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Holi is upon us! While the country revels and celebrates the festival of colours, most of us youngsters working in corporate sector get three full days of holidays to enjoy their weekend. I've seen a few articles around on the internet that give vague suggestions about what you can do on a long weekend and I decided, this is silly, let me just be more specific with my instructions. Here's what you can do over the long weekend!<\/p>
1. Watch Breathe on Amazon Prime: <\/b><\/p>
I cannot tell you how long I've been waiting for an Indian serial as fantastic as Breathe, starting the fantastic Madhavan. It's a riveting and electrifying show that everyone must watch ASAP to see what Indian entertainment industry is capable of. <\/p>"},{"type":"img","id":"img-uid-1519735532242","data":"5a955455b5ab9"},{"type":"txt","id":"rich_1503574791190","data":"
2. Steal a PS4 and play Uncharted: The Lost Legacy<\/b><\/p>
Don't actually steal a PS4, I don't want you guys to point to this article and say I wanted you guys to steal one for real. Borrow from someone, or use your own, but pick up the latest entry to Uncharted 4's storyline, The Lost Legacy, featuring the hard as nails Mercenary from the main game Nadine, and the loveable rascal and a fan favourite Chloe Bennet as the protagonist. Play as Chloe as you navigate Tamil Nadu's jungles and unlock the secrets to The Lost Legacy<\/p>"},{"type":"img","id":"img-uid-1503574938776","data":"599ebdb750f45"},{"type":"txt","id":"rich_1503574933034","data":"
3. Watch Awe!:<\/b> <\/p>
Telugu cinema is maturing. Last year, we had Arjun Reddy, this year we have Awe! made by another debutant director and featuring an impressive ensemble. This is one Telugu movie you do not want to miss!<\/p>"},{"type":"img","id":"img-uid-1519735621815","data":"5a9554af71a23"},{"type":"txt","id":"rich_1503575037804","data":"
4. Begin Reading A Game of Thrones: <\/b> <\/p>
Yes, you've always told yourself that you will one day finally start reading the books behind the fantastic TV show, but it is time you actually do it. Martin's writing flows like water and you'll be hooked in no time, I guarantee it. <\/p>"},{"type":"img","id":"img-uid-1503575132526","data":"599ebdfea4a72"},{"type":"txt","id":"rich_1503575134760","data":"
5. Go on a road trip: <\/b> <\/p>
I mean, are you really surprised this is on the list? Road trips are the most cliched and common things to do on a long weekend, but they are cliched and common for a reason. Take this opportunity and go for a spin on your bike or car, ride for the waterfalls and the mountains, for the beaches and the breaches in the mountainside. <\/p>
Whatever the case, live your life to the fullest. <\/p>"},{"type":"img","id":"img-uid-1503575258565","data":"599ebe4658a99"}]
Back in college, we used to go watch Balakrishna movies in theatres not because they were cinematic pieces of marvel or wonder but simply because we could not believe that this was a real person making real movies who even had real fans who unironically watched these movies just so they could see his dialogue delivery. <\/p>
I honestly believed that Telugu cinema was cursed as long as people like him existed, fans don't need logic in their movies nor do they need movies that make them think or present to them a mirror that reflects society onto the screen. But over the years, - it's been 5 years since I've finished college - I went through what writers refer to as a political awakening. I found the political belief that revealed to me the fault lines in our society and frankly, I have been hoping for a lobotomy ever since because being ignorant is better than knowing what drives society and why we are so fractured. <\/p>
Now, why am I telling you an extended sob story of what I went through over the last decade? Because in January, I made the terrible mistake of watching Balakrishna starrer Jai Simha, a film so horrendous I swore off Telugu films for the rest of the year, which led me to almost miss Awe! in theatres and also why this article is over a week late. Jai Simha was such a horrendous mess of a movie that conformed to the status quo so hard that it, combined with my already preexisting notions of Telugu cinema, led me to swear off from watching Telugu movies again for the rest of the year because I was frankly tired of movies being ego massaging projects for the stars in it rather than a work of cinematic art or representing interesting and off-beat characters, specifically marginalised ones. <\/p>
This is both Awe! biggest advantage.<\/p>"},{"type":"img","id":"img-uid-1519637057519","data":"5a93efba7a550"},{"type":"txt","id":"rich_1519637060115","data":"
Helmed by debutant director Prasanth Varma and backed by actor Nani, Awe! takes us on a journey in the life and times of 5 different and incredible characters with interesting personalities and obscured backgrounds. It's a part-time sci-fi, horror, comedy and drama all rolled into one full-time 115-minute rollercoaster that will leave your jaw on the floor by the end of its ride. In fact, the scene in which Nithya Menen shows up at the cafe that is central to the story is in itself a scene that makes the movie for me, it was a masterclass in playing with audience expectations and making them examine their own heteronormative perceptions. <\/p>
Now, I have to warn you, if you haven't watched the movie yet, I suggest you read this after watching because we are getting into spoiler territory. <\/p>"},{"type":"img","id":"img-uid-1519637452596","data":"5a93d5527d2f8"},{"type":"txt","id":"rich_1519637454371","data":"
The Bait and Switch:<\/b> <\/p>
The movie opens with Esha Rebba waiting anxiously for her significant other in a restaurant with her parents. The conversation seems normal at first, but that is with a reason which I shall elaborate momentarily. While Esha's character Radha uses skips around using a gender identifying pronouns to talk about her significant other, her dad talks on as if Krishh, her SO, is a man. <\/p>
So when Nithya Menen shows up and is introduced as Krishh, Radha's mother's reaction was the first bit in the movie that made me sit up and laugh while nodding in approval. The movie doesn't rub it in but the question is in the air, why did we assume Krishh was a man? <\/p>
The one scene alone puts Awe! a notch above the rest of the Telugu Film Industry, the silent treatment it gives to the screaming question of why did we, the audience, assume that Krishh was a man is not addressed directly but constantly peeks from around the corner, which makes it even more effective especially when people go back home after watching the movie and talk about it. <\/p>
