06:42 Entertainment, General Tips, Knowledge, News, Top News, World News No Comments

Facebook shares rise in buildup to mystery event, earnings

(Reuters) - Facebook Inc's stock opened on Monday above $32 for the first time since July as anticipation about upcoming products and financial results underscored Wall Street's renewed confidence in the online social network.

                                            Facebook will on Tuesday host its first major press event at its headquarters in Menlo Park, California, since its troubled initial public offering in May, triggering a guessing game among technology observers and online blogs about what it could unveil - everything from a smartphone to a search engine.
"There's a lot of speculation. Nothing to me seems to be that certain," Jefferies & Co analyst Brian Pitz said.
"If I were to bet, I'd think it was something that was ad-platform related. I'm not convinced on the phone," said Pitz, citing previous comments by Facebook's leaders including CEO Mark Zuckerberg that making a smartphone would be the "wrong strategy" for Facebook.
In an email to reporters last week, Facebook invited the media to "come and see what we're building" without providing details.
Some analysts said the stock's recent gains - shares are up roughly 17 percent since the start of the year - may have more to do with the company's upcoming fourth-quarter financial results, slated for January 30.
"The stock is up because they have driven a dramatic increase in the ad load of their mobile app which is giving investors hope that they exceeded expectations," BTIG analyst Richard Greenfield said.
Shares were down about 1.3 percent to $31.30 in mid-afternoon trading.
The world's No.1 social network with 1 billion users, Facebook became the first U.S. company to debut on stock markets with a value of more than $100 billion. Its value subsequently plunged by more than 50 percent on mounting concerns about slowing revenue growth and the challenges of making money as users shift from personal computers to mobile devices.
Facebook surprised Wall Street in the third quarter by announcing that mobile ads accounted for 14 percent of its total ad revenue. Some analysts expect the company to report further growth in its nascent mobile ad business for the fourth quarter.
Zuckerberg, who founded Facebook in his Harvard dorm room, has said that mobile is the "most misunderstood aspect" of Facebook. But he has repeatedly poured cold water on rumors that Facebook would build its own smartphone to compete against Apple Inc's iPhone and smartphones based on Google Inc's Android operating system.
During an on-stage interview at a conference in September, Zuckerberg said that he believed search could be a ripe area of growth for Facebook.
"Facebook is really uniquely positioned to answer a lot of the questions that people have," Zuckerberg said, such as finding a good restaurant or learning more about a job opportunity.
Still, many technology observers believe that Facebook is more likely to improve the search capabilities within Facebook than to develop a full-fledged search engine that indexes all the Web's content and competes head-on with search leader Google.
Among the other items that technology blogs and analysts speculate might be unveiled on Tuesday were new standalone apps for Apple's iPad tablet, new features to display video ads and even a new wing of corporate headquarters.
Some cautioned that expectations of a game-changing new product were likely to cause disappointment.
"There's no way they're announcing anything that has financial impact, or they wouldn't do it now, they'd wait two weeks," said Wedbush Securities analyst Michael Pachter, citing Facebook's upcoming earnings

Read More

In southern Delhi, a slum lives in fear and uncertainty

06:22 India News, Knowledge, News, World News No Comments

     In southern Delhi, a slum lives in fear and uncertainty

 (Any opinions expressed here are those of the author, and not necessarily of Thomson Reuters)

