to the cell phone has been attributed to Science? also, Do you feel Science is far better compared to religious beliefs, which divide and differentiate mankind?

While almost fifty per cent of the class took the side of 'Religion,' forty five per cent stood their stead for Science. A five per centime section, motley yet with vociferous views, stood their ground on neutral territory.

Many argued that religion was responsible for so many suppressions, sexism, and bigoted thoughts, while others equally defended their faith with gusto, saying religion still holds good in the present society.

Some argued that religious heads, who have to serve society, are serving themselves, and fighting for their salaries, while the majority of their folk live in dire straits. Another opinion was that religion has always been instrumental in shaping scientists and their views, but on the same line, religious thoughts are dynamic, while the laws of Science are static and universal in its appeal. As such, the concept of religion existing on diamtrically opposite poles to Science does not arise at all. Quoting Eintstein who had attributed his stupendous success in science to God, the speaker said that religious thoughts nourish science and hence cannot be dispensed with. We should take the sap from every religion and use them to nourish our lives and never be bigoted and fanatic in outlook, she said.

For a good perspective on the Religion versus Science debate, and for her thought-provoking and indepth analysis of the issue, Noeline Shirome gets the Prize for the best Speaker of the Day.

A Section of the enthusiastic Students...

A Date with the Youngest Author in India...!

By 10.45 am, the class was literally overflowing. 

Students were eagerly awaiting the youngest author's arrival, and the child prodigy landed sharp at 11.oo am in the S 220 classroom, along with his inspiring mom, who had accompanied him. 

The questions poured forth in quick succession and Master Raja Monsingh tackled them with consummate ease.

When asked, who was his greatest inspiration, he promptly replied, "My Mother.!" 

But when one student asked him, how much percentage of his success he owed to his mom, he started thinking for quite a while, and calmly replied, "20 per cent"

When asked, what was his goal in life - when he grows up, - he casually remarked, "That we can think of when I grow up."

Students congratulating Master Monsingh

Results of the First CIA held on 04 January 2008

Dear Students of I BSc Pb&Pbt,

The following are your marks for your I CIA.
Creativity, Sincerity and Neatness have been suitably rewarded.
You can also access your marks at our academic website HERE.

PS: Clarifications, if any, can be made within ten working days of the publication of the I CIA marks.
Regards, Rufus

I BSc Plant Bio & Biotech:
1. Anandhi, B -68
2. Annie Jenifer- 74
3. Archana, N - 64
4.Ashwini, M -73
5. Beni, T.S -60
6. Gayathri, B-68
7. Jane Elaine Linda-73
8. Jasmine John- 70
9. Jenefer, W- 73
10. Kethzial Nireshini, M-68
11. Logeswari, S -70
12. Melanshiya Shanthini, S- 55
13. Nandhini, R -70
14. Parimala Devi, R- 65
16. Rama, E -68
17. Ramya, K -58
18. Rebecca Murmu- 68
19. Revathy, S -64
20. Sandhya Devi, B- 56
21. Shanthirani, M -50
22. Subhashini Sreedharan- 70
23. Sweety Selva Kumari, P- 68
24. Yogalakshmi, R -59
25. Alister, M -72
27. Antony George Reegan, A- Ab
28. Aswin, M-68
29. Daniel Vinay Kumar, V-W
30. Darwin Vinesh Rudy John, C-62
31. Elijah Victor, S -71
32. Emmanuel Antony Raj, P-40
33. James Samuel Dhanraj, D-W
34. Kalaiarasan, G-60
35. Lalsangliana Ralte- Ab
36. Muthupillapan, S- 47
37. Selvin Prabhu, W- 65
38. Shain Samuel, S- 68
39. Vignesh, D- 67
40. Vignesh, K- 75
41. Yuvaraj Kumar, A- Ab
42. Sathiaraj- 68

I BSc Zoology (Reg):


1. Amuthavalli, P- 45
2. Arthi, A - Ab
3. Asha Davidraj- 68
4. Bakialakshmi, K- 50
6. Devi, P - W
7. Gowthami, S- W
8. Jayalakshmi, M- 60
9. Karthiyayani, V- 58
10. Malarvizhi, J- W
11. Mohanapriya, S- 68
12. Nithya, B -W
13. Pilomina, D- W
14. Premalatha, M- 68
15. Rejina Jayarani, S- 64
16. Rekha, R- W
17. Reychal Mary, S- W
18. Roselin, I- 70
19. Saranya, D- W
20. Saranya, S- W
21. Balakrishnan, S- 68
23. Dawngliana Pachuau M.S- Ab
24. Emmanuel Joel Singh, J- 70
25. Ezekiel Prithvin Raja Rao, S- 68
26. Franklin, S -72
27. Hopeland, P -73
28. John Reegan, R- W
29. Kalaivanan, M- W
30. Karthikeyan, N- 55
31. Paul Pravin George- 70
32. Porpatham, S- 59
33. Sachin T.Jose -72
34. Sakthivel, B- 62
35. Tovito H Sema- 72
36. Vijay, T- W
38. Vinoth, D- 65
39. Yogendra Pratap Singh- 70
40. Deepa Mohan- 67
41. Nisha Dymi- 50
42. Vadivu- 62
43. Susitha- 59
44. Kala,M- W
45. Priscilla- 52
46. Danula Evangeline -64
47. Kavitha- 62

