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Vocabulary Set 1 - A

Wednesday, May 31, 2006



  1. abase
    v. [abased; abased; abasing] lower; degrade
    Anna expected to have to curtsy to the King of Siam; when told to cast herself down on the ground before him, however she refused to abase herself.

  2. abash
    v. [abashed; abashed; abashing] embarrass
    He was not at all abashed by her open admiration.

  3. abate
    v. [abated; abated; abating] subside or moderate
    Rather than leaving immediately, they waited for the storm to abate.

  4. abbreviate
    v. [abbreviated; abbreviated; abbreviating] shorten
    Because we were running out of time, the lecturer had to abbreviate her speech.

  5. abdicate
    v. [abdicated; abdicated; abdicating] renounce; give up
    When Edward VII abdicated the British throne, he surprised the entire world.

  6. aberrant
    adj. abnormal or deviant
    Given the aberrant nature of the data, we came to doubt the validity of the entire experiment.

  7. abet
    v. [abetted; abetted; abetting] assist, usually in doing something wrong
    She was unwilling to abet him in the swindle he had planned.

  8. abeyance
    n. suspended action
    The deal was held in abeyance until her arrival.

  9. abject
    adj. wretched; lacking pride
    On the streets of New York the homeless live in abject poverty, huddling in doorways to find shelter from the wind.

  10. abjure
    v. [abjured; abjured; abjuring] renounce upon oath
    He abjured his allegiance to the king.



<< Table of Contents || Vocabulary #2 - A >>




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Supreme Court steps in on quota issue.

Monday, May 29, 2006

The twist on quota issue, SC steps in.

The Supreme Court on Monday issued notice to the Centre questioning the basis on which a policy decision to implement 20 per cent reservation was taken.

The Bench while issuing notices to the concerned ministries asked them to explain the modalities to be adopted for the implementation of the policy.

The court sought the response from the government on how it would deal with the matter and the basis for identifying the OBCs, besides the rationale for adoption of norms.

The court granted eight weeks to the government to file counter-affidavit on implementation of the policy.

The court said it will examine the effect of the policy's implementation which the petitioner said will result in division of the country on the basis of caste.

"These questions have serious social and political ramifications and this court will deal with it appropriately," it said.

Source: Times of India.

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Devil's Advocate: Karan vs Arjun

Karan Thapar: Hello and welcome to the Devil's Advocate. As the debate over the reservations for the OBCs divides the country, we ask: What are the government's real intentions? That is the critical questions that I shall put today in an exclusive interview to the Minister for Human Resource Development Arjun Singh.

Karan Thapar:Most of the people would accept that steps are necessary to help the OBCs gain greater access to higher education. The real question is: Why do you believe that reservations is the best way of doing this?

Arjun Singh: I wouldn't like to say much more on this because these are decisions that are taken not by individuals alone. And in this case, the entire Parliament of this country - almost with rare unanimity - has decided to take this decision.

Karan Thapar: Except that Parliament is not infallible. In the Emergency, when it amended the Constitution, it was clearly wrong, it had to reverse its own amendments. So, the question arises: Why does Parliament believe that the reservation is the right way of helping the OBCs?

Arjun Singh: Nobody is infallible. But Parliament is Supreme and at least I, as a Member of Parliament, cannot but accept the supremacy of Parliament.

Karan Thapar: No doubt Parliament is supreme, but the Constitutional amendment that gives you your authorities actually enabling amendment, it is not a compulsory requirement. Secondly, the language of the amendment does not talk about reservations, the language talks about any provision by law for advancement of socially and educationally backward classes. So, you could have chosen anything other than reservations, why reservations?

Arjun Singh: Because as I said, that was the 'will and desire of the Parliament'.

Karan Thapar: Do you personally also, as Minister of Human Resource Development, believe that reservations is the right and proper way to help the OBCs?

Arjun Singh: Certainly, that is one of the most important ways to do it.

Karan Thapar: The right way?

Arjun Singh: Also the right way.

Karan Thapar: In which case, lets ask a few basic questions. We are talking about the reservations for the OBCs in particular. Do you know what percentage of the Indian population is OBC? Mandal puts it at 52 per cent, the National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO) at 32 per cent, the National Family and Health Survey at 29.8 per cent, which is the correct figure?

Arjun Singh: I think that should be decided by people who are more knowledgeable. But the point is that the OBCs form a fairly sizeable percentage of our population.

Karan Thapar: No doubt, but the reason why it is important to know 'what percentage' they form is that if you are going to have reservations for them, then you must know what percentage of the population they are, otherwise you don't know whether they are already adequately catered to in higher educational institutions or not.

Arjun Singh: That is obvious - they are not.

Karan Thapar: Why is it obvious?

Arjun Singh: Obvious because it is something which we all see.

Karan Thapar: Except for the fact that the NSSO, which is a government appointed body, has actually in its research in 1999 - which is the most latest research shown - that 23.5 per cent of all university seats are already with the OBCs. And that is just 8.5 per cent less than what the NSSO believes is the OBC share of the population. So, for a difference of 8 per cent, would reservations be the right way of making up the difference?

Arjun Singh: I wouldn't like to go behind all this because, as I said, Parliament has taken a view and it has taken a decision, I am a servant of Parliament and I will only implement.

Karan Thapar: Absolutely, Parliament has taken a view, I grant it. But what people question is the simple fact - Is there a need for reservations? If you don't know what percentage of the country is OBC and if, furthermore, the NSSO is correct in pointing out that already 23.5 per cent of the college seats are with the OBC, then you don't have a case in terms of need.

Arjun Singh: College seats, I don't know.

