Neste domingo (20), a partir das 13h, vão ser aplicadas em São Luís e mais 18 municípios do Maranhão as provas da primeira etapa do Processo Seletivo de Acesso à Educação Superior (PAES 2008) da Universidade Estadual do Maranhão (UEMA). 

Para fazer a prova, o candidato deve levar a ficha de comprovação de inscrição disponível no site www.vestibular.uema.br e anexar a ela uma foto 3x4, além dos documentos pessoais.

Cerca de 29 mil candidatos estão concorrendo neste seletivo. A UEMA está oferecendo um total de 2.685 vagas, distribuídas nos mais de 20 cursos da instituição.

Confira o que já foi postado no blog sobre o Vestibular 2008 da UEMA

jam now leh… so ”锄大地”with 6 person??? ehm… how 1 ah???

at last reach d… after the long journey… & their campus’s humongous compared to utar fes… is kampar campus bigger???

out 2 “recognised” photographer…

some goodies… shouldn’t have brought my bag ah…

thought there’ll be some pure discussion here & who would expect we’ll be attending a series of lectures here… swt…

all’re damn hungry & got the food d… & lets guess why they’re still not eating??? cause we’re waiting for the great SPOONS…

dengan tebal mukanya they’re swallowing pizza in front of us… jk nia… hehe

i won’t comment about this photo ah… wahaha…

some exhibition for us…

people tengah talking about using tyres to cool down concrete & this friend of mine sleeping… wahaha… at last snap his photo d…

some motivation talk by aaron… feel like joining IET soon d…

the person on the left quite kesian 1 lo… keep on kena denda only… have to sing songs etc la… but jia voon really sang the complete version of 彩虹 leh… 佩服！！！

Ron Paul recently founded a Political action committee and for more information or to lend financial support go to the website for more information. http://www.campaignforliberty.org

Ron Paul D.C 7/12/08

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

When I was applying to colleges in the fall of my senior year of high school, I had no idea where I wanted to go.  After sending in 11 applications, I still hadn't a clue, and despite visiting almost all of those schools, I just didn't know which was the best for me.  

I had imagined going to school in New York or Boston, leading some metropolitan lifestyle and being gayer than gay, but the thought of tens of thousands of dollars in debt after 4 years of schooling squashed my dreams like the heel of a scorned drag queen.  So Binghamton seemed like the best choice for me-- a SUNY school (cheap), the best SUNY school (not Albany), and seemingly gay-friendly (thank goodness).

The next fall, I headed to Binghamton, wide-eyed, out of the closet, and undeclared.  Like many other LGBTQ students, I've learned about what exactly Binghamton has to offer, but I wish that there was someone to explain to me how Binghamton is for a gay student.  

1.  The students and faculty

I can't make an estimate on the percentage of LGBTQ folk on campus, but I'd say there is a plentiful amount.  No, it's not as queer as, say, Wesleyan, but if you squeak through college without at least knowing someone who is LGBTQ, you have deftly avoided human contact.  The level of tolerance I've seen on campus has been satisfactory, though it also depends on who you choose to hang out with.

Overall, the people who are in my classes, and the professors whom I've known over the years all gave me a sense of comfort.  Not that in-class debates were quelled with endearing lectures on why gay people are amazing, but homophobic language is not tolerated, and issues or themes of the class that touch on LGBTQ issues aren't avoided, cleaned up, or otherwise treated unfairly.  

   

[caption id="attachment_49" align="aligncenter" width="510" caption="Binghamton city march, for Day of Silence 2008"][/caption]

 

2. Campus life.

The dorms at Binghamton is where most, if not all, of incoming Freshman reside.  They all have their nuances, but fortunately, all Resident Assistants are required to attend a program that touches on LGBT issues, and to enforce a tolerant, respectful environment on their floor.  If there's an issue that is not resolved, the Resident Director can be notified, and he/she will be sure to help.  Binghamton University's police are also trained in areas of sexual orientation and gender identity/expression issues. 

The Rainbow Pride Union, (the student-run LGBTQ group) holds weekly meetings in the New Union, and offers programs on issues of sexual orientation and gender identity/expression.  There are also special events hosted by the RPU, such as the spring Drag Show, the Day of Silence to protest homophobic violence, National Coming Out Day, and more.  RPU holds office hours and has a strict confidentiality policy regarding those who attend.  RPU is also the main supporter and sponsor of Q Magazine, the only magazine of its kind from the Binghamton area.  