                                 Raju Saini appears fidgety and nervous as he talks about his cousin. He speaks matter-of-factly, but there is a hint of caution in his voice, as if he is wary of what we might think about him and the place where he lives. Fifteen minutes into the conversation, he says what has been on his mind.
“We know what we are going through. Now even if people don’t say it out openly, they know we are from Ravidas camp, and eye us with suspicion whenever we go to work. This incident has given us a bad name,” said the 40-year-old man. Saini is tall and lanky with salt-and-pepper hair and a thin moustache, and was wearing grey thermals on the day we met in the slum.
Saini’s cousin is Ram Singh, probably the most hated man in the country. He is the main accused in the assault and rape of a 23-year-old physiotherapy student in a moving bus in Delhi on Dec. 16. The woman died two weeks later after being moved to a hospital in Singapore. The assault, along with four other adults and a juvenile, shocked India and the world, and renewed public debate over the failure of authorities to stem violence against women.
Raju and his wife Asha live in a small one-room dwelling in a slum in the southern part of New Delhi. The slum, known as Ravidas camp, is where four of the six accused in the crime were living before being arrested. It is nestled between a derelict medieval tomb and a temple. Like many slums, dark, narrow lanes snake through shabby quarters, communal taps and open sewers. And like many slums in India’s cities, it squats amid a largely middle-class neighbourhood.
The neighbourhood, RK Puram, is dotted with shopping complexes and government-owned apartments for the many employees who run the national capital’s bureaucratic machinery. It is a well planned locality with wide streets and tree-lined boulevards.
Raju, Asha and many inhabitants of Ravidas camp speak in hushed tones about what it’s like living in a place made infamous by the blanket coverage that Indian and international media have devoted to the attack and its aftermath. It is apparent that their hitherto unnoticed existence on the fringes of India’s economic boom has been intruded upon, and thrust them unwillingly into the public eye, sometimes at a risk to their lives.
On Dec. 31, a man walked into the slum and threatened to blow up Ram Singh’s dwelling. Singh’s neighbours recall that the person claimed to be a soldier, and screamed at everyone to vacate the locality before he would lob crude bombs into Singh’s house.

“He screamed ‘Get out. I am going to destroy this house. I have orders from the government.’ That seemed strange to us as he was asking for directions to Ram Singh’s place. One of the children dialled 100 and called the police,” said one of Singh’s neighbours.
Inhabitants say there is heavy police presence outside the slum at night, and the police keep paying visits to speak to families of the accused as part of their investigations.
At the other end of the slum, some 50 yards from Singh’s dwelling, is a one-room house with a tin roof. This is where Vinay Sharma lived before the police picked him up. His three younger siblings and parents, along with a TV, an air cooler and all their other belongings, fit into a space the size of an average office cubicle.
His mother Champa Devi tries to hold back tears as she describes what she has gone through since Sharma was arrested. She did not know about the heinousness of the crime until she saw the reports on TV. She says she fainted and her husband has taken ill since their son was taken away.
“I have experienced things which I never thought I would. Every day the police and people from the media land up, asking the same questions,” she said, maintaining that if Sharma was guilty, he should be hanged.
When I spoke to Raju Saini, he asked me for a favour. “When you report, please take care not to say anything which might damage the situation even further. We are scared … Ever since that person threatened to blow up Ram Singh’s house, we have been scared.”

Read More

Rupee opens at 56.10 against dollar

23:20 India News, Knowledge, News No Comments

Mumbai, July 24:

The rupee today opened lower at 56.10, lowest against the dollar this month, due to a weaker euro and global risk assets that remained under pressure after ratings agency Moody’s downgraded Germany and Netherland’s sovereign outlook to negative.

At 9.50 am, the Indian unit was trading at 56.04 against the dollar trading after touching 55.99 in the early trade.

It had closed at 55.98 on Monday as global risk aversion as pressure mounted on Greece to exit the euro zone. Moody’s has also cited an increased chance of Greece leaving the Euro Zone.

Call rates and G-Secs

The interbank call rates were trading steady at 8 per cent. The call money market had opened at 8.05 per cent from yesterday’s close of 8 per cent.

The 9.15 per cent government bond maturing in 2024 was trading lower at Rs 106.59 (yield: 8.28 per cent) from Monday’s close of Rs 106.74 (yield: 8.26 per cent).

The 8.15 per cent bond maturing in 2022 was trading at Rs 100.48 (yield: 8.07 per cent) from Rs 100.55 (yield: 8.06 per cent) yesterday.

