Dating of 40 Days ; Day One

Jessica Walsh

Did you see Kanishk today?Yes.

What did y’all do together?

We had our first date at The Fat Radish in the Lower East Side. They have the best roasted carrots, and my favorite tequila jalapeño drink.

Did anything interesting happen?

Before the date, Kan had a messenger deliver a cute note: “Me + You x 40. Ready?”

Truthfully, I am quite nervous. However, I know that when an opportunity scares me, I must go for it. I don’t like having fears. No matter what the outcome, it will certainly be an interesting experience. Hopefully we can have some fun along the way, too.

Did you learn anything new about Kanishk?We discussed Kan’s relationship patterns, and how he’s in a constant cycle between three women. There is always one girl he’s really excited about that he’s trying to go out with, a second girl he’s been seeing for a few weeks and is getting tired of, and a third girl he’s been seeing a while and is getting ready to break up with.

He told me that when his mother got pregnant, his father made her choose between keeping the child or staying with him. It seems to me his dating style could result from this. He breaks off relationships before they get too serious to avoid the risk of abandonment. He’s built up this reputation for himself as “the player,” but I see past the façade. He’s been a great friend, and I know he’s a very kind person. We all have our issues and cope with life differently. Sometimes I think the “normal” people are just people you don’t know well enough yet.

Did you learn anything new about yourself?
We talked about relationships with parents, and how many girls have “daddy issues.” I don’t have dad issues. I heart my dad!

My parents married at a young age, and have a successful marriage. I wonder if that is part of the reason I am always trying to find the right person and why I feel like such failure when a relationship doesn’t work out.

How do you feel about this relationship/project right now?
I think I have have some sort of guard up preventing myself from seeing Kan as anything more than a very close friend. As his relationship patterns are the opposite of mine, a part of me fears that if we were to really date, one of us might wind up getting hurt. I don’t want to ruin our friendship. We also have a tight group of friends, and I think we are both afraid to compromise that.

Is there anything that you want to do differently?
In my work and other aspects of life, I am uncomfortable with comfortable. But when it comes to relationships, I do seek secure relationships that are clearly defined. I know I should relax and open myself up to vulnerability, so I can learn to enjoy dating more in the future.

Additional comments?Kan insisted on being a gentleman and paying for dinner, which was very sweet of him, but I want to get the next one.

Kanishk Goodman

Did you see Jessica today?Yep.

What did y’all do together?We both teach Wednesday nights, so we went out to dinner after class to the Fat Raddish. Jessie brought me a little care package of stuff to jokingly get me through the next 40 days. (And she remembered that I like Clif Bars!)

Did anything interesting happen?When we set the date for this project, I didn’t realize it was actually the first day of spring. I feel like it’s some sort of omen for us. Anyway, dinner tonight was pretty normal, not unlike other times we’ve hung out and had dinner.

Did you learn anything new about Jessica?We talked about our families more than we ever did before. I didn’t know that her parents grew up poor. It was refreshing to hear this since I didn’t grow up with a lot of money, either.

Did you learn anything new about yourself?Earlier in the day I sent a little note to Jessie by messenger. I wanted to honor our project together with something lighthearted.

How do you feel about this relationship/project right now?The new Justin Timberlake album came out yesterday and it’s totally got me in the mood … But really, Jessie and I should share a “KJ” logo with him. Anyway, I feel like there was definitely a moment last night when we both said to ourselves, “Damn, are we actually doing this?!”

Is there anything that you want to do differently?No, not yet. I did insist that I pay for dinner since it was technically our first “date.”

Additional comments?I went out with a girl last night, as sort of a ‘swan song’ for my single-hood. Well, she and I ended up talking about the Forty Days of Dating project the entire time. Not exactly what I was anticipating. She was very excited. She thinks Jessie and I are going to fall in love. She texted me later that night:

25 Things Every Women Should Know

1. That it's impossible to distill everything a woman should know into a list of 25 things. Also, every woman should know that it's impossible to get the 25 things in the right order. Where do I put, for instance, "Life is short. Don't waste it trying to make everything perfect"?

2. How to change a tire, how to change your hair color without going to a salon, and how to change a man. (Regarding the dude: Tell him what you want him to do, reward him when he does it, and ignore him when he doesn't do it.)

3. If you don't question what you believe in, you end up making the same mistakes over and over. When we find ourselves in a romantic quagmire or struggling for an eternally denied promotion at work and our old ideas aren't working, we must, must, must ask ourselves two questions: (A) Is this idea I'm acting on even effing true? (e.g., Am I so irresistible that this time he really is going to leave his wife?) And (B) What would happen if everyone in the world believed this idea and behaved as I'm behaving now? (This is our old friend Immanuel Kant's categorical imperative—view every action you take as a universal law. Meaning, if you're considering lying to your boss to save your job, imagine a universal law that says everyone must lie to his or her boss.)

When it comes to sex and love, question (B) has a great way of yanking the blinders off and giving you a clearer picture of what's actually going on. Speaking of which...

