Haimadan - My personal Blog

Que Legal! Dropbox is now in Brazilian Portuguese

2013-03-12T13:00:00.000+05:30

Que Legal! Dropbox is now in Brazilian Portuguese

Querido Brasil,

The last few days in Sao Paulo have been lovely. But to be clear, we’re not here just to sip on caipirinhas or get drenched in your literal Aguas de Março…it’s because we’ve got something to share: today we’re launching Dropbox in Brazilian Portuguese!

But you already know us — millions of Brazilians use Dropbox for work and play every day. The way we see it, launching in Portuguese gives us a chance to get to know you better.

Fragments of ancient continent buried under Indian Ocean

2013-02-25T09:44:00.000+05:30

By Rebecca Morelle

Science reporter, BBC World Service

Land on Earth was once gathered together in a supercontinent known as Rodinia, shown here as it was during its break-up 750 million years ago. Now scientists believe they have found a fragment of it buried under the Indian Ocean.
Fragments of an ancient continent are buried beneath the floor of the Indian Ocean, a study suggests.
Researchers have found evidence for a landmass that would have existed between 2,000 and 85 million years ago.The strip of land, which scientists have called Mauritia, eventually fragmented and vanished beneath the waves as the modern world started to take shape.The study is published in the journal Nature Geoscience.
Supercontinent
Until about 750 million years ago, the Earth's landmass was gathered into a vast single continent called Rodinia.And although they are now separated by thousands of kilometres of ocean, India was once located next to Madagascar.
Now researchers believe they have found evidence of a sliver of continent - known as a microcontinent - that was once tucked between the two.
The team came to this conclusion after studying grains of sand from the beaches of Mauritius.While the grains dated back to a volcanic eruption that happened about nine million years ago, they contained minerals that were much older.
Professor Trond Torsvik, from the University of Oslo, Norway, said: "We found zircons that we extracted from the beach sands, and these are something you typically find in a continental crust. They are very old in age."The zircon dated to between 1,970 and 600 million years ago, and the team concluded that they were remnants of ancient land that had been dragged up to the surface of the island during a volcanic eruption.
Prof Torsvik said that he believed pieces of Mauritia could be found about 10km down beneath Mauritius and under a swathe of the Indian Ocean.
It would have spanned millions years of history, from the Precambrian Era when land was barren and devoid of life to the age when dinosaurs roamed the Earth.
But about 85m years ago, as India started to drift away from Madagascar towards its current location, the microcontinent would have broken up, eventually disappearing beneath the waves.
However, a small part could have survived.
"At the moment the Seychelles is a piece of granite, or continental crust, which is sitting practically in the middle of the Indian Ocean," explained Prof Torsvik.
"But once upon a time, it was sitting north of Madagascar. And what we are saying is that maybe this was much bigger, and there are many of these continental fragments that are spread around in the ocean."Further research is needed to fully investigate what remains of this lost region.
Prof Torsvik explained: "We need seismic data which can image the structure... this would be the ultimate proof. Or you can drill deep, but that would cost a lot of money."

Oscars Awards 2013

2013-02-24T10:33:00.000+05:30

85th Academy Awards

Dolby Theatre on Sunday Feb. 24, 2013, in Los Angeles

Producer Grant Heslov and producer George Clooney accept the Best Picture award for Argo along with members of the cast and crew

Singer Adele Adkins accepts the Best Original Song award for Skyfall from "Skyfall"

Actress Jennifer Lawrence accepts the Best Actress award for "Silver Linings Playbook" from presenter actor Jean Dujardin

Actress Jennifer Lawrence (C), mother Karen Lawrence and actor Bradley Cooper (R) celebrate after Lawrence wins the Best Actress award for "Silver Linings Playbook"

Director Ang Lee reacts after winning the Oscar for best director for "Life of Pi"

For all detailed Photos of award winners of Oscar 2013, Click Here

Castle House - Dublin, Ireland

2012-10-12T10:12:00.000+05:30

You've probably seen this picture lately of 'Castle House' Of course it's blarney all right.

