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Humouroscope

Humouroscope: 19th – 25th January

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Aries-Driving is a bad idea. Metro is the way to travel for this week. However, for places the metro doesn’t suit you, carry rose scented almonds in your pocket.

Taurus-A long standing crush has started showing interest. The unrequited love may not remain so unrequited after all. Wearing electric blue socks will boost your luck.

Gemini-The week doesn’t carry much good news for you. In fact, you’ll find yourself at logger heads with most of your friends. Not taking bath for the entire week will prevent direct confrontations.

Cancer-A long standing project will take an interesting turn of events. Do not let any friend interfere with it. He’s bound to make you his second fiddle.

Leo-Oddly, your unlucky omen for the week is the sun. Carrying a floral print umbrella whenever you step out into the sun will salvage some good luck.

Virgo-Greed and lust are to be stayed away from this week. So do not go near a shopping mall or your girl/boy friend’s place. The library will prove to be a safe haven.

Libra-A ‘medusa omen’ is floating over your head this week. Do not look into the mirror and avoid eye contact with green eyed strangers.

Scorpio-Some money is coming your way this week. Save it and it’s likely to multiply.

Sagittarius-The rare violet rose will boost your luck immensely. Carrying one in your pocket and the other in your sock will prevent any evil from falling upon you for a long time.

Capricorn-Your keen interest in the supernatural may prove detrimental to your mental well-being. Leave this pursuit right here or you’ll have a personal story to add to your list of discoveries.

Aquarius-Your cards for the week do not reveal much about your future. But your lucky fruit is the dragon fruit. Eat it for an entire day and luck will favor you.

Pisces-Physical and mental peace awaits you after a long and turbulent week. Retire to the hills or the beach or Lodhi Garden to regain your emotional equilibrium.

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Spo(r)tlight

From lethal to lethargic: Three main aspects of the Man U crisis

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Sir Alex has finally retired, with his hand-picked successor clearly struggling to win not just matches, but also the backing of the supporters. Yes, a crisis has struck the red part of Manchester, one which seems to have shook glory hunters all over the world. We all knew it was going to be tough replacing Sir Alex, but no one could have anticipated such a dramatic fall for our defending champs. Having recorded their worst ever league start since the inception of the BPL, David Moyes seems to be clearly struggling to muster any kind of momentum in his team. So, what exactly seems to be the problem? Well, here are some factors on what seems to be missing and what’s clearly not clicking!

Struggling with Stability

The transition to any new manager, to new tactics and diverse styles of play is bound to bring about a certain period of instability, and the introduction of David Moyes was no different. Bringing his own backroom staff along with him, he let go of the successful combination of Rene Meulensteen, Mike Phelan and Eric Steele who knew the Red devil’s squad inside out. This in particular might not have been the smartest of moves as United are still struggling to find any kind of rhythm and flow in their approach to the game.

Under-performing players

It is fascinating how a squad so DEADLY last year can be just so plain DEAD this year! Lacking creativity and aspiration, Manchester United in general have not played with the same vigour and intensity as they had played during the Fergie-era. Trying several combinations and arrangements, Moyes is still yet to find the perfect balance which plays football to United’s strengths. Fergie’s brilliance in tactics which brought out the best in players like Danny Welbeck, Javier Hernandez, Luis Nani, Patrice Evra, Ashley Young, Shinji Kagawa etc. among many others has not yet been replicated by his successor. An unstable defence, a dull midfield and a lacklustre attack has far from impressed the fans with some serious questions regarding their future credibility.

Transfer-less window

Failed efforts to sign Fabregas, Herrera or Alacantara ensured a gaping hole in midfield left by the retirement of veteran midfielder Paul Scholes. The one main signing made by Moyes, that of Maroune Fellaini has also has not yet proved his worth to his new club. While it is undeniable that Man Utd requires some new faces to instil confidence and freshness in the team, heavy dependence on Wayne Rooney and Adnan Januzaj to provide for the attacking threat is also not a viable option for the long term.

Well, is this the end of the United-era or is this the beginning of a new phase of dominance? One thing that’s for sure is that this is definitely going to be the toughest test for Manchester United. I guess we’ll just have to wait for a few seasons to find out what United are really made out of!