Karan Thapar: According to the NSSO - which is a government appointed body - 23.5 per cent of the college seats are already with the OBCs.

Arjun Singh: What do you mean by college seats?

Karan Thapar: University seats, seats of higher education.

Arjun Singh: Well, I don't know I have not come across that so far.

Karan Thapar: So, when critics say to you that you don't have a case for reservation in terms of need, what do you say to them?

Arjun Singh: I have said what I had to say and the point is that that is not an issue for us to now debate.

Karan Thapar: You mean the chapter is now closed?

Arjun Singh: The decision has been taken.

Karan Thapar: Regardless of whether there is a need or not, the decision is taken and it is a closed chapter.

Arjun Singh: So far as I can see, it is a closed chapter and that is why I have to implement what all Parliament has said.

Karan Thapar: Minister, it is not just in terms of 'need' that your critics question the decision to have reservation for OBCs in higher education. More importantly, they question whether reservations themselves are efficacious and can work.

For example, a study done by the IITs themselves shows that 50 per cent of the IIT seats for the SCs and STs remain vacant, and for the remaining 50 per cent, 25 per cent are the candidates who even after six years fail to get their degrees. So, clearly, in their case, reservations are not working.

Arjun Singh: I would only say that on this issue, it would not be correct to go by all these figures that have been paraded.

Karan Thapar: You mean the IIT figures themselves could be dubious?

Arjun Singh: Not dubious, but I think that is not the last word.

Karan Thapar: All right, maybe the IIT may not be the last word, let me then quote to you the report of the Parliamentary Committee on the welfare for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes - that is a Parliamentary body.

It says, that looking at the Delhi University, between 1995 and 2000, just half the seats for under-graduates at the Scheduled Castes level and just one-third of the seats for under-graduates at the Scheduled Tribes level were filled. All the others went empty, unfilled. So, again, even in Delhi University, reservations are not working.

Arjun Singh: If they are not working, it does not mean that for that reason we don't need them. There must be some other reason why they are not working and that can be certainly probed and examined. But to say that for this reason, 'no reservations need to be done' is not correct.

Karan Thapar: Fifty years after the reservations were made, statistics show, according to The Hindustan Times, that overall in India, only 16 per cent of the places in higher education are occupied by SCs and STs. The quota is 22.5 per cent, which means that only two-thirds of the quota is occupied. One-third is going waste, it is being denied to other people.

Arjun Singh: As I said, the kind of figures that have been brought out, in my perception, do not reflect the realities. Realities are something much more and, of course, there is an element of prejudice also.

Karan Thapar: But these are figures that come from a Parliamentary Committee. It can't be prejudiced; they are your own colleagues.

Arjun Singh: Parliamentary Committee has given the figures, but as to why this has not happened, that is a different matter.

Karan Thapar: I put it to you that you don't have a case for reservations in terms of need, you don't have a case for reservations in terms of their efficacy, why then, are you insisting on extending them to the OBCs?

Arjun Singh: I don't want to use that word, but I think that your argument is basically fallacious.

Karan Thapar: But it is based on all the facts available in the public domain.

Arjun Singh: Those are facts that need to be gone into with more care. What lies behind those facts, why this has not happened, that is also a fact.

Karan Thapar: Let's approach the issue of reservations differently in that case. Reservations mean that a lesser-qualified candidate gets preference over a more qualified candidate, solely because in this case, he or she happens to be an OBC. In other words, the upper castes are being penalised for being upper caste.

Arjun Singh: Nobody is being penalised and that is a factor that we are trying to address. I think that the Prime Minister will be talking to all the political parties and will be putting forward a formula, which will see that nobody is being penalised.

Karan Thapar: I want very much to talk about that formula, but before we come to talk about how you are going to address concerns, let me point one other corollary: Reservations also gives preference and favour to caste over merit. Is that acceptable in a modern society?

Arjun Singh: I don't think the perceptions of modern society fit India entirely.

Karan Thapar: You mean India is not a modern society and therefore can't claim to be treated as one?

Arjun Singh: It is emerging as a modern society, but the parameters of a modern society do not apply to large sections of the people in this country.

Karan Thapar: Let me quote to you Jawaharlal Nehru, a man whom you personally admire enormously. On the 27th of June 1961 wrote to the Chief Ministers of the day as follows: I dislike any kind of reservations. If we go in for any kind of reservations on communal and caste basis, we will swamp the bright and able people and remain second-rate or third-rate. The moment we encourage the second-rate, we are lost. And then he adds pointedly: This way lies not only folly, but also disaster. What do you say to Jawaharlal Nehru today?

Arjun Singh: Jawaharlal Nehru was a great man in his own right and not only me, but everyone in India accept his view.

Karan Thapar: But you are just about to ignore his advice.

Arjun Singh: No. Are you aware that it was Jawaharlal Nehru who introduced the first amendment regarding OBCs?

Karan Thapar: Yes, and I am talking about Jawaharlal Nehru in 1961, when clearly he had changed his position, he said, "I dislike any kind of reservations".

Arjun Singh: I don't think one could take Panditji's position at any point of time and then overlook what he had himself initiated.

Karan Thapar: Am I then to understand that regardless of the case that is made against reservations in terms of need, regardless of the case that has been made against reservations in terms of efficacy, regardless of the case that has been made against reservations in terms of Jawaharlal Nehru, you remain committed to extending reservations to the OBCs.

Arjun Singh: I said because that is the will of Parliament. And I think that common decisions that are taken by Parliament have to be honoured.

Karan Thapar: Let me ask you a few basic questions. If reservations are going to happen for the OBCs in higher education, what percentage of reservations are we talking about?