The bait and switch in this scene works so well because, in Telugu movies, homosexuals are punchlines, made fun of and degraded for the entertainment of the crowd at large who live their entire lives not knowing how common homosexuality is or that their actions are causing those who are afraid of revealing their identity to anyone because they fear being ostracized. Even progressive folk who watched the movie would not have expected the switch in a Telugu movie, let alone those who go their entire lives being heteronormative without a single inkling of what it is like for those who are not considered 'normal'. <\/p>"},{"type":"img","id":"img-uid-1519640396367","data":"5a93eef8cd17b"},{"type":"txt","id":"rich_1519640398868","data":"
Trans-Representation:<\/b> <\/p>
I'm an LGBT ally so I can only make observations from the outside, I cannot fathom what people in the community think of the movie, although I've sent out feelers to talk to the community about their thoughts on the movie, I'll write another article when I have the interviews I need. <\/p>
Srinivas Avasarala's character plays a watchman who also happens to be a tech whiz, devouring books on the theory of relativity, teaching himself the Morse Code and even building a handy robot that he claims is good enough to be a watchman for the cafe the movie takes place in. The character, named Shiva, is orphaned at a young age and desperately seeks to build a time machine to go back in time and save his parents. That's when a mysterious woman named Parvathy crosses his path, quite literally, and tells him that she is actually him from the future. <\/p>
Once again, I must reiterate that my experience with transfolk issues is very limited and I would be able to explain further on the issue after speaking to a trans person who has watched the movie. But even with my limited experience, the burn of the silent question when it came to Radha and Krishh's relationship was not repeated in this case because Shiva wonders out loud about how he, a man, could be a woman in the future. <\/p>
Don't get me wrong, this is probably the only Telugu movie in recent history that has a trans character that is not a joke. Parvathy is a fully realised and serious trans character with ulterior motives of her own, asking Shiva to not go through with the invention of the time machine. The pair, Shiva and Parvathy, is also a direct reference to Ardhanarishwara, a composite androgynous form of Lord Shiva and Parvati Devi, often depicted in paints as half man half woman split directly in the middle. Read more on Ardhanarishwara by clicking here. <\/a><\/p>The point is, the movie goes above and beyond the rest of TFI fare by simply treating its characters as complex human beings with their own orientations and limitations, in Radha and Krishnaveni's case (get it, Radha-Krishna) both of them are comfortable in each other's presence like how lovers usually are and calmly explain to Radha's parents about her orientation. I simply do not remember this ever happening in any Telugu film ever. <\/p>"},{"type":"img","id":"img-uid-1519642131317","data":"5a93ef295650a"},{"type":"txt","id":"rich_1519642133338","data":"Subverting Mental Health Cliches:<\/b> <\/p>Mental health issues, unlike gay and transfolk, have been depicted in movies before. But whereas most movies use something like depression and multiple personality disorder as an excuse to advance the plot, Awe! takes the longer and smarter approach. Depression isn't simply something that exists in this movie to show that one of its characters are super sad, multiple personality disorder is not used to explain away why some character can suddenly beat up scores of people and punish the corrupt. No sir, mental health issues in this movie have a cause and consequence due to reasons that happen to many around us, silently. There's a particularly young child in this movie that represents childhood and the abuse children go through, which leaves a long-lasting impact on the person that child grows up to be. <\/p>I'm not talking about the beatings we get as a child, although even that has a major impact on our emotional development, I'm talking sexual abuse, the worst kind. <\/p>"},{"type":"img","id":"img-uid-1519643118639","data":"5a93ef6d441e4"},{"type":"txt","id":"rich_1519643120772","data":"The Movie Itself: <\/b><\/p>While the themes and ideas behind the movie, in itself, are fantastic, the movie suffers due to a script that seems perpetually on the edge of losing balance and falling into the abyss. Don't get me wrong, it gets its points across beautifully and is choke full of detail, tiny little details that become clearer on second or third viewing, but the movie with it's short run time feels overstuffed. <\/p>That, however, does not change the fact that this is probably one of the best Telugu movies ever made. Telugu movies are notorious for toeing the line of the status quo - name one movie in recent times that has a character from an underprivileged caste or sexuality. The former has no representation in Telugu movies, the latter is reduced to jokes and degraded. <\/p>The best of the Telugu film industry still has a long way to go, however, and this is what Awe! is at the end of the day, it is a movie that is the foundation of much greater movies to come. I hope there are young filmmakers or aspiring filmmakers today, those who worship the arcane art of filmmaking and offer prayers to a photo of Martin Scorcese, Satyajit Ray and Ram Gopal Varma watching movies like these and knowing that there is a crowd for their crazy ideas, their vision of a cinematic piece of art. Of course, movies made for the lowest common denominator will always be successful, there's a reason why we call them commercial films, but in an industry that only thrives on commercial ego massaging movies that follow the same structure every time, making movies like Awe! is the greatest act of rebellion, an act of sticking it to the man and saying that the art will live on despite the massive egos in the industry. <\/p>The foundation has been laid by both Arjun Reddy and Awe! - and while the general public completely missed the point that Arjun Reddy is the actual antagonist of the film, not the protagonist - what remains to be seen is the kind of building young filmmakers continue to build on this foundation. <\/p>There is still hope for Telugu cinema. <\/p>Also, the movie features Iron Maiden. I'll recommend any movie with Iron Maiden in it. <\/p>"}]
