Thappad - A slap on our faces - Movie review

I return to mainstream blogging after a long hiatus of three years, mostly due to a hectic schedule. This wasn't planned as such, but when the trailer of thappad dropped, I was intrigued. It seemed pretty promising and thought-provoking. And since Taapsee can carry a solo hit on her own, I was looking forward to watching this.

A worrying phenomenon

Post the release, I was casually looking for reviews. And I ran into something strange. All the critic reviews were on the higher side, but somehow, IMDb ratings were skewed towards the lower end (5/10) region. A bit of analysis revealed something disturbing. Here is a breakup of the ratings by demographic.

As is clearly evident, males have rated the movie on the lower end of the scale - which is what has brought the overall rating down to ~5.5. Think about this for a moment. Men in India lost their ability to call a good thing good or a bad thing bad. We don't even want to acknowledge that there is a problem in the first place. We can't stand it when someone calls out our flaws. And that's a worrisome phenomenon. The first step towards solving a problem is to recognize there is one. We are yet to do that. Or maybe we don't want to lose that false sense of male entitlement. As one of my close friend Taleef mentioned, if one movie can make Indian men question their masculinity so much, it's just a sad day for us. Anyway, let's move on to the movie review.

The movie

Thappad talks about the gender dynamics subtly being played in our daily life. It is a very strong statement against patriarchy and violence against women that has been normalized by our Indian society. It offers a harsh reality check into what happens with women in India, and questions our direct or indirect complicity in it. 

Taapsee Pannu plays a good wife taking care of her mother-in-law and husband in a normal family. She also receives the love of the family and everything is fine until JUST ONE SLAP which changes everything. The things explored after this slap really take out the mindset which is inherent in our society. I could relate so many things with my life.

Taapsee Pannu is terrific. The quiver in her voice sent chills down my body. Her silence speaks volumes. It is easily the best performance of her career. Pavail Gulati's turn from a decent man to a man who stands by his right to slap his wife(once only) is something to watch. He is exceptionally effortless, to say the least. Other supporting actors are well cast and fit into the roles they play of mother-in-law, neighbor, maid and maid's husband.

Tappad makes you question everything happening around us. It is a crucial film that tells that dreams have no gender and women also have rights to dignity and happy life. No one, I mean no one, should slap his/her partner and expect her to accept it and continue like nothing happened.

The questions
Thappad is an extremely uncomfortable movie to watch. But it's necessary for this day and age. It questions our oblivious behavior towards the wrongs that happen towards women on a daily basis. It questions the entitled rights that we men think we have over women. It questions the way we have been conditioned to think that women need to adjust and compromise and accommodate a husband's wishes. 

A look at the comments on the trailer highlight the plight of relationships/marriages in India. As rightly mentioned in the movie, more than half of marriages would break off if we called out what was wrong. And it would be a good thing too. 

As you might have noticed, I feel very strongly about this topic. And part of it can be attributed to a personal incident that left a lifelong impact.

A close relative(my aunt) was married to a man who seemed like a nice guy at first glance. Smart, educated, cool. But his inflated male ego eventually got the better of him. His wrong sense of male entitlement was abysmal. As an example, he expected her to cook even when she was extremely sick. He could go out with whoever he wanted - and yet, his wife had to stay at home and take his permission for going to the grocery store. She was tortured for focusing on her career/work for a continuous period of four years. And he was so blind to all of this that he didn't even realize he was wrong. He was never apologetic about his actions. He would emotionally blackmail her, concluding most times that it was her fault that she was going through all of this. And the worst part, the part I really regret, is the fact that we did not do anything knowing all of this was happening. We kept asking her to adjust, compromise, etc. etc. just to maintain the facade of this so-called "marriage".  Peeking my eyes through their door sometimes, I used to see everything as it really was. The slaps, the arguments, and the constant pleading. Violence, disrespect, and abuse. And that I did not speak against it when I should have is something I will regret forever. As they say, the darkest places in hell are reserved for those who maintain their neutrality in times of moral crisis.

Finally, after intervention by us and a painful long-drawn legal battle, she got separation and moved in with our family. Did she live happily ever after? She did not. No one ever does, despite what the stories may say. But her dignity and self-respect - she preserved that. Her basic rights of being respected and cared for - something that this world should have provided - she was finally able to get them. And that is what mattered to her and us. Nothing more, nothing else. And in my humble opinion, it is an absolute myth that a woman needs a man to live a complete life. I personally know a lot of single women who are doing as well as, and some better than, they would have done with a partner. And this goes both ways, for both men and women.

Respect begins at home
When I was a kid(~15 years old), I remember arguing with my mom on something silly. It started out with mom reprimanding me and I ended up shouting at her. It was a spur of the moment reaction, and I almost immediately apologized for it. But what happened next shook me to the core. My father, who was watching this happening, rose up from his chair, came up close and over me, and with a bone-chilling voice told me -

"She maybe your mother, but before that, she is my wife. And if she is ever shouted at like that again, there will be no one worse than me."

My dad taught me a lot of things, but the biggest lesson was that you should never ever raise your voice or disrespect someone you love. And it is this lesson that has to be driven at a young and impressionable age to all of us boys/men. It is NOT right to shout/abuse or disrespect your partner in any manner. It is not a form of love, no matter what 'Kabir Singh' and other misogynistic movies might say.

Redemption
Thappad has been a real eye-opener for me. We need more films like this, since in a counry like India, entertainment is the best form of legal education. One good film can drive home a point that 1000 legal articles cannot.

Let us take some time to thank the women in our lives. And to make the world a better place for them - a world that should have been fair from the get-go.

Depression Cherry

Did you ever hear an album that feels like an emotional punch in the gut? Something that squeezes your innards until you want to collapse into a puddle of overwrought, bawling mess on the floor? Sure you have Nick Drake, Elliot Smith, Jeff Buckley, and The Zombies have all done it to me in the past. Songs so overwhelmingly heartfelt and painful you can't help but barely keep it together. Then you see some commercial for the ASPCA on TV and you have to go "get something out of your eye" in the bathroom for a few minutes. I've been there, man. Hell, we've all been there. Beach House have been bringing us dreamy, melancholy, and slightly druggy albums in the key of "sigh" for a few years now. Ever since Devotion, each record has excelled at surpassing the previous one’s grandeur and lamenting nature. Depression Cherry isn't changing the formula, but it has refined their wispy sound to a fine, hazy moan. If you're new to Beach House, don't let all the sappy, sad sack stuff dissuade you from hitting play on their new long player, or any of their albums for that matter. They're pieces of artful beauty.