4. Your chap is not a mind reader. Making him have to ask you what he is doing wrong in the sack will cause him so much anxiety, shame, and humiliation, he'll regret he even has a penis. Show him what you like. Always choose action over words.

5. Stay attuned to your mother's vanities. These are the key to how she set out to build your character. My mother always wanted me to be a writer. On my birth announcements, she declared, "A great novelist is born!" Close, but no cigar, Ma.

6. To get rid of bags under your eyes, prop up your bed frame on a stack of books to lift your head a foot higher than your heels while you sleep. The next morning, you'll look as tight as Russell Brand's skinny jeans.

7. Are you reading these 25 things standing up? I've seen the research, and you better believe I'm bloody writing them standing up! According to the American Cancer ociety, if women sit more than six hours a day, we're increasing our chances of dying by 37 percent despite whether or not we work out, compared with women who sit less than three hours a day. When we stand, we burn more calories, engage more muscle, and can whittle the circumference of our waists from a fat eunuch's to the size of a greyhound's. Barry Braun, PhD, associate professor of kinesiology at UMass Amherst, told Gretchen Reynolds of The New York Times that if you want to drop pounds, you don't necessarily have to run a marathon every morning, "just get rid of your chair." A quick fix: Buy a large U-Haul box for $3, put it on your desk, and place your phone, papers, and computer on top of it. Voilà! You're standing at your desk!

 Don't read blogs written by unhappy, spiteful people. Bad blogs will mangle your mood. Instead, spend an hour a day with your Moleskine notebook, connecting deeply with your own spiteful thoughts. At least they'll be original. And P.S.: Anyone can make history. Only a great woman can tweet it.

9. When addressing a man's penis, if you want it to get huge, tell it it's huge.

10. If you desire a promotion, ask for it. But first, I hope to God you never leave your office before the boss, are always the woman with the clever idea at meetings, don't hide your ego, don't play humble (unless you screw up, and then you are very, very humble), and on casual Fridays never dress like you are heading out to do laundry after a couple of bong hits. Now, here's your secret weapon: You'll soon be handing the boss a list of the 10 outstanding things you've done for the company. Make certain you print that list on heavy parchment paper. MIT, Harvard, and Yale psychologists have found that heavy, more tactile objects make job candidates seem more important. So whatever you're proposing will be taken more seriously on thick paper.

11. Go play with your dog. Your dog is the one creature on earth you can make insanely happy by playing "hide the cookie" in the living room. (You can also play with your cat, of course, but only if you let him correct your grammar during the action.) If you have neither cat nor dog (nor bird, nor fish), it's not essential, but if you want to lead a more enjoyable life...why not?

12. Don't expect a man to give you multiple orgasms. Indeed, you'll live a more fulfilling life if you don't expect a man to give you multiple anything.

13. If you're struggling for your "art," stop making it about the art and start making it about the money. Be Basquiat in your ambition, Botticelli in your dedication, and Buffett with your bottom line. Or, in Andy Warhol's words, "Making money is art."

14. Here's how to nail the job interview: Pretend that the person interviewing you is the one applying for the position and that you're interviewing him or her for the job. If you do that, you can't help but be genuinely interested in what he or she is saying, ask interesting questions, and speak honestly—and glowingly—about the company, as if it's the grandest place to work in the whole world.

15. When you're in college, don't worry too much about grades. Other than getting into a decent grad school and associating with the cream of your generation, getting straight A's means diddly-squat in the real world, where it's all about hustle, determination, focus, dressing right, sucking up, and who you know.

16. Women say they want a "nice guy," but show them an asshole who treats them like dirt and they'll trample over their own therapists to get to him.

17. Wait. You're telling me you didn't see that poor homeless woman on the street? Come on. You didn't notice? Really? If you're anxious about "hobos" asking you for money, decide how much you can allot per person (a quarter, a buck), carry the cash in your pocket, and give it to every poor person whose hand is out. You'll experience a rare, nearly forgotten emotion—compassion.

18. If you're tired of waiting for the dude to pop the question, start introducing him as your fiancé.

19. If you want to be told you look gorgeous, tell people they look stunning. We're all the prettiest girl in the room, depending on the day, the hour, and the room.

20. When you discover your husband's cheating, hire an attorney before you Krazy Glue his $60 Hanro boxers to his backside. A lawyer will help you figure out what you want, and when you know what you want, you'll be able to act with discipline and courage. Then, over cocktails, tell your spouse you know he's having an affair. Don't be treacly. Don't cry. Don't squish Kleenex into your face, and be prepared to hold your ground. If you stay strong, drop the helpless-wife act, and tell him exactly what you want, you'll have taken the first step on a trek that could lead to an advantageous divorce...or a thrillingly nontraditional marriage.