Read More

Top 10 "ugly" buildings to visit

05:14 Knowledge, News, Tips No Comments

10. Royal National Theatre; London, U.K. Yes, Shakespeare wrote that "All the world's a stage..." but he might not have had he lived to see 1970s. While we love the idea of the theatre and the world-class productions mounted here, our feelings don't quite extend to the actual building.

9. The Pixel Buildling; Melbourne, Australia Yes, the building is carbon neutral, but how many Olympic mascot pins had to die to make it? While we love that the building is self-sufficient (they even collect their own rain water on the roof), we just wish it were a tad more subtle.

8. Trump Tower; New York City, New York When it was completed in the early 80s it was considered the signature building of its time...and that's part of the problem. Downright dull on the outside, dizzyingly gaudy on the inside, this outdated building is generally only visited by tourists as it is almost universally avoided by actual New Yorkers.

7. Epi Apartments; Seattle, Washington We're all for occasional quirkiness, but in this case we're not sure how adding a bunch of almost intimidating, sharp-looking metal shapes onto an otherwise bland building enhances it. The building's website boldly refers to the structure as "The center of the center of the universe."

6. Chang Building ("The Elephant Tower"); Bangkok, Thailand It's not that we think the design is that bad and we even like the intended humor. It's the half-hearted execution that turns this potentially fun idea from attraction to eyesore.

5. Geisel Library; University of California, San Diego, CA This library is one of the best examples of Brutalist architecture ever built, and that's not a compliment. Named after Audrey and Theodor Geisel (better known as Dr. Seuss), we think it would have been a whole lot prettier had its benefactor also been its architect.

4. Aoyama Technical College; Shibuya, Japan Ever wondered what you get when you cross a Transformers figurine, an oil well, and a curling rock? Now you know. The school's site offers that the building "represents a new order...through the tolerance of chaos."

3. Sharp Centre for Design; Toronto, Canada Although some call it innovative, there are others who call it intolerable. While the building's black and white squares combined with pencil-like stilt supports make it look like a clubhouse for crossword puzzle enthusiasts, this building is actually part of the Ontario College of Art & Design.

2. Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum; Cleveland, Ohio Even the architect was unhappy with this one. Upon the building's completion, a displeased I.M. Pei admitted himself there's little harmony in these conflicting shapes.

1. J. Edgar Hoover Building (FBI HQ); Washington, D.C. This is reason alone to avoid the 10 Most Wanted list. Situated in the center of the city, this dreary 1970s behemoth is almost unavoidable. Its days may be numbered as discussions about the department's relocation are rumored to be swirling around the capital city

Read More

Amazing Space Photos

04:57 Knowledge, News, pics, Pictures, World News No Comments

This NASA image obtained July 11, 2012 shows an artist's rendering which illustrates the evaporation of HD 189733b's atmosphere in response to a powerful eruption from its host star. The exoplanet is a gas giant similar to Jupiter, but about 14 percent larger and more massive. The planet circles its star at a distance of only 3 million miles, or about 30 times closer than Earth's distance from the sun. Its star, named HD 189733A, is about 80 percent the size and mass of our sun. Exoplanet HD 189733b lies so near its star that it completes an orbit every 2.2 days. In late 2011, NASA's Hubble Space Telescope found that the planet's upper atmosphere was streaming away at speeds exceeding 300,000 mph. Just before the Hubble observation, NASA's Swift detected the star blasting out a strong X-ray flare, one powerful enough to blow away part of the planet's atmosphere.
 

An alien world just two-thirds the size of Earth - one of the smallest on record - detected by NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope is seen in this NASA artist's illustration released by NASA on July 18, 2012. The exoplanet candidate, known as UCF-1.01, orbits a star called GJ 436, which is located a mere 33 light-years away. UCF-1.01 might be the nearest world to our solar system that is smaller than our home planet. Evidence for UCF-1.01 turned up when astronomers were studying a known, Neptune-sized exoplanet, called GJ 436b, seen in the background in this image. The identification of nearby small planets may lead to their characterization using future instruments. In this way, worlds like UCF-1.01 might serve as stepping stones to one day finding a habitable, Earth-like exoplanet.