Alex Scally and Victoria LeGrand form the whole of Beach House, and they work together wonderfully. LeGrand has one of those timeless voices. It's a dark, smoky voice that gives the impression of years of good and bad; stories float within her cadences and lazy delivery. It's a voice that's aged much quicker than LeGrand's merely 34 years. Alex Scally creates these curtains of slow motion revelations in the music, which only accentuates the emotional heft LeGrand delivers. On Depression Cherry, Scally and LeGrand have given us a much needed autumn album. Songs filled with sage advice about love, life, and beyond. The passage of time and getting older is felt on these songs. "Levitation" slowly finds its way into focus like the ocean waves hitting the shore. There's no rushing to any conclusions. There's always a sense of heightened perception in a Beach House song. Like slow motion psychedelia. A giddy calliope carries you on some strange trip, with the gray of reality always in the distance. "Sparks" is the most upbeat song on the album, and possibly in the entire Beach House canon. With the most distorted guitar I've ever heard (or noticed) in a Beach House song, and with the melding of Scally and LeGrand's voices this song almost brings a Medicine vibe to mind. "Space Song" floats along nicely with a great slide guitar, steady bass, and some synth strings. Victoria LeGrand emotes wonderfully as always. This is the kind of song you'd play for someone new to the Beach House world and say "This is what they sound like."

There's always been a Cocteau Twins sound with Beach House. Maybe not "exactly" like Cocteau Twins, but they both create this ethereal music that feels like AM pop music from some other alternate universe. It's both sad and happy. Beach House make sad music for happy people. "Beyond Love", "PPP", and "Wildflower" all hit hard in the gut, pushing the air from your lungs like a bit of sad news. But somehow, it's never depressing. Much like the same reason you sit and listen to songs like The Beatles' "In My Life", The Zombies' "The Way I Feel Inside", or Nick Drake's "Way to Blue", we somehow need that down to get back up. Maybe we're masochists at heart. Maybe I am. Either way, Beach House capture that longing we crave beautifully, and "Days of Candy" is one of the most beautifully written and arranged songs you'll hear all year. With an almost Brian Wilson-meets-10CC sound, this song aches and creaks like an old love. It's like walking through a childhood home and seeing hints of the past in every corner. It's a truly breathtaking song, and one you won't soon forget. After multiple listens so far, here is a track by track review of one of the most beautiful and emotional albums I've heard.

1. Levitation: This song slowly builds up the atmosphere with keyboards and minor drum beats. Victoria’s angelic vocals glide through. At first I didn't think the singing was as good as others but after repeated listens I found myself singing 'There’s a place I want to take you' in my head. The second half features an emotional guitar croon that creeps in perfectly to complete the soundscape before fading away nicely. The title of the song explains how it feels listening to this perfectly. Amazing opener. 10/10

2. Sparks: The lead single. At first I wasn't that impressed. But the song just kept getting better and better. It is a very spacey song that again sounds just as the title implies. The vocals in the first half remind me of M83. Then toward the end Victoria’s distinct lullaby style brings it to a close. The main riff is so alluring. By the time the main riff repeats itself one final time it sounds like a friend departing whom you wished would stay longer. Each time I listen to this song I feel like I'm saying goodbye to someone I love. It's so profound the way music can make you feel. Especially when done right like this. 10/10

3. Space Song: This sounds like it could've been on Bloom. I fell in love with this at first listen and it has only grown more and more on me. It's just so great all around. The main riff on this one is so gorgeous it's hard to describe. I would have to say it sounds tragically beautiful. Like endlessly floating through the night while the one you love is floating a distance in front of you that you can never catch up to. I know, it sounds depressing, but not in the mopey way at all. Oh and Victoria’s vocals of course are so sensual and perfect. This is a new favorite. This is one of those songs I could never get tired of. 11/10

4. Beyond Love: Another song with a tragic beauty in its sound as if the title didn't hint at it. The lyrics are so eerie yet delivered so smoothly. Victoria really is beyond human in her vocal abilities. The main riff is sad in a good way. Think of your lover or the one that got away while listening. Or just relax and enjoy. Another great track. 9.5/10

5. 10:37: The beginning drums sound like the introduction to a ceremony. Then the vocals slowly soar through the song. This one keeps that Cocteau Twins comparison strong. Such a relaxing song. The guitar are so simple yet elegantly great. I always picture myself floating down a mystic river on giant lily pads staring up at the stars when listening to this. But that’s just me. Great playful relaxation song. 9.5/10

6. PPP: This song. Wow. The main riff. The way Victoria talks seductively in the beginning before singing so beautifully that I feel like I'm drowning in divine delight. The melody of this song can either make you cry or feel exceptionally happy, or both. The eerie guitar solo is just so beautiful gorgeous haunting elegant. I can't even really put to words how it makes me feel. This song is sure to be a emotional roller coaster throughout the years. This one is an instant classic. If I was a filmmaker I'd want this to be in my movie. 11/10

7. Wildflower: The synth and guitar in this one brings to mind the 80s. A quick but twinkling song that I wish was twice as long. Just sit back and let this one guide your thoughts. Another relaxation gem. 9.5/10

8. Bluebird: Another one that I strongly wish was longer. This is a jam. Everything is perfect again. The drums. The staccato style guitars that just glide through the chorus. The keyboards. Victoria’s heavenly croon. I am constantly amazed with this one. This is the sound definition of good music. Love it. 10.5/10

9. Days of Candy: I read that the band used a choir of 24 for this song and it really shows. The beginning is slow and haunting in the way she sings. Then the drums quietly kick in with some great emotional guitars. The final 2 minutes of the song are the best. It sounds like 3 separate songs yet one song at the same time. Such a great and endearing way to close this emotional masterpiece of an album. 10/10.

Depression Cherry is a triumph of mood and emotion. You don't need to know what Victoria LeGrand is singing to be moved by her. There's a certain solace in sad songs. I guess it's knowing that you're not the only one going through it. Depression Cherry is the voice in the abyss telling you you're not alone.