Arjun Singh: No, that I can't say because that has yet to be decided.

Karan Thapar: Could it be less than 27 per cent?

Arjun Singh: I can't say anything on that, I have told you in the very beginning that at this point of time it is not possible for me to.

Karan Thapar: Quite right. If you can't say, then that also means that the figure has not been decided.

Arjun Singh: The figure will be decided, it has not been decided yet.

Karan Thapar: The figure has not been decided. So, therefore the figure could be 27, but it could be less than 27, too?

Arjun Singh: I don't want to speculate on that because as I said, that is a decision which will be taken by Parliament.

Karan Thapar: Whatever the figure, one thing is certain that when the reservations for OBCs happen, the total quantum of reservations will go up in percentage terms. Will you compensate by increasing the total number of seats in colleges, universities, IITs and IIMs so that the other students don't feel deprived.

Arjun Singh: That is one of the suggestions that has been made and is being seriously considered.

Karan Thapar: Does it find favour with you as a Minister for Human Resource Development?

Arjun Singh: Whatever suggestion comes, we are committed to examine it.

Karan Thapar: You may be committed to examine it, but do you as minister believe that that is the right way forward?

Arjun Singh: That could be one of the ways, but not the only way.

Karan Thapar: What are the other ways?

Arjun Singh: I don't know. That is for the Prime Minister and the other ministers to decide.

Karan Thapar: One way forward would be to increase the total number of seats.

Arjun Singh: Yes, definitely.

Karan Thapar: But the problem is that, as the Times of India points out, we are talking of an increase of perhaps as much as 53 per cent. Given the constraints you have in terms of faculty and infrastructure, won't that order of increase dilute the quality of education?

Arjun Singh: I would only make one humble request, don't go by The Times of India and The Hindustan Times about faculty and infrastructure, because they are trying to focus on an argument which they have made.

Karan Thapar: All right, I will not go by The Times of India, let me instead go by Sukhdev Thorat, the Chairman of the UGC. He points out that today, at higher education levels - that is all universities, IITs and IIMs - there is already a 1.2 lakh vacancy number. Forty per cent of these are in teaching staff, which the IIT faculty themselves point out that they have shortages of up to 30 per cent. Given those two constraint, can you increase the number of seats?

Arjun Singh: That can be addressed and that shortage can be taken care of.

Karan Thapar: But it can't be taken care of in one swoop, it will take several years to do it.

Arjun Singh: I don't know whether it can be taken care of straightway or in stages, that is a subject to be decided.

Karan Thapar: Let me ask you bluntly, if you were to agree to compensate for reservations for OBCs by increasing the number of seats, would that increase happen at one go, or would it be staggered over a period of two-three or four year old process.

Arjun Singh: As I told you, it is an issue that I cannot comment upon at this moment because that is under examination.

Karan Thapar: So, it may happen in one go and it may happen in a series of several years.

Arjun Singh: I can't speculate on that because that is not something on which I am free to speak on today.

Karan Thapar: Will the reservation for OBCs, whatever figure your Committee decides on, will it happen in one go, or will it slowly be introduced in stages?

Arjun Singh: That also I cannot say because, as I told you, all these issues are under consideration.

Karan Thapar: Which means that everything that is of germane interest to the people concerned is at the moment 'under consideration' and the government is not able to give any satisfaction to the students who are deeply concerned.

Arjun Singh: That is not the point. The government knows what to do and it will do what is needed.

Karan Thapar: But if the government knows what to do, why won't you tell me what the government wants to do?

Arjun Singh: Because unless the decision is taken, I cannot tell you.

Karan Thapar: But you can share with me as the minister what you are thinking.

Arjun Singh: No.

Karan Thapar: So, in other words, we are manitaining a veil of secrecy and the very people who are concerned...

Arjun Singh: I am not maintaining a veil of secrecy. I am only telling you what propriety allows me to tell you.

Karan Thapar: Propriety does not allow you to share with the people who are protesting on the streets what you are thinking of?

Arjun Singh: I don't think that that can happen all the time.

Karan Thapar: But there are people who feel that their lives and their futures are at stake and they are undertaking fasts until death.

Arjun Singh: It is being hyped up, I don't want to go into that.

Karan Thapar: Do you have no sympathy for them?

Arjun Singh: I have every sympathy.

Karan Thapar: But you say it is being hyped up.

Arjun Singh: Yes, it is hyped up.

Karan Thapar: So, then, what sympathy are you showing?

Arjun Singh: I am showing sympathy to them and not to those who are hyping it up.

Karan Thapar: The CPM says that if the reservations for the OBCs are to happen, then what is called the 'creamy layer' should be excluded. How do you react to that?

Arjun Singh: The 'creamy layer' issue has already been taken care of by the Supreme Court.

Karan Thapar: That was vis-a-vis jobs in employment, what about at the university level, should they be excluded there as well because you are suggesting that the answer is yes?

Arjun Singh: That could be possible.

Karan Thapar: It could be possible that the 'creamy layer' is excluded from reservations for OBCs in higher education?

Arjun Singh: It could be, but I don't know whether it would happen actually.

Karan Thapar: Many people say that if reservations for OBCs in higher education happen, then the children of beneficiaries should not be entitled to claim the same benefit.

Arjun Singh: Why?

Karan Thapar: So that there is always a shrinking base and the rate doesn't proliferate.

Arjun Singh: I don't think that that is a very logical way of looking at it.

Karan Thapar: Is that not acceptable to you?

Arjun Singh: No, it is not the logical way of looking at it.

Karan Thapar: So, with the possible exception of the creamy layer exclusion, reservation for OBCs in higher education will be almost identical to the existing reservations for SC/STs?