21. If you suffer the heinous habit of constantly saying "I'm sorry" (a real career killer, right up there with downing a flask of vodka before important meetings), take your pathetic "I'm sorry" and start adding three words: "I'm sorry...I'm so brilliant." "I'm sorry...I'm so stunning." "I'm sorry...I'm so miraculous."

22. The three tragedies of life: (A) not getting what you want, (B) getting it, (C) seeing your best friend getting it. Don't you know you were born to feel competitive with your friends? Jealousy is a little whip given to you by Mother Nature to push you to excel above your own expectations—to be better than your­self. Rivalry brings glory to the human race. And speaking of the human race...

23. Chasing men is the highest purpose in life. As my old boyfriend, the great Arthur Schopenhauer, says, "The final aim of all love intrigues, be they comic or tragic, is really of more importance than all other ends in human life. What it all turns upon is nothing less than the composition of the next generation.... It is not the weal or woe of any one individual, but that of the human race to come, which is here at stake."

24. You're spinning on a merry-go-round at no cost. It's whirling around a star that has hitched a ride on a galaxy moving so fast in the universe you can't even feel it. So listen to Auntie Eeee, doll. Whatever went wrong yesterday? You've already moved on.

25. If all else fails, live by these three rules: (1) Never trust a woman who shags married men. (2) Never make a deal with a guy who wears a white belt. (3) Never try to be "friends" when the affair is over. Not even the great Gatsby could make Daisy stay. After she slobbered over his shirts, it was pretty much finished.

Majestic Mountains of Kinabalu; Malaysia

Getting bedazzled by Mount Kinabalu

Day 2 was about Mount Kinabalu. I love mountains more than the sea. The excitement to meet my beloved mountains woke me up before time. At sharp 5:30 am I was ready with my other hostel mates to drive to Mount Kinabalu, the highest Mountain peak in South East Asia. The Masada Backpackers hostel staff was helpful in arranging a cab for us. It was pitch dark when we left, the sun still snoozing. Our thoughtful driver stopped the car at a point which offered the most amazing sunrise view. The sunrise was a sight to behold. It was a surreal sight, like what we used to draw in our nursery drawing books– the sun rising behind the mountain peaks, its shadow creating drama in the river flowing just below the mountains. Birds were flying out of their nests. The sky was like a painting. No camera could do justice to this sight yet we clicked away to glory!

Sunrise at Mount Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia

Sunrise at Mount Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia

We were driving through lush green valley that  was engulfed by white clouds. It seemed that we were driving our way through one of the heavenly highways!. I was smitten by the majestic beauty of Mount Kinabalu, which dwarfs its neighbours with its elevation of 4095 metres. Per Peaklist.org it is the 20th most prominent peak in the world due to its characteristic topography. I felt like I was home and all I could think of was this song – Rain drops keep falling on my head. I had waited for nine months to be with the mountains and I couldn’t stop gushing at the feeling of being united with my love.

Mount Kinabalu Park Entrance, Sabah, Malaysia

And the wait was over. I was at the base of Mount Kinabalu at 7:30 am. Unfortunately I could not climb Mt. Kinabalu because the park had already reached the limit of allowing 135 climbers per day to hike and I could not spare three more days as work beckoned at Manila. So I settled to do the next best thing – explore the Botanical Garden and hike around the other trails from the base.

There are nine trails around the park headquarters:

1. Bundu Tuhan View Trail (465 metres, 30 minutes),
2. Kiau View Trail (2344 metres, 60-80 minutes), 
3. Pandanus Trail (598 metres, 45 minutes),
4. Bukit Tupai and Bukit Burung Trails (1425 metres, 90 minutes combined)
5. Mempening Trail; (3396 metres, 120 minutes),
6. Liwagu Trail(5620 meters; 120-150 minutes),
7. Silau Silau Trail, (3057 metres, 60-80 minutes)
8. Mountain View Trail; (150 metres, 15 minutes)

One of the trails at Base, Mount Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia

These trails are fairly easy trails and can all be done in two days. Apart from the stunning views, what makes Mount Kinabalu park even more remarkable is the outstanding biodiversity. This is the very reason why it is in the UNESCO World Heritage List. It is also a  tropical rainforest park that  offers visitors a great opportunity to see rare species of flora and fauna. The park is well maintained, well-marked and has knowledgeable staff. During my conversation with Lisa, the lady manning the Botanical Gardens’ reception, I got to know that the Mt. Kinabalu Park is very stringent when it comes to employing people. All its employees have Environment Science background and have the desired skill and passion for the environment. Lisa herself was a Bachelors in Environmental Science and as part of her job she is required to be jack of all trades – some days she handles the reception and somedays she’s part of the Research team. No wonder the guides, receptionist and everyone involved knew so much about the biodiversity of the park.

 took a guided tour of two trails and the Botanical Park. The trails were easy and well-marked enough to be walked without a guide. It was the beginning of the monsoon season in Malaysia therefore it rained pretty hard for two hours. But after that it was clear. Hiking around the base was easy, the temperature was around 25 degrees and the humidity rather low. I was totally mesmerized by the park and its diversity. The park was a treasure house for nature and wildlife lovers. Different kinds of trees, birds, animals, insects, smallest orchids in the world, endangered orchids, heartbreak leaves, laughing mushroom, red ginger, contraceptive plant, mickey mouse plant, tallest moss in the world, prey trapping pitcher plants and what not. The park had plants of all kinds – rare, native, and endemic. My guide added that Mt. Kinabalu was considered sacred by the local Dusun people, who named it ‘Akinabalu’ (the place of the dead), as they believed it to be the place where the souls of the departed gathered. Visitors are told not to carry anything from the mountain as it brings bad luck to the person. I was so engrossed in her conversation that I lost track of time and didn’t notice when my guided tour ended.