This NASA image released July 11, 2012 shows a computer-simulated image of gas from a star that is ripped apart by tidal forces as it falls into a black hole. Some of the gas also is being ejected at high speeds into space. Using observations from telescopes in space and on the ground, astronomers gathered the most direct evidence yet for this violent process: a supermassive black hole shredding a star that wandered too close. NASA's orbiting Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX) and the Pan-STARRS1 telescope on the summit of Haleakala in Hawaii were used to help to identify the stellar remains. A flare in ultraviolet and optical light revealed gas falling into the black hole as well as helium-rich gas that was expelled from the system. When the star is torn apart, some of the material falls into the black hole, while the rest is ejected at high speeds. The flare and its properties provide a signature of this scenario and give unprecedented details about the stellar victim.To completely rule out the possibility of an active nucleus flaring up in the galaxy instead of a star being torn apart, the team used NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory to study the hot gas. Chandra showed that the characteristics of the gas didn't match those from an active galactic nucleus.The galaxy where the supermassive black hole ripped apart the passing star in known as PS1-10jh and is located about 2.7 billion light years from Earth.

 Astronomers estimate the black hole in PS1-10jh has a mass of several
A true color image of Titan's colorful south polar vortex captured by NASA's Cassini spacecraft before a distant flyby of Saturn's moon Titan on June 27, 2012, shows a south polar vortex, or a mass of swirling gas, around the pole in the atmosphere of the moon. The south pole of Titan which is 3,200 miles (5,150 km) across is near the center of the view. The formation of the vortex at Titan's south pole may be related to the coming southern winter and the start of what will be a south polar hood. These new, more detailed images are only possible because of Cassini's newly inclined orbits, which are the next phase of Cassini Solstice Mission. Previously, Cassini was orbiting in the equatorial plane of the planet, and the imaging team's images of the polar vortex between late March and mid-May were taken from over Titan's equator. Scientists think these new images show open cell convection. In open cells, air sinks in the center of the cell and rises at the edge, forming clouds at cell edges. REUTERS/NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute/Handout 

A NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image released on July 7, 2012 shows U Camelopardalis, or U Cam for short, a star nearing the end of its life located in the constellation of Camelopardalis (The Giraffe), near the North Celestial Pole. As it begins to run low on fuel, it is becoming unstable. Every few thousand years, it coughs out a nearly spherical shell of gas as a layer of helium around its core begins to fuse. The gas ejected in the star's latest eruption is clearly visible in this picture as a faint bubble of gas surrounding the star. The shell of gas, which is both much larger and much fainter than its parent star, is visible in intricate detail in Hubble's portrait. While phenomena that occur at the ends of stars' lives are often quite irregular and unstable, the shell of gas expelled from U Cam is almost perfectly spherical. The image was produced with the High Resolution Channel of the Advanced Camera for Surveys. REUTERS/ESA/Hubble, NASA and H. Olofsson/Handout

Read More

Must-eat foods for a healthy diet

21:56 Body Care, Health, Knowledge No Comments

Many people believe that the crux of a healthy diet is the exclusion of unhealthy foods. However, rather than just focusing on cutting things out, a good diet should also incorporate an increased intake of nutritious, health-boosting foods. Fortunately, there are many foods out there which will improve health and wellbeing as well as protect against future illness. Here are 10 of the best foods for healthy eaters to stock up on.

Milk: Remember how your mother would force you to have 2 glasses of milk every day when you were a child? She would do it for a number of good reasons. Milk is extremely rich in calcium and also aids in burning fat. With increased cases of osteoporosis and arthritis among elderly males, a regular intake of fat-free milk will do wonders to their health. A glass of milk at breakfast, and one before going to bed will fulfil the daily dietary needs....