The point is, the movie goes above and beyond the rest of TFI fare by simply treating its characters as complex human beings with their own orientations and limitations, in Radha and Krishnaveni's case (get it, Radha-Krishna) both of them are comfortable in each other's presence like how lovers usually are and calmly explain to Radha's parents about her orientation. I simply do not remember this ever happening in any Telugu film ever. <\/p>"},{"type":"img","id":"img-uid-1519642131317","data":"5a93ef295650a"},{"type":"txt","id":"rich_1519642133338","data":"
Subverting Mental Health Cliches:<\/b> <\/p>
Mental health issues, unlike gay and transfolk, have been depicted in movies before. But whereas most movies use something like depression and multiple personality disorder as an excuse to advance the plot, Awe! takes the longer and smarter approach. Depression isn't simply something that exists in this movie to show that one of its characters are super sad, multiple personality disorder is not used to explain away why some character can suddenly beat up scores of people and punish the corrupt. No sir, mental health issues in this movie have a cause and consequence due to reasons that happen to many around us, silently. There's a particularly young child in this movie that represents childhood and the abuse children go through, which leaves a long-lasting impact on the person that child grows up to be. <\/p>
I'm not talking about the beatings we get as a child, although even that has a major impact on our emotional development, I'm talking sexual abuse, the worst kind. <\/p>"},{"type":"img","id":"img-uid-1519643118639","data":"5a93ef6d441e4"},{"type":"txt","id":"rich_1519643120772","data":"
The Movie Itself: <\/b><\/p>
While the themes and ideas behind the movie, in itself, are fantastic, the movie suffers due to a script that seems perpetually on the edge of losing balance and falling into the abyss. Don't get me wrong, it gets its points across beautifully and is choke full of detail, tiny little details that become clearer on second or third viewing, but the movie with it's short run time feels overstuffed. <\/p>
That, however, does not change the fact that this is probably one of the best Telugu movies ever made. Telugu movies are notorious for toeing the line of the status quo - name one movie in recent times that has a character from an underprivileged caste or sexuality. The former has no representation in Telugu movies, the latter is reduced to jokes and degraded. <\/p>
The best of the Telugu film industry still has a long way to go, however, and this is what Awe! is at the end of the day, it is a movie that is the foundation of much greater movies to come. I hope there are young filmmakers or aspiring filmmakers today, those who worship the arcane art of filmmaking and offer prayers to a photo of Martin Scorcese, Satyajit Ray and Ram Gopal Varma watching movies like these and knowing that there is a crowd for their crazy ideas, their vision of a cinematic piece of art. Of course, movies made for the lowest common denominator will always be successful, there's a reason why we call them commercial films, but in an industry that only thrives on commercial ego massaging movies that follow the same structure every time, making movies like Awe! is the greatest act of rebellion, an act of sticking it to the man and saying that the art will live on despite the massive egos in the industry. <\/p>
The foundation has been laid by both Arjun Reddy and Awe! - and while the general public completely missed the point that Arjun Reddy is the actual antagonist of the film, not the protagonist - what remains to be seen is the kind of building young filmmakers continue to build on this foundation. <\/p>
There is still hope for Telugu cinema. <\/p>
Also, the movie features Iron Maiden. I'll recommend any movie with Iron Maiden in it. <\/p>"}]
Feast At Trucks<\/a> are back with even much more bigger bash of their season 2 of the Hyderabad's Food Festival<\/a>. Food trucks are now the most trending in Hyderabad\u2019s Food and Beverage industry. From being new to the city a few months ago to becoming the most talked about in town, they have come a long way. Most often, these food trucks are usually associated with wallet friendly scenarios and delicious street food but now they\u2019ve become competitors to dine inns on a large scale by being full-fledged restaurant on wheels. <\/p>"},{"type":"img","id":"img-uid-1519638840957","data":"5a93da8e7b4fb"},{"type":"img","id":"img-uid-1519638817499","data":"5a93da7780477"},{"type":"txt","id":"rich_1519636628099","data":"There was absolutely no way we would miss the first ever Food Truck Festival held in Hyderabad, so it was only natural we would visit it at the earliest, and it did not disappoint! <\/p>Check out the video here!<\/p>"},{"type":"youtube","id":"vid-url-1519638102213","data":"KP8K5kdbl0E"},{"type":"txt","id":"rich_1519638423226","data":" Book Now<\/a> Or visit: http:\/\/bit.ly\/2BQgFR6<\/p>"}]
There was absolutely no way we would miss the first ever Food Truck Festival held in Hyderabad, so it was only natural we would visit it at the earliest, and it did not disappoint! <\/p>
Check out the video here!<\/p>"},{"type":"youtube","id":"vid-url-1519638102213","data":"KP8K5kdbl0E"},{"type":"txt","id":"rich_1519638423226","data":"
Book Now<\/a> Or visit: http:\/\/bit.ly\/2BQgFR6<\/p>"}]
The topic that has been on the discussion table from a very long time and had raised many questions. The topic that has everything in it. Aliens and their existence has always been a burning issue of discussion and a never ending one. Almost everyone has something to tell about this and the fact that most of them believe we have already been visited and are being visited by some extraterrestrial beings in their so called vehicle, UFO\u2019s makes it a bit more interesting and a restless one. So, is it right? Do aliens really exist? If they do where are they from? How does they look like? and so onthe questions never tend to cease. <\/p>\n
Coming to the facilities like Area51 and Kapustin Yar, people always had some or the other alien perspective about these places. They strongly believe these are some or the other kind of secret bases for the respective countries where the aliens are either captured or their tech is being reverse engineered. Undoubtedly these are one the most secure and sophisticated facilities of all time but there is no solid proof that they deal alien stuff. <\/p>\n
Back to our very question, do aliens or extraterrestrial life exist?<\/p>\n