Binghamton University does not offer new staff training opportunities on sexual orientation or gender identity issues.  I don't believe that Binghamton's non-discrimination policies extend to gender identity yet, and unlike some more liberal schools, Binghamton does not have housing that caters to queer/transgendered students.  There are gender neutral bathrooms in some buildings, but not all.  

3. The city of Binghamton. 

Though strolling through downtown Binghamton isn't the most glamorous sight-seeing experience, there are several gay-owned businesses and gay or gay-friendly bars.  Zippers is an enjoyable gay bar and holds events like their drag show every Saturday night.  Merlin's is another gay bar that is a bit closer to the State Street bar scene.  They also have a drag show every Thursday night (it's very often packed on those nights) and college night on Fridays.  Squiggie's is a bar that I haven't been to much but I've heard that it tends to attract an older crowd, and it's located near State Street.  The bars all attract a different crowd, and have their own aesthetic and mood on a given night.  As someone who was once below the age of 21, I'll say that having a near-perfect ID might get you somewhere, but in my experience these bars have been much more strict than the typical college bar fare.  Fortunately some nights are 18+ and you won't need an ID to get in.  Pre-gaming is a practice well-learned in these circumstances.  

The website CampusClimateIndex.com has reviewed Binghamton University's LGBT-friendliness and gave it a modest 3.5 out of 5 stars.  So Binghamton has a lot to offer for LGBT students, but there are many areas--such as adding a Queer Studies department and gender neutral housing-- upon which we can improve.  

If you are LGBTQ and thinking about coming to Binghamton University, check out the site for more information.  

I hope this was helpful.  If anyone has questions, email us at qmagazinebinghamton@gmail.com

The decision of where to attend college should be influenced by what you'd like to do for a career. Do you want to be a performer in a modern dance company? On broadway? Do you want to teach? If your goal is to perform with a professional company and make a living at it, the more rigorous the technique requirements at your school, the better. If your goal is theatrical in nature, a program with a strong theatre/musical theatre program will be an asset (combined programs will require a smattering of theatre/production classes that will benefit you on this career path). If you want to be a teacher or own your own studio, look for schools that offer more than one teaching course in the curriculum, or better still, look for one with a teaching/pedagogy track, and look into ways you can perhaps incorporate business classes into your coursework. If you're unsure which school can get you where you are going, I would suggest trying to find out where alumni from the programs have ended up - get actual names if possible and see what they're doing. It is a good indicator of where the program will lead you. If you're unsure about what you really want to do, don't stress. As you pursue your college education this may change anyway. Look for a school that you feel sure will provide you with a solid education and in which you feel comfortable but challenged. Should you decide that your goals have changed and warrant leaving your school, know that transferring is an option. I myself was a transfer student, and succeeded in graduating "on time" regardless.

The audition process can tell you a lot about what a particular school is looking for in prospective students and what you can expect from the program. Most dance departments require an audition of some sort. Sometimes the audition can be sent via video/dvd, however, most programs will want to see you in person. An audition may determine your entrance into the dance program or it may be a placement audition which helps faculty decide in which technique levels you will begin your study (provided, you meet requirements for general acceptance to the university). Either way, an audition will typically consist of an interview with faculty and participation in a dance class (usually both modern dance and ballet). Some schools will ask to see a performance of choreography either of your own making or set on you by another, but this is more rare. Dance departments who require an audition into their department are usually looking for skillful dancers who will benefit from polishing and perfecting their technique for a professional career in performance or choreography (often these schools offer a B.F.A degree versus a B.A but this is not a hard and fast rule). Those that require a placement audition or no audition at all expect to have varying levels of ability and experience within their classes and provide a less-specialized education for those seeking employment in a more diverse range of dance-related careers.

Other considerations should be the school's location, facilities, and campus life, and how you feel you will fare within these. If you are a small-town kid, the transition to a large, inner-city school can be quite a culture shock, and visa versa. (This can be a positive or negative.) When visiting campuses, make sure that you are able to see the dance facilities (maybe even see some classes in progress or talk with faculty) and get a feel for the campus in general. Talk to other dance students if you can and trust your instincts. While auditioning for college programs, I experienced both ends of the spectrum. I suffered through an audition before faculty and students who received me with an aloof manner and seemed to eye me with cool distance before auditioning at a school in which I was immediately greeted by a dancer within the department and treated with warmth by faculty members. Can you guess which school I attended? Both are excellent schools but School A was not for me. Some thrive in a competitive environment, I needed to be where I felt welcome and supported in order to succeed.

