Why I detest Socially Networking.

I was never a fan of the internet. We've been told to steer away from dating sites, pornographic sites, not to give away our phone numbers to completely strangers. There is a reason too. First, most humans are strange animals. Yes, we're animals and we've evolved like the rest of the other inhabitants of Mother Earth. Netizens can misuse you contact information into strange and bizarre ways like uploading it on a public sphere where you can be bombarded by phone calls, prank messages, your personal information can be disastrously misused, online bullying and trolling, et cetra.

Glaucomating by social networking 

But despite the short comings, the internet is basically network if computers and you'll find a variety of human beings, and on socially interacting with them will expose to the different cultures, the way people live, different tastes in art. In fact, you may find several inspirational and like minded folks, several of them (if they are of your age) will be struggling through life and its different struggles.

Social networking is unquestionably, occupies a very important slice of teenage and adult lives. But rapidly, it is becoming the only method of social interaction. What's the point of social networking on the internet if you have extreme shyness to communicate with the person face-to-face?

Happy birthday R.P. Feynman !

May 11, 1918 is the birthday of Richard P. Feynman, one of the greatest scientists who ever lived, and he continues to inspire millions of aspiring students by his scientific work and him, um wackyness. I read about him in, what is still one of my favourite books (I wish I hadn't lost it) "Surely you're joking, Mr. Feynman".

R. P Feynman with all that swag 

Feynman was involved in the Manhattan Project, he (also with two other scientists) was credited with the Noble Prize for his work on Quantum-ElectroDynamics (QED), he worked on problems of superfludity of supercooled  liquid Helium (that is how does liquid Helium behave as a superfluid when cooled to extremely cold temperatures), described the interaction of sub-atomic particles via pictorial descriptions which are known as "Feynman Diagrams", and he is called "The Father of Nanotechnology" as in one of  his lectures "There's plenty of room at the bottom", the the list of academic achievements is endless. He was a painter, a bongo-drum player, an active gambler, a party-animal, and something of a genius.

What I learnt about him was: there are certain prodigies, and well, the other way is to do smart work (which does include hard work). The thing is with Feynman (what I understood) that the man was all about practicality. He loved to vision the things in detail. When there were complex problems, he broke them down, or 'chunked' them into tiny solvable bits, and there by solving the whole problem. He had interests ranging from atomic physics to birds to eating fish to travelling. He is and will be the genius, but the picture isn't exactly that. He wasn't the dull science teacher type dude who sat in his cubicle and memorized books and had several Eureka ! moments. He was always playing, and he loved to play around. This habit was there from childhood, and lasted till adulthood. He had more fun than we can ever imagine, he went to parties, met a variety of people, traveled the globe, just because of his unquenchable curiosity.

My Train trips to home

Home is, where my heart is, and so are most of my pants. Well, I have a really strange fetish. Instead of opting for the easier air-conditioned or the 30-min flights, I take, the pain-in-the-ass seater train. That's right, Dhauli Express, or the Bhubhaneshwar-Kolkata Jan Shatabdi.

My college buddies (most of them sane individuals) consider my choice as repetitive "mistakes", but I love to see how people behave. True, a General coach would have been a much better experience, but that's for next time. Till then, seaters it is.

Awkward seat number

Well, I remember clearly my first train journey ( crummy ass Dhauli Express) from Kolkata to Puri. On my way to college, I was terrified about the whole college experience ( how to live with random individuals and exist without Ma waking me up or Dad shouting/criticizing). Well, Dad was there, and my ticket said "Male 18; Coach: D6 Seat:69 ", a window seat. As I dragged the luggage on to the
train (Dad criticizing). And, as I secretly knew, my seat was occupied. My Dad told me to be smart and approach the guy and to be polite. I followed orders and Whoa ! He asked "Babu where is your ticket?" I was taken aback as surely, Dad has the tickets. In a quick flash I asked the man for his tickets, which were swiftly handed over. As I read the ticket (he really didn't expect) I spotted it was a backdated ticket. Ah ha ! "Sir, that is my seat and this is a backdated ticket", with expressions flushed red. The man, out of the blue, changed from a predator to a soft kitten and "Adjust please?". Well, Dad stepped in and asked him to shift over to some other seat. Again, Dad was there to save the day (and I got reprimanded, for the fifth time).