Arjun Singh: Except for the percentage.

Karan Thapar: Except for the percentage.

Arjun Singh: Yes.

Karan Thapar: So, in every other way, they will be identical.

Arjun Singh: Yes, in every other way.

Karan Thapar: Mr Arjun Singh, on the 5th of April when you first indicated that the Government was considering reservation for OBCs in higher education, was the Prime Minister in agreement that this was the right thing to do?

Arjun Singh: I think, there is a very motivated propaganda on this issue. Providing reservation to OBCs was in the public domain right from December 2005, when Parliament passed the enabling resolution.

Karan Thapar: Quite true. But had the Prime Minister specifically agreed on or before 5th of April to the idea?

Arjun Singh: Well, I am telling you it was already there. A whole Act was made, the Constitution was amended and the Prime Minister was fully aware of what this is going to mean. Actually, he had a meeting in which OBC leaders were called to convince them that this would give them the desired advantage. And they should, therefore, support this resolution. And at that meeting, he himself talked to them. Now, how do you say that he was unaware?

Karan Thapar: But were you at all aware that the Prime Minister might be in agreement with what was about to happen but might not wish it disclosed publicly at that point of time? Were you aware of that?

Arjun Singh: It was already there in public domain, that's what I am trying to tell you.

Karan Thapar: Then answer this to me. Why are members of the PMO telling journalists that Prime Minister was not consulted and that you jumped the gun?

Arjun Singh: Well, I don't know which member of the PMO you are talking about unless you name him.

Karan Thapar: Is there a conspiracy to make you the Fall Guy?

Arjun Singh: Well, I don't know whether there is one or there is not. But Fall Guys are not made in this way. And I am only doing what was manifestly clear to every one, was cleared by the party and the Prime Minister. There is no question of any personal agenda.

Karan Thapar: They say that, in fact, you brought up this issue to embarrass the Prime Minister.

Arjun Singh: Why should I embarrass the Prime Minister? I am with him. I am part of his team.

Karan Thapar: They say that you have a lingering, forgive the word, jealousy because Sonia Gandhi chose Manmohan Singh and not you as Prime Minister.

Arjun Singh: Well, that is canard which is below contempt. Only that person can say this who doesn't know what kind of respect and regard I hold for Sonia Gandhi. She is the leader. Whatever she decides is acceptable to me.

Karan Thapar: They also say that you brought this issue up because you felt that the Prime Minister had been eating into your portfolio. Part of it had gone to Renuka Chaudhury and, in fact, your new deputy minister Purandar Sridevi had taken over certain parts. This was your way of getting back.

Arjun Singh: No one was taking over any part. This is a decision which the Prime Minister makes as to who has to have what portfolio. And he asked Mrs Renuka Devi to take it and he cleared it with me first.

Karan Thapar: So there is no animus on your part?

Arjun Singh: Absolutely not.

Karan Thapar: They say that you did this because you resented the Prime Minister's popular image in the country, that this was your way of embroiling him in a dispute that will make him look not like a modern reformer but like an old-fashioned, family-hold politician instead.

Arjun Singh: Well, the Tammany Hall political stage is over. He is our Prime Minister and every decision he has taken is in the full consent with his Cabinet and I don't think there can be any blame on him.

Karan Thapar: One, then, last quick question. Do you think this is an issue, which is a sensitive issue, where everyone knew there would have been passions and emotions that would have been aroused has been handled as effectively as it should have been?

Arjun Singh: Well, I have not done anything on it. I have not, sort of what you call, jumped the gun. If this is an issue, which is sensitive, everyone has to treat it that way.

Karan Thapar: But your conscience as HRD Minister is clear?

Arjun Singh: Absolutely clear.

Karan Thapar: There is nothing that you could have done to make it easier for the young students?

Arjun Singh: Well, I am prepared to do anything that can be done. And it is being attempted.

Karan Thapar: For seven weeks, they have been protesting in the hot sun. No minister has gone there to appease them, to allay their concerns, to express sympathy for them. Have politicians let the young people of India down?

Arjun Singh: Well, I myself called them. They all came in this very room.

Karan Thapar: But you are the only one.

Arjun Singh: You are accusing me only. No one else is being accused.

Karan Thapar: What about the Government of India? Has the Government of India failed to respond adequately?

Arjun Singh: From the Government of India also, the Defence Minister met them.

Karan Thapar: Only recently.

Arjun Singh: That is something because everyone was busy with the elections.

Karan Thapar: For seven weeks no one met them.

Arjun Singh: No, but we are very concerned. Certainly, all of us resent the kind of force that was used. I condemned it the very first day it happened.

Karan Thapar: All right, Mr Arjun Singh. We have reached the end of this interview. Thank you very much for speaking on the subject.


Source: CNNIBN

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Habit Change--Six Steps to Success

Saturday, May 27, 2006

As every New Year approaches, many of us are doing the usual…thinking, "This year will be different. I'm going to change…(fill in the blanks)…my work habits, my attitudes. I'll lose those pounds; I'll make that difficult choice that's long overdue." We re-make these resolutions throughout the year.

But will really follow through until the goals are accomplished? Or will this new "determination" be like the others…lots of good intentions, plenty of wishes, but basically, life goes on as usual?

Research on personal change (Prochaska, Norcross, and Diclemente; "Changing for Good") has demonstrated that successful change comes in six well-defined stages. Perhaps the failure to recognize these stages has been responsible for your past frustrations and failures in following through on self improvements.

You see, each of these stages has a series of tasks that must be completed before you can progress to the next. You set yourself up for failure when you either try to accomplish changes you aren't ready for or when you stay so long on tasks you've mastered (such as understanding your problem) that you become stuck indefinitely.