If you are concerned about grades, as was the parent who contacted me, it is important to know that (assuming you've got another year or so to go) you have time to improve. Grades are usually not all a college looks at for entrance, however, poor grades often result in required remedial classes (taken over the summer) - not fun! Right now, you may think that academic work is not as important (or interesting) as the work you do in dance class. However, keep in mind that in the professional world, good dancers are intelligent people that could do anything they want but choose dance. Intelligent dancers are curious and want to learn and grow even in areas outside of dance. High school grades don't always reflect the potential that lies within many students but it won't hurt to, right now, begin to practice the kind of dedication, perseverance, and self-discipline that a major (and career) in dance will require of you, and work to bring up those grades!

This rounds out the college posts for now. I encourage questions or comments so send them my way!

On a side note, I am taking a brief hiatus from blogging while on vacation with my family in Massachusetts. More when I return...!

Desde el vestíbulo principal arrancan unas escaleras que siempre están a rebosar de gente subiendo y bajando; pero hoy no había allí absolutamente nadie para dar color a la escena. Me gustó mucho el contraste entre luces y sombras de la escena y las amenazantes notas colgadas en el tablón de la derecha.

En la primera planta el panorama no era muy diferente: la luz entrando a borbotones por la ventana iluminando las plantas y las sombras de los grandes ventanales tatuándose sobre las columnas de granito.

En los pasillos de los laboratorios las puertas cerradas y los carteles medio desprendidos en los tablones anuncian que en estos días apenas nadie pisa estos suelos. Durante el curso es habitual asomarse a estas estancias y observar como un montón de alumnos se afanan en llevar a buen puerto sus prácticas, pero ahora la imagen es bien diferente. Lo que más me llamó la atención en ese momento era el silencio sepulcral que se podía sentir allí, pues es algo a lo que no estoy para nada acostumbrado.

Las mesas del vestíbulo de la planta baja en las que la gente suele utilizar sus portátiles, jugar a las cartas o charlar animadamente son hoy mudos testigos de todas las confidencias contadas a sus lomos. Con los exámenes de Septiembre todo volverá a su frenético ritmo habitual, pero verlas hoy tan vacías me hacía pensar que en cuanto nos descuidamos un poco el tiempo se va volando y no vuelve jamás.

Me encantan estas pequeñas sorpresas que me dan la oportunidad ver las cosas cotidianas desde un punto de vista diferente.

• Further your education whenever possible. The willingness to continually improve your understanding of the subjects you teach and of instruction methodology is what will make you an excellent teacher.
• While taking courses, take care to learn as much as possible about reading, writing, math, special education curriculum, learning styles and teaching styles.
• Self-confidence is important; you should at all times emit an aura of having everything under control, even when you just want to run away and cry.
• Respect is earned. While you will be able to have some leverage in your position, good teaching will not take place until your students respect you.
• In challenging situations (and there will be many), keep your cool; respect is easily lost.
• The kids can and will try anything to throw you off balance, so have a plan to handle it before it happens.
• Choose your battles; some conflicts are just not worth engaging in. It will only distract you and your students and derail the class.
• You will have some fantastic moments that will make you wonder how you could ever have considered anything but teaching.

* I don't really remember from which site I download those photos. Apparently its from one of the students in IIUM itself. So thank you for sharing.

• Get online and go to your favorite search engine. Perform a search for “Online TOEFL Course.”

• Look through the results list and click on websites that sound professional. See "tips" for some of the criteria to help you determine if it is a legitimate course offering.

• Select several websites and compare criteria such as TOEFL course curriculum, cost and the credentials of the organization offering the course.

• Follow the steps on the chosen TOEFL course website to enroll.