One cannot answer this question right away\u2026but as of now, since there is no solid proof that they do exist , we can take it as a no. But let\u2019s get into some interesting data , the Universe is 13.7 billion years old and our Milky Way galaxy is 13.5 billion years old and coming to our home planet Earth , it is 4.5 billion years\u2026these data seem boring but upon comparison they turn out to be interesting. If life other than us really exists then we have given enough time for them to either contact us or make up to us .Here, let\u2019s restrict ourselves only to our galaxy. I mean the difference of 9 billion years is enough time for a dominant life specie to develop enough technological advancement and intelligence to achieve interstellar travel and colonise the whole galaxy. More over the time of 9 billion years is pretty much a very long time, considering our rate of development it could possibly take any intelligent and a dominant life specie not more that 50 to 100 million years to set an empire or reign all over this galaxy . But where is all that, everything we see is a galaxy with no sign of life.<\/p>\n
This is where the FERMI PARADOX comes into play.<\/p>\n
What does it actually mean? The Fermi paradox or Fermi's paradox is the apparent contradiction between the lack of evidence and high probability estimates for the existence of extraterrestrial civilization, simply this paradox is a question raised by a famous physicist Enrico Fermi . \u201cWhere are they?\u201d is the simple sounding question raised by him when he and his fellow mates were having a casual lunch time conversation. Which meant if we are really not alone then the other life would have paid us a visit or in the worst case we would have at least found some or the other sort of evidence of extraterrestrial life, but it\u2019s a no as of now nothing has happened and nothing is happening. This strengthens the question ARE WE ALONE\u2026?<\/b><\/p>\n
Speaking of probability there are about 1 billion trillion stars in the observable universe and our own Milky Way galaxy is home to about 300 billion stars and there are about millions of sun like stars and millions of planets in the habitable zone making them ideal for life to exist and flourish. But, where are those life forms? There is no trace about them.<\/p>\n
Possibly, we could be the only life form to exist and possibly it is way hard for complex life form to exist contrary to what we think. This means that we are way more precious and special than we could ever imagine and once we are gone or extinct, possibly the whole chapter of life could vanish from this universe. That\u2019s a lot to take in\u2026but in that case we are the only ones to spread life beyond our home and take charge. <\/p>\n
\u201cMANKIND WAS BORN ON EARTH, IT WAS NEVER MEANT TO DIE HERE\u201d \n -Interstellar <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n"}]
After introducing Jio in India our lifestyle has changed a lot. It all started with reliance unveiling their plans to launch 4G in India. Having a plan is one thing and executing it is completely different. It surely needs a lot of courage to start a business even though you don\u2019t have any background in telecom field. According to the latest news, Netflix chairman Reed Hastings, \u201cIt definitely helps to have confidence in the growth of the internet. Even we couldn\u2019t predict the last two years of Indian internet growth.\u201d<\/p>
Well if we take a good look at the internet growth in India in the last two years we can surely conclude that this growth was driven by the launch of Reliance Jio in the middle of 2016. This led to a sudden fall in data cost across all telecom operators like Vodafone, Airtel, Idea. Netflix has launched its Indian operations in January 2016 and has been able to capture significant market share here, with a focus on the top 10 -20 million internet costumes.<\/p>
It\u2019s the most amazing example of low internet cost leading to expansion of 4G and internet users.<\/p>"},{"type":"img","id":"img-uid-1519536864202","data":"5a924c6cbba8d"}]
How does one write about the death of a legend, of a giant in the industry that seemed near immortal because you grew up consuming entertainment media that has featured her so prominently over the years? I guess I'm about to find out. <\/p>
Sridevi has always been a demigoddess in a country obsessed with cinema, at least for the generation that grew up in the 80s and then the 90s. Whenever conversations turned to acting prowess and sheer beauty, Sridevi would be spoken about in hushed, reverent tones, an aura she continued to maintain throughout her life. <\/p>"},{"type":"img","id":"img-uid-1519531347266","data":"5a92480fc688e"},{"type":"txt","id":"rich_1519531348934","data":"
Born on August 13, 1963, in Sivakasi, Tamil Nadu to a Tamil father and a Telugu mother, Sridevi took to the screen at the age of 4, playing the role of Lord Muruga. She would eventually go on to win Kerala State Film Award For Best Child Artist for the 1971 film Poompetta. It was as if she was born for the industry. <\/p>
Sridevi quickly added multiple movies to her portfolio, excelling in every role she played. After utterly dominating the Southern Film Industry with her ethereal looks and fantastic acting prowess, including movies with former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa and giving the Telugu folk a timeless classic like Jagadeka Veerudu Atiloka Sundari, she eventually made her Bollywood debut with Solva Sawan in 1979. It wouldn't be until 4 years later starring opposite Jeetendra in Himmatwala that she would find success in the industry. <\/p>
And success she did. Himmatwala smashed records left and right and became one of the most successful films from Bollywood, it also resulted in Jeetendra and Sridevi working together for 15 more films together, 13 of which were superhits, the remaining 3 didn't do so well. <\/p>
It wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if someone were to take the initiative to write about Sridevi's life and that book ended up being a thick slab of paper. Her film credits alone fill up an entire page, the stories she has to tell about the industry would be quite something else. <\/p>"},{"type":"img","id":"img-uid-1519534225443","data":"5a92484c75cee"},{"type":"txt","id":"rich_1519534227209","data":"
I cannot help but feel that I am severely underqualified to even begin to write anything about Sridevi. She was the true personification of an 'Atiloka Sundari', a beauty from beyond our world because it was simply improbable to imagine that such a person could exist on this planet. As Ram Gopal Varma wrote in his slightly weird facebook note, it was hard to imagine that such a beauty could exist among humans, least of all have human problems. <\/p>
My particular generation remembers her for her fantastic roles in Mr. India and the aforementioned Atiloka Sundari, movies that would only cement her status as the first proper female superstar in the industry. As a friend put it, she was the first actress in the industry that could easily put her male co-stars in supporting actress roles. <\/p>