This is actually a picture of James Bond Island in Thailand with a picture of Lichtenstein Castle in Honau, Germany Photoshopped on top of it. A great work of image manipulation that catches a lot of people by surprise. Particularly impressive is the boat with the ladder. That's a nice touch.

Nasa's Curiosity rover successfully lands on Mars

2012-08-06T12:57:00.000+05:30

The US space agency has just landed a huge new robot rover on Mars.

The one-tonne vehicle, known as Curiosity, was reported to have landed in a deep crater near the planet's equator at 06:32 BST (05:32 GMT).

It will now embark on a mission of at least two years to look for evidence that Mars may once have supported life.

A signal confirming the rover was on the ground safely was relayed to Earth via Nasa's Odyssey satellite, which is in orbit around the Red Planet.

Congrats to all the members to make this happen.

Dazzling opening ceremony launches 30th Olympic 2012

2012-07-28T10:56:00.000+05:30

London presented a vibrant picture of Great Britain's rich heritage and culture as a colourful opening ceremony marked the inauguration of the 30th Olympic Games at the spunky Olympic stadium on Friday night.

Queen Elizabeth II declared the Games open amidst thunderous cheers from the capacity crowd of 80,000 signalling the launch of the biggest sporting spectacle which returned to Britain after a gap of 64 years, giving the country the distinction of holding the mega event for an unprecedented third time.

The night sky lit up with dazzling fireworks as the Queen declared the Games open to herald London's moment of glory in the presence of as many as 100 heads of state and a host of other dignitaries who have descended on this historic city to witness the extravaganza, watched by an estimated one billion global audience.

The 27 million pound three-and-a-half-hour long opening ceremony, which magically transformed the stadium into a rural British idyll, complete with cows, horses, sheep and dogs and synthetic clouds to provide traditional British rain, was designed to give Britons a "picture of ourselves as a nation".

More than 10,000 performers took part in the opening extravaganza which vividly brought about the country-side scenes -- a cricket pitch, traditional country side cottages, mining wheel and people dressed in the Victorian era.

Actor Daniel Craig, who has played the fictional spy 007 James Bond in films, was shown in a video accompanying the Queen from Buckingham Palace into a waiting helicopter and then taking her to the Stadium.

There was also a touch of British humour in the form of Rowan Atkinson who regaled the audience with his famous "Mr Bean" comic act.

The Ceremony's artistic director Danny Boyle, whose film "Slumdog Millionaire" won eight Oscars, had kept most elements of his show a secret.

Former England football captain David Beckham brought the Olympic flame on a speedboat on the Thames river before handing it over to five-time Olympic gold medallist rower Sir Steve Redgrave.

A group of seven athletes nominated by British Olympic champions then took the flame from Redgrave and ran around the stadium before lighting the Games' Couldron made up of 204 copper petals carried in by teams from across the world.

The competitive action will unfold tomorrow as around 10,500 athletes from 204 countries affiliated to the International Olympic Committee will battle for glory and honour in the next 17 days with powerhouses USA and China expected to retain their supremacy.

The 17-day sporting spectacle will see competitions in 39 disciplines with the new addition of women's boxing this time around.

The 204 participating teams walked into the stadium amidst loud cheers from the spectators many of whom had thronged the stadium well ahead of the scheduled start.

Google launches scientific calculator

2012-07-26T15:06:00.000+05:30

Next time, you need to do a quick calculation, you can head to Google. The search giant has added a scientific calculator to its varied array of features.

The company's new 34-button calculator appears the moment you type in the word "calculator" or a mathematical expression say "4x5" into the search box.

The calculator gives users ability to do everything from arithmetic to trigonometric calculations. The calculator has functions for calculating sines, cosines, square roots and tangents as well as also dedicated buttons for Pi and Euler's number.

Not just this, Users can also use Google's voice search feature -- found in mobile version and in Chrome browser -- to do calculations without actually touching keyboard.

The search giant has also announced its Panda algorithm update (version 3.9) via its official Twitter account.

Launched in February 2011, Panda is aimed to lower the ranks of low-quality websites and list high-quality sites close to the top of the search results.