 Akhil Goswami

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DUB Speak

Reversing the gender role: Indian women as football referees

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Recognise her? She’s the assistant referee, Sian Massey running along the sidelines of your favourite football club’s match on weekends.

Soccer - Barclays Premier League - Wolverhampton Wanderers v Liverpool - Molineux
Sian Massey

 

Just like her, Indian women referees are also breaking through the ice in the national football circuit. Recently, Chennai girls Ruba Devi & Basanti and Bengal’s Kanika Burman & Monica Jana qualified for Class II national refereeing. These four girls aim to follow the much celebrated Goan girls Maria Robello, 42, and Uvena Fernandes, 32, who have the honour of being included in the FIFA’s list of women referees.

Rebello, who was also a former Indian team captain, now referees for the Goan pro-league. For a woman referee, the biggest challenge is to control the male players and keep the tempers from soaring too high. In an interview to the Indo-Asian News Service (IANS), she said, “Things can get a bit nasty in Goa where football is a way of life. But I feel women have the ability to keep things under control. I have been verbally abused by the players & fans and I also give it back to them. “(Talk about a real life in-your-face Kate Beckett, eh?)

getimage
Maria Rebello, officiating a match

Like Rebello, fellow Goan, Uvena Fernandes, who is an officer with the Indian Air Force (IAF), also represented India before she started refereeing in 2003.

The newly qualified Burman’s moment of test came when she refereed a highly controversial match between East Bengal and Railway FC which saw her being verbally attacked by one of the players. However, she handled it well with her no-nonsense style and came through with flying colours. But success for Burman comes with a cost. In 2013, she lost a month’s salary when she took leave from her other job to referee for the U-19 Women’s nationals. The underpaying nature of the job of a referee in India also does not help her case.

However, for AIFF (All India Football Federation) priority remains to promote women’s refereeing. The man behind the rise of women referees is Col (Retd.) Goutam Kar, the head of the refereeing department.

“We realized that one girl means one family. And since we don’t have organized women football, we encouraged them to take up refereeing so that they have a good future. First we started scouting and then in 2012 we got a good response in the women’s only refereeing course that was attended by 30-40 girls”, Kar said to IANS.

Kar believes that if these four girls (who have just qualified) make it big, then it can surely inspire the next generation of women referees.

 imagecourtesy: caughtoffside.com, epaper.timesofindia.com

Tushar Diwan

[email protected]                                                                                           

                                                                                                                     

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Uncategorized

Ronaldo Wins the FIFA Ballon d’Or Award

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The race for the coveted FIFA Ballon d’Or award finally reached its culmination point in Zurich, Germany, with the Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo winning his second Ballon d’Or award, his first since the merger of FIFA and France’s Ballon d’Or association. With heavy promises of being a night to remember- a history in the making, the Ballon d’Or award ceremony surely did not disappoint.

As Lionel Messi was plagued with a serious injury towards the end of the calendar year, and a case of Franck Ribery’s success being attributed much to his team’s overall performance, Ronaldo was the clear favourite to win the prestigious award this year round. With appreciable figures in the goal-scoring department, the Portuguese marksman managed to score 69 goals for club and country in only 59 matches. For Portugal, apart from almost single-handedly booking them a spot in this year’s World cup, Ronaldo’s goals saw him surpass Portuguese legend Eusebio and draw level with the nation’s all-time top goal scorer Pauleta, at 47 goals each.

In Club football, Ronaldo was arguably the most consistent player of the team in 2013, sometimes almost exclusively providing for the attacking threat for Real Madrid. Apart from scoring goals for fun, nowadays Ronaldo has added a new-found maturity to his style of play, indicated through improved link-up plays and a never-before exhibited range of passing, which he so effortlessly seems to execute. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that apart from his own managers and team mates, players such as Arjen Robben and Radamel Falcao, and footballing greats such as Gary Linekar and Diego Maradona had predicted Ronaldo to win the award for his consistently stellar performances in 2013.

History was also made as arguably football’s greatest icon; Pele was presented with the inaugural Ballon d’Or Prix d’honnneur award. Ineligible for the award during his playing years, Pele was honoured with the trophy as a tribute for his dedication and contributions to the game.