American Chemical Society
Annual Reviews
Arbitranet
ASCE journals online
Blackwell-Synergy - Full Collection
Blackwell-Synergy Humanities and Social Science Collection
Blackwell-Synergy Science and Medicine Collection
Columbia International Affairs Online (CIAO)
Datacomex
EBSCOhost EJS
EconLit
Economática
ENGnetBASE engineering handbooks online
Euromonitor Global Market Information Database
INEGI Banco de Información Económica
ISI Web of Knowledge
Journals@Ovid
JSTOR
Kompass Internacional
Market Line
MATHnetBASE
MD Consult
Pagina Biblioteca MTY: Servicios, políticas y novedades
Primal Pictures Interactive Anatomy
Prisma
Product Scan
RefWorks
ScienceDirect Selected Journals
ScienceDirect Special Collections
SciFinder Scholar
STATSnetBase
SwetsWise Online Content
Teatro Español del Siglo de Oro
Thomson One Banker
World Bank
 -  World Bank GDF Online
 -  World Bank WDI Online
WorldCat
Worldwide standards service (incluye ASTM, ASME)

Aviso que saque la lista con un script automático (era muy larga comparar las bases de datos de ambos campuses) así que podría haber errores. Aun así creo que es bastante significativa la diferencia de material con el que contamos.

Mandé un mensaje a los responsables de la biblioteca para saber como deciden incluir o no una base de datos. Espero tener una respuesta pronto para compartirla con ustedes.

Recuerda que siempre puedes acudir con la biblioteca para preguntarles tu o puedes venir con un miembro de SATIES para que podamos ayudarte.

hmm, chẳng biết cái gì đang bother mình nữa , thôi học bài tiếp :-P

This conference will truly shape UW-Stout for the next seven years, finding ways to better and strengthen the university community we live in; making it more enjoyable while increasing the value of our UW-Stout degree.

Urgent smith prayer update

I cannot understand a WORD they say.

It's that whole northen accent type thing. Maybe its because I very rarely venture outside of Texas (who needs to :) but I find accents and dialects from other parts of the country quite disturbing.

It just sounds very harsh to my ear. Everything sounds so angry. And fast.

Of course you could say the oposite about Southern accents. Everyone pretty much thinks they don't have one, but I think if I needed to I could disguise the fact that I'm from Texas easier than someone from say, Portland.

One of the hall directors and his wife are from Oregon (shout out to Beth) and they pronounce "bag" as "beg." This is quite humourous since a main street around campus is "Bagby."

But they don't think the have acents (even though they totally do.) Hmm. Thoughts?

He walks around barefoot ALL the time and he has green dyed hair. Does anyone else think this is slightly nasty? I can understand wanting to be with nature or something, but since you live in a city, instead of dirt and soil in between your toes its gravel, motor oil and perhaps a crack needle.

Anyways, I saw him walking barefoot with his green hair in a ponytail  with who I guess is his girlfriend. I'm sure they are somewhere in that type of level, because last year I saw them walking on Fountain Mall, loudly having this conversation:

Her: How can I not be offended!?! This isn't my baby, this is OUR BABY!

Since I didn't see any canisters of Similac in their buggy, I can only guess what happened to the baby*...
I also saw this guy who I couldn't instantl indetify, but we exchanged hellos, and I am quite sure that we were in a class together ot hung out freshman year or something. I hate it when that happens.

I have been on this S'mores kick. THey are probably my favorite thing ever next to good macaroni and cheese. I make them in the microwave (can't have a fire in Allen) but before you say anything, they come out DELICIOUSLY.

You know what I hate? Kraft Macaroni and Cheese. I think it sucks. Luby's has good macaroni and cheese, I think.

Anyways, while at the H-E-B, I bought some milk, Fruity Pebbles on SALE (hecks yes) some SOLO cups, and some Apple Juice. Oooh and a block of Cheddar cheese. Which i am eating with a knife. Do you think thats weird? For the longest time I have had the most delightful affinity for cheese.

When i was in Las Vegas at the microsoft Siverlight Cocktail Party, instead of consuming alcohol like the other schmoozers there, I samples the delicious cheeses the spread had to offer.

I don't even need an expensive cheese. Hit me with a sharp cheddar and I'm golden.

What's your favorite cheese?

* No judgement here, just thoughts.

Valérie Pécresse entend donner aux universités une « visibilité internationale » grâce à l'opération Campus

Entretien avec Valérie Pécresse, ministre de l’enseignement supérieur et de la recherche

La Croix : A quoi doivent ressembler les campus de demain ?