Death is never an easy concept to come to terms with, even more so when you realise that some people you thought will always be around, suddenly pass away. <\/p>
Perhaps the biggest takeaway from this tragic death is the sombre realisation of mortality. No matter how inspiring, how decent or how beautiful one is, at the end of the day, we're only human. Which kind of explains why the country is in a daze. <\/p>
Death is such a human problem, to think even Sridevi can be affected by it, that is simply madness. <\/p>"}]
My apologies in advance for not writing this sooner, I've been sick with a spot of fever which unexpectedly took a longer time than usual to heal, likely I'm just getting old. Anant Pai passed away on February 24th of 2011 and left behind generations of young people who looked up to him and his comic books. I write this in his memory. This one is for you, Uncle Pai.<\/i><\/p>
In 1976, a bunch of school students found themselves staring at copies of a brightly illustrated comic book series based on Indian Mythology sitting at their desks, confusing many because comics were heavily frowned upon in schools. What the students did at the time was that they were part of a test, something that would eventually shape the future of what India consumes for its entertainment, leading the last few generations to pick up a medium that would have otherwise never been mainstream in India. <\/p>
The books students were given were the now famous Amar Chitra Katha, the brainchild of one Anant Pai, a former journalist and, at the time, a man with a mission. After establishing the Amar Chitra Katha brand in 1967, Anant Pai struggled for years to get it published - a feat that proved to only be half the battle - and accepted with sellers and in schools. Schools at the rejected comic books as a lower form of literature, some still do despite the excellent amount of literature published in this format, and sellers did not want to stock the ACK brand for it was relatively unknown at the time. <\/p>
So here he was, Anant Pai, 9 years later in 1976, convincing a school in Delhi to let him conduct an experiment where one half of the target group would read the Amar Chitra Katha while the other half would read their regular coursework and then take the same test. The idea was to see which group of kids would score higher marks on the same test, albeit with different books to study from. <\/p>
The test results turned out overwhelmingly in favour of the kids who read the Amar Chitra Katha, proving Anant Pai's point that kids retain knowledge better when they study it in a format that is more acceptable and accessible by them and changing the landscape of Indian comics for years to come. Thus was born the Legend of Uncle Pai. <\/p>"},{"type":"img","id":"img-uid-1519478460044","data":"5a9194443390e"},{"type":"txt","id":"rich_1519478461944","data":"
I was a weird kid growing up. I mean, I did play sports and had friends but at the same time while most of the kids would be out playing, I would be trying to read the newspaper and eagerly pouring over the comics section and the editorials, trying to read the written word which was - and still remains - a fascinating endeavour for me. But the child-like wonder and the thirst to read more was still something quite raw and underdeveloped in me as a tiny kid, something that changed the day I discovered ACK and Tinkle. <\/p>
Uncle Pai would go on to establish Tinkle in 1980, the monthly comic magazine that would give us legendary characters like Shikari Shambu, Suppandi, Tantri the Mantri, Kalia the Crow and not to forget The Anu Club, featuring the young scientist Anurag Sharma and his club of bright kids that learned - and by extension also teaching us eager readers - science. I've lost count of the number of plastic scales I've broken under a flat piece of newspaper to test the pressure air puts on a paper. <\/p>
To think all of this would have not ever happened if it wasn't for Uncle Pai's unquestionable faith in his own work and the message he was trying to send to young kids. <\/p>
As the story goes, in 1967, the 38-year old Anant Pai caught a quiz show segment on TV in New Delhi's Karol Bagh, on which young and confident looking Indian students were quick to answer questions about Greek Mythology - not that I blame them, Greek Mythology is terribly interesting - but failing to answer even basic questions about Indian Mythology. Now, the usual reaction to such display of such perceived obtuseness is usually shaking your head at the TV set and grumbling about how 'this generation's kids are so spoiled', but where everyone else saw a dazzling display of bewilderment, Anant Pai saw an opportunity, one born out of an honest need to educate children about the very same cultures they come from. <\/p>
So he did what every enterprising individual with a bright - sometimes not so bright - idea does. <\/p>
He quit his job.<\/p>"},{"type":"img","id":"img-uid-1519489490241","data":"5a91bdb20a900"},{"type":"txt","id":"rich_1519489493322","data":"
Anant Pai had experience with comics before; after trying his hand at studying Chemical Engineering, he dropped out of college and joined The Times of India, where he was put in charge of the Indrajal Comics, which was responsible for bringing The Phantom, Mandrake the Magician and Flash Gordon to the country. By the time he quit his job, Uncle Pai would soon realise that he was fighting an uphill battle, overcoming societal expectations, public disinterest and the biggest task of them all, getting a child interested in the story he was selling. <\/p>
Nobody wanted to work with the idea, he struggled to find a publishing house that would support his line of comics that he was calling Amar Chitra Katha, ACK for short. Eventually, GL Mirchandani of India Book House agreed to support the venture after Uncle Pai persuaded him to give it a shot. <\/p>
With a publishing house powering his idea, Uncle Pai had another problem to solve: distribution. Nobody wanted the ACK comics, as mentioned earlier in the article. It was only after a man that goes by the name of Mr. Rao, a former teacher, joined the organisation that the idea to test it out in the school came about. <\/p>
News of their little experiment spread like wildfire around New Delhi, it was as if an avalanche had been triggered, except instead of snow, this one had eager parents who wanted their children to learn more about Indian mythology. One school after another, ACK became established and well-respected brand and 13 years after their little experiment, Uncle Pai started the Tinkle line of comics <\/p>
<\/p>"},{"type":"img","id":"img-uid-1519490164282","data":"5a91a7cc76576"},{"type":"txt","id":"rich_1519490165951","data":"