Adrenaline Pumping Canopy Walk

During my guided tour in the park, an Australian couple suggested to visit the Canopy Walk of the Poring Hotsprings. I had not planned anything after my park visit so it sounded like a good idea. And I was lucky to find my hostel mate strolling in the park too. It didn’t take me much time to convince him to join me on that spur-of-the-moment decision.

While we were waiting for the bus, two Europeans enquired us about the park. They had their own car but no plan. Anyway I did not waste my time thinking about them. After waiting for around 20 minutes we got a bus going to Sandakan. We alighted at the forked road from where we had to fetch another transport vehicle to take to our destination. There was no public transport in sight going to Poring Hot springs.

We were under the impression that from that point our destination would be 1-2 kms away so we started walking. But as soon as we saw the direction sign saying 15 kms we were taken aback. Now the face which was glowing with the excitement of seeing a new place had turned pale with a bit of worry. After lot of failed attempts we finally got a hitch in a local commercial purpose van. There was another guy sitting in the van. After bargaining for a while we decided to pay him 10R per person to take us to our destination. When the driver drove into smaller deserted kind of area we got bit worried. But thankfully my imagination’s wild horses were put to rest. With just 10 minutes for the CANOPY WALK to close we reached the Poring Hot springs at 3:50. You need 20 minutes and a good stamina to climb up slippery mud track, traversing through tree stubs, roots and boulders to reach the Canopy Walk Treetop platform. But hard-pressed for time we took less than 10 minutes. I was huffing and puffing like I ran a marathon. However, the fatigue just vanished as soon as I stood in the middle of the Canopy Walkway. Let me warn you beforehand. Poring Canopy Walkway is not for those who have acrophobia, hypertension or heart problem.

The canopy is over 175 Meters long and 41-43 Meters in height, which is higher than 8-floor building. It is a suspension bridge constructed with ropes, steel cables and a series of aluminum ladders bolted together. The walkway is an elastic suspended wobbling structure, so it will bounce and swing when you walk on it. But don’t worry it has net enclosed on both sides for additional security. The three bridges are held between 3 super-big trees of the Borneo rainforest. The canopy walkway is narrow and can only take 6-people load at a time. 75% of rainforest animals spend their time on forest canopy. Some of them never come to ground, so canopy walkway is great for observing these animals and is a good spot for bird watching too. The view of the valley from the canopy was too scary but an adventure junkie never frets. We spent some time exploring the rest of the area like Butter Fly Farm, butterfly farm, the Poring Orchid Conservation Centre, the tropical garden, the Rafflesia flower site and Sulphur Hot springs for which the place is renowned.

After the canopy walk I thought I got my adrenaline dose for the day. Little did I know that the real adventure was about to begin.

Return Ride fastened with unthinkable Adventure

At around 5 pm we were out of the Poring hotsprings and thus started our struggle for fetching the transport to get back to Kota Kinabalu. Ranau is a small place with hardly any public transport. So while we were waiting for the taxi, the European guys that we met at Mt. Kinabalu Park arrived. They indulged in a small talk with us and asked if we could wait for them then they can drop us back or we could also join them for party. The overfriendliness of the guys sent an alarming signal in my head. So very politely we decided to give it a pass. Later we regretted for not accepting their offer.

Now we were left with only one option – an old guy offering us to drop to Ranau (the nearby town to get a bus) at triple the price of a taxi fare. I felt the guy was drunk and shared my concern with Yu. Yu thought I was unnecessarily getting paranoid and he dismissed my concern saying he was just an old guy. Anyway we were now in his car. His car was a truck used for farming purpose. It was dingy with soiled eats and a foul smell. One of the windows was broken and there wasno air-conditioning. And the worst part- he didn’t have the ignition key to start the car. Somehow he managed to start the car. And boy his driving scared the shit out of us. Even Michael Schumacher would be scared to be his co-passenger. Basically we were in for an adventure ride of our life. The old man was pissed drunk and was constantly chattering nonsense. I decided to ignore him. After driving for 15 minutes at insane rough speed, in the middle of the road he stopped the car and said, “Mam, this is my house and I have a magic plant that cures cancer. If you don’t mind I would like to show you that.”