Think about your past experiences as you read what happens in these six stages.

STAGE 1: PRECONTEMPLATION When you're at this stage, you aren't even admitting you have a problem. We've all seen unhealthy denial in others. We often have trouble seeing it in ourselves.

Writer G.K. Chesterton said, "It isn't that they can't see the solution. It's that they can't see the problem."

Precontemplators don't want to change themselves. They think others are to blame for their difficulties. Likely, others are experiencing the precontemplator's problem and may be applying pressure for him or her to change. The responses…denial and resistance.

Are you in this stage? Chances are, you are with at least one of the destructive and self-defeating behaviors you need to change.

STAGE 2: CONTEMPLATION When you move to the Contemplation stage, you acknowledge you have a problem, and you want to get unstuck. You begin to think seriously about solving your problem. You try to understand its causes, and you begin to investigate your options. At this point you have indefinite plans to take action within the next few months.

However, you can stay stuck in this stage for months or years. (Is this where you are now?) You know you need to change, and you intend to…someday…just as soon as…after…when the rush is over (when would that be?). You know your desire and your destination, but you're not quite ready to go.

Fear of failure can keep you searching for an easier, more dramatic, or more complete solution to your problem. The irony is, failure is guaranteed if you don't move on to the next stage.

STAGE 3: PREPARATION "If you fail to plan, you plan to fail."

You greatly reduce your success probability if you suddenly wake up one morning, say "This is the day," and dive headfirst into a change without realistically and specifically planning how you will make the change happen.

At Stage 3, you develop a detailed plan of action and you may announce your intentions publicly. Your awareness is high, and you may have already begun small behavioral changes. Before moving ahead, however, you need to know exactly how you will keep your awareness and commitment high throughout the struggles of the next stages.

STAGE 4: ACTION This stage is the one that requires the most commitment and energy. It's where you actually DO IT! You receive the most recognition and support during this stage, because others can see that you're working at it. You follow the plan you've made in Stage 3, make revisions as necessary, and "keep on keeping on" even when it's inconvenient or difficult.

Here's a caution: Action doesn't necessarily mean that lasting change has been made. It's an essential part of the process, but the failure to do what's necessary in the next stage, Maintenance, can sabotage the progress you've made so far.

STAGE 5: MAINTENANCE The maintenance stage is a long, ongoing process. From my experience, it's the most difficult. (How many times have I dieted, for example, only to gain the weight back?)

The Action stage must be followed by constant vigilance and a systematic plan for dealing with those temptations that can draw you back into the old, destructive pattern. It's hard work to consolidate the gains you've made during the first four stages and to prevent relapse.

Celebrate achieving your goals, but don't relax and tell yourself, "Whew! I'm glad that's over!" Develop a menu of mental and behavioral coping strategies that will take you through the times when your feet begin to slip. (More on that in the next article.)

STAGE 6: TERMINATION There is lively debate about whether this stage is possible when the behavior you've changed is an addictive habit. The ideal would be that you no longer feel tempted, and the habit is absolutely not a problem for you. Some say, however, that you must always maintain a life of vigilance.

I tend to agree. Some can progress to the point that they are not constantly tempted, nor do they think about it every day. However, I believe that once you've had a deeply ingrained habit or addiction, you are always more vulnerable than if you'd never had it. Keep a level of awareness, especially in times of stress. Studies show that in times of stress or conflict, people are most likely to slip.

NOT A LINEAR PROGRESSION

Wouldn't it be nice if we smoothly progressed from one stage to the next? It's possible, but not probable. Most people have episodes of backsliding into Contemplation or even Precontemplation before trying again. In fact, studies show that New Year's resolutions are made, on average, five times before the changer moves all the way to Maintenance! (That's average. You don't have to do it that many times if you know how to move more effectively through these six stages.)

Don't give up! If you have a setback, don't stay there. Pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and try again…this time with a revised and better plan.


Dr. Bev Smallwood is a psychologist who has worked with organizations across the globe for over 20 years. Her high-energy, high-content, high-involvement Magnetic Workplaces (r) programs provide dozens of practical strategies and skills that can be put to work immediately to:

  1. build strong leaders who influence and develop others through serving;
  2. energize, motivate, and retain team members;
  3. successfully accomplish important organizational transitions; and
  4. impress customers and build their loyalty.

Review a complete list of her programs available for your convention or corporate meeting at the website, www.MagneticWorkplaces.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Beverly_Smallwood,_PhD.

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IIM CAT on November 19

Friday, May 26, 2006

Aspirants for the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) need to mark November 19 as their date with CAT, the common name for Common Admission Test for entry into the six prestigious management schools. CAT 2006 will be held on November 19 and the final results of the admission for the next academic session, for which the CAT exam was held last November, will be announced on Wednesday, the IIM Ahmedabad Director, Professor Bakul Dholakia, said here on Monday. The Directors of the six IIMs - Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Kolkata, Lucknow, Indore and Kozhikode - met here and decided to move the CAT Center, which carries out research on student profiles and prepares inputs for the CAT question papers, to Bangalore for three years. The CAT Center keeps rotating among the different IIMs and is at IIM-A as of now.

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RC - Passage 1 - Warm Up

Wednesday, May 24, 2006

A Little Fable
by Franz Kafka

"Alas," said the mouse, "the whole world is growing smaller every day. At the beginning it was so big that I was afraid, I kept running and running, and I was glad when I saw walls far away to the right and left, but these long walls have narrowed so quickly that I am in the last chamber already, and there in the corner stands the trap that I must run into."
"You only need to change your direction," said the cat, and ate it up.