But all the history does not do justice to the man that was Uncle Pai. After establishing Tinkle, he would take the time to respond to the many letters he would receive from the eager kids that read the monthly, referring to him as the now famous moniker 'Uncle Pai'. Some of the published letters would make it to the pages of Tinkle, which would also later go on to feature more letters by young readers about their experiences. <\/p>
His favourite thing to do, however, was to gather kids and read from his comics. He took great delight in the act and continued to do so until the end of his days, garnering admiration and fans across generations. <\/p>
On Feb 24th, 2011, days after he had been honoured in the country's first Comic-Con, Anant Pai passed following a heart attack at the age of 82. He left behind a generation of readers and comic book fans that owe him their love of reading and discovering more comic books and literature while also educating us about our culture and teaching us to be kind via his comics. <\/p>
To Uncle Pai, I now write this not as a 26-year old but as an 11-year old child to whom you read the story of Arjun's excellence at archery, I wish you could be around to see the children you inspired prosper for even longer, to send a personal letter to many other young children like myself who had attempted to send you a story to publish in Tinkle, to being the excellent man that you were, a different kind of man from a different era of the country, men who seem to be fast disappearing in this day and age. Thank you for all that you've done for us, I promise to carry on your legacy to the generation that comes after me and beyond. <\/p>
Here's to you, Anant Pai. <\/p>
17 September 1929 - 24 February 2011<\/p>"}]
ARM, a firm which designs chips and device architectures has recently introduced it's new technology that can revolutionize the mobile phone market.<\/p>
The iSim<\/b> which is claimed be \"a fraction of a millimeter \" in size(smaller than the NanoSim), will be integrated(hence the name iSim) into mobile device's processor.<\/p>
The development of iSIM focuses on reducing manufacturers' costs and providing them with more space in a device's body case, also making the device weigh less and more compact.<\/p>
<\/p>"},{"type":"img","id":"img-uid-1519483059620","data":"5a917a02b570c"},{"type":"txt","id":"rich_1519483026636","data":"
Integrated SIM card also allows replacement of services to be more convenient. Currently, when a user wants to change the operator, they have to replace the SIM card. Apple and Samsung have teamed up to promote the eSIM card (embedded SIM card), trying to solve this problem. Google's Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL phones and Apple Watch 3 are the first to support eSIM. <\/p>
\n\nCompared with eSIM technology, iSIM no longer uses a separate chip, but the SIM card information is built into the device's processor, making the production costs further reduced.<\/p>"},{"type":"img","id":"img-uid-1519482284766","data":"5a9177074ccb4"},{"type":"txt","id":"rich_1519482241181","data":"
For users, iSIM technology makes it easy to change network services and even carriers, and can securely store account data such as contacts and operator settings in the cloud. And compared to Wi-Fi, SIM card network connection is also more secure.<\/p>"},{"type":"txt","id":"rich_1519482183350","data":"
ARM has already sent iSIM design to the cooperation manufacturer, the related products are expected to come out by the end of the year.<\/p>"}]
It seems like the JNU attendance issue is the culmination of my political and social beliefs, leading me to strongly support the students on this issue, a declaration that I'm making well in advance before we get into the meat of this matter to actually understand why I support the students on this issue while also presenting arguments against their positions. Reaching across the aisle to negotiate with someone who is ideologically opposed to you is a skill that one must develop early in life, after all. <\/p>
That being said, it isn't exactly easy trying to find arguments in favour of compulsory attendance. I mean that, seriously, google 'arguments in favour of compulsory attendance', most of the answers you will find are against it rather than for it, but that does make sense because online is where people go to express their views, at times, when they find resistance in real life. Plus, it's not like they can convince their college management to see the light of the truth anytime soon, right? <\/p>
So I decided that I'll present the arguments in favour of compulsory attendance first before moving on and talking about why it is a terrible idea. <\/p>
To Be In Class, By Force If Necessary: <\/b><\/p>
The popular argument in favour of Compulsory Attendance is that a student's purpose is to attend classes and study in college, which is technically true. By ensuring a minimum requirement of 75% attendance, classes are guaranteed to be filled no matter what the quality of the professor might be. <\/p>
Unfortunately, that is all I can think of in favour of Compulsory Attendance. I'm sorry, I tried to think about it but I just can't come up with a reasonable explanation as to why a student must be there in class like they are little children who will get lost if they aren't in class. <\/p>
Another argument that can be made in favour of this is that typically, in India, students don't pay for their own education and therefore must do as they are asked by the college management, but I shall further address this in the next section where I present arguments against Compulsory Attendance. <\/p>"},{"type":"img","id":"img-uid-1519369772996","data":"5a8ff971eeac6"},{"type":"txt","id":"rich_1519369775129","data":"
...Or Not To Be In Class: <\/b><\/p>
