Energy, Life, and Guilt

Energy!

That's one thing MIC has been brimming with in the past few weeks. As I walk past the corridoors and peep into rooms, always contemplating how I should convince everyone in Manipal to power-off my brethren for one hour, I see groups of people talking, discussing, scheming and plotting. That's the thing about MIC - something is always up! If it's not Article 19, it's the group assignments, the presentations, the plans for breakfast, lunch and dinner, the trips to Goa and Gokarna, Student Council...



There is life in every corner, and there's so much emotion and energy!

It was on one such walk of mine, observing all these students, that I walked into this room with some young researchers and designers. They were the brains working on the campaign for 'Power Off for an Hour'. From what I heard, they've found these really killer facts about why we should conserve electricity. Frankly, I hate it when I'm switched off - but after listening to what these people... I'll just give you one small fact from what they told me:

"Bonded child labour is one of the biggest problems faced by India. The average amount of debt involved ranges from Rs 500-7500.

Saving 5 hrs of electricity wastage by lights and laptops for a year can free abt 18250 children for life."

Well, I'm feeling so, so, so guilty, I'm going to turn myself off for sometime now. No wonder Rahul Bose wants us to Power Off.

re-public day

Now first thing's first.. I would like to wish all of you:

Happy Republic Day!

Jai Hind!

Anyway, getting back to the point. I would like to make an announcement on Republic day. This blog is for the janta i.e. the public. The blog is today declared re-publican. On this blog, from today onwards, reading interests of the public will be taken into consideration. I hear from many sources that I must try and innovate more with my PJs. But if the standard of PJs are raised, do you think they would be PJs at all?

Heh!

Another one..

Be kind my re-publican readers. Criticise, comment, freedom is your right! And, that's what we are advocating through this festival. Freedom of expression, through A19.. Full on!

A few days ago, we got some more news about the moolah that matters. Union Bank has agreed to sponsor power-off-for-an-hour! Yipee! More money! You know, we can be hippie and say, money can't buy us love, but the truth remains, love can't buy us money either. So, it's all clear and simple. Money is most of what we need.

Now, besides this jazz, I must tell you another interesting something.. Mike Pandey, one of the country's most acclaimed documentary film-maker and wild-life activist has agreed to judge our entries for Documentary Express. Isn't that cool? The going just got tougher! And, the time is such that the tough should get going as well. The registrations being open is big news, you know..

All the volunteers are all enthused about Article 19. The publicity and other work is on in full swing. The college is shaken up with Article 19 meetings every single day, between 6 to 7 pm. Buzz and business of Article 19 is leaving most of the students breathless.

That's it from the Bijlee bulletin, no more news is worth being the breaking news. No Prince fell into any hole, after all.. Nor did any Aishwarya Rai get pregnant! Eh, commercialization of content in journalism, something like that.. All of this is and more, to be discussed at MMSC this year. Well, we got some food for thought there!

I shall bid adieu to all of you, please supply me with your honest opinion in the form of comments so that I can improve and all that. But just remember, my improvement is losing the essence of a PJ!

Oh yeah, one last thing.. I still don't see the point of power-off-for-an-hour! In the process of saving electricity, they are turning me off! I need a turn on!

Hope your heads be wise!

The Man of the Moment

The batti bujhana that Article-19 wants to do is a very good thing! Turning the lights off is very turning on you know.. Darkness has some sex appeal now, doesn't it? Our very awesome 'resource people team' has done it again! Woo hoo! I am writing down a list of obvious clues.. The NAME is very big this time.. Guess who's coming?

• A man, he happens to be. I mean, he is not woman!
• He has not been linked with Rakhi Sawant or Ekta Kapoor, ever.
• Rugby, the sport, he plays.
• Bombay, is the place where he lives.
• Koel Puri, he dated, once upon a time.
• With Mallika Sherawat, pyar karke pachtaya..!
• He did split, wide, open.. (Umm, it's a movie! Perverts!)
• Everybody Says I'm Fine! He directed and showed off!
• The Foundation is the NGO, he founded.
• He is known for propagating profound opinions on issues of public interest!
• Social causes, he works for.

Any guesses? Ladies, this one is for you! I 'm sure you love this guy!

By the way, registrations open for Article 19. Send in your entries now.

For further details, on to www.article-19.com