Dear Zindagi - Take 2

Before I start, let's get one thing out of the way. I don't like Bollywood movies in general. They rarely try to venture into making something innovative or daring. However, every once in awhile there comes a movie which tugs at your heartstrings in an unexpected manner and completely changes your perspective. And Dear Zindagi is one such movie. It's the practically the only hindi movie I've watched after Piku, which I liked immensely. And as before, Ashutosh Das & Ankit Sinha were the musketeers who coaxed me into watching this movie.

When we first meet her, the ostensibly sprightly Kaira (Alia), a cinematographer awaiting her big break in the movie industry, is grappling with the shifty men in her life. They simply cannot keep pace with her ticking mind and wavering heart. To add to her woes, Kaira has major issues with her parents who cannot figure out exactly what the girl is up to in Mumbai. At the end of her tether and unsettled by dire thoughts, Kaira turns to Dr. Jehangir Khan (Shah Rukh) for counselling. And what follows is a roller coaster of an emotional journey, which takes us through a perspective transformation.

The way I see it, this movie focuses on two major themes. First being the fact that mental illness isn't taken as seriously as physical illness. The stigma attached to mental illness is infuriatingly still alive and well. Negative stereotypes deeply affect those with mental health conditions and may even discourage them from getting proper medical treatment. This movie addresses a very sensitive topic in a mature manner. Kudos to Gauri Shinde for that, although I would expect nothing less from her after English Vinglish.

The second theme is more complicated to address. This movie urges all of us to love our imperfect, messy and flawed lives to the fullest. It shows us a glimpse of how to deal with different situations of life, relationships and the issues that bog us down from time to time. 

I know a lot of my friends who are going through the same phase of life that Kiara goes through in the movie. Some have strained relationships with their partners and parents, some don't have their career figured out and so on. And my advice to them is this - It's OK. You are going to be OK. Society is going to tell you that you are not on track. And your family is going to worry. And people may give you funny looks and shake their heads and wonder what the heck you're doing. And you are going to start to worry too.

You will wonder desperately why you can't get things figured out. You may feel guilty, like somehow you have failed. And you will search frantically for a plan, something to cling to, something to make you feel as if you might have an idea where you are headed. You will resort to different measures. And eventually, somewhere in your search, you will realize, you are in love with your life. You are in love with every second of every minute of every day of it. You are in love with the challenges, with the new experiences, with learning new things, and you could not imagine settling for a life or a career that does not bring you the happiness you feel now. You won't have it all figured out yet, but you'll know what your life could be like.  And you might not know exactly how, but things will work out in the end. I may have gone off on a tangent here, but this is what this movie is all about. An analogy that hit me hard was one drawn between a chair and a life-partner. SRK's character says that if we spend so much time in choosing a chair, how do we expect to get our life partner correct in the first go? Coming to think of it, that was an idea very well-thought out and executed. 

The only thing better than the ideas at work in Dear Zindagi is the chemistry between Alia Bhatt and Shah Rukh Khan. Both actors’ performances are career best. Alia brings a likeable edge to her role. She may be confused but she’s not clueless. Fiercely independent and equally passionate her portrayal of Kiara is pure firebrand. The perfect complement to her is the cool as a cat psychologist played by SRK. This is the superstar’s best performance since Chak De! India. He’s not intense nor overtly dramatic. Instead he’s just the coolest guy with the most entertaining stories and wisdom beyond Chinese proverbs. SRK’s performance and character is pure cinematic zen.

Dear Zindagi is a lovely picture, made with finesse and heart, and one that not only takes some stigma off the idea of seeking therapy, but -- in the most natural of ways -- goes a long way in making a viewer think of the people who matter most. It floors you with its deliberate pacing, uncluttered simplicity and understated joie de vivre. It is that rare brand of cinema that makes you cry and laugh all at one go.

Data Science 101: Part 1

The idea for this project arose because one of the most common questions I am asked is: “how do I obtain a position as a data scientist?” It is not just the regularity of this question that got my attention, but also the diverse backgrounds from where it was coming from. And through these conversations, it has become apparent that there is a huge amount of misinformation out there, which has left people confused about what they need to do, in order to break into this field.

I decided, therefore, that I would investigate this subject to cut through the BS and provide a useful resource for anyone looking to move into commercial data science – whether you are just starting out, or already possess all the necessary skills but have no industry experience. And so I set out with the aim of answering two very broad questions:

• What skills are required for data science, and how should you go about picking these up?
• From a job market perspective, what steps can you take to maximise your chances of gaining employment in data science? 

Before we start off, it's important to know that the field of data science is incredibly broad and vaguely defined field. However, data science involves a skill-set that is somewhat bounded, if not incredibly broad. Here is a chart showing the skill set required for a data scientist.

Step 0. Fulfilling the prerequisites

Before you start to learn about the tools and techniques used in data science, you need to get your basics right. Basics in data science means maths, stats and machine learning.

1. Math
1. Start with Khan Academy's linear algebra course. You can skip this if you find it to be too basic.
2. Follow it up with MIT’s Linear Algebra course. Use Gilbert Strang’s textbook to go through it faster. Make sure that you understand matrices properly. The basic idea of learning linear algebra is to get you familiar with matrix computation. Matrix decomposition algorithms are fundamental to many data mining applications and are usually underrepresented in a standard "machine learning" curriculum.
2. Stats
1. i. Start with Udacity’s Intro to stats
2. ii. Use OpenIntro’s textbook to brush up. (Optional step, can skip if you want).
3. Machine Learning
1. i. Start Andrew Ng’s CS229. This is the course for ML. It doesn't involve hardcore coding, just some maths and basic matlab skills. Anyone with no experience of coding can also follow it.
2. ii. Use Practical ML by John Hopkins to brush up.

Step 1: Baby steps

1. Basic coding: This is the one of three pillars on which the field of data science stands. And you will need to be very good at this to excel in the field of DS.
1. For DS, Python is the language to learn. There is no running away from this. 
• Start with Codeacademy's python tutorial and try to finish it as fast as you can. 
2. Setup your system now itself. Use Anaconda available here to setup a Python IDE as well as Ipython notebooks.
   