While the FIFA Ballon d’Or award was certainly the most awaited award of the night, the ceremony also saw a host of other awards being handed out for excellence in various fields and aspects of the game. The gala event saw Jupp Heynckes (now retired) win the renowned ‘Coach of the Year’ Award for the first time in his career after he helped guide an unstoppable Bayern Munich side win the Champion’s League, Bundesliga, as well as the German Cup treble in the football season of 2012-2013. The Ballon d’Or ceremony also recognised Nadine Angerer as the Women’s Player of the Year for her role in Germany’s 2013 European Championship triumph. Last but not least, Zlatan Ibrahimovic was presented with the FIFA Puskas Award (Goal of the Year) for his acrobatic ‘overhead-kick’ goal against England. A night that ended in delight for some, and dismay for the others, the Ballon d’Or award ceremony definitely lived up to its expectation and build-up.

 

Akhil Goswami

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Bazinga

Bazinga: Winter Uniforms in Delhi University

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Disclaimer: Bazinga is DU Beat’s weekly column of almost-believable fake news!

With the Aam Aadmi Party coming into power, certain changes are set to rock Delhi University. After proposing reservations, AAP is all set to introduce winter uniforms in all colleges of Delhi University. Students will be required to wear mufflers around their heads just the way our beloved CM Arvind Kejriwal wears it. However the Gandhi topi will be optional so as to not force political affiliations.

The idea behind it is to get some uniformity in the students of Delhi University. The attire will be compulsory in and around campus. Anybody who is seen wearing the muffler will be recognized as a Delhi University student.

However, the party does not want to kill students’ freedom to dress as they want and thus, the colour choice is left open. Students can choose the colour of the muffler they wear and change it and when they desire to.

This rule will be enforced starting 1st February and students violating this rule will be subject to punishment. The teachers will be checking the uniform and ensuring that the rule is followed religiously. Those who don’t follow the dress code can be fined up to Rs 200 depending on the frequency at which the rule is flouted.

Image courtesy: sunday-guardian.com

Disclaimer: Bazinga is DU Beat’s weekly column of almost-believable fake news!

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Humouroscope

Humouroscope: 12th – 18th January, 2014

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Aries –Lots of strangers are catching your eye but for them to notice you, you seriously need to lose those extra kilos. Trust us on this one.

Taurus – Your uptight behaviour is going to cause some tensions with a friend. The good part is you never really liked them anyway.

Gemini – Love? Love not? Your double face is being troublesome to all so make up your mind and for once stick by it.

Cancer – “Super annoying” and “Emotional dweeb” are your new nicknames. You are definitely sounding more fun than last week.

Leo – People are questioning your intentions. Not that we care, but you should probably work on that.

Virgo – Stop your matchmaking services and go talk to that new foreign exchange cutie. Spare your single friends.

Libra– It’s time to make it happen. With all your energy focused and stars aligned, this is the perfect week to get out of bed.

Scorpio – You are simply amazing! Or at least that is what you think about yourself. Cut down on the narcissism.

Sagittarius – This is not your week. The pimple is not going anywhere. We suggest the new Himalaya face wash.

Capricorn – Birthday month is going to get you a lot of alcohol. Make sure you spill out all your secrets. Alcohol is always the best excuse.

Aquarius – Stop paying for your friends. You know they are never going to pay you back.

Pisces – You are burdened with all the work. Team mates are useless. Pretending to be sick is the best option.

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Humouroscope

Humouroscope: 5th – 12th January

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Aries-The ultimate dilemma of friendship versus love has been troubling you for some time now. Its best to ask out that friend you’ve been fantasizing about. You anyway can’t simply be her friend anymore.

Taurus-The muscular pain that has been bothering you for so long have finally pushed you to an orthopedics’ doorstep. After a round of expensive consultation, you’ll realize that the pain is due to the lack of physical activity. So stop sulking and put on your running shoes.

Gemini- There are chocolates and flowers in your future. The only two possibilities are the arrival of a loved one on the blog or you killing your boredom by spending money on yourself.

Cancer- You will find solace in bargaining. Also, it’s your lucky activity this week. So put everything else aside and make that long due trip to GK or Sarojini.

