OPINION

Dear World, There are a number of apps available for android that syncs two-way with Google calender (gcal) for offline use, but I could never get this thing done for PC. For example, neither Windows 8 calendar app, nor Outlook calender, will sync with G Cal. Is there any workaround? I'm using a PC-Tablet running Windows 8 and I want to see and create schedules offline that should sync with Gcal when ever I come online. Again, situation is same for maps. During the time of Microsoft Encarta, offline, installable maps were such an easy task, but not anymore. I used to use Gmap Catcher ultil recently when Google API changed such that catcher can not take maps offline. Is there a work around? I want high resolution maps (tiled) of selected cities (for e.g., places I'm intending to travel soon) for offline use in my Windows 8 PC. Thanks and love, Felix

A few months ago I visited local branch of IndusInd (Bathinda) for a credit card and the manager explained that it cost Rs. 3500 as a joining fee and nothing else; so I applied on the same day (primarily as an online payment mechanism for forthcoming overseas trip). Manager said it comes with complimentary Jet Airways ticket, but as I presumed, the so called "ticket" is a voucher code for Rs 1500 discount on the base fare. Base fare is normally Rs. 1 for domestic airlines in India (fuel surcharge comes almost 95% of the total fare); so in order to get that Rs. 1500, you gotta purchase 1500 airtickets! Sites like www.yatra.com have been offering this sort of deceptive tactics for such a long time! I received the kit with credit card in couple of months and I spent sometime to read "Most important terms and conditions" booklet (I am always alert with this sort of nondescript documents, easy to spot with its low font size, like EULA/Terms and Conditions of Mutua...

Over the years I came across many tips that I have been using quite often in my algal field expeditions around the coasts. Here is a summary: Always plan the trip with an expedition pack-list Have a plain-text master pack-list with appropriate sections (Before Travel/Hotel Stay/General Items/Cloths/Research/Electronics/Footwear/Documents) and fine-tune with some serious brain-storming at least 5 days before you leave! Websites like Don't forget your toothbrush might help you to get started.This is a section on "Research Expedition" in my pack-list: Binoculars (Carl Zeiss Inc Victory) Point-and-Shoot GPS Camera ( DSC-HX20V ) Ziplock bags Permanent Marker Gum boots Combination carabiner Garmin eTrex 30 Swiss army knife-Victorinox Documents with appropriate permissions Ice box with freeze packs Hat Sun glass with case Water resistant notebook Pencil PS: I do not carry my powerful Canon DSLR (EOS 60D) for two reasons; Camera with lens pack/tripod...

Yesterday Indian parliament lower house (Rajya Sabha)  passed 117th constitutional amendment for reservation in promotions for SC/ STs,  (aka Promotion Quota Bill)  with overwhelming majority despite stiff opposition from the Samajwadi Party (SP). My take on this issue is straightforward, do we need to jeopardize quality for the sake of equality? I always consider that academic institutions, medical firms, governments and business have their main obligation to promote quality, not equality. Here in India, we have quotas for nearly everything; religion, caste, financial status and so on, a strategy promoted by corrupt politicians in an attempt to fish votes and ruining the quality. Many bright students lose out to getting admissions in good universities because of reservations, many bright candidates do not get jobs because of reservations.. it is just getting sick day by day. We Indians call ours the largest democracy in the world. I wonder how you can call it...

Everyone in India knows it, experienced it, that the western toilets in trains are virtually useless. Western toilets are for "dry" type, to be used with tissue papers; while a vast majority of Indians prefer water over tissue . Indian/Asian toilets are built for just that; to clean with water. Western toilets with washlet are on rise in Punjab  (you turn a knob to spray water underneath, a miniature version of TOTO ); it works fine as well. But all western toilets comes with a big catch; it obviously not good for public toilets comparing with Asian toilets; know why? Contact Transfer! Skin contact is the "silk route" for microbes to transmit contagious diseases and avoiding surfaces that are exposed to skin contact is the best practice for public hygiene- the very reason why infra-red based automatic water faucets were invented. Coming to Indian Railways- world's biggest open toilet , everyone knows toilets are dirty and emanates ammonia stink such tha...

U GC-NET syllabus for General paper Logical Reasoning is quite vast (Verbal analogies for e.g.) and ambiguous (Applied analogy). Evaluating logical validity of statements and arguments can be attempted and can be solved using Venn Diagrams and rule of elimination. Questions on Venn diagrams itself is very elementary and is a sure give away, so go and attempt it.  Questions asking for definition or true/false of statements can get very tricky and ambiguous. For e.g. the statement "A cogent argument must be inductively strong." asked in 2012 UGC-NET is in fact true, while the answer key identifies it as false. Questions from this section are seemingly being prepared by a group who refer some unheard of books -presumably authored in-house and flimsy. Compare with Quantitative and Verbal Reasoning sections of GRE ; no-nonsense straightforward and non-ambiguous;it's high time for UGC question setters to remove ambiguity from the test. Bottom line : Attempt questions that y...