2. Data Structures & Algorithms: Once you are familiar with the environment and the basic syntax of Python, it's time to learn the basic algorithms and data structures in Python.
1. Learn DS and Algos using Interactive Python
2. Once you're done with the above course, you need to practice what you've learnt otherwise you'll forget it.
1. Get an account on Hacker rank and solve their algorithms section using Python. 
2. Then solve Hackerrank's Data Structure section using Python. These two steps are very important.
3. Databases: As a data scientist, you will need to learn two database solutions. One SQL based(e.g., MySQL) and a NoSQL solution (e.g., MongoDB).
1. SQL: This is a very good place to learn the basics. W3 schools tutorial
2. MongoDB: Tutorials Point has a good resource on MongoDB. Complete it.
4. Learn R: R is a statistical computation language, and the most preferred language by data scientist.
1. Install R.
2. Install RStudio
3. Install SWIRL and learn R. One of the best resources to learn R

At this point, I should tell you that you know almost all the tools that are required at present for you to continue with DS. From this point onwards, DS becomes an art. You have the tools, how you use them depends on you.

As an aside,from here you can go in two directions. If you are disciplined enough, you can take up Harvard's CS109 course available here. But there's a catch. You need to do this course within two months. All problem sets are designed as such. 

                                                              OR

You can continue to work through this manually, taking small steps according to your pace. 

NOTE: Part 2 of this guide will be published in two days.

Hacking Campus Placements

Campus placements have started and I have attended the placements process, both from college and a few good startups off campus. It was tough initially, but I finally got offers from two companies, one of which is Mu Sigma. And it seems like I have learnt a lot about how placements and job interviews work during this period. So I decided to jot down the general preparation tips & tricks that will help you crack these placements.

Note: Campus placements in general are going to be a bit tighter than the previous years given the current economic situations and the general slow-down in hiring. Only the best of the best will have the chance at grabbing the jobs and that means, the ones who start preparing earlier will be ahead of the competition. If you're in your third year, it would be immensely helpful if you start preparing now. And for the record, getting placed from campus is much easier than off-campus and your best chance for a job. If you've any doubts or questions, please visit syedmisbahahmed.github.io.

Important note: This is going to be a long read. I didn't want to write another skeleton post which states outlines while missing out essential information. Grab a cup of coffee, and read on.

First off, let's get a few things straight.

• Placements/ Interviews can’t be cracked without preparation. I cannot stress this enough. You can be very good in your academics or technical stuff, but that’s not enough. You should be interview ready. You have to prepare for it very thoroughly.
• CGPA/Aggregate doesn’t matter. If you can cross the minimum cut-off required by the company (say 7+ or 65%/70%). Once you cross that threshold, everyone have equal chances to get the job. No one cares if you’re a 9 pointer/topper or not.
• Interviewers look for co-working skills. All they want is to hire someone they want to work with. A good mix of intelligence and communication skills go a long way.
• Placement statistics. Don’t worry about the CTC you see in Indian media about IIM/IIT grads getting Rs. 60L+/$100,000 packages. It doesn't paint the whole picture. They don't tell you that all this CTC includes stocks, bonuses and loans. These numbers are not adjusted for PPP, so don't worry about them. Your purchasing power varies by county. Here is a PPP Salary Calculator you can use to estimate how much your salary in another country will be equivalent to in India. 

This post will be divided into five parts.

1. Profile Building
2. Resume Writing
3. Aptitude Preparation
4. Interview/GD Preparation
5. Hey, I'm still not placed. Why?

Profile Building

This section will focus on your profile building. A lot of students make the mistake of thinking that their profile/resume does not matter at this stage. Newsflash, they do matter. So make sure you've a very good profile and a well-written resume.

In general, this is what a resume should contain.

Assuming that you are in your 2nd/3rd year at college, there is still time to improve your potential resume. And this is how you go about it.

1. Educational profile: Although I do agree with the fact that your marks don't really matter in the end, try and get marks so that you satisfy the eligibility criteria of 65/70%. You're talented, but talent won't get you anywhere if you don't have access to a platform to showcase your thing. A good coursework history provides you that platform. Getting good grades matter in that context.
2. Academic achievements: 
1. Can you take up some professional courses and certifications on Coursera/Code Academy/Udemy? Do it. 
2. Can you take up a voluntary project under a professor? Do it. 
3. Can you work/partner with a fellow student/professor/RA on a research paper or article in a reputed journal? Do it.
3. PoRs: 
1. Be involved in as many clubs/organizing committees as possible. 
2. Volunteer for social causes and NGOs.
4. Internship: 
1. Have an internship where you have a specific and clearly laid out set of responsibilities and deliverable 
2. Get a letter of recommendation / endorsement from your direct manager. 
3. Clearly ask for the measurable impact of your work in terms of business efficiency, revenue/cost impact, process improvement, increased outreach etc.
5. Extra curricular: This is probably the easiest part. Any hobby/interest that you have, you can and should nurture it.

• Like writing? Start your own blog or start writing for a website. 
• Like painting/sketching? Get a place at an art gallery. 
• Love coding? Design a good app or website.

A word of caution about your hobbies: Do not lie. If your interviewer is good, he/she will recognize your lie. Secondly, your hobby should actually be an hobby. What is a hobby?
Well, "watching movies" is not a hobby, if you are not aware of the current movie releases, some famous directors, their movie making style, some basic movie genres, and who played who in some famous movies. When I mentioned "blogging" & flight simulation" as my hobby in Mu Sigma, I was asked about the last blog post I wrote and a couple of questions related to flight simulation. So you need to fully prep your hobby. "Watching TV", "playing cricket", "shopping" and "photography" do not qualify as hobbies unless you are really passionate about it and you can show that you've done something tangible. However, you should be able to bring your interviewer around. Whatever you do, don't fake it. They know.

Warning: Keep a written/online verifiable record of everything - from school certificates to course completion ones. When you put something down on your CV, make sure you have the data to back it up. If not, call up your school/college/organization to get it.

Resume Writing

Okay. So you've worked hard to build your profile. Now is the time to design a kick-ass resume. Before we start, you should know this. Recruiters do not read your resume; they do a 15 - 30 second "spot check" of your resume, so keep it simple and awesome.