Pranab Mukherjee, the 13th President of India

2012-07-25T12:03:00.000+05:30

We are in midst of fourth world war: President Pranab

Fight against terrorism is the fourth world war and India has been on the frontlines of this, President Pranab Mukherjee today said while hailing the valour and conviction of the Indian armed forces.

Taking oath as the President, he said few minutes of peace will achieve far more than many years of war.

"...But the visible rewards of peace have also obscured the fact that the age of war is not over. We are in the midst of a fourth world war; the third was the Cold War, but it was very warm in Asia, Africa and Latin America till it ended in the 1990s," said the President, who is also the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces.

"The war against terrorism is the fourth; and it is a world war because it can raise its evil head anywhere in the world," the President said in his acceptance speech in the Central Hall of Parliament.

India has been on the frontlines of this war long before many other recognised its vicious depth or poisonous consequences, he said.

"I am proud of the valour, conviction and steely determination of our armed forces as they have fought this menace on our borders; of our brave police forces as they have met the enemy within; and of our people, who have defeated the terrorist trap by remaining calm in the face of extraordinary provocation," Mukherjee said.

Noting that the people of India have been "a beacon of maturity through the trauma of whiplash wounds", he reminded those who instigate violence and perpetuate hatred that "few minutes of peace will achieve far more than many years of war".

"India is content with itself, and driven by the will to sit on the high table of prosperity. It will not be deflected in its mission by noxious practitioners of terror," the President said.

Microsoft iPad - "Surface"

2012-06-19T11:52:00.000+05:30

Rival aims to take on Apple with launch of the Surface

1) Microsoft tablet will use same Windows 8 operating system as PCs
2) Comes with built-in stand and keyboard to replicate experience of laptop
3) Company refuses to reveal price of tablet or confirm exact release date

Microsoft is to take on Apple in a war of the tablet computers with the launch of its own ‘iPad killer’ – the Surface.

It is a dramatic move for the US technology company, which historically has focused on producing software rather than hardware.

But after some success with the Xbox series of entertainment consoles, it now hopes to challenge Apple and Android in the lucrative touchscreen tablet market.

The Microsoft Surface tablet was officially unveiled in Los Angeles last night, and from the favourable first impressions, it looks like we have a three-way race in the tablet market.

The Surface comes with a 10.6" screen, a clever magnetic cover which doubles as a keyboard, and a kickstand to hold it upright on a table.

In a huge paradigm shift for Microsoft, the traditional Windows Desktop has been scrapped for Microsoft's new 'Metro' tile-based theme.

IPAD AND SURFACE SIDE-BY-SIDE

Weight: Surface 676g iPad 650g

Thickness: Surface 9.3mm iPad 9.4mm

Screen size: Surface 10.6" iPad 9.7"

USB: Surface yes iPad no

Hard drive: Surface 32GB/64GB iPad 16GB/32GB/64GB

Battery life: Surface unknown iPad around 6 hours

Price: Surface unknown iPad from £479/$499

Sales of tablets are expected to triple in the next two years, topping 180million a year in 2013, easily outpacing growth in traditional PCs. Apple has sold 67million iPads in two years since the device's launch.

Apple, which makes both hardware and software for greater control over the performance of the final product, has revolutionised mobile markets with its smooth, seamless phones and tablets.

Rival Google may experiment with a similar approach after buying phone maker Motorola this year.

Compact Blue Dwarf Can’t Hide

2012-06-12T11:17:00.000+05:30

The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has captured this view of the dwarf galaxy UGC 5497, which looks a bit like salt dashed on black velvet in this image.

The object is a compact blue dwarf galaxy that is infused with newly formed clusters of stars. The bright, blue stars that arise in these clusters help to give the galaxy an overall bluish appearance that lasts for several million years until these fast-burning stars explode as supernovae.

UGC 5497 is considered part of the M 81 group of galaxies, which is located about 12 million light-years away in the constellation Ursa Major (The Great Bear). UGC 5497 turned up in a ground-based telescope survey back in 2008 looking for new dwarf galaxy candidates associated with Messier 81.