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HCF & LCM - Basics 1

Sunday, May 21, 2006

Now that we are familiar with basics let us move on, not that we won't look into basics again, for time being. Since our study is progressing and in a progressive manner, next thing to know would be HCF and LCM, at this point of time.

Factors: We have covered factors in previous posts. Let us refresh. Suppose x and y are two integers, if x divides y completely, means the remainder is zero, then we can say that x is a factor of y. Example, 6 and 3, where 3 divides 6 completely, hence 3 is a factor of 6. What are the other factors of 6? Find out, 1, 2, 3 and 6 correct.

Common Factors: What is common factor of 6? None, because to find out common factor we need two numbers. Lets take 2 and 6, what are the common factors of 2 and 6? 2 = 1, 2, 6 = 1, 2, 3 and 6, so 1 and 2 are common factors, correct. Now lets take 12 and 30, what are the common factors of 12 and 30? 1, 2, 3 and 6 correct. So are we done? Not yet.

Highest Common Factors (HCF): Look at the above example, what is the highest common factor between 12 and 30? 6, Yeah. Basically HCF is the largest common factor between any numbers. HCF is also known as GCD (Greatest Common Divisor)

Before knowing how to find highest common factor, I would like to introduce the concept of Prime Factors.

Prime Factors: Now we all know that all the numbers are composed of factors, but if you look closely, as a matter of fact, all the numbers are composed of primes. Lets take 36, i.e 36 = 4 x 9 i.e 2^2 x 3^3, because 4 = 2 x 2 and 9 = 3 x 3. Conclusion? All the number are composed of primes. Of course Primes themselves don't have factors.

Q) Why should I learn about HCF?
A)
Suppose you have 20 Banana trees, 12 Apple trees and 24 Mango trees, you want to plant them in such a way that there should be equal amount of trees in each row of each type of tree. How many rows will each type of tree take? Logically you want to find out the common number of trees in these three set of trees which will peacefully solve our problem. HCF comes handy in such kind of problems, where you want to find the highest such common number.

20 = 2^2 x 5
12 = 2^2 x 3
24 = 2^3 x 3

HCF or GCD of the three numbers is 4, Highest Common Factor i.e 2^2. Hence we will require 5 rows of Banana, 3 rows of Apple and 6 rows of Mango trees. (Divide each number with 4, because each row will contain 4 trees). So total 14 rows.

Methods to Find HCF:
1) Factorization:
Express the given number in prime factor, then take the product of all the common factors, as we have done in the above example. Voila! You got your HCF.

2) Division Method:
Suppose you have two numbers, divide the greater number with the smaller one, now divide the smaller number with the remainder left, now divide the previous remainder with the new remainder, repeat this until there is no remainder. The last divisor is the required HCF.
Example: Find HCF of 12 and 15. Hence the HCF of 12 and 15 is 3.

To find HCF of more than two numbers, choose any two, find their HCF, then HCF of this HCF and other number will give you the HCF of three numbers and so on.


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3 Year MBA, IIM professors on Quota.

Wednesday, May 10, 2006

  1. IIM professors threaten to leave if Quota implemented.

  2. IIM professors suggest 3-year MBA for Quota students.

  3. Quota students entrance preparation should be sponsored by govt.

Source: Economic Times


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Bollywood - Telling tales, The

The 70's was about big-side-locks, large-collars, huge-glares, the movie focused mainly on household stories, a worried father, a loving-caring mother, a job-less son, a soon-to-be-married daughter and a girl next-door. The story usually revolved around the son and the girl next-door, they fall in love, dance around the trees. Generally in between the song-and-dance-sequences, flowers-kissing-scene on screen is default. In between court-room dramas, the top-of-voice screaming lawyers, "me lord, me lord", judge with a little work to do, few lines, "order, order", and finally the most awaiting verdict, hair raising event, goons get punished and the hero gets "baa ijjat bary". Finally guy happy, girl happy, Happy-Ending.

The 80's was mostly about the angry-young-man, mother a widow, helpless. The story used to start with the hero being in his early years, father a drunk wife-basher, then the father dies or gets killed. The second part generally focuses on the raising of a child by a hard working widow-mother; mother struggles, child struggles. The role of the child becomes a shoe polisher, gets noticed by a man-and-wife, if it's his lucky day, he gets adopted. Third part and the most elongated part, the child grows up as a messiah, a Savior of the poor. Generally becomes a police inspector or a thug, but the role is to rescue dreaded people from the hands of the abettors, the mafias, or to bring justice to the poor junta from the hands of corrupt politicians. The dialogs were really hair-raising and powerful, audience used to somehow relate to the situations and dialogs. In between medical-dramas, hero meets near death circumstances, after getting shot six times, rushed to hospital, gets miraculously saved by next-to-god-like-figure 'doctor'. Finally, hero gets saved, junta happy, Happy-Ending.

The 90's witnessed musicals, flamboyant villains. The sadistic villain-hero is after college love or after the gangster for some grudge. Lot of inspiration is driven from west, the inspiration was so deep that it had to be enacted exactly scene-by-scene and the dialogs verbatim, translated word-by-word. An exodus from modeling to acting was witnessed. Later, movies based on underworld gangsters were huge successes. People used to relate with these characters because of the violence, the religious wars, the class divide, in our society undergone by every individual. Finally, junta happy, Happy-Ending.

The early 20's was all about big budget movies, larger than life sets, topless-hero's and bikini-swim-suit-heroines, the focus was on making quick buck, the work of the costume designer became far more easier. On the make or break day, the buzz was all about how many kisses did the audience enjoy, which captured headlines of the dailies, became breaking news all over the media, full-length debates were conducted discussing the morale of the situation. Originality is nowhere seen on the screen no more. Finally Producers happy, junta happy, Happy-Ending.