Our insane driver, who almost killed us, with his so called cancer curing fruit








I was already mad at him and I just asked him to stick to our original plan. On the way he said, we had missed the minivan and he would charge us extra to take us to the town centre. My harsh reply dispelled his attempt to exhort more money out of us. Finally we reached Ranau and he stopped the car at a very quiet place and went away somewhere without telling us where he was going. We got down from the car and Yu went ahead to enquire from the locals about the transportation options. In Yu’s absence the drunk old man returned and started saying you pay me 300R and I’ll drop you to Kota Kinabalu. While talking he tried to get physical. I blasted him and warned him not to touch me or come near me. After paying his fare I went straight to the police guys. One look at the old guy and they said we were lucky to reach alive as the guy was piss drunk and not in his senses.

We were in a really bad state. It was Sunday evening and there was no transport service available to take us to Kota Kinabalu. We were told that at 7:30 pm there could be a bus going to KK but they were not sure if that service was available on weekends. It had got dark and was raining hard. We were tired. Frustrated. Hungry. Wet. Above all we didn’t know what to do. Our phones were not working. Our folks didn’t have a clue where we were. We knew nobody in this sleepy ghost town. No eateries or hotels in sight. Didn’t have enough cash or card in hand. We had no choice but to return to KK as we would missed our next day flight to Manila if we didn’t return that night. My excitement to explore the unexplored was proving costly today.

Shivering in the cold night weighed down by the weight of by backpack we waited silently for our bus to arrive. At 7:30 pm a bus arrived at the bus stop and our faces glowed with unsurmountable happiness only to find that it was a College trip bus and the kids had just stopped over to buy their fill of snacks. We pleaded the students and the driver to give us lift till wherever they were going. We played the sympathy card and asked if we could sit on the bus floor. Basically we did everything to convince them. However, the kids and the driver didn’t have the authority to take such decision.

We had lost all hope to get back to KK that night but it is when you lose all your hope that miracles do happen. We saw a bus approaching towards us. It had Kota Kinabalu written over it. Without much ado we got into the bus and thanked our stars for saving us that day. Never ever have I felt so much happiness at the sight of public transport as I did that night.

We survived one more night to enjoy more adventurous rides in life.

However, I learnt a valuable lesson that day. Follow your gut but be sensible enough to look into details. Sometimes being impulsive can get you into big trouble.

Malda Riots - Implement Rule of LAW

For the past several months, there has been a raging campaign ongoing against an increasing trend of intolerance in the country. Now, the country has always been intolerant in some respects, especially when it comes to asking for bans on something or the other, or when somebody gets aggrieved over something or the other, and is able to convince (or threaten) the Government to pass orders banning whatever it was that offended them. This is also true about religious issues, where the problems gets even more complicated. Hindus complain that Muslim issues are ignored or that there is appeasement, while Muslims complain that there is no appeasement, that their situation is as bad as the most oppressed sections of the Hindu society, and that the media and the Government only pander to the clergy of the religion.
When such a situation happens often, and in India, when there is a perception that there is too much appeasement of the Muslim community, the pendulum swings to the right and leads to a polarization of a sizable chunk of the Hindu population, and brings in to power parties who represent the Hindu community, parties such as the Shiv Sena and the BJP. At the same time, there is a widespread belief that the ‘secular’ parties, such as the Samajwadi, the JD(U), even the Congress, TMC and many others are so beholden to their apparent support within the Muslim community that they ignore any incident; which gives a chance to polarization on the other side. And the tragedy of this situation is that this support is seen to be only shallow, looking at controversial incidents rather than focusing on core issues such as lower levels of education, old style customs, and poor economic development. 

A classic case of something that seems to be happening similar is the incident at Malda in West Bengal and the reaction from parties to this situation. The whole problem is that there is no openness about what exactly happened, and this gives different sides the chance to spin this the way they want. There is no belief in what the Government or the different parties have stated, which is the bigger tragedy of the situation. I have no real version of what happened, so whatever I write below is more or less what I have read in the media.

There are 2 popular versions of what happened in Malda. One version goes that a mob, a Muslim mob, attacked a police station in Malda, caused destruction, and this mob was more than a lakh Muslims with this being a planned attack, led by politicians who wanted to reap the anger over the apparent anti-prophet comments of a politician in Uttar Pradesh. In continuation, the state did not respond, the police did not do anything while this attack was ongoing. It was a total failure of the state which did not respond because this was an attack by a muslim mob, and when a national party, the BJP, sent a delegation to find out what happened, the delegation was sent back because the state was complicit in what happened. An extension of what happened was that a part of this entire plan was to destroy the smuggling records kept in the local police station.

As opposed to this, the not clear official version was that this entire situation was criminal in nature, with no religious overtures, and the BJP was trying to fish in troubled waters. It was to ensure continued peace and quiet that the BJP delegation was not allowed to come to Malda and was sent back as soon as they come near.
The problem is, in this case, the reporting and the public image seems to be about a mass rioting by Muslims who were agitated over the apparent blasphemy against the prophet, and the secular governments and parties do not have the guts to criticize this incident. It gives a handle to the BJP, which will use this issue as much as possible to create polarization in the quest for votes. It is practically a lose lose situation for the common man, but not so far the political parties.