According to the leading cosmological theory of galaxy formation, called Lambda Cold Dark Matter, there should be far more satellite dwarf galaxies associated with big galaxies like the Milky Way and Messier 81 than are currently known. Finding previously overlooked objects such as this one has helped cut into the expected tally — but only by a small amount.

Astrophysicists therefore remain puzzled over the so-called "missing satellite" problem.

The field of view in this image, which is a combination of visible and infrared exposures from Hubble’s Advanced Camera for Surveys, is approximately 3.4 by 3.4 arcminutes.

Seventh heaven! Nadal secures record French Open title 2012

2012-06-11T11:27:00.000+05:30

Nadal secures record French Open title with triumph over Djokovic

There could be few more ignominious or unfitting ends to a dream than the one which befell Novak Djokovic as he tried to kindle his hopes of winning an historic fourth consecutive Grand Slam.

The double fault he served when facing a first match point in the French Open final was a horrible full stop, the last way you would think such a great competitor would cede what may prove a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

After a span of nearly 24 hours, he handed a 6-4, 6-3, 2-6, 7-5 victory to a tearful Rafael Nadal and, with it, a record seventh Roland Garros title at 26, overtaking the total of Bjorn Borg.

Yet Nadal admitted he was also apprehensive: ‘I was very nervous last night and I didn’t really feel ready to play until about three minutes before going out,’ he said.

‘But I was much more aggressive today. When we went off last night the conditions were very unusual and I felt they were more favourable for him. I wasn’t able to push him back.’

Venus' transit of sun

2012-06-04T10:39:00.000+05:30

This year's grand celebration was on June 5, 2012, the Transit of Venus! We teamed up with NASA Edge to bring you an exciting web cast from atop the summit of Mauna Kea, Hawaii.

The Transit of Venus is among the rarest astronomical phenomena and won't happen again until the year 2117. So prepare now, and don't miss out on this extremely special event!

The tiny planet Venus will show up as a little black dot against the raging furnace of the Sun, which is some 100 times larger and brighter, but because Venus is so much nearer to us — about 25 million miles from Earth, as opposed to the Sun’s 93 million miles — it will appear larger. Like a pimple on the Sun’s face.

WHEN TO SEE THE TRANSIT IN AMERICA

The Astronomers without Borders group has created an interactive time-checker to help you find out when best to view the transit, which is available here.

In the U.S., the afternoon of Tuesday is your time to see the cosmic event, from 2pm on the East Coast, and from 3pm on the West.

It will be visible until dusk in many places.

The chart above shows the times of the 2012 transit of Venus in Universal Time (essentially the same as UTC). To know when any astronomical event occurs in your part of the world, you need to translate the times to your time zone.

Be careful and watch for the time of sunset or sunrise in your location. In the continental United States, for example, the greatest transit took place just before sunset for most of us. During last month’s solar eclipse, which was also at sunset for U.S. locations, many people told us they missed out because their viewing location was hindered by trees or tall buildings. Don’t let that happen to you! If you’re in the continental U.S., be sure to find a viewing location with a clear view of the horizon.

KKR pull off stunning win over CSK in a pulsating IPL 5 final 2012

2012-05-28T11:01:00.000+05:30

Purple is the colour of the Indian Premier League and the Knights are the new Kings. There are a whole host of new heroes who made this possible: The unheralded Manvinder Singh Bisla, the legendary Jacques Kallis, Shakib Al Hasan, and Kolkata's own Manoj Tiwary.

Each of them played like they owned the stage as Shah Rukh Khan's Knights notched up an unbelievable win with three balls to spare.

Bisla didn't know till Saturday evening whether he would be playing the final. KKR took a big gamble by playing him ahead of Brendon McCullum and the Haryana batsman was an absolute revelation.

A chase of 191 is thought to be out of bounds when you are playing at the Chepauk against CSK, and when skipper Gautam Gambhir got out in the first over, it seemed Chennai were well on their way to making it a hat-trick of titles.