Step 1: Do's and dont's 

• One Page resume: If Elon Musk can have a one page resume, you sure can. It looks a little silly to see someone just out of school with a two-page resume.
• No Objectives: All an objective does is state, in a wordy way, what position you're interested in. The company already knows that because you applied for a particular position. At best, it'll just waste space. At worst, it'll limit you since it'll exclude other positions that might have been interesting to you. 
• Use a template: Unless you're great with design, you probably shouldn't be creating your own resume template. It'll most likely look sloppy. Use a template, You can just choose a tool you want to use (like Google Drive), and search for some templates. eg. Creative Templates
• Use Columns / Tables: You should use Columns/Tables to keep Data organised and this makes it easier to read and saves space. Just make sure to hide the borders afterwards. 
• Use Formatting: Use Bold, Underline, bullets to highlight important content accordingly, It is very important to have some hot points in resume and more important to be able to highlight them. In my case, the Products I contributed to and their links are of high importance so I chose to annotate them with Underline [Please avoid using many colors]
• Choose a good tool: In my case I prefer Microsoft Publisher, which has good templates for resumes. 

Step 2: By now you should have, a template, a tool and a basic mindset of how your resume will look. Let's dig deep on what you should write in:

• Summary (This plays a big role in great resume): First, nix the objective statement. It is almost impossible to write an objective statement without either telling the hiring manager something they already know or focusing on what you want to get from a job. Both are things you should absolutely avoid in a resume.
  
  Instead, use a summary statement which is 2 to 3 lines, and catches your reader's attention. eg.

• Final year undergrad with 10 months of volunteer experience. Trained professionally in TCIL with an emphasis on assembly line automation. Completed projects in digital image processing and have good programming skills. Experienced with sensors and transducers. Commercial flight simulator pilot and avid blogger.

• Be More Specific: Employers need to understand what you've done and accomplished, For example: 
• A. Worked with employees in a restaurant setting. 
• B. Recruited, hired, trained and supervised more than 20 employees in a restaurant with $2 million in annual sales.
  Both of these phrases could describe the same person, but the details and specifics in example B will more likely grab an employer's attention. 

• Proofread: Yourself, ask others to proofread for you, make sure you don't have typos and you should be good to go.
• Upload it Online: I host my resume at my own site and forward link to it to everyone, which I keep on updating with same name, so wherever somebody opens that links gets my latest résumé. Also, it comes in handy whenever you need to get a hard copy printed urgently.

• Generate a PDF: If you send your resume as an attachment, make sure you create a PDF version of the same. To know how to do this in word, go through this link.

• Name it properly: Ready to save your resume and send it off? Save it as “Syed Misbah Resume” instead of “Resume.” It’s one less step the hiring manager has to take. 

You will need much more than this to get a good resume.The best way is to prepare multiple copies and ask for feedback from competent people. You can go forward with 2-3 templates and take suggestions on which to go forward with, etc.

Here is an example of an excellent resume. Link

Apart from this, you can also look at my resume on my website @ syedmisbahahmed.github.io.

Aptitude Test Preparation

This is where the largest elimination happens. A lot of engineering students fear the aptitude tests. But the fact is that there's nothing to worry about because it's *VERY EASY* to crack aptitude tests. All it takes it practice! Just keep on practicing and in a month or two - you will solve all the aptitude questions like a pro. Don't expect to master the aptitude skills in just a week or two. There are 3 sections in any aptitude test.

1. Quantitative Aptitude.
2. Logical Reasoning.
3. Verbal.

QUANT: Only 1 book RS Agarwal. This book is indispensable for aptitude exams. No other book will clear you concepts as profoundly as this one. Many times, questions are asked directly from this book (with same numerical values). An alternative version of this book is available on IndiaBix.com. I would suggest using IndiaBix instead of the book since there are too many repeated problems in the book.

Always keep in mind that not all the topics within Quant are equally important. Lay more emphasis on topics like :-

1. Time & Work.
2. Number Systems.
3. Probability, Permutation & Combination
4. Time & Distance.
5. Percentages & Ratios.

LOGICAL: As such, I didn't refer to any book for this section. But if you want, you can practice using IndiaBix Logical section.

VERBAL: This section becomes the Achilles heel for most students. And the sad part is that there is no quick solution to this. For this section, read as much as you can. Reading will improve your comprehension and also vocabulary.Like it or not; but the Indian job markets demand people who can speak and write correct English. Unfortunately - very few people pay attention to their communication skills. If you think you need to sharpen your English speaking / writing skills; then NOW is the time to do it. It's going to help you in your entire career. Trust me, a lot of people unnecessarily get rejected because they can't communicate or express themselves.

IMPORTANT

• www.indiabix.com: Make this website your bible. This single source can place you in multiple companies. It contains interview experiences, previous placement papers, section wise questions and what not. Every resource you require is there on this website.

• Apart from this, use www.testpot.com to practice tests with time limit. Time management is very crucial. Also, some companies use sectional time and marks cutoff. So ensure that while practicing questions, you do not use your time saved in one section to cover up lost time in another section. That's not gonna happen in real exams.

Interview Preparation
If you've followed my advice up till now, you will definitely get to the interview round. There are generally 2 rounds of interviews, one technical and one HR. Before we start, let me state this: Dress properly, and groom yourself. Don't go into the interview room looking like you just woke up. Use this guide to get an idea of what and how to wear in an interview. For girls, a churidar/salwar suit is usually fine, provided you carry it properly.

Also, apart from the following, it's a good idea to go through your resume once before the interview and scan for any possible questions that you think may be asked related to your resume. For eg, about internships.

Technical

• Core(EC/EE/ME/IT): If you're good at your core engineering subjects, then cracking the technical interview won't be a problem. Most circuit branches will have 3 to 4 very important subjects. Brush up on them and you'll likely be fine. Remember this: For fresh recruits, recruiters are looking more for attitude and aptitude, rather than specific knowledge which would probably be part of the training/assimilation program later anyway. Subject matter expertise is teachable, attitude isn't.
• Software Tier 1/2: If it's a Tier 1/2 company, the questions asked depend on the job description. In general, you need to do brush up data structures, algorithms and any one programming language. For a list of algorithms and DS you should know, refer to the post Algorithms 101 in my blog. If you've a github profile or have contributed to OSS, mention that on your resume as well. Use Ambition Box to get an idea of the questions asked in a specific company. And prepare accordingly.
• Mass Recruiters: Getting placed in a mass recruiter is like firing a gun in the dark. It may or may not hit the target. The result depends almost always on your luck. Prepare yourself well, and show that you're interested in programming. Have one or two projects which show your interest in it. Know basic searching and sorting algorithms. Above all, exhibit an attitude of being able to pick up anything fast. 