Because of the deteriorating quality of movies and acting, I am not much happy. Large pool of the urban audience is now switching their interests, including me. We soon recognize this crisis and hope for better quality movies in future.


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My CAT prep strategy

May - June - July: Cover all the basics

August: Sectional Test

September - October: Full Length Tests.


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Feedback

Monday, May 08, 2006

Post your feedbacks, comments, any suggestions, I need your feedbacks.
You can even mail me at mbafever@gmail.com or just post your comments here.

Guys, Tell me how did you like the site, do you want any changes? What more should I post? What is lacking that you would like to have on this site? Design issues? Angry on your boss? Upset about something?

Many other reasons you can write me for, like introducing yourself, doubts, rants, or just a buzz.





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Aesthetic Mathematics - Part 1 - Discovery of 0!

Ever wondered whether 1 is prime or not? or why 0! = 1 or 2^0 = 1?

Journey to the abyss: Lets see why 0! = 1.
Long long ago, when zero was not invented, life was hectic. People were confused about the quantity "nothingness" in maths. Then a brilliant chap known as Aryabhatta discovered 0. Life became relatively peaceful. But people were still confused of how 0 can be placed in current number system, nobody wanted to reinvent the number system. Somehow this dude managed to fit the poor fellow, i.e 0 in the number system peacefully. Every number has a certain behavior, 0 has its own.

I assume you all know what a factorial is, Its not all that difficult as it sounds. Say N is a number, then its factorial will be denoted as N!, which will be equal to N x (N - 1) x (N - 2) ... x 1. Basically multiply the number with the product of all the numbers less than itself.

For example 4! = 4 x 3 x 2 x 1 = 24. Similarly 3! = 3 x 2 x 1 = 6.

And now if you divide 4! by 4, we will be left with, 3!. Lets look into that.

3! = 4! / 4 = 24 / 4 = 6
2! = 3! / 3 = 6 / 3 = 2
1! = 2! / 2 = 2 / 2 = 1
0! = 1! / 1 = 1 / 1 = 1

If you know permutation or combination, you may have come across 0!, and by replacing 0! as 1, you get right answers. Now you don't need to wonder why.

Hurray! Party time, now don't go running nude shouting "Eureka, Eureka", lets not forget our civic sense.

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Arithmetic - Problem Set 1

Friday, May 05, 2006

Problems are based on what we learned in topics under Arithmetic - Addition, Subtraction, Division and Multiplication.

Problems:

Q1) For a number to be divisible by 77 it should be:
a) Divisible by 7.
b) Divisible by 7 and 22.
c) Divisible by 7 and 11.
d) None of the above.

Q2) On dividing 5678 by 22, what is the quotient, divisor, dividend and the remainder?

Q3) A123 is exactly divisible by 9. Find A.

Q4) 12Y3 is divisible by 11. Find Y.

Q5) A12345987B is divisible by 18. Find A and B.

Q6) Find the largest 4 digit number exactly divisible by 12.

Q7) Find the smallest 4 digit number exactly divisible by 11.

Q8) A number, when divided by 19, leaves a remainder 3, what will be the remainder when the same number is divided by 297?


Solutions:

A1): c, The number should be divisible by both 7 and 11 (co-primes)

A2): Divisor = 22, Divident = 5678, Quotient = 258, Remainder = 1. This was a silly question. ;)

A3): For a number to be divisible by 9, sum of its digits should be divisible by 9, hence A + 1 + 2 + 3 = 9, A + 6 = 9, A = 9 - 6 = 3. Hence the answer, 3.

A4): For a number to be divisible by 11, the difference of the sum of its even and odd numbers should be either 0 or divisible by 11, hence (2 + 3) - (1 + Y) = 0 or divisible by 11, 4 - Y = 0. Hence Y = 4. Try to do all this in your mind.

A5): For a number to be divisible by 18, it should be divisible by both 9 and 2. Hence the number A12345987B should be divisible by both 9 and 2. B can be 2, 4, 6, 8 or 0. Let's add up the digits, A + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 + 9 + 8 + 7 + B = A + B + 39. Now lets replace B with 2, then our A will be, A + 41, A + 5 = 9, A = 4, why? because we added all the digits, which to make divisible by 9, 4 was required. Try other numbers for B.

A6): The largest 4 digit number is 9999, divide it by 12, the remainder is 3, subtract 3 from 9999, we get our number, i.e 9996. Just think why we did this. To make the dividend fully divisible by divisor we just subtract the remainder from the dividend.

A7): The smallest 4 digit number is 1000, which when divided by 11, the remainder is 10. Add the divident to the difference of divisor and remainder, i.e 1000 + (11 - 10) = 1001, which is exactly divisible by 11.

A8): Tricky, there is a formula for this. rl = 2x + rs, where x is the smaller divisor, rs is remainder when divided by smaller divisor i.e x, and rl is the remainder when divided by larger divisor. So by substituting the values in the formula, rl = 2 x 19 + 3 = 38 + 3 = 41. Try to explain me the formula if you get it ;)


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Arithmetic - Basics 4

Thursday, May 04, 2006


Now that we have seen Addition, Subtraction and Division, let us also learn easier methods to multiply numbers.


Multiplication - Criss-cross method:
Example 1)
Suppose you want to multiply 18 x 19.