A chase of 191 is thought to be out of bounds when you are playing at the Chepauk against CSK, and when skipper Gautam Gambhir got out in the first over, it seemed Chennai were well on their way to making it a hat-trick of titles.

But Bisla came out of nowhere and started hitting every single bowler on view. Dhoni just hadn't prepared the blueprint for the guy.

ROLL OF HONOUR

Man of the Final: Manvinder Bisla, Kolkata Knight Riders.

Rising Star of the tournament: Mandeep Singh, Kings XI Punjab.

Golden Player of the season: Sunil Narine, Kolkata Knight Riders.

Fairplay Award: Rahul Dravid, Rajasthan Royals.

Orange Cap: Chris Gayle, Royal Challengers Bangalore.

Purple Cap: Morne Morkel, Delhi Daredevils.

Power performance of the season: AB de Villiers, Royal Challengers Bangalore.

FIVE STARS WHO WON IPL 5 FOR KKR

5-19: Mystery spinner Narine produced many outstanding spells, none so better than his 5-19 against Kings XI.

4-18: Laxmipathy Balaji showed he still has a few tricks up his sleeve, as he got the RCB batsmen flummoxed.

3-17: Shakib Al Hasan got both Rahul Dravid and Ajinkya Rahane, and RR were never a problem for KKR.

93: The KKR skipper was in terrific form throughout the tournament. Against RCB, he smashed 93 off 51 balls.

40*: Yusuf Pathan remained out of form throughout this IPL, but struck gold against the Devils in the 1st qualifier.

12 Indian foods that cut fat

2012-04-10T11:53:00.000+05:30

You don't have to acquire a taste for olive oil, seaweed or soya to maintain a low-fat, healthy diet. Indian cuisine can be healthy too, if it's cooked with oil and ingredients that take care of your heart and health.

Ayurveda suggests you include all tastes — sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter and astringent — in at least one meal each day, to help balance unnatural cravings. Here are 12 foods that can help you lose weight and gain health:

Turmeric : Curcumin, the active component of turmeric, is an object of research owing to its properties that suggest they may help to turn off certain genes that cause scarring and enlargement of the heart. Regular intake may help reduce low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or bad cholesterol and high blood pressure, increase blood circulation and prevent blood clotting, helping to prevent heart attack.

Cardamom : This is a thermogenic herb that increases metabolism and helps burn body fat. Cardamom is considered one of the best digestive aids and is believed to soothe the digestive system and help the body process other foods more efficiently.

Chillies : Foods containing chillies are said to be as foods that burn fat. Chillies contain capsaicin that helps in increasing the metabolism. Capsaicin is a thermogenic food, so it causes the body to burn calories for 20 minutes after you eat the chillies.

Curry leaves : Incorporating curry leaves into your daily diet can help you lose weight. These leaves flush out fat and toxins, reducing fat deposits that are stored in the body, as well as reducing bad cholesterol levels. If you are overweight, incorporate eight to 10 curry leaves into your diet daily. Chop them finely and mix them into a drink, or sprinkle them over a meal.

Garlic : An effective fat-burning food, garlic contains the sulphur compound allicin which has anti-bacterial effects and helps reduce cholesterol and unhealthy fats.

Mustard oil : This has low saturated fat compared to other cooking oils. It has fatty acid, oleic acid, erucic acid and linoleic acid. It contains antioxidants, essential vitamins and reduces cholesterol, which is good for the heart.

Cabbage : Raw or cooked cabbage inhibits the conversion of sugar and other carbohydrates into fat. Hence, it is of great value in weight reduction.

Moong dal : The bean sprouts are rich in Vitamin A, B, C and E and many minerals, such as calcium, iron and potassium. It is recommended as a food replacement in many slimming programmes, as it has a very low fat content. It is a rich source of protein and fibre, which helps lower blood cholesterol level. The high fibre content yields complex carbohydrates, which aid digestion, are effective in stabilising blood sugar and prevent its rapid rise after meal consumption.