Eggs: Eggs are best sources of dietary protein. They are rich in choline and antioxidants which reduce the risks of breast cancer and eye diseases. Though most of us tend to abstain from eating eggs because of their cholesterol inducing properties, we fail to realise that consuming them in moderation will actually result in a healthy heart. Having an egg daily will boost the immune system and help the skin and hair glow with health. Heart ...

Avocado: Though dangerously termed as butter fruit, the nutritional goodness packed in avocados do not match its cholesterol producing namesake in anyway. Rich in Vitamin-E, Folate and potassium, avocados reduce the risk of heart disease and blindness. A dollop or two in salads will not only call for good taste, but will also aid in better absorption of beta carotenes.

Olive Oil: Olive oil is nothing short of a blessing when it comes to maintaining a healthy heart. With its proven abundance in monounsaturated fats and antioxidants, it helps reduce chances of cancer and Alzheimer’s. The Extra Virgin varieties available in the market are excellent sources of antioxidants packed with full flavour. Cooking with olive oil will not only make your food more palatable but will also help in the absorption of ...

Nuts: Although nuts are high in calories and so should be eaten in moderation, the calories in nuts come mainly from their high levels of monounsaturated fats, which are extremely good for health. Eating foods rich in these fats can help reduce bad cholesterol and lower your risk of heart disease and stroke. As well as their heart benefits, nuts are also a great source of protein and are packed with fibre, antioxidants, fatty acids and vitamins ...

Oily fish: Oily fish - such as salmon, mackerel, sardines and trout - are renowned for their health benefits when eaten in moderation (between two and four portions a week). Not only are they a great source of vitamins and minerals - including immune-boosting vitamins A and D - but they are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. These super healthy unsaturated fatty acids have many health benefits, having been linked to a lowered risk of heart disease, ...

Beetroot: Beetroot is one of the latest vegetables to be hailed as a 'superfood', and looking at its reported health benefits it is easy to see why. Various studies have suggested that drinking beetroot juice can improve stamina when exercising, lower cholesterol and blood pressure, improve heart health and liver function, reduce risk of dementia, and fight against cancer. The versatile vegetable is also a good source of many vitamins and ...

Onions: The onion family (part of the genus Allium) contains many foods that may do wonders for our health including onion, garlic, leeks and chives. Studies have suggested that both onions and garlic can help lower cholesterol, while findings published in the Journal of Nutrition showed that onions could help lower blood pressure. Onions and garlic also have antiviral and antibacterial properties, so can help to fight against bacteria and ...

Read More

END OF WORLD BY NASA

21:44 Knowledge, News, World News No Comments

END OF WORLD COMING SOON. IT WILL BE 21/12/2012


The sun is pictured in this NASA handout satellite image taken July 12, 2012, shortly before it released an X-class flare. This image combines two sets of observations of the sun from the Solar Dynamics Observatory - light in the 171 Angstrom wavelength, which shows off giant loops of solar material overlying the middle of the sun over the region where the flare originated and a magnetogram, which highlights magnetic fields on the sun. NASA's estimates indicate that the coronal mass ejection associated with this flare is travelling in an Earth direction at over 850 miles per second.
REUTERS/NASA/Handout less


This image combines two sets of observations of the sun at 10:45 AM EDT, July 12, 2012 from the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) to give an impression of what the sun looked like shortly before it unleashed an X-class flare beginning at 12:11 PM EDT. The image incorporates light in the 171 Angstrom wavelength, which shows off giant loops of solar material overlying the middle of the sun over Active Region 1520 where the flare originated. The second set of observations is called a magnetogram, which highlights magnetic fields on the sun. Together these kinds of observations can help scientists understand the magnetic properties of the sun that lead to giant explosions like flares. less