Valérie Pécresse : Bâtir une université, c’est bâtir un lieu de vie. Quand on construit des bâtiments de recherche ou d’enseignement, il faut introduire tout autour du logement étudiant et amener de la convivialité. Il s’agit aussi de favoriser des rapprochements avec les grandes écoles et les organismes de recherche. C’est pourquoi, dans le cadre de cette opération Campus, nous avons retenu quatre critères : l’ambition scientifique et pédagogique, la vie de campus, l’urgence de la situation immobilière et le caractère structurant du projet pour son territoire.

Pourquoi ne sélectionner que dix projets ?

Parce qu’il faut à tout prix éviter de poursuivre le saupoudrage des crédits. L’ambition, c’est de faire émerger des pôles à visibilité mondiale, qui structureront notre paysage universitaire et lui donneront davantage de cohérence. Pour cette raison, d’ailleurs, nous privilégierons des projets interuniversitaires, permettant de dépasser les querelles de frontières et d’éviter les doublons.

Pourquoi prévoir une sélection en deux temps ?

Certaines universités viennent tout juste d’élire leur président et n’avaient pas beaucoup de temps pour répondre à l’appel d’offres de l’opération Campus . Nous avons donc décidé de sélectionner au maximum six candidatures aujourd’hui, puis les autres à la mi-juillet. Ce délai supplémentaire permettra aussi d’améliorer certains projets non retenus au premier tour.

Celui de Saclay, dans l’Essonne, auquel Nicolas Sarkozy tient beaucoup ?

Saclay ne sera pas présenté en première session parce qu’il a été très difficile de mettre ensemble autour de la table tous les acteurs de ce site. Nous ne voulions pas que ceux-ci déposent cinq ou six projets concurrents… Nous attendons désormais un projet unique.

Ne risque-t-on pas de voir émerger un système universitaire à deux vitesses, avec, d’un côté, 10 campus à visibilité internationale, et de l’autre, une foule d’universités à la traîne ?

Aujourd’hui, nous sommes en présence d’un système à 85 vitesses (NDLR : la France compte 85 universités). Et ce morcellement est terriblement préjudiciable à la visibilité de notre enseignement supérieur. Créer des pôles à vocation mondiale doit permettre d’améliorer la qualité de la recherche et de dessiner une carte des formations cohérente. Ces dix nouveaux campus doivent servir de locomotives pour l’ensemble des universités.

Les universités non sélectionnées disposeront-elles de crédits suffisants pour moderniser leur patrimoine immobilier, avant d’en prendre éventuellement le contrôle, comme le leur permet la loi d’autonomie ?

L’opération Campus profitera à l’ensemble des universités. Celles qui seront sélectionnées se partageront les ressources exceptionnelles de 5 milliards d’euros provenant de la vente d’une partie du capital d’EDF. Ce qui libérera des marges de manœuvre budgétaires pour les universités qui n’auront pas été retenues.

Recueilli par Denis PEIRON

Les universités françaises sont entrées dans l'ère de la compétition.

La deuxième vague de l'opération «campus» a été révélée vendredi par Valérie Pécresse, la ministre de l'Enseignement supérieur. Les universités d'Aix-Marseille, du campus de Saclay (Yvelines) et d'Aubervilliers (Seine-Saint-Denis) béné­ficieront des intérêts des cinq milliards récoltés après la vente, par l'État, d'actions EDF. Promesse de campagne présidentielle, ce plan a pour but de rénover l'immobilier des campus universitaires et de les rendre plus attractifs. Un quatrième lauréat, choisi entre trois projets parisiens, sera choisi après un audit immobilier. Le comité de sélection a décidé de ne pas trancher : «Un progrès a été réalisé, ils présentent un front uni, mais ce n'est pas encore suffisant, explique-t-on au ministère. On ne veut pas privilégier un projet et en oublier un autre.» La situation immobilière parisienne est par ailleurs «inextricable», a expliqué Valérie Pécresse, «on a parfois trois universités dans le même immeuble ou encore certains sites qui ne sont pas assez valorisés». C'est en fin d'année que l'on saura lequel des projets l'empor­tera. La compétition aura fait rage ces derniers mois. Les présidents de Paris Universitas, notamment, une entité qui regroupe Paris-VI, Paris-I ou encore Paris-IV, avaient fait savoir haut et fort leur mécontentement de ne pas être retenus lors de la première vague.