Honey : It is a home remedy for obesity. It mobilises the extra fat deposits in the body allowing it to be utilised as energy for normal functions. One should start with about 10 grams or a tablespoon, taken with hot water early in the morning.

Buttermilk : It is the somewhat sour, residual fluid that is left after butter is churned. The probiotic food contains just 2.2 grams of fat and about 99 calories, as compared to whole milk that contains 8.9 grams fat and 157 calories. Regular intake provides the body with all essential nutrients and does not add fats and calories to the body. It is thus helpful in weight loss.

Millets : Fibre-rich foods such as millets - jowar, bajra, ragi, etc - absorb cholesterol and help increase the secretion of the bile that emulsifies fats.

Cinnamon and cloves: Used extensively in Indian cooking, the spices have been found to improve the function of insulin and to lower glucose, total cholesterol, LDL and triglycerides in people with type 2 diabetes.

Biggest lottery jackpot in history delivers a bonanza to smalltown America

2012-03-30T18:49:00.000+05:30

The buyer of one of the winning tickets in the biggest prize in lottery history – $656 million – bought his lucky numbers in the tiny town of Red Bud, Illinois. Philip Sherwell reports on the excitement gripping its 4,000 residents.

In the small Illinois farm town of Red Bud, the locals would normally have been out fishing, hunting and foraging for the wild mushrooms that are in peak season this weekend.

The more adventurous were planning to head to nearby Prairie du Rocher for the annual Colonial Trade Faire and Musket Frolic.

Instead, many converged today on the Moto Mart, a petrol station, convenience store and local hub for news and gossip, to discuss the biggest drama in the town's history.

For one of three winning tickets in the largest lottery jackpot in history – $656 million – was sold at the store that serves Red Bud's population of less than 4,000.

Two other winning tickets were bought in Maryland and Kansas. If no others emerge as state officials scrutinise sales records, the jackpot will be split three ways, with a pre-tax payout of $219 million each.

Pope Shenouda III, the head of Egypt's Coptic Orthodox Church sit on throne for one last time

2012-03-18T16:42:00.000+05:30

A memorial service for Egypt's late Pope Shenouda III plunged into chaos when mourners trying to catch a glimpse of his embalmed corpse were crushed to death. Tens of thousands visited Cairo's main Abbasiya cathedral as the body of the 88-year-old leader of the nation's Orthodox Church sat on an ornate throne.
But the desire to see the spiritual leader of the Coptic Christians soon turned to tragedy - as three devotees suffocated to death and dozens were injured in the crowded church.

'He has been our protector since the day I was born,' said a tearful Antonios Lateef as he waited in line to take one last look at the pope, who spent 40 years at the helm of the Coptic Orthodox Church.

The crowds outside the cathedral in central Cairo carried crosses and portraits of Shenouda. 'Ya Allah!' or 'Oh God!', they chanted in unison. Shenouda, seated on the throne of St. Mark, or Mar Morkos, was clad in the elaborate regalia he traditionally wore to oversee services. His head slightly tilting to the right and he held a scepter.

Sachin Tendulkar 100th TON... Great Achievement...

2012-03-16T17:45:00.000+05:30

A Long wait for his 100th ton is archived today. Congrats Sachin....

March 16, 2012 will be remembered for the day the Little Master finally reached the milestone with a score of 114 against Bangladesh in the Asia Cup one-day match at Dhaka.

But Tendulkar is well known for his patience. He got his first hundred after a wait of 17 months but after getting his first hundred he became an icon in the game of cricket.

The year 1998 was peak of his career when he scored 12 tons in a year.

With completion of his century he has created a history and it will be very difficult to equal this record for cricketers to come.

Your contribution to the Indian Cricket is counting more. Congrats once again for your 100th ton. Keep going like this... we wish to see more such records....

Rock ‘N’ Roll Marathon brings bands

2012-03-16T11:43:00.000+05:30

The arrival of the Rock ‘n’ Roll USA Marathon and Half Marathon will mean a slew of road closures across the District throughout the morning and early afternoon on Saturday, especially on streets encircling Capitol Hill and allowing access to U Street and Adams Morgan.

