Oxom

Why should Assam be Oxom?
Can you pronounce the German names correctly? The Chinese ones? Why their spells did not become simplified in English? Where from the word "Assam" came? Why the strange 'x' remained or where did it came from in Assamese pronounciation?

I wish I did a PhD in Linguistics. Btw, here is an article which has summarized some interesting findings/observations in this direction and might answer some of the questions above.
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Letter to the President of India

Do you have a problem in your l.o.v.e. life? What would you do? Go to counsellours? Fight with your parents? Use gundas? Elope? And if all fails commit suicide?

Ever thought of writing to your President? He can do wonders too!! Read this to appreciate how!!!

Best Wishes to all Love Birds.....

Extreme Makeover

When you have decided to jump into the PhD pyre, there is going to be no looking back. You are going to get burned, burned and burned...till death. So they said, then advised and then warned me, "Beta, soch le". But I wanted to prove them wrong and do at least one Herculean task in my present life - a PhD.

Alas, now I am getting the burns. Life became monotonous. Same lab, same canteen, same food, same people, same boss.....I wanted a change, I didn't want to be the typical post grad guy with a permanent "SIGH" splashed across his face.

So I decided to have a change - a minor image make-over, which ultimately turned out to be the next episode of "Extreme Makeover"---
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I came with all enthu to the university with my new tip-top looks. Went straight to canteen (fyi, graduate students spend more time in canteens), and found girls ogling at me. "Aha! so it works", I thought, and carried myself as if am going to be the next James Bond. Once done with my "brunch", I had no option but go to my lab.

In lab, I found other graduate students, people who say what they think. So I had an oppurtunity for a frank assesment of myself. As soon as I enter Grad Student 1's eyes pop out, he puts them back in place, adjusts his specs and somehow mutters to me "Formals??". And then when I get settled on my desk, the guy (Grad Student 2) on side desk with his forlorn face tells me, "Whats wrong with you??".

As if this was not enough depressing, this Grad Student 3, who sits quite a distance from me, comes over to me, and asks me on a very sympathetic note, "You have a presentation today? Good Luck!".

By now am distressed enough, and back to my graduate student mood. I am a "old" student and have no right to smart formals and a happy countenance. My lab mates are feeling deserted!! I can't leave their fraternity. I take oath right there -- I won't give up my looose T-shirts, 3/4 shorts and unshaven beard till I can graduate or till the School has to kick me out.