JNU ISSUE; Delhi,India

It was speculated during the Muzaffarnagar riots and the tense situation thereafter that this was actually due to an understanding between the BJP and the SP; the tense situation would result in a polarization of communities; the Hindus would polarize in favor of the BJP and the SP would have the Muslim community (they already have support of the Yadav’s and some among the remainder of the Hindu community). The other parties would all get squeezed out of the picture. The script worked well, with the BJP enjoying an unprecedented win in the Lok Sabha polls, but the SP really did not get anything much to gloat out from the election. However, the polarization that was attempted in elections after the Lok Sabha elections did not provide much electoral benefits – the BJP lost out in Delhi and Bihar, and lost out massively.

The JNU problem is something that is equally complex. On the surface, it is pretty simple. During a demonstration, some students raised anti-Indian slogans, and it was pointed out that this would be equivalent to sedition. The tension in the air was raised significantly, with news channels, the police and BJP members pointing out that this was a major problems. After all, JNU has always been seen to be a leftist bastion, and it was an easy extrapolation to claim that the students at JNU are essentially anti-national. The pressure to do something grew fast, and since the JNU student union President, Kanhaiya Kumar, was seen to be part of the demonstration, he was arrested and charged with sedition. The other students supposedly who were the main slogan shouters went underground and were not caught. 

The atmosphere went more tense, with many news channels ramping up their attack on Kanhaiya and JNU, claiming that they are associated with anti-national activities, or with terrorism. There are calls for JNU to be shut down. On the other side were a number of students in JNU, the teachers, and students from some other universities which supported the right of the students in terms of freedom of speech. The concept of freedom of speech is a bit nebulous in terms of popular reaction. A number of people could not understand how freedom of speech or expression could be extended to raising anti-national slogans. Some channels (primarily Zee News and Times Now) went hammer and tongs on how this concept of anti-nationalism needed to be nipped in the bud. The father of the missing student was asked to condemn his own son for being an anti-national.
In the meantime, the police role seemed to be a strange. There were police personnel present at the demonstration, but the evidence presented by the police seems to be the video footage given to them by Zee TV, not from their personnel present on the site. Further, other news channels have shown through expert opinion that the footage shown on TV repetitively is actually doctored, with audio from one video being loaded onto another video. This managed to show Kanhaiya asking for azaadi (freedom) while he was apparently asking for freedom from price rise, freedom from communal tension, which is a very different outlook on things.

What really makes the whole issue dangerous is the Patiala House court incidents. Kanhaiya Kumar was supposed to be taken to the court for judicial proceedings and there were teachers from JNU along with reporters at the court premises. On 2 separate occasions, a set of lawyers took the law extremely into their own hands, attacking the students, attacking the teachers, attacking journalists, and also attacking Kanhaiya Kumar. The police apparently stood by and let these attacks happen, and even after that, there has been really no action on the lawyers. This kind of action reminds one of lawyers who praised the killer of a Pakistan Minister (apparently because he was supporting blasphemy); we really need to be careful that we do not go down a path where people are allowed to do what they want irrespective of the law; or that people are presumed guilty from the beginning. The conduct of Delhi Police and its chief has been atrocious in this entire matter and have covered themselves with egg – this reflects badly on Rajnath Singh who actually controls the Delhi Police.

In this matter, things need to be cooled down now. There were some people who apparently raised anti-national slogans, they need to be caught and prosecuted and the court needs to design on the boundaries of freedom of speech. The lawyers who took to violence need to be punished after an investigation, and the BJP needs to learn that trying to raise the pitches of nationalism really does not play too much electoral dividends.

My Trip to Shimla; India

As I went to open my window to breathe in Shimla's cedar-scented air, a rhesus macaque monkey appeared, pressing its hairy, knowing face against the glass. Hotel staff had warned me to keep windows shut to avoid unwelcome raiders but, as my room was three floors up, I hadn't taken them seriously. Over the next few days, the monkeys would be my constant companions. 

Shimla straddles an eight-mile long ridge, buildings clinging to the green hillsides. The British began coming here in the 1820s as a refuge from the summer heat. By 1864 Shimla, nicknamed The Queen of Hills, was the British Raj's official summer capital. 

It also became a place of eccentric grandeur. A stroll along the largely pedestrianised Mall takes you past some fine examples of British whimsy. The General Post Office is mock-Tudor with Gothic twiddles. Gorton Castle, built by a British official, is dour Scottish baronial enlivened by Saracenic arches. The Town Hall looks ramblingly medieval. The effect is of a film set where the director is unsure whether his subject is Merrie England, Brigadoon or Arabian Nights. 