A couple of months ago, I wrote a piece titled 'In India, Teenage Ends In The Twenties<\/a>'. In it, I went into detail about why young 20s something adults still behave like entitled teenagers and, hopefully, managed to address the issues that plague the current crop of students being hit by the harsh realities of life. <\/p>What I did not address in that article was how not just our parents, but our education institutes as well, are complicit in encouraging this behaviour. It all boils down to one thing: Seeing college students are mewling babes that must be fed milk periodically. <\/p>Compulsory attendance is a great way to get young children, and by children, I mean from ages 5 to 10, in school so they get used to the environment and develop an interest to study and seek further knowledge, but to do the same after students have become adults merely shows that not only do the parents continue to see their children as young kids that must be mollycoddled and protected, it also encourages students to be immature for a longer period of time, which is the entire basis of the article I mentioned earlier. <\/p>And that's just one part of the reason why compulsory attendance is a terrible idea. <\/p>In countries where young adults are not seen as children who do not know what is good for them, students in colleges are often given a choice because college is where these students learn what being an adult is like, they get to make their own choices and learn from their own mistakes. College, as it is said, is a simulator for the real world, where your mistakes have a fallout that is often cushioned by your inexperience. This logic is extended to classes as well, where if you do not like a class or think you can study on your own, you can choose to skip that class and you will have nobody else to blame except yourself if you flunk the exam in that particular subject. <\/p><\/p>"},{"type":"img","id":"img-uid-1519380237524","data":"5a8ff9d3bc6cc"},{"type":"txt","id":"rich_1519380239203","data":"The mummies and daddies of our country need to understand that their darling children will grow up into adults who don't need them to back up their every mistake and then demand the college management for explanations on why their child screwed up in the first place. Like seriously, if you're a parent reading this, please stop mollycoddling your sons and daughters, let them make their own mistakes and be there as a support, not as a helicopter parent that will only serve to make them more secretive and distant from you. <\/p>With many hundreds of colleges present in the state of Telangana alone and the need for every parent to force their child to study engineer, the discipline has been stretched thin to the point of celebrating mediocrity: only the best of the best get into the engineering colleges that have professors that love their subject and are great at teaching it, the rest of us who do not have the capability or the interest to study are forced into average Engineering colleges filled with mediocre professors often on power trips because they know our attendance is at their mercy, something they use to bully students instead of encouraging them to explore the subject, generate interest and ask questions. <\/p>Not having compulsory attendance frees students from the bullying of such power tripping professors, when students get to choose which classes they want to attend, it also sends a clear signal to the management that the professor is not doing a good enough job and believe me when I say this, our professors need to know for a fact that they are terrible. Students are not here to satisfy your ego or be at the receiving end of your power trip. <\/p> <\/p>"},{"type":"img","id":"img-uid-1519383319663","data":"5a8ffc7701105"},{"type":"txt","id":"rich_1519383321787","data":"I know this might sound crazy or radical but really think about it, we are all a product of our times, we've all been affected by the compulsory attendance requirement, we've all been bullied by professors that are merely supposed to teach and not to interfere with what we do with our time as adults. It's easy to toe the line and say compulsory attendance is required but why can we not emphasise individual choice over forced attendance? Some of our classmates are known as proxy experts for how well they mark proxies for their fellow students, this is a known and accepted fact of college life that even the management is aware of, so why keep pretending that students want to attend classes when in reality, they're gonna do what they please anyway? The rules then stop being mandatory and just become a guidebook to harass students instead. <\/p>Half of these country's problems will be solved when we ensure our children grow up to be responsible adults and not entitled idiots. Until then, the fight must go on. Don't let anyone tell you that compulsory attendance is a requirement for good academics, BITS Pilani colleges do not have compulsory attendance across any of their campuses, you never hear the same bellyachers complain about that college, do you?<\/p>What are your opinions on compulsory attendance? Let us know in the comments and consider writing your own opinion on our website! <\/i><\/p>"}]
What I did not address in that article was how not just our parents, but our education institutes as well, are complicit in encouraging this behaviour. It all boils down to one thing: Seeing college students are mewling babes that must be fed milk periodically. <\/p>
Compulsory attendance is a great way to get young children, and by children, I mean from ages 5 to 10, in school so they get used to the environment and develop an interest to study and seek further knowledge, but to do the same after students have become adults merely shows that not only do the parents continue to see their children as young kids that must be mollycoddled and protected, it also encourages students to be immature for a longer period of time, which is the entire basis of the article I mentioned earlier. <\/p>
And that's just one part of the reason why compulsory attendance is a terrible idea. <\/p>
In countries where young adults are not seen as children who do not know what is good for them, students in colleges are often given a choice because college is where these students learn what being an adult is like, they get to make their own choices and learn from their own mistakes. College, as it is said, is a simulator for the real world, where your mistakes have a fallout that is often cushioned by your inexperience. This logic is extended to classes as well, where if you do not like a class or think you can study on your own, you can choose to skip that class and you will have nobody else to blame except yourself if you flunk the exam in that particular subject. <\/p>
<\/p>"},{"type":"img","id":"img-uid-1519380237524","data":"5a8ff9d3bc6cc"},{"type":"txt","id":"rich_1519380239203","data":"
The mummies and daddies of our country need to understand that their darling children will grow up into adults who don't need them to back up their every mistake and then demand the college management for explanations on why their child screwed up in the first place. Like seriously, if you're a parent reading this, please stop mollycoddling your sons and daughters, let them make their own mistakes and be there as a support, not as a helicopter parent that will only serve to make them more secretive and distant from you. <\/p>