A note about mass-recruiters

Even though TCS, Infosys, Accenture, Wipro, L&T Infotech etc are all MRC's, there is a stark difference between them. 

• Accenture, TCS & Infosys have an absolutely shitty selection process. They do not care about getting the best talent. They just have a number in mind. By chance, if you get rejected here, don't give a a rat's ass about it.
• L&T Infotech and Wipro have a much better recruting process, which ensures that only the best get in. GD's, case studies and multiple rounds of interviews are the norm here. If you want to go for MRC's, try these two companies. Although the training at Infosys is better, no two ways about it.

HR
HR rounds are typically easier than technical rounds. This is more of an elimination round than a selection round. Many times, overconfident candidates get rejected in HR interviews - something that shouldn't happen to you. So take the HR interviews seriously!

1. Before anything else, know the company and the job description inside out. Don't just go through the wikipedia page. Use youtube and the company's social media presence to research it thoroughly. You can get one or two solid points which you can answer for the "Why this company"? question. 
2. Here are some questions asked in HR interviews. Link to FAQ. Prepare the answers to these questions according to yourself. I cannot post my answers to these questions owing to privacy issues. But if you want them, I can privately share them. 
3. Prepare general puzzles asked in interviews. Link to puzzles. If these are not enough, use App store/Play store to search for apps, there are tons of them available. Use any one. 
4. Know the trick questions. Don't mention that you want to go for higher studies or anything. GATE/MS are killer words, mention them and you're done. Here is a list of trick questions that might be helpful. Link
5. There is no step 5. If you've done all the above, know that you'll get the job easily. Be cool, calm and confident. And for God's sake, smile. 

Hey, I did all of this, but I was still not placed?

Tough luck, buddy. But I will tell you a secret. Campus placement process has a huge luck factor. Likability is also a big factor. There are a hundred reasons why you may not have been selected. I will list some of the most common ones. 

• Some companies have weird rules. For example Microsoft & Accenture (which is one of the top-notch employers for CS / IT students) is known to be biased towards female candidates. Female students often have lesser rounds and they pretty much have a reservation :P. True Story. 
• Companies often don't care about hiring the best. The are usually satisfied with the general student quality in the campus. They want to hire 10 people that's it. They do not want to put in extra efforts to hire top 10 people. 
• Some times a student is unable to market his / her skills in interviews well. While they are talented and deserve a lot more but they usually lack presentation skills. They may be nervous or they might lack interview experience. They might try even try to act over smart. That may not be their day. If you feel that this was what led to your disqualification, take a friend's help. Give mock interviews to him and ask him to point out mistakes. Then rectify those mistakes. 
• Crappy interviewer is also another factor. A lot of alumni comes back to their campus and may be bias with their judgement. I know some people who were interviewed by their "well-acquainted" seniors for placement and then successfully got the job even though I think there were better deserving candidates. 
• Lack of credentials - Some times a lot of students don't get noticed because they didn't do any good internships or do not have good percentage. 

Likability and luck will only give you a kick start. Nothing beyond that. No successful person was successful just because he was lucky although luck may have helped him/her at some point of time. People will not like you if you are not doing your part well. Talent also is good only for short-term achievements. It is hard-work that will make you successful in the long run. Hard work can single handedly take you from nothing to everything with zero luck. If you try a good number of times you will eventually crack it with no luck.

Lastly, the world is unfair. But don't make the mistake of believing that it's unfair only for you.

Machine Learning 101

Some time ago I started a journey into one of the most exciting fields in Computer Science — Machine Learning. This is my recommendation to anyone who would like to explore this topic, but doesn’t know how to start.

What you should already know

• Calculus (ideally multivariate, but you'll understand concepts even if you only know single-variate). IF you don’t know a lot about this, I would recommend spending some time with MIT’s MV Calculus.
   
• Linear algebra: We all know how to multiply matrices, take inverses and calculate determinants. To understand machine learning algorithms, that’s not enough. You need sound understanding of geometric interpretations of these operations. Prof. Gilbert Strang’s Linear Algebra course lectures are an excellent resource to learn Linear Algebra the right way.
  
• Probability: It is vital to understand probability theory well, to understand why any machine learning algorithms work. The course below is very relevant. Here is the link to Introduction to Probability
  
• Stats
• i. Statistics. Start with Udacity’s Intro to stats
• ii. Use OpenIntro’s textbook to brush up. (Optional again)
  
• A word of caution. Machine Learning is not a place to take baby steps in programming. If you cannot code, take one of many Programming 101 courses. Python is a good language of choice. Most quality courses online use Matlab/Python, but it’s preferable to use Python over Matlab so that you can actually see the calculations being performed and implement them yourself.
  
  Optional, but highly recommended is to know ADA or Analysis and design of algorithms. Here is a link to my blog page which has a list of algorithms you should know. Data Structures is also important, and Geeks for Geeks is a good place to learn. 

Step by step guide

1. The first step is to go through Andrew Ng's Coursera course which is a fantastic way to get your feet wet. You get enough mathematics and theory to obtain a solid understanding of what is going on "under the hood" of ML algorithms, but you don't get bogged down in proofs and superfluous content (at least for getting started). It is an overview of all of the above, and uses Matlab/Octave (Matlab's open-sourced cousin).
   
   
2. Once through with Andrew Ng’s course, it’s time to look at some of the wonderful free frameworks out there. One of the most popular is scikit-learn, a Python library that implements numpy and other native-C code to make your code fairly fast as well as easy to write. This is best suited for things other than neural networks. Scikit’s own ML intro is really good.
   
   Another exciting framework that was just made public is TensorFlow, a highly flexible framework created by Google. It's officially a framework for "data flow graphs", which is the superset of neural networks (i.e. neural networks are a type of data flow graph). It promises to be flexible, scalable, fast (uses GPUs automatically*, which are essential for modern neural network development), and be useful in deployment as well as research.
   
   
3. Data Cleaning & Exploration: What differentiates a good machine learning professional from an average one is the quality of feature engineering and data cleaning which happens on the original data. The more quality time you spend here, the better it is. This step also takes the bulk of your time and hence it helps to put a structure around it. You can refer to the following article. Data Exploration in Python.
   
   
4. Now you have all what you need in technical skills. It is a matter of practice and what better place to practice than compete with fellow Data Scientists on Kaggle. Go, dive into one of the live competitions currently running on Kaggle and give all what you have learnt a try. Try Kaggle’s Titanic problem. It might be hard at first, but with time you will get better at it.