Shimla's current municipal authorities value the town's past – the entrance to a green-roofed pavilion in The Mall is inscribed "Our Built Heritage Is Our Identity, Let's Preserve It" and a new heritage museum has recently opened. Photos show British children on ponies, accompanied by their amahs, on the evening promenade along The Mall; officers recuperating from "Victoria's Little Wars"; carriages conveying suited men and hatted women to Sunday service at Christchurch, where a well-polished brass plaque still marks the pew of the Viceroy – the British monarch's representative in India; and people gossiping at Scandal Point, the town's main meeting point. 

The Mall remains a beguiling place to sit and observe the passing world. Now there are Sikh women up from the Punjab parading in sparkling holiday best with their husbands and children, Hindu holymen with ash-daubed foreheads and orange robes as well as some of the town's sizeable population of Tibetan refugees, and Gurkha solders in their wide hats with turned up brims (there are still large army cantonments in Shimla).

The 100 Best, Most Interesting Blogs and Websites of 2015

This is my first time that I have published such a analytical project

Contents:

1. Mind-Meltingly Awesome Blogs & Websites
2. For Guys
3. For Girls
4. News & Current Events
5. Viral Sites
6. Super Interesting Blogs
7. Technology
8. Design, Art & Photography
9. General Lifestyle
10. Boredom Killers

Mind-Meltingly Awesome Blogs & Websites

Every now and then I come across a website that impacts my life in a big way—or has the potential to—or could impact another person’s life in a big way. And by “big” I mean useful, fun, kind… something I basically can’t stop digging into (day after day). These 10 websites are some of my absolute favorites and I had to share them first

1. DailyTekk – The best new awesome technology for regular people. 
2. Product Hunt – The best new products, every day.
3. Everyday Carry – Peek into the pockets/lives of interesting people.
4. Canopy – Amazon, curated. Amazing products you can actually buy.
5. The Big Roundtable – Publishes narrative nonfiction.
6. Grand St. – Creative technology marketplace. Cool stuff. Really cool stuff.
7. Twitch – Social video for gamers. Watch the best video gamers game.
8. Love For The Elderly – Helps seniors get the love and attention they deserve.
9. Have I Been Pwned? – Find out if your personal info might have been stolen.
10. Genius – Annotate the world. Weigh in: from books to music, history to tech.
11. Expert Enough -Helping you learn more, do more, and be more.

For Guys

For guys who want to get more out of the Internet than porn, I’ve collected 10 sites that cover everything from regular advice to fashion advice to, of course, cool stuff to buy.

1. Trunk Club – Style that works on your schedule (get a personal stylist).
2. Jack Threads – Men’s fashion and style, delivered daily.
3. Primer – A guys post-college guide to growing up.
4. Por Homme – Fashion, culture and lifestyle catered to men.
5. Mantelligence – More than stuff you should buy… mind, body, relationships.
6. Well Spent – Honestly crafted products that don’t cost an arm and a leg.
7. FREE / MAN – A men’s style publication with it’s own in-house creative unit.
8. Muted – Stuff for guys. But with great photography, short descriptions.
9. Supercompressor – Men’s buying guide with an eye on function, design.
10. Acquire – A focus on items with great product stories, heritage.

For Girls

Look, I’m not a girl, but 42% of my audience here on DailyTekk is female so I did my best to collect 10 exciting blogs and websites for women. From the career advice to parenting advice to design and beauty, (I think) there’s plenty here for any girl.

1. Refinery29 – New media brand for smart, creative and stylish women.
2. Keep – Discover trends in fashion, decor, accessories and design.
3. ModCloth – Unique and cute clothes, accessories and decor.
4. The Everygirl – The life map for everygirls everywhere.
5. DailyWorth – The ambition woman’s guide to all things money and career.
6. Gretel – Modern design and all things pretty.
7. Cool Mom Picks – They find it, you flaunt it.
8. Jezebel – Info for women sans airbrushing.
9. We Heart It – Heart images that move you. Discover creativity.
10. Mom Trends – Positive, inspiring, pretty and social.

News & Current Events

I don’t know about you, but I often tire of the same old news sources I’ve been consuming for years. Fortunately there are some really fresh news sites that you can turn to for a different view on current events.

1. Vox – Understand the news.
2. Vocativ – Hidden perspectives and stories from the Deep Web.
3. The Raw Story – Investigative news. Highlights underreported news.
4. Mic – Quality news coverage tailored to millennials.
5. Matter – Long-form articles on science, tech, medicine and the environment.
6. FiveThirtyEight – News from politics to economics (ESPN).
7. The Intercept – Fearless, adversarial news.
8. Elite Daily – The voice of Gen Y.
9. The Upshot – Politics, policy, economics and everyday life (NYT).
10. The Vane – Interesting weather happenings (Gawker).

Viral Sites

When you see the word viral these days you probably groan… not because you aren’t interested in the viral content but because you are. Yes, some viral sites are annoying, but there are others that are actually interesting… even useful. I’ll let you be the judge, but here are 10 viral sites to take a peek at.