This July 11, 2012 image of the Sun provided by NASA'a Solar and Heliospheric Observatory shows gigantic sunspot AR 1520. One of the biggest sunspots in years, AR1520, is turning toward Earth and harbors energy for strong solar flares. NOAA forecasters estimate an 80% chance of M-flares and a 25% chance of X-flares during the next 24 hours.This NASA image, captured by the Solar Dynamics Observatory, shows the M5.3 class solar flare that peaked on July 4, 2012, at 5:55 AM EDT. The flare is shown in the 131 Angstrom wavelength, a wavelength that is particularly good for capturing the radiation emitted from flares. The wavelength is typically colorized in teal as shown here.An X1.4 class flare erupted from the center of the sun, peaking on July 12, 2012 at 12:52 PM EDT. It erupted from Active Region 1520 which rotated into view on July 6.This image taken by the Solar Dynamics Observatory's HMI instrument shows sunspot 1520 and it's regional neighbors, 1519 and 1520. Earth is shown to scale.

A beautiful prominence eruption shot off the east limb (left side) of the sun on Monday, April 16, 2012. This view of the flare was recorded by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory. CREDIT: NASA/GSFC/SDO
M1.7 solar flare of 17:45 UT on April 16, 2012, tweeted by SDO. They added: "Great eruption happening on the sun now. Stay tuned for the movie #NASA #SUN." CREDIT: NASA/SDOThe sun unleashed two massive X-class solar flares on March 6, 2012. The flare erupted from the giant active sunspot AR1429.
This handout image provided by NASA, taken Sunday night, Jan. 22, 2012, shows a solar flare erupting on the Sun's northeastern hemisphere. Space weather officials say the strongest solar storm in more than six years is already bombarding Earth with radiation with more to come. The Space Weather Prediction Center in Colorado observed a flare Sunday night at 11 p.m. EST.
Physicist Doug Biesecker said the biggest concern from the speedy eruption is the radiation, which arrived on Earth an hour later. It will likely continue through Wednesday. It's mostly an issue for astronauts' health and satellite disruptions. It can cause communication problems for airplanes that go over the poles. (AP Photo/NASA)

See more photos of solar storms on Flickr less
This image provided by NASA shows the Sun unleashing a medium-sized solar flare, a minor radiation storm and a spectacular coronal mass ejection on June 7, 2011. The large cloud of particles mushroomed up and fell back down looking as if it covered an area of almost half the solar surface. The ejection should deliver a glancing blow to Earth's magnetic field during the late hours of June 8th or June 9th. High-latitude sky watchers should be alert for auroras when the CME arrives. (AP Photo/NASA) less
This image provided Wednesday, April 21, 2010 by NASA shows an eruptive prominence blasting away from the sun, upper left, March 30, 2010 observed by the Solar Dynamics Observatory satellite. NASA on Wednesday unveiled the first images from the new satellite designed to predict disruptive solar storms, and scientists say they're already learning new things. (AP Photo/NASA)
In this handout from the NOAA/National Weather Service's Space Weather Prediction Center, shows a solar flare erupting from the sun late January 23, 2012. The flare is reportedly the largest since 2005 and is expected to affect GPS systems and other communications when it reaches the Earth's magnetic field in the morning of January 24.

