24 January 2016

Sunday Reads + Anecdote



  • The power of Wet Waste (NIE)
  • The Tennis Files: Have top players been paid to lose? (BBC Magazine)
  • How close are we to creating Artificial Intelligence? (Aeon)

Sunday Bonus: What really happens at a Jallikattu - in pictures. (Swarajya)

Sunday Anecdote: 

In a county match in England, Greg Thomas was bowling to Viv Richards and getting a few to whizz past the bat. After Richards played and missed another one, Thomas said: "It's red, it's round. Now fucken hit it!". This obviously angered Richards who proceeded to hit the next ball out of the ground. Richards: "You know what it looks like now go and get it."

17 January 2016

Sunday Reads + Anecdote


  • India's emerging Indian Ocean strategy. (Diplomat)
  • Running a startup without equity funding. (ET)
  • When are you really an adult? (Atlantic)
  • Public healthcare system, with adequate funding, is a better alternative. (Hindu)

Sunday Anecdote: 

Oscar Wilde claimed he could discuss any subject at any time prepared or not. A companion once took him up on this claim, asking that he discourse on the subject of “The Queen.” 


Responded Wilde: “The queen is not a subject.”

12 January 2016

GWPI Preparation: Current Affairs


The CAT Results are out. The GWPI (Group Discussion, Written Assessment/Aptitude Test, and Personal Interview) calls are trickling out. 

Current affairs/GK is one area most call-getters are not comfortable with. If you have got a GWPI call, then focus on the issues listed in the space below.

·          Global economics:
o   Slow global economic recovery;
o   eurozone crisis;
o   U.S. economy – jobless recovery and growth pangs;
o   Japan and Abenomics;
o   Economic, military & political power rise of China, and
o   BRICS – why Russia and Brazil are in recession.


·          Indian economy:
o   Current state of the economy;
o   Reasons behind slow GDP growth;
o   Faltering reforms process;
o   Infrastructure bottlenecks, including in railways;
o   FDI (especially in multi-brand retail, insurance);
o   NITI Aayog;
o   SMART Cities plan;
o   Swachh Bharat;
o   Digital India and Startup Ecosystem, and 
     o   Make in India and industrial clusters.

·          Global politics:
o   China - political & military muscle-flexing; 
o   Syrian crisis – Role of the Islamic State;
o   Rise of Islamic State in Iraq and Syria; 
o   Israel-Palestine imbroglio;
o   Rising authoritarianism in Turkey;
o   Korean peninsula – North Korea versus South Korea; 
o   Iranian nuke plans and P+1 deal;
o   Terrorism in Afghanistan & Pakistan;
o   Russia – resurgence; also Russia-Ukraine crisis;
o   Post-Arab Spring situation in Egypt, Libya, & Tunisia; 
o   Ebola crisis in West Asia, and
o   Nigeria - terrorism & Boko Haram. 

·           National political & social issues:
o   Recent Assembly elections – impact on national polity;
o   J&K – elections, Article 370, & Jammu-Valley tussle;
o   Naxalism – origin, ideology, reach, methods;
o   Social Media - freedom of speech & curbs;
o   Black Money - menace of corruption;
o   Gender-related issues, including safety issues, and
o   Religion – conversions & reconversions debate.


10 January 2016

Sunday Reads



  • Larry Summers interview on the global economy. (TIE)
  • "I'm the biggest victim of intolerance." (Swarajya)
  • Can India, Pakistan ever be normal neighbours? (New IE)

Sunday Anecdote:

Ernst Eduard Kummer (1810-1893), a German algebraist, was rather poor at arithmetic. Whenever he had occasion to do simple arithmetic in class, he would get his students to help him. Once he had to find 7 x 9.  “Seven times nine,” he began, “Seven times nine is er – ah – ah – seven times nine is. . . .” 

“Sixty-one,” a student suggested.

Kummer wrote 61 on the board. 

“Sir,” said another student, “it should be sixty-nine.”  “Come, come, gentlemen, it can’t be both,” Kummer exclaimed. “It must be one or the other.”
  

07 January 2016

Infographic - Cyber Security for the Family & Young People


An interesting and pretty helpful infographic on cyber security for the family, especially for the younger members in the family. Via familyorbit.com

Infographic: Family and Teen’s Cyber Security - An Infographic from Family Orbit Blog
Embedded from Family Orbit Blog

03 January 2016

Sunday Reads


Last year, I blogged just 77 times, which is pretty low compared to 140 times in 2013. I wrote less and blogged even less. I hope to change it this year, by being consistent and prolific. 

For this Sunday, let me share some of the interesting stuff that I read in the last three days.
  • Free Basics is a Walled Garden. (TOI Blog)
  • Evolution of BCCI into a Ultra-Rich Club. (Hindu)
  • Apple's year in Beta - Everything needs more focus and more time. (Verge)
  • The man who tried to Redeem the World with Logic. (Nautilus)