Avec le plan campus, les universités françaises sont ouvertement entrées dans l'ère de la compétition. Certaines ont élaboré leur projet en espérant faire mieux que le voisin, d'autres ont décidé d'unir leurs forces. En décidant de ne choisir que dix dossiers, le gouvernement a clairement affiché sa volonté de rompre avec le saupoudrage qui prévalait jusqu'alors.

Les modalités de financement des projets, avec des partenariats public-privé, sont également une nouveauté. La différence entre les universités prestigieuses et les ­universités locales est désormais affichée ouvertement. Les villes moyennes sont d'ailleurs les grandes perdantes du plan.

«Un signe fort»

Cette deuxième vague aura en revanche rétabli un équilibre entre la province et la région parisienne : Les projets de Saclay et d'Aubervilliers, depuis longtemps cités comme exemplaires par le ministère, ont été retenus. Le comité de sélection les avait dans un premier temps écartés car ils présentaient un visage trop disparate. À Saclay, les vingt et un établissements d'enseignement supérieur ont fini par trouver un accord. Même cas de figure à Aubervilliers, qui, pour Valérie Pécresse, constitue «un signe fort en direction des sciences humaines et sociales françaises. Il faut que ce campus soit à la hauteur du poids de la France dans ce domaine». Fatalement, l'opération fait des déçus, et Valérie Pécresse a souhaité attribuer un lot de consolation. Les mentions «campus prometteur» ou «campus innovant» sont attribuées à onze projets qui ne bénéficieront pas du plan campus mais d'une attention particulière de l'État, notamment Lille, Nancy-Metz, Paris-Est, Nantes, Nice, Clermont-Ferrand, Valenciennes, Le Havre, Cergy, et Dijon.

-----ref

http://www.lefigaro.fr/actualite-france/2008/07/12/01016-20080712ARTFIG00024-plan-campus-pecresse-devoile-trois-poles-laureats-.php

EN final sur les 85 universités,

nous avons un TOP10

et un "TOP20" avec ceux qui sont dessous:

La Ministre, le 11 juillet 2008, a souhaité attribuer la mention "campus prometteurs" à 7 projets à fort potentiel scientifique et pédagogique :
Lille http://www.campusgrandlille.fr/
Nancy-Metz
Paris Est (Créteil, Marne-la-Vallée)
le projet de campus numérique porté par le Pôle de Recherche et d’Enseignement Supérieur Université Européenne de Bretagne
Nantes
Nice- Sofia Antipolis
Clermont-Ferrand

Enfin, la ministre a souhaité attribuer une mention "campus innovant" à 4 projets qui se sont illustrés par leur qualité :

Valenciennes
Le Havre
Cergy
Dijon

First of all, why the fuck should there be quotas for SCs, STs and OBCs in the teaching faculty of the IITs? And you thought they did it to help create an 'equal society'? Man, the general elections are coming. Now, not only is Arjun 'assface' Singh's harebrained directive destroying the some of the best central universities in the country, it is polarizing society. My source in IIT Kharagpur tells me that when the dudes there came out on the streets in protest over the OBC quota issue earlier this year, some of them were surprised when some guys among them made derogatory comments about SCs, STs and OBCs. The same followed in debates on reservation in corridors and common rooms.

"I'm not willing to breathe the same air as these people."

"They are untouchables."

"They are niggers."

Well, thank you Moraji Desai, thank you V.P. Singh, thank Arjun singh, and, thank you Sonia Gandhi for creating this bitter divide in the Indian social fabric.

It's the nation's misfortune that Arjun 'tiny dick' Singh is the central HRD minister at a time when India's economic and cultural sphere of influence is taking the shape of something which is both extensive and definitive. On one hand you have Syria asking for an IIT on its soil and on the other you have the prospect of 49.5 per cent of faculty seats in the IITs being reserved for people who won't be able to teach anyone jackshit!

Anyway, won't Syria have to set up a Mandal Commission before they can have an IIT on their soil? 49.5 per cent seats for Palestinian refugees, Kurds and Armenians? Nah, the govt is too busy setting up the eight new IITs (yeah it was seven but then they added another at Indore) that it doesn't have time right now for such delicate foreign policy matters. Besides, we have already deferred/refused Singapore's request for an IIT. Interestingly, in Singapore, if you think about it, the OBC group would comprise of Tamil immigrants and Malay people. Hehe.