Read More

Review: Mercedes C250 performance edition

20:05 India News, Knowledge, News, Technology No Comments

Review: Mercedes C250 performance edition

 Mercedes-Benz recently launched the C-Class AMG Performance Edition in India. This limited edition of the C-Class is priced at Rs. 34,62,609/- (ex-showroom, Mumbai). The AMG Performance Edition is based on the C250 CDI Avantgarde variant.
The changes to the exteriors of the C250 AMG Performance Edition include an AMG body kit which comprises of the AMG front and rear bumpers and side skirt. The alloy wheels are 17-inch AMG branded units and the only place you will find the AMG name written on the exteriors of this model.
The C-Class also gets stainless steel exhaust. The AMG body kit is unique and easily distinguishable. The front bumper gets a reverse air dam, which is typical of AMG branded vehicles. The roof is the same as other C-Class variants, which houses a panoramic roof.
Minor changes have been made to the interiors as well. The AMG Performance Edition gets a 3-spoke AMG steering wheel which is similar to the one found on the C63 AMG. The instrument cluster now gets tapered surrounds and the pedals are now made of brushed stainless steel for better grip.
The AMG Performance Edition also gets AMG floor mats. These mats also get AMG written on them, the only place on the inside of this car you will find the word 'AMG'.
Power comes in from the same 2.2-litre, 4-cylinder diesel engine which has absolutely no changes compared to the regular C250 CDI. This diesel engine produces 204 HP of power at 4200 RPM and 500 Nm of torque between 1600-1800 RPM.
Performance from the CDI motor is very strong. Power delivery is smooth and the C250 CDI is very refined. NVH levels are very low and one can't hear the diesel motor working its magic. The C250 hits triple digit speeds without breaking into a sweat.
The engine is mated to a 7G-tronic gearbox, which now gets paddle shifts on the steering wheel. The gearbox does a very good job and helps the C-Class nudge past 100 km/h in less than 8 seconds. Paddles are not available on other variants of the C-Class and are unique to the AMG Performance Edition.
Another feature unique to the AMG Performance Edition is the ECO mode. This starts and stops the car when you come to a halt, thereby saving fuel. The system works flawlessly and one won't realize when the car starts or stops.
Mercedes-Benz has also offered adjustable suspension on the C-Class. A Sport button on the center console stiffens the suspension of the C250 AMG Performance Edition, thereby making the car sharper. Handling is very good and steering feedback is exceptional.
Ride quality on comfort mode is composed, with the C-Class absorbing most of the bumps on the roads. However in Sport mode, the ride can get a little harsh. Braking is very good and the C250 sheds speeds very quickly.
The Mercedes C250 AMG Performance Edition might not be an AMG in the true sense but it offers so much more than the regular C-Class at just Rs. 80,000/- more. For that price, the C250 AMG Performance Edition's equipment list is worth far more than the price, making the car unbeatable value for money in the segment.

Read More

8 Steps To Book Tatkal Ticket

19:42 India News, Knowledge, News, Tips No Comments

How new Tatkal booking system will help passengers

The Railways say the new system will ensure that a genuine passenger gets advantage and black marketeers get less time to sell their booked tickets

In an attempt to revamp the 'Tatkal' booking system amid complaints by passengers that touts corner tickets and sell them at a premium, the Indian Railway has introduced several measures to ensure that the 'Tatkal' scheme gets more commuter friendly.

The booking of 'Tatkal' tickets under the revamped scheme began on July 10 and zonal railways have been instructed to make adequate arrangement at reservation counters accordingly, the statement said.

These measures are to make sure that a genuine person gets the advantage and black marketeers get less time to sell their booked tickets.

New tatkal plan makes booking tickets easier

#1 Under the new scheme, passengers will be allowed to book tatkal tickets exclusively at reservation counters between 10 am to noon for the trains leaving next day.

#2 The railways also decided that no authorised agents, including those of the Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation, will be allowed to book Tatkal tickets in the first two hours -- from 10 a.m. to 12 noon

#3 There will be separate queues and counters for passengers buying tickets under the Tatkal scheme.

#4 CCTVs will also be installed at booking counters to monitor the 'Taktal' booking system.

#5 Passengers will have carry self-attested identity proofs to buy a Tatkal ticket.

#6 The Indian Railways has also said that only four passengers can be booked on a single ticket in the Tatkal scheme.

#7 Agents booking tickets on the internet under the 'Tatkal' scheme can now only book one ticket per train per day only after 12 noon.

#8 Passengers booking tickets on the internet under the 'Tatkal' scheme can now only book two tickets between 10 am and 12 noon.

Read More

22:41 Entertainment, Knowledge, News, Sports No Comments

 Former India captain Kapil Dev heaped praise on master blaster Sachin Tendulkar for his dedication to the game and said that his records will also be broken some day.

"When we were playing we used to think that whether the future will see any greater batsman than Sunil Gavaskar. But we were wrong. There have been greater players than Gavaskar. Because the game of cricket is bigger than any player."
Kapil Dev further added saying that human race would fall behind if the legendary cricketer's records are not broken.