W- Withheld; Ab- Absent
Clarifications, if any, should be made before Friday, 29 February 2008

CRAIG MEMORIAL PRIZE

ESSAY COMPETITION ON THURSDAY – 24 January 2008

The Craig Memorial Prize is to be awarded for the best written essay. An essay competition will be held on THURSDAY, 24 January, 2008 at 2 pm in the Examinations Office Gallery. Interested candidates may register their names with Dr.Ann Thomas of the dept before 10.45 am on Wednesday.

- An English Dept Communication [For further details look up the dept notice board]

Meet the Youngest Author in India

Dear Students, I am happy to bring to your midst the youngest author in India, Mr.Raja Monsingh, a child prodigy. The coming week, on Wednesday, 23 Janauary 2008 at 10.40 am in the Language Classroom.(S-220) We hope to have a meaningful time with this child wizard, and learn lots from the great thoughts of this little kid. You can read more about him HERE

"Monsingh believes he can make money through books. "He thinks of himself as a plant and his abilities as roots. The ideas he shares with me is the biggest root. Knowledge acquired from formal education is one of the smaller roots," says Subha"
Thanks to THE HINDU dt 18 April 2007

This week, in the City..:

Business Writing Contest: - The Madras Management Association and teh Sanmar Group have announced the second Ramaswamy Business Writing Competition, which is aimed at nurturing young professionals' talent in drafting business proposals. The competition will be held on January 19 at different locations in Chennai. The proposals will be judged for logical flow, clarity, simplicity and grammar.

The three best business proposals will receive the 'MMA-Sanmar Effective Business Communication' Award, a trophy and a cash prize of Rs.One lakh. FOr further details, call 24962766.

Interested in Turtle walks? - Student Sea Turtle Conservation Network is inviting participants for turtle walks during the weekends. As the number of participants has been restricted to 30 per walk, those interested need to register with Arun on 24901019 or Akila on 99403 00200

Meet the Youngest Author in India - Dear Students of I BSc Pbt and Zoology, I have great pleasure in introducing to you all the youngest author of our country, Master Raja Monsingh. He will meet you all in the coming week, and the exact day will be intimated to you shortly. You can read more about him HERE.

Assignment Topics - III BA English

Topics for assignments for the following students who come under my purview:

Points to Note before you Ink: The essays should be about 12 to 15 pages in length, handwritten, proofed, and well thought-out, adhering to the MLA Style. Bibliography should be used, wherever applicable. I see these assignments as a chance for you to explore more thoroughly some of the topics we have discussed / we will be discussing in class. Also, when you write the essays, be sure to use examples from the text of the play/novel, which have some very usable quotes: use them to your advantage. All assignments should be submitted to Ms.Rani at the IQAC, before 1.30 pm on 29.02.2008. No further extension is permissible under any circumstances.

Creativity, Neatness and Originality will be rewarded suitably. I would also like to add that I really enjoy reading your essays, and remember, you should be able to make a presentation in class, in about five minutes based on your assignment.

And please don't feel bad if you dont get your marks, as marks from now on, will be strictly based on the above parameters. All the best..!!!

Angelin: How and why did things fall apart? Identify what you interpret to be major themes of Things Fall Apart.

Chaithanya: Write a play in about two or three acts on Chapter One, Two and Three of Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart. You can use the various parameters involved in the staging of a play for theatrical effects.

Jemima: Write a play in about two or three acts on Chapter Four, Five and Six of Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart. You can use the various parameters involved in the staging of a play for theatrical effects.

Mispa: Write a note on Women in Things Fall Apart, and comment on their role in their immediate family and societal set up.

Rita: Write a play in about two or three acts on Chapters Seven, Eight and Nine of Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart. You can use the various parameters involved in the staging of a play for theatrical effects.

Alexander: Write a play in about two or three acts on Chapters Ten, Eleven and Twelve of Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart. You can use the various parameters involved in the staging of a play for theatrical effects.