On a more serious foreign policy note, there's this thing called the Washington Accord to which India is a provisional signatory, as opposed to being a member signatory, which is something India would like in the future.

Why? This accord recognizes degrees from IITs and BITS Pilani as degrees of high international standard, at par with MIT, Oxford and Sorbonne. With the impending dilution of standards in the IITs, it may so happen that BITS Pilani will become India's soler representative in this international club, as the IITs may simply get kicked out because of bad faculty and sagging infrastructure.

All this for winning the next general elections, eh, Mrs. Gandhi? But history shows that reservations haven't helped any party in the polls, ever. The OBC reservations in the IITs didn't stop the BJP from taking Karnataka.

But then we don't know what sweeping insecurity Sonia Gandhi is suffering from. It's an open secret that she controls the Union govt by remote control and so it's not hard to imagine her asking Arjun 'likes dick' Singh to introduce yet another sweeping quota to paint over the lack of people's confidence in the central govt after its shoddy handling of the nuclear deal issue so far.

But then, Arjun 'Old Delhi Whore' Singh has been in a lot of shit of late. So instead, the Congress led Maharashtra govt has suddenly decided to enforce an obscure law which reserves 70% of all seats in every college in Maharashtra for students from the district it is located in. If Sonia and Vilasrao Deshmukh thought that this would yield electoral benefits, well, they had their faces up their asses. An NCP Corporator from Thane has filed a PIL against the order. I'm sure he sees a constituency somewhere, because I sure can. Hell, all the Mumbai colleges are being silently overrun by the full spectrum of political outfits in preparation for any upheaval which may happen over this issue, or to spark off some fight and then divide the political benefits. Already there's tension between dudes from Mumbai Suburban who are worried if they are going to get into the colleges in Mumbai Proper and the rich kids from South Mumbai who are pleasantly happy for the govt order and not so much on the court stay on the admission process.

So what do you know children. Don't you think I've conclusively proved that Arjun Singh is an asshole and that Sonia Gandhi is a dildosucker?

nah minggu ini dan minggu depan, gue bakal disibukkan dengan belajar, dan belajar buat UAS gue. gila UAS kali ini ada 2 macem, prektek dan tertulis.. ujian praktek alhamdulillah udh selesai semua, tinggal minggu depan gue ujian tertulis.

wish me luck, guys.. ga pengen ngecewain semua orang.. smoga minimal nilainya sama kya smester lalu.. syukur-syukur bisa lebih tinggi.. AMIN..

Sculpture on Princeton University Campus (3 exposures merged in photomatrix)

I ordered a chicken quesadilla with guacamole. The guy rang me up, then cleared my order. "Ma'am, we don't have guacamole here. You know its an Avocado sauce right?". I looked at him stupidly, and replied "Yes". It took me a few more minutes of deciding what to order, when I finally settled on the quesadilla with sour cream. "Ma'am you know that we don't have any guacamole...you know, that avocado sauce here right?" I looked at him. He then began to describe to me what guacamole was and how it was made. I stopped him, proceeded to tell him that I knew not only what guacamole was, but also that I know how to make it, and that I'm Cuban, so I would know these things (note: guacamole is not a Cuban dish, he was just retarded).

Anyways, as they're making my quesadilla (I'm watching them to make sure they don't spit in my food, this guy comes up to the counter and orders his food. They charge him 20 cents more for his tacos each, despite them being marked at 99 cents. The guy goes "According to law, you can only charge me the listed price on the menu". The guys behind the counter start arguing back with him. Being that I'm pre-law and I've already taken a law class based on the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) that states this, I had to break them off some knowledge. My monologue:

How many of you are students here at the business college? (the guys all raise their hands) Then obviously you were not paying attention in your law class which is required for graduation when the professor stated that it is illegal to falsely advertise prices and to charge more than the listed price to any given customer. Maybe you should retake the class.

The guys all looked dumbfounded. As my quesadilla was handed to me, the guy (who happened to be white), came up behind me (they were closing down), and goes: what country are you from? (Mind you, I speak with NO accent, and speak NO Spanish...well broken Spanish). I replied "Here", and he goes "then how are you Cuban?".

...as you can tell, I was a bit heated by this point.

One of the guys behind the counter finally let him know that people can be Cuban and still be from the United States (its called being Cuban-American), and the guy still looked confused. At that point I walked off.

Again, these are all college students that I was conversing with. Dumb fucks.