"Sachin has played brilliantly throughout the career and has accumulated huge records but his records will also be broken one day because this is cricket," Kapil said.Kapil Dev, who was in Kolkata to address a programme of Akash Institute, for students who cracked the medical and engineering entrance exams said the three factors that makes a person successful were discipline, dedication and self confidence.

In our time we used to think, can anybody ever go past Sunil Gavaskar?"
"But it happened, it's happening and it will happen for sure. Records are meant to be broken. Sachin has achieved such a big milestone, if nobody breaks it then the human race will fall behind. We are waiting for the day when somebody will come and break Sachin's record," India's first World Cup winning skipper said.

He also said that a talented person also needs to plan one's career in order to be successful in life.Talking about two cricketers who were in limelight during the end of his career, said media had also termed them as the best to have played for the country.

"During the end of my cricket career there was a lot of hype regarding two young talents: one was Sachin Tendulkar and the other one was Vinod Kambli.
"Both of them were very talented. But now look where Sachin has reached. Kambli couldn't make it big because of his lack of discipline," he said.

"Kambli did not have the roadmap for himself as to what he wanted to achieve.Sometimes, you have the talent but if you don't understand yourself, you can't become Sachin Tendulkar. You have to have a role model. But that is not the end as you have to go beyond your role models," Kapil pointed.


ThatsCricket

Read More

Indian states that grew the fastest in Last 7 years

20:42 India News, Knowledge, News No Comments

India’s average GDP growth stood at 8.28% between 2004-05 and 2011-12. Here’s a look at the top 15 states/ Union Territories that saw the fastest real growth in the last 7 years. (Data source: Planning Commission of India)

Sikkim

12.62% Average Real Growth between 2004-05 and 2011-12

Delhi

11.43% Average Real Growth between 2004-05 and 2011-12

Uttarakhand

12.37% Average Real Growth between 2004-05 and 2011-12

Uttarakhand

12.37% Average Real Growth between 2004-05 and 2011-12

Chandigarh

10.78% Average Real Growth between 2004-05 and 2011-12

Maharashtra

11.42% Average Real Growth between 2004-05 and 2011-12

Tamil Nadu

10.27% Average Real Growth between 2004-05 and 2011-12

Gujarat

10.08% Average Real Growth between 2004-05 and 2011-12

Haryana

9.30% Average Real Growth between 2004-05 and 2011-12

Goa

9.11% Average Real Growth between 2004-05 and 2011-12

Read More

A tigress has been spotted with her three cubs

03:30 Knowledge No Comments

There is  good news from the Ranthambore National Park giving enough reason for tiger conservationists to celebrate. A tigress has been spotted with her three cubs taking the total number of tigers in the park to 50.

Forest and wildlife department officials said  that tigress Sundari (T17) was spotted with her three cubs at Rajbagh Talab in Ranthambhore National Park on Friday.

“There had been speculation for some time that Sundari had  cubs but they were not sighted. This morning, the cubs were seen with the tigress. Sundari – the name given to T17 tigress by the Rajasthan forest and wildlife minister Bina Kak  – was normally seen in the terrain around the Padam Talab, Rajbagh Talab, Malik Talab and KachitaValley,” said an official. District Forest Officer (DFO) Y K Sahu said that Sundari had been fitted with the radio collar in 2008. However, the collar had become non-functional two years ago.

Freedom and procreation

Bina Kak, on taking over as the Minister of Forest& Environment, had directed that the collar be removed since it was not functional. “Sundari had been mating for the last many years but had not given a litter. After  the collar was removed Sundari had conceived this time,” he said.

Another  tiger cub was sighted at the Ranthambhore National Park on May this year. The cub about  two-three  months old  was seen following its mother (T-39) in Sultanpur forest the block of the national park.

With this new addition the total number of tigers in the park has now reached 50 which include 26 adults (12 males and 14 females ) and 24 cubs,according to the wildlife authorities at Ranthambore National Park.

Read More