With many hundreds of colleges present in the state of Telangana alone and the need for every parent to force their child to study engineer, the discipline has been stretched thin to the point of celebrating mediocrity: only the best of the best get into the engineering colleges that have professors that love their subject and are great at teaching it, the rest of us who do not have the capability or the interest to study are forced into average Engineering colleges filled with mediocre professors often on power trips because they know our attendance is at their mercy, something they use to bully students instead of encouraging them to explore the subject, generate interest and ask questions. <\/p>
Not having compulsory attendance frees students from the bullying of such power tripping professors, when students get to choose which classes they want to attend, it also sends a clear signal to the management that the professor is not doing a good enough job and believe me when I say this, our professors need to know for a fact that they are terrible. Students are not here to satisfy your ego or be at the receiving end of your power trip. <\/p>
<\/p>"},{"type":"img","id":"img-uid-1519383319663","data":"5a8ffc7701105"},{"type":"txt","id":"rich_1519383321787","data":"
I know this might sound crazy or radical but really think about it, we are all a product of our times, we've all been affected by the compulsory attendance requirement, we've all been bullied by professors that are merely supposed to teach and not to interfere with what we do with our time as adults. It's easy to toe the line and say compulsory attendance is required but why can we not emphasise individual choice over forced attendance? Some of our classmates are known as proxy experts for how well they mark proxies for their fellow students, this is a known and accepted fact of college life that even the management is aware of, so why keep pretending that students want to attend classes when in reality, they're gonna do what they please anyway? The rules then stop being mandatory and just become a guidebook to harass students instead. <\/p>
Half of these country's problems will be solved when we ensure our children grow up to be responsible adults and not entitled idiots. Until then, the fight must go on. Don't let anyone tell you that compulsory attendance is a requirement for good academics, BITS Pilani colleges do not have compulsory attendance across any of their campuses, you never hear the same bellyachers complain about that college, do you?<\/p>
What are your opinions on compulsory attendance? Let us know in the comments and consider writing your own opinion on our website! <\/i><\/p>"}]
Richard Branson's Virgin Hyperloop one has set up a deal with Maharashtra Government to build a Hyperloop that will cut the travel time between Mumbai and Pune to 20 minutes! Yes, you read that right. The route which usually takes 3 to 4 hours will take under half an hour to travel.<\/p>"},{"type":"img","id":"img-uid-1519287427818","data":"5a8e7dcaf0a72"},{"type":"txt","id":"rich_1519289865718","data":"
Elon musk is the man we need to thank for making this technology open source back in 2014 which he said would be \"The fifth mode of transport\". But it did not gain popularity until 2017, when Richard Branson, a Business tycoon invested (undisclosed amount) and re-branded Elon's Hyperloop as Virgin Hyperloop one<\/b>. <\/p>
\nThe proposed loop can theoretically travel up to 1000kmph<\/b> (more than three times the speed of trains in India). It will be able to ferry 150 million passengers every year. It will transform transportation system and make Maharashtra shine globally.\n\nFurthermore, The system is fully autonomous and sealed, so no driver-related error is anticipated with 24 hour operations.The vehicle uses magnetic levitation, so the vehicle will be virtually noiseless. The Advantage Besides being fast, Hyperloop is \u201cenergy-agnostic\u201d, using whichever available resource like solar or wind, the system will be carbon-free. Considering this, the Hyperloop is by far the most Eco-friendly mode of fast travel.<\/p>"},{"type":"img","id":"img-uid-1519289739942","data":"5a8e86d41e75b"},{"type":"txt","id":"rich_1519289971834","data":"
Mr. Branson stated that it would take the project three years to complete the test run and roughly 7 years<\/b> to begin commercial operations which definitely dilutes our excitement but the thing that makes my day is, he also added that the project will be \"for the masses\" and not a premium priced service<\/b>. Virgin Hyperloop One is also in talks with the Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka state governments to add projects in India. <\/p>"}]
1. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met with Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh on Wednesday. Both leaders discussed the strong bond that exists between Punjab and Canada, largely due to an influential Punjabi community settled in the western nation.<\/b><\/p>"},{"type":"img","id":"img-uid-1519217272005","data":"5a8d6bd8bc661"},{"type":"txt","id":"rich_1519217311872","data":"
2. AAP MLAs Amantullah, Jarwal arrested in Delhi chief secretary assault case, while the party and the MLA himself maintain that no such attack took place. More on this story as it develops. <\/b><\/p>"},{"type":"img","id":"img-uid-1519217375407","data":"5a8d6c1e3829f"},{"type":"txt","id":"rich_1519217380698","data":"
3. Kamal Hassan is all set to announce his political party at the birthplace of former President of India, APJ Abdul Kalam. \"There is not much difference between cinema and politics. Both are about people,'' said Kamal Haasan in Rameshwaram, a statement he made after observing the many number of people curiously looking on, not to mention the many fans who had shown up. <\/b><\/p>"},{"type":"img","id":"img-uid-1519217455516","data":"5a8d6ca971c60"},{"type":"txt","id":"rich_1519217520053","data":"
4. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday inaugurated the two-day 'UP Investors Summit', which is in line with the summits held by states like Gujarat (Vibrant Gujarat) and Maharashtra (Magnetic Maharashtra Summit) to attract potential investors. While inaugurating the event, PM Modi said the foundation of UP has been made, and that it's time to build it a magnificent state. <\/b><\/p>"},{"type":"img","id":"img-uid-1519217569546","data":"5a8d6cec10941"},{"type":"txt","id":"rich_1519217587205","data":"
5. In his most direct attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress president Rahul Gandhi has said that Narendra Modi is \"corruption himself\" since the prime minister has no time to speak about Nirav Modi case. <\/b><\/p>"},{"type":"img","id":"img-uid-1519217608194","data":"5a8d6d075bccb"}]
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