What does education mean?

I few days ago, I was out with my sister and her friends for a lunch at Red Fork, Indiranagar. Her friends were very well educated and almost everyone was a hotshot. To be frank, I was kinda feeling out of place. Anyway, I had picked the restaurant, which is moderately priced but chic. I have been there a few times and have always found the owner or the spouse chatting with patrons. Today the daughter was waiting tables. So there was one guy in our group. Let's call him AH. The conversation went as follows.

AH: Why don't you print the menus? Why is it on blackboards?

Lady: We have a dynamic menu and this helps us change every few weeks. Lots of the stuff we serve is seasonal, and big plus is we get to try new things in the kitchen.

She turns around after taking the orders, and pat goes the guy. "Saaf saaf bol na print karne ke liye paise nahin hain!" Translation: Why don't you say clearly that you don't have the money to print menus.

I was flabbergasted by this. Excused myself after a few minutes and went to the lady to apologize for the asshole's behaviour. She had heard the guy, and was embarrased. I am never going out with this crowd again. EVER.

The 2008 Financial Crisis Timeline

This is the timeline of events leading up to the 2008 financial crisis.

• Back drop - The financial industry in the USA is slowly being deregulated

• The Dot Com Bubble bursts causing the early 2000's recession.

• The Fed lowers interest rates to stimulate the economy (Figure Four)

• The Fed leaves interest rates too low for too many years (Figure Four)

• People start to buy houses using adjustable rate mortgages (Figure Three)

• Driven by high demand the housing market booms for years (Figure Two)

• Banks invent securitization and create MBS's, CDO's and other credit derivatives

• Using David X. Li's model these are rated as low-risk (AAA) investments

• Demand for credit derivatives from funds and prop-trading desks soars (Figure One)

• Most hedge-funds and prop-trading desks trade credit derivatives on margin (Figure Eight)

• Demand for mortgages increases to meet demand for the credit derivatives

• Mortgage lending companies lend more money to higher-risk individuals (moral hazard)

• Fly-by-night lenders sell sub-prime NINJA loans to individuals then sell them to banks

• All of the new credit derivatives still carry low-risk ratings from ratings agencies

• Demand for credit default swaps starts to rise. Banks sell them (Figure Seven)

• Almost all banks re-insure their credit default swap exposure with AIG

• The Fed raises interest rates 17 times from 2004 through to 2006 (Figure Four)

• Payments on Adjustable Rate Mortgages start to rise and people can't afford them.

• Demand for houses starts to drop and the housing bubble loses steam (Figure Two)

• People start to default as a result of costs as well as strategically (Figure Five & Six)

• The defaults experienced far exceed the estimates from the Gaussian Copula.

• Returns in leveraged credit derivatives desks and funds start dropping.

• Ratings agencies down-grade credit derivative instruments (finally)

• Leverage positions tighten (Figure Eight) and hedge funds and banks get margin calls

• To raise capital banks and hedge-funds start selling off liquid assets

• The selling pressure drives down the market incl. assets in banks and AIG (Figure Nine)

• Lehman brothers can't raise enough capital and files for bankruptcy.

• Pay-offs on CDS's soar and banks are on the hook. They ask AIG for capital.

• AIG does not have enough capital and turns to the Federal reserve bank.

• The liquidity in the inter-bank network dries up. Liquidity crisis is in full swing.

• The Federal reserve banks turns to congress to approve the bail-out programme.

• The bail-out programme is initially rejected causing markets to fall further.

• The next day the market falls by almost 8% and continues to fall (Figure Nine)

• The bail-out plan (TARP) is approved. The Fed starts printing money for banks and AIG.

• AIG pays off it's liabilities generated from the CDS's it re-insured to the banks.

• The banks pay people who bought CDS's. John Paulson becomes a billionaire.

• By the end of 2008 the market is down ~30% YTD (Figure Nine)

• The Financial markets start to stabilize and as they say, the rest is history.

The Hero of Gotham

Joker is actually the hero in The Dark Knight. Before the Joker, Gotham was a mess. Entire sections of the city were closed off due to madness, organized crime ran rampant, and the majority of important city officials were wildly corrupt. The city even tolerated a renegade vigilante who ran around wearing a rubber suit (Okay, special armor and carbon fiber, but they don't know that).

Along comes the Joker and by the end of a very short time, almost all organized crime was eliminated, many corrupt officials were imprisoned or dead, and the city's Vigilante even went into hiding for 8 years. This was all. part of Joker's masterfully executed plan.

Everyone must realize that Joker, despite his claim otherwise, really was "The Man With The Plan" throughout the entire film. The very first thing we see Joker do is rob a mafia controlled bank, eliminating the entire team of expert bank robbers who helped him pull it off. Of course, the robbery wasn't about the money, it was about luring Lau out of hiding, preferably with all the major crime families' collective money. This works beautifully, and as Joker predicts, Batman goes to Hong Kong to "Extradite" Lau. Now Lau is in a safe place which Joker can, amazingly, access with ease. This of course is all just the plot of the film, but Joker is playing it amazingly, murdering key criminals and corrupt officials that could help insulate those at the top. Dent actually argues FOR insulating the men on the top in the interest of cleaning the streets of lower-level goons, but Joker knows that won't work in the long-term.

At this point we honestly just have 3 men battling for Gotham's "soul" (as Joker puts it), but Dent and Wayne are simply playing into Joker's greater plan. This even extends to Joker's threats to destroy a hospital. With Batman and Gordon's help, Joker helps them root out corrupt police officials. Dent even kills some of those officials later in the film. Gordon's promotion, too, did a major service to Gotham. I think a lot of people take the Joker's clapping during Gordon's promotion scene to be sarcastic, but I actually think that Joker believed in Gordon, one of the few officers on the force who was truly incorruptible.