1. 22 Words – Curious, cute, comical and crazy. Funny, smart, amazing stories.
2. ClickHole – Content that panders to and misleads readers enough to go viral.
3. Know More – A site for people who like learning stuff.
4. Faithit – Change the world. Share what matters.
5. A+ – Viral site with an audience of 50 million.
6. ViralNova – Aims to entertain, intrigue and uplift through social content.
7. Foodbeast – Food news, recipes and humor.
8. List25 – Consistently conciliating curiosity.
9. Zergnet – A collection of viral content from all over the Internet.
10. Guff – Viral/entertaining. Funny/informative. Outrageous/compelling.

Back to top

Super Interesting Blogs

Looking for an interesting niche to settle into to learn something new? Whether driven by a single personality or a team (even a team of 2), these sites offer compelling insights into various aspects of the personal and business lives of their makers.

1. Feld Thoughts – A thoughtful look at venture capital, Boulder and life.
2. Nir and Far – Business, behavior and the brain.
3. Milk The Pigeon – Feel like your life is pointless? Don’t. Here’s why.
4. Food Politics – A professor’s take on the politics of food.
5. Marginal Revolution – Small steps toward a much better world.
6. The Clip Report – Dispatches on the future of media (by Steve Rubel).
7. Marc and Angel Hack Life – Practical tips for productive living.
8. SlowStruck – Taking time is the ultimate rush.
9. Lumosity Blog – Learn all about neuroscience.
10. To Work Or Play – 4 ladies, advertising, London and life.

Technology

This is a technology blog so I’d feel a bit odd without including a technology category. If you think you know about “all the best tech blogs” out there… you’re wrong. Here’s a few you may not have heard about yet.

1. Dcurt.is – I love the insight and opinion coming from Dustin Curtis, villain.
2. Re/code – All things tech from the team that formerly built AllThingsD.
3. The Information – Tech industry news for the world’s professionals.
4. Officelovin – Discover the best tech and startup offices.
5. The Tech Block – Good tech reads from around the Internet.
6. Stratechery – Former Apple and Microsoft employee writes about tech.
7. Louis Gray – Silicon Valley tech blogger.
8. Jeremiah Owyang – Industry analyst and speaker.
9. TechSpiked – Entertainment for techies.
10. I, Cringely – Bob Cringley has over 30 years experience in tech news.

Design, Art & Photography

I love all things design. From UX to architecture to nature itself. If it’s creative it gets my attention. I suppose that’s why I studied design in college. There are so many great creative-focused blogs out there (and I’ve covered plenty in the past) but here are 10 I’m sure you’re going to love

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1. Design You Trust – Design trends, news, portfolios, fashion and ads.
2. The Fox Is Black – From design and illustration to food and photography.
3. Decoist – Architecture and modern design.
4. Inky Collective – Where doodlers and dreamers meet creative adventure.
5. Saatchi Art – Connecting people with art and artists they love.
6. Creative Market Blog – Tutorials, design inspiration and tips and tricks.
7. Daily Overview – Curated satellite photography.
8. The Sketchbook Project – See the world’s largest collection of sketchbooks.
9. FlowingData – Visualization and statistics blog (if you love infographics…).
10. BLOUIN ARTINFO – Up to the minute art news and commentary.

General Lifestyle

Whether you want to get a glimpse into life in another city, want to do some traveling or want to discover interesting people leading interesting lives, you can do so with the links below.

1. Booya Fitness – Every type of fitness class you can imagine—online.
2. Hodinkee – Wristwatch news, reviews and original stories.
3. Gothamist – NYC’s news, food, art and events. Many sister cities/sites.
4. LAist – Los Angeles news, food, art and events.
5. TravelWell – Photographic journal showcasing various destinations.
6. Tourist Meets Traveler – A mother/daughter travel blogging team.
7. The Standard Edition – Lifestyle blog with lots of interesting pics/stories.
8. The Mother List – Amazing people, inspiring moments.
9. Pop-Up City – Explores the trends that will shape the city of the future.
10. Untapped Cities – The best of urban living from cities around the globe.

Boredom Killers

And now we’ve come to the final section. If you’ve made it this far your appetite for entertainment and information must be insatiable. Here are a few “can’t miss” sites covering a variety of topics that will keep you busy (but knowing you it’ll be over all too soon). Until next year…

1. iDreamBooks – Never read a crappy book again.
2. Sploid – Delicious brain candy (Kinja).
3. Instructables – DIY! How-to make all kinds of things…
4. Wondernode – Things we wonder.
5. Nothing Cooler – 9 awesome videos posted daily.
6. The Smart Passive Income Blog – The crash test dummy of online business. See what works.
7. Math With Bad Drawings – A teacher who likes math and writing but can’t draw.
8. Defense One – Trends that will define the future of U.S. defense and national security (Atlantic Media).
9. Nerdophiles – A collaborative blog on nerd culture.
10. CreativeLive – Creative classes from the world’s top experts.