Ashish: Achebe has integrated traditional Igbo/African elements in his novel. Elaborate on a few of them, and explain their importance.

Jason Roy: Write a play in about two or three acts on Chapters Thirteen, Fourteen and Fifteen of Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart. You can use the various parameters involved in the staging of a play for theatrical effects.

Kunga Ngodup: Write a play in about two or three acts on Chapters Sixteen, Seventeen and Eighteen of Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart. You can use the various parameters involved in the staging of a play for theatrical effects.

Pothen Cherian: Write a play in about two or three acts on Chapters Nineteen, Twenty and Twenty one of Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart. You can use the various parameters involved in the staging of a play for theatrical effects.

Sidharth Kumar: Write a play in about two or three acts on Chapters Twenty two, Twenty three and Twenty four and Twenty five of Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart. You can use the various parameters involved in the staging of a play for theatrical effects.

Assignment Topics - II BA English

Topics for assignments for the following students who come under my purview:

Points to Note before you Ink: The essays should be about 12 to 15 pages in length, handwritten, proofed, and well thought-out, adhering to the MLA Style. Bibliography should be used, wherever applicable. I see these assignments as a chance for you to explore more thoroughly some of the topics we have discussed / we will be discussing in class. Also, when you write the essays, be sure to use examples from the text of the play/novel, which have some very usable quotes: use them to your advantage. All assignments should be submitted to Ms.Rani at the IQAC, before 1.30 pm on 22.02.2008. No further extension is permissible under any circumstances.

Creativity, Neatness and Originality will be rewarded suitably. I would also like to add that I really enjoy reading your essays, and remember, you should be able to make a presentation in class, in about five minutes based on your assignment.

1. Jayanthi: Discuss the novel's title. Where are "power" and "glory" found in the book?

2. Adlin: Make a play with interesting dialogues and commentaries on Part I – Chapter I of the novel The Power and the Glory with special focus on Dialogues, Stage setting, props and style of presentation.

3. Rinila Rachel: After the Mexican Revolution of 1910, there were clashes between the state and the church and under the presidency of Plutarco Elias Calles (1924-28), anti-clerical measures were adopted and organized religion was banned. Calles believed that the Catholic Church was responsible for spreading superstition and that priests were corrupt, greedy, and responsible for the poverty in Mexico. Calles formed the National Revolution Party, which was a coalition of military, labor, and peasant organizations and he totally excluded the church from the party. Do you think Religion is responsible for the corruption, greed and poverty? Defend your stand with slight allusions from the text.

4. Stella: Discuss and comment on at least three important themes that strike you about the novel The Power and the Glory

5. Allan Gladwin: Create a play with interesting dialogues and commentaries on Part I – Chapter II of the novel The Power and the Glory with special focus on Dialogues, Stage setting, props and style of presentation.

6. Juda: Create a play with interesting dialogues and commentaries on Part I – Chapter III of the novel The Power and the Glory with special focus on Dialogues, Stage setting, props and style of presentation.

7. Richard Rakesh: The lieutenant is an ambitious young man who wishes to see his country free from poverty, superstition, and ignorance. Since he believes that the priests play a negative role in the country, he is determined to capture this last priest and rid the country of the negative influences of religion. Do you think that priests and religion play a negative role in the country? Defend your stance with slight textual allusions.

8. Sushant: Create a play with interesting dialogues and commentaries on Part I – Chapter IV of the novel The Power and the Glory with special focus on Dialogues, Stage setting, props and style of presentation.

For II / III BA English Litt students - Assignment topics - Reg:

Dear Students of II BA and III BA English,

For those of you who come under my purview for assignments, the topics will be posted on this, our academic blog, latest by tomorrow, Saturday. So keep watching. Regards, Rufus

Have a lovli holiday time. Wish you all a Happy Pongal.

PS: Don't miss out on the Book Fest goin' on at St.George's School premises.

FREE SPOKEN ENGLISH CLASSES..!

The Nav Bharath Soft Skills Academy, Triplicane, will conduct free spoken English classes from Friday to Sunday. The purpose would be to bring about awareness of phonetics. Grammar, including tenses, articles, kinds of sentences, active and passive voice would also be taught.

Application, registration and coaching are entirely free of cost. Prior registration is compulsory.

For registration, contact the Academy located on 63, C.N.Krishnaswamy Road, Triplicane. Phone: 98407 22178, 98408 22160

POSTPONED: The "Chennai Science Festival" organised by Science City, will now be held between February 6 and 10, 2008, and not as announced earlier,by the organisers.

A HAPPY NEW YEAR...!

Dear Students, I wish you all a vibrant and a successful NEW YEAR ahead. May this new year ring in harmony, peace and prosperity in all that you do. Regards, Rufus

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