This is D.C.’s first Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon -- it takes over for the National Marathon, held in the spring for six years -- and the course is a lively one. Bands perform on stages situated roughly every mile; highlights include the Grandsons performing roots rock on the Dupont Circle overpass, the N’awlins brass band Yamomanem playing at 21st and C streets NE, the soulful Black Alley band at Minnesota Avenue and Randall Circle SE, and indie rockers Oh So Peligroso at South Capitol Street and Anacostia Drive. (Check out a full schedule with artists and locations.) Switchfoot headlines a concert at the RFK Stadium finish line.

The course winds through a number of D.C.’s most popular neighborhoods, including the H Street corridor, Bloomingdale, Columbia Heights and Dupont Circle, making it easy for people to head outside and cheer for friends as they run past.

10 Google Search Tricks You Might Not Know

2012-03-15T11:33:00.000+05:30

1. Boolean Search Parameters: To really master the art of Google search, you can follow certain terms and tricks. For instance, rather than simply asking Google a question in the search box, include specific items such as type of file or title name.

2. Public Data: Google has an entire directory of public data, which you can also access to look up trends. Type keywords such as "population" or "unemployment," followed by a state or county.

3. Easter Eggs: Google's developers have a sense of humor -- just type in "do a barrel roll" or "let it snow" to see for yourself. There are a number of other hidden easter eggs as well.

4. Tracking a Package: If you have the tracking number for a FedEx, UPS or USPS package, type it into the search box and Google will provide you with quick updates on your package's status.

5. Calculator: Need a quick answer to a math problem? Enter the calculation into the search box.

6. Unit Conversions: Wondering how many milliliters are in one cup? Google has a built-in converter for different units of measurement, like height, weight and volume.

You can also do the same for currency conversions.

7. Sports Tracking: If you're on the go, but need a quick check on your favorite sports team, enter the team or league name into the search box.

8. Medication: Find brief summaries and descriptions for most generic and brand name prescription drugs in the U.S. by typing their names into the search box.

9. Flight Schedule: Whether you need to check the status on a U.S. flight or book a trip, there are a couple terms that can help you plan accordingly.

Enter the name of the airline and the flight number to check its status. To see schedules to or from specific locations, type in "flights from" or "flights to" along with the city or airport.

10. Sunrise and Sunset: Wondering when to catch a sunrise or sunset? If you type "sunrise" or "sunset" followed by the name of the city, Google's built-in feature counts down to the next occurrence.

Himalayan Queen to Simla

2012-03-14T17:56:00.000+05:30

Himalayan Queen Mountain Railway

The Himalayan Queen to Simla is just one of many great Asian train journeys.

THE Himalayan Queen, one of India’s five ‘toy’ trains, chugs at a sedate 18 miles per hour from Kalka to Simla – the former summer capital of the British Period.

It is only 60 miles but you can feel the three per cent gradient of the narrow gauge track and impressive multi-arched viaducts make it clear what a feat of engineering this Mountain Railway was to build.

The train is crowded with Indian holidaymakers, travelling to enjoy the cool air of the mountain retreat. I snatch views of the Himalayan foothills as we round some of the 900-plus curves.

We wind through no less than 103 tunnels and every time the passengers shout, hoot, scream, whistle and do goat impersonations in the brief darkness.

At a lower station two young water buffalo graze beside the platform, while the purple flowers of the feathery jacaranda trees colour the landscape.

Stone walls are covered with flowering creepers but in many places you can see the jungle is trying to reassert its control.

The children on the train are delighted with their excursion and hang out the windows; huge grins on their faces.

Former Viceregal Lodge, Simla

Soon the scent of pine trees fills the air and then Simla hoves into view – a picturesque tumble of buildings on the mountainside surrounded by forests of deodar, oak and rhododendron.

At a cool 2,076 metres (6,811 feet) Simla was a popular British base from the 1830s onwards and became the summer capital in 1864.

The ex-Viceregal lodge could have stepped straight out of a Walter Scott novel and its flower beds sparkle in the sunshine after a typical Simla rainshower.