Leo- Your patience is soon going to be tested with a noisy house guest arriving. Beware; he plans to overstay his welcome. Eating onions and staying over at a friend’s PG are the two best options. Take your pick!

Virgo- You’ll be revisiting childhood. All that alcohol has landed you into more troubles than ever. It’s better you switch over to milk for a while. Lucky color- ditch water green.

Libra- Last minute project submissions and a long list of pending work has made you volatile. It’s best if you don’t share your metro rides with anyone. That time should be utilized for listening to music and sleeping.

Scorpio- You are likely to develop a new hobby that you’ll be embarrassed to disclose to everyone. Keeping a dog biscuit in your bag at all times will make sure it stays a secret.

Sagittarius- Your cash stream seems to be thinning. It’s time to call upon the sworn life long friends to pay for the canteen bills. Lucky attire- kurta and jeans.

Capricorn-Praise is about to come from the most unexpected source. Making sure you stay in the public eye all the time will ensure it reaches you.

Aquarius- A friendship has turned sour. You are not able to rekindle the long gone excitement and joy. Take your friend to the nearest maggi stall and treat him to their poorly cooked maggi. Luck might just change.

Pisces-These are distressing times for your phone. Your new girlfriend, your app addiction fad and the sudden spike in the number of boring lectures leave the poor thing drained out. Charging it away from the bed at night will save you a couple grand.

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News

Delhi University declares Semester V results for most arts courses

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Delhi University has declared the Sem V results of the examinations conducted in November-December 2013 for 24 courses. These include most arts courses including Economics, English, History, Journalism, Political Science and Psychology.

They had started the roll out for Sem V results yesterday on 3rd January, 2014 by releasing the result for B.Com (Prog).

(Link to declared results)

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News

Delhi University releases FYUP date sheet for examinations to be held in May 2014

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One day after the start of the new semester, Delhi University has rolled out a ‘tentative’ date sheet for the second semester Four Year Undergraduate Programme (FYUP) examinations scheduled for May 2014. This tentative examination schedule was announced by the University on 3rd January, 2014.

The examinations for many courses start on 5th May while the last exam is seen to be scheduled on 22nd of May.

The scenario is seen to be similar to the previous semester, when the date sheet arrived much before results were declared for all years and subjects. While the date sheet for first year students has been released, it is still awaited for second and third year students.

FYUP students can check the date sheet here: Arts Courses | Commerce | Science | Foundation/Applied Courses

 

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DUB Speak

Capturing through the lens: A story of Daryaganj in Delhi

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Daryaganj is a bittersweet journey. As the day commences, it reminds us of a past that seems within our grasp, and as the sun sets, a far-away past who’s good is interred with its bones. Fittingly then, on Lord’s Day, there is a resurrection, but of a different kind. Push-carts and cartons spill over with history, of tales of our truth and lies. The footfalls on the path increase in all kinds of volume, some tales are picked up while the others get buried again, only to be re-told on another day. And we scurry along, to capture this graveyard shift, to stitch it again with the fabric of the city.

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Faint stirrings of the dawn when the dead awaken…
…Man sits up to a distant rumbling.
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The streets begin clearing with the coming of the hour…
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But the bearer still sleeps with his feet in the clouds.
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The cobwebs melt away with the morning dew…
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With which the undertaker stirs his magical brew.
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The doors open, drawing out another world of truths and lies…
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…Of forgotten dreams that broke on forgotten mornings, the hearse ferries them to life.
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The merchants of sacrilege, burst the coffins open and the tomes rise.
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The doors are locked in vain as the pages continue to proliferate; The passerby looks on in horror.
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And the outnumbered man, in dismay.
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But, the brew is ready to be served and the graveyard shift is in motion.

About the project: When a banker, an architect, a space designer, a pharmacist and two engineers come together, they capture poetry in pictures. Project Daryaganj is a product of the visual communication initiative by the Young India Fellowship Programme. 100 fellows from diverse backgrounds have come together to capture the essence of Delhi under the banner project of “Dastaan Ae Dilli”. For more such work on the Delhi we love, do visit  https://www.facebook.com/YIF.Dilli.

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