Step 1) Multiply the right hand digits i.e 8 x 9 = 72, write down the 2 and carry 7
Step 2) Cross multiply the digits as shown in figure and sum them, and add the carry, i.e. (9 x 1) + (8 x 1) + 7 = 24, write down 4 and carry 2
Step 3) Multiply the left hand digits, i.e 1 x 1 and add it with carry i.e 2, hence 1 + 2 = 3, write it down.


Example 2) Multiply 1234 x 45




Step 1)
Multiply the right hand digits, 4 x 5 = 20, write 0 and carry 2
Step 2) Multiply the next digits, 3 x 5 and 4 x 4 as shown in figure, add the results, add the carry, result 33, write down 3 and carry 3.
Step 3) Multiply the next digits, 5 x 2 and 3 x 4 as shown in figure, add the results i.e 10 + 12, add the carry, result 25, write down 5 and carry 2.
Step 4) Multiply the next digits, 5 x 1 and 4 x 2 as shown in figure, add the result, add the carry, result 15, write down 5 and carry 1.
Step 5) Multiply the left hand digits, 4 x 1 = 4, add carry, result 5, write it down, so final answer is 55530.



Squares:
When we square a number we multiply the number with itself, hence we can use the above method. But there is a pattern when we square a number with criss-cross method, let us look at it.


Example 1) Suppose you want to square 24, i.e 24 x 24, so from the criss-cross method.
= 2 x 2 / 4 x 2 + 4 x 2 /4 x 4
= 2^2 / 2 (4 x 2) / 4^2
= 4 / 16 / 16
= 4 + 1 / 6 + 1 / 6
= 576


So we observe it is a^2 / 2ab / b^2, don't mistake, there is no addition sign.


Example 2) Square of 29 = ?
Now a = 2 and b = 9, by the above observation we substitute the values.
= 2^2 / 2 (2 x 9) / 9^2
= 4 / 36 / 81 ( hear 8 is a carry, so add it to the preceding number )
= 4 / 36 + 8 / 1 ( after adding 8 to 36 you get 44, carry 4 to the preceding number)
= 4 / 44 / 1
= 4 + 4 / 4 / 1
= 8 / 4 / 1
= 841


This method is pretty fast if you get a hang of it. Basically square up to 30 are to be remembered, this method will come handy to find out square of numbers greater than 30.



Cubes:
Two steps to find out the cube of a number.


Step 1) We have to write down 4 numbers, first we have to take the cube of the 10's digit of the given number, for other 3 numbers we have to take the ratio of the units digit and 10's digit of the given number and write them in geometrical progression.
Step 2) Now double the 2nd and 3rd numbers and write them below the numbers respectively, then add the first row to the second.


This is little bit tricky, nothing to do with criss-cross method.


Example 1): 13^3
Step 1) The 10's digit is 1, cube of 1 is 1, hence write down 1, now take the ratio of 3 and 1, i.e 3:1, so the next numbers should be 3/1 of the previous once, write down the other 3 numbers in g.p, i.e 1 3 9 27
Step 2) Now double the 2nd and the 3rd numbers i.e 3 and 9 and write the results below them, respectively, i.e 6 and 18. Now add the two rows. Final answer is 2197



Example 2): 29^3
Step 1) The 10's digit is 2, cube of 2 is 8, hence write down 8, now take the ratio of 9:2, i.e the other 3 numbers will be 9/2 of the previous number, write down the other 3 numbers in g.p, i.e 8 x 9/2 = 36, 36 x 9/2 = 162, 162 x 9/2 = 729.
Step 2) Now double the 2nd and the 3rd numbers i.e 36 and 162 and write the results below them, respectively, i.e 72 and 324. Now add the two rows. Final answer 24389



Hope everything is clear. If you find it difficult to grasp, go through again, still if you don't get, forget it, as cubes of higher numbers are rarely needed.




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Pramod Mahajan passes away

Wednesday, May 03, 2006

Few days earlier, before he was shot, I and my brother were wondering why Pramod Mahajan doesn't come into media or news now a days, after few days when I returned home, my brother told me Pramod Mahajan got shot by his brother, it as a shock to me, we always assumed he is going to be the future Prime Minister of India. After learning that he is no more, I am in grief.

He was recently quoted saying, "My best is yet to come."

Pramod Mahajan breathed his last breath at 4.10 pm. My deepest condolences, may his soul rest in peace.

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Sweet Dream!

Tuesday, May 02, 2006

She was crossing the street, moving like an angle, her movements had a rhythm; I was following her. She was lovely, slim figure, large green-blue eyes, and lovely heart shape face. She wore a red outfit, looked calm, and seemed fearless. Suddenly there was this big noise, like there was an explosion, a bomb. The sound was terrifying, earsplitting. She covered her ears, closed her eyes tightly, and stopped, frozen, but it was impossible to ignore what was happening all around. Everything was disrupted; terrified people were running in every direction, trying to save their lives, trying to escape death, chase death. I approached her, I said, "Are you all right?" In no time a crowd gathered. I heard someone shouting in background, the sound was becoming more and more powerful, like someone was shouting "wake up, wake up".

I opened my eyes, next thing I know it was a dream, I was lying on my bed; my head was heavy, I had this minor head-ache. It was 6:15am on the digital clock hanging on the wall. My brother said I was whispering "Are you all right? Are your all right?" and was making some kissing sounds.


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Previous Posts

  • Prepare for MBA 2009, CAT 2009!!
  • Meet the 100 percentilers!
  • Need Contributors!
  • Critical Reasoning #12
  • Reading Comprehension - Passage #9
  • Proposed "Table of Contents"
  • CAT 2006 - A Big Surprise or Shock?
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  • Critical Reasoning #10 - #11
  • Critical Reasoning #9