Now the gothic structure is known as Rashtrapati Niwas and is used by the Indian Ministry of Education as well as being a tourist attraction.

Strolling along the Mall, Punjabi matrons pull their cardigans closer over their saris. I am sure they are indulging in Simla’s traditional pastime – gossip.

Christ Church, Simla

Christchurch is golden in the late evening sun but I plunge into the dim rabbit warren of a bazaar, which clings vertiginously to the hillside, in search of Rudyard Kipling’s unforgettable boy traveller: Kim.

Good Illusions

2012-03-13T10:51:00.000+05:30

Quote

2012-03-11T11:09:00.000+05:30

Valentine’s Day Cards for Your Special Tech People

2012-03-10T11:39:00.000+05:30

How To Block Annoying People On Facebook

2012-03-09T11:26:00.000+05:30

There are many annoying people out their,

“He comments on all my photos unnecessarily. He takes 100′s of Facebook quizzes a day. I don’t like the guy commenting on my Facebook status he is really irritating me a lot. I wish to unfriend him to get rid off this irritating guy out of my sight in Facebook.”

Its really hard to handle those people, they would understand your feelings and will be keep on buzzing and annoying you. Don’t let people hurt you, just block that guy.

A. Steps to Block Annoying People on Facebook
1. Log In to your Facebook Account
2. Go to the person’s profile that is annoying you.
3. Find a link that says “Report/Block this person” and click it.
4. Click on “Block this person” checkbox and submit it is done.
This will disable him to post any link on your profile or anything, in fact he won’t be able to find you as well in any case. He won’t be able to see it through his friends or from the Facebook search.

B. Steps to Block or Unblock People on Facebook
Their is a second method to block a person. Well by this method you can even unblock blocked persons also.
1. Open your Facebook Profile and in the upper right section click on Account –> Privacy Settings.
2. Once your privacy setting are open, click on “Blocked People and Apps”.
3. From the open page you can also add people to block list and remove people from list which are already been blocked.

Stay protected on Social networks that’s highly important

2012-03-08T12:40:00.000+05:30

It's International Women's Day. The event, born of the socialist movement in the United States the early 1900s, has spread across the world in the century since.

But the day looks very different across the globe, much like the differences in the lives of women worldwide. Here's how the event is being celebrated across in different parts of the world:

Pakistan: Female family members of missing Pakistanis are using the day to reiterate demands to know where their loved ones are. "For years, human rights activists have claimed that Inter-Services Intelligence, or ISI, and other security agencies in Pakistan routinely abduct men without legal justification," The Times recently reported.

Venezuela: Backers of President Hugo Chavez marched for the women's event. Chavez, in power for 13 years, faces a challenge from candidate Henrique Capriles this fall, as frustration rises over surging homicide rates and the stagnant economy.

Turkey: Women splattered with artificial blood protested domestic violence, while the Turkish parliament passed laws that will try to protect women and children from abuse. "The discriminative implementations against women and domestic violence should be stopped," President Abdullah Gul said, according to the Hurriyet Daily News.

Sudan: The day meant freedom for about 4,000 prisoners in Sudan who are being released to mark the day, the Associated Press reported. The prisoners included hundreds of women and children.

Peru: Feminist groups are reportedly calling on President Ollanta Humala to follow through on his campaign promises to ensure that the rights of Peruvian women are respected.

Egypt: Hundreds of women marched to demand the right to help draft the new constitution. "Women have yet to gain any significant influence in the new Egypt, revealing the complexities of defining gender rights in a nation colored by Islam, inundated by Western media permissiveness and ruled by military men operating in a cloistered realm of gold stars and salutes," The Times recently reported.

Somalia: Women held a parade, the first one of its kind since the Shabab, an Islamic militant group, was ejected from the capital, Mogadishu, the Associated Press reported.

United States: It didn't happen today, but last week the United Nations fund for gender equality announced in New York City that it would give out $10.5 million in grants to groups working to empower women in Asia, Africa, the Pacific, Latin America, the Caribbean, Europe and Central Asia.