So now Joker has a pretty clear path to getting rid of the Organized Crime problem and the corrupt officials problem, but the Vigilante problem remains. As we saw at the beginning of the film, Batman was inspiring other vigilantes, and a society cannot stand when each man takes his own justice. This symbol of fear and unbridled vengeance, as Joker sees it, needs to be stopped, but not Killed. If he were killed, he would just be a martyr, and his symbol would live on. Of course, since Dent was a far better symbol for the city, he would make a far better martyr. I don't know if Joker actually intended for Harvey to be so physically scarred by the explosion from which Batman saved him, but I am certain that he wanted Harvey to feel the full pain of Rachel's death, which is why he purposely tells Batman to go to the wrong address. He knows what Rachel's death would do to Harvey psychologically, and that Batman would eventually have no choice but to kill Harvey. This breaks Batman psychologically, and also makes him a villain, a true villain, the kind that abandons his own principles. Batman now has no choice but to disappear, leaving his memory to fade into something of urban legend by the time of TDKR.

When we pick up in the next film we see a defeated Bruce Wayne who had retired 8 years prior. The city was safe and peaceful (until Bane shows up), and doesn't need constant vigilante justice to keep it safe. Joker shows Batman the error of his ways, but does so in a totally devastating way. Even the display with the two boats at the film's climax only served to prove to the people of Gotham that they wouldn't turn on each other. He proved that there was good even in the most supposedly despicable of Gotham's inmates.

In the end Gotham is actually clean. It wasn't because of Harvey, who died too soon to do any good, except as a martyr, and it wasn't because of Batman who was ostracized and treated like the criminal such a vigilante truly is for 8 years. Gotham was safe because the Joker had cleaned up the streets. He eliminated the corrupt police, he destroyed organized crime financially, he uplifted Gotham's spirit, and he even got rid of the flying pest that had been corrupting Gotham ever since he declared himself it's protector.

Attitude

"You have an attitude."

A friend told me this when I was about 18. I'm almost 22 now. He elaborated by saying that my personality carries a huge lack of humility. The things I would say or do, in most cases, was very off-putting to a majority of people. I always had a better story after someone finished theirs. I was full of knowledge on any subject, or whatever opinion I had on the matter was always superior and correct. My way of doing things was the best way. I appeared ungrateful, selfish, and pompous. And I had no clue whatsoever.

I'll never forget that conversation and the paradigm shift my brain experienced that day. Once I was aware of this attitude I started thinking about my relationships and the environment I created because of my general assholery and douchebaggedness. I actually sunk into depression for a short time, realizing the way I had treated people and taken them for granted. Over a few years I slowly learned so many things about myself and others. I learned how to listen. To enjoy myself in groups and not need to be the focus of the group. To be compassionate and empathetic. To give advice only when asked, or out of heartfelt concern or genuine worry. To put others first when it counts. To show up. To be a friend instead of a competitor. I've learned many other things from that statement, too many to list.

It's incredible to me how I'm still learning. I think we all are and no one really has it figured out. I know I don't. But I'll never forget how that one small statement had/has a long term effect on me.

The best of Harry Potter fan theories

For those who love Harry Potter, here are two of the fan theories circulating on the internet which are mindblowing and seem shockingly plausible. 

. 

1. DUMBLEDORE IS DEATH.

In "The Tale of the Three Brothers"—from The Tales of Beedle the Bard, sort of the wizarding world's version of Mother Goose—three unnamed siblings come face to face with the personification of Death, who offers them their choice of gifts. The first brother, convinced of his own superiority, chooses the Elder Wand, the most powerful wand in existence; the second brother requests the ability to resurrect loved ones from the dead, made possible by the Resurrection Stone; the third brother, humbly, asks only for Death not to pursue him, and is given the Cloak of Invisibility under which to hide. The three artifacts thus comprised the Deathly Hallows: real magical objects possessed by the Peverell brothers, and sought after for centuries after their deaths.

As if the lines between fact and fiction were not already blurred enough, some readers have astutely noticed parallels between the original brothers and another set of three “brothers”: Harry, Snape, and Voldemort. By their reckoning, Voldemort represents the first brother, lusting for power and seeking possession of the Elder Wand at all costs; Snape is the second brother, driven only by the desire to recapture his lost love; Harry is the third brother, ready to face Death and thus accepted as “an old friend.” 

Moreover, this interpretation posits that there’s a fourth character from whom all the Hallows originate: Death, otherwise known as Dumbledore. The Headmaster is the only one, prior to Harry, to possess each of the Hallows: he presents Harry first with the Cloak, then with the Stone, and is stripped of the Elder Wand by Draco Malfoy, who then loses it in a duel to Harry. He is, however indirectly, responsible for the deaths of both Snape and Voldemort, and when Harry “dies,” who is there to greet him? Dumbledore, welcoming him like an old friend.

2. HARRY IS IMMORTAL.

This theory can be attributed to a level of close reading that would make any college English professor proud. Sybil Trelawney’s prophecy regarding the relationship between Harry and Voldemort, stored deep in the Department of Mysteries due to its potentially world-changing impact, is very particularly worded, with the relevant portion declaring that “either must die at the hand of the other, for neither can live while the other survives.” The obvious interpretation, and the one borne out by the ending of the series, is that Harry is destined to kill or be killed by Voldemort; there is no other way.

There is, however, another way to interpret the prophecy, which Imgur user HPWombat identified: If either Harry or Voldemort must die at the hand of the other, it is conceivable that the one to survive remains immune to death through any other means. Harry vanquished Voldemort, thereby satisfying the condition of the prophecy that indicated he could—but it may be that Harry himself is now effectively immortal. Those familiar with the Greek myth of Tithonus and Eos will immediately recognize the tragedy of such a fate, but there’s an additional twist for Harry: By sacrificing his death, he will never have the opportunity to see his family, even in death. That’s the darkest possible ending by far. 

The importance of marks

Okay so people have been posting a lot about marks and board results in the last few days. They've basically sugar-coated their bullshit and have tried saying things that youngsters would like to hear. Although I do agree with the fact that your marks don't really matter in the end, the way it's being told is downright stupid. 

You obviously don't need good grades if you're talented. But here's the thing - Most of you guys aren't. Your parents/teachers/friends might have told you good things about yourself but most of them are wrong. It takes way more than just talent to make it big. You think your marks don't matter? Tell that to a kid who won't be able to get into his/her dream college. 

Yes there are flaws in the education system but that doesn't change the fact that being an idiot is always unacceptable. Give your best in exams because they do fucking matter. Talent won't get you anywhere if you don't have access to a platform to showcase your thing. Top colleges in India provide you that platform. Getting good grades matter in that context. Not everyone is a talented (lucky?) motherfucker so you need to actually work hard and not listen to some random comedian about what he feels about your grades.