Tag: Be

Your next holiday should be to this ghost town in China

Loknath Das

Blanketed with greenery, the ghost town is perched atop cliffs looking west into sea mists obscuring the horizon. Abandoned homes ravaged by weather and creeping vines stand silent but for the surf, the whine of mosquitos, and birdsong. This is Houtouwan — Back Bay in Mandarin — an abandoned fishing village engulfed by nature on the far eastern island of Shengshan, 90km off the coast of Shanghai. Small groups of tourists on a recent weekend braved muddy footpaths through overgrown lawns to chase foggy photographs and answers to the question:…

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10 SUVs that can easily be modified for MEGA street presence: Mahindra XUV500 to Toyota Fortuner

Loknath Das

One of the USPs of SUVs is that they offer a strong road presence. Thanks to their dimensions, aggressive stance and bold design, the SUVs help you make a powerful statement on the street. Here are 10 SUVs that have been modified to have a MEGA street presence, showing you how it’s done! Mahindra Bolero The Mahindra Bolero has always been appreciated for its rugged, mini-G Wagon looks. This Bolero, however, looks significantly bolder than the regular variant. Much of it is due to the all-black paint scheme and wider…

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Standard of entrance exam for AIIMS cannot be diluted, says Supreme Court

Loknath Das

The Supreme Court has said that the standard of entrance examination for premier medical college AIIMS cannot be diluted and has refused to do away with the online MBBS under-graduate entrance test for this year. Some candidates have challenged the AIIMS online entrance test for MBBS courses to be held in May 26 and 27 in two shifts each day depending on the number of students taking the exam. “In view of the difficulties pointed out in holding the off-line examination and the vulnerability of the same and advantages of…

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Subtle bias against students may be present in online classes

Loknath Das

A new study by education researchers suggests that the kind of subtle racial discrimination known as implicit bias found in brick and mortar classrooms may be present in online college classes. Researchers from Stanford, the University of California – Irvine and Vanderbilt University began by creating fictitious online student identities. They chose names that suggested racial and ethnic identity, such as Todd, Emily, Tyrone, Tanisha, Mei, Tao, Priyanka, and Samir. They then posted comments using those personas in class forums for Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC). “The names that had been assigned a…

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Labour Party leader says UK finance sector will be ‘servant of industry’ under Labour government

Loknath Das

Britain’s financial sector will be “the servant of industry not the masters of us all” if the opposition Labour Party gets into power, its leader Jeremy Corbyn will say on Tuesday, accusing bankers of taking the economy hostage. Corbyn, a socialist who has won over many voters with his promises to re-nationalize services and increase public spending, has long targeted London’s lucrative financial sector, saying politicians have been in thrall of money makers for too long. In a speech to a manufacturers’ conference, Corbyn will renew his pledge to re-balance Britain’s…

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Budget 2018: Emphasis should be given to education, skill development

Loknath Das

This year’s budget is the most awaited announcement since the introduction of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and the incumbent government’s last budget of this term. It is, indeed, a great opportunity for the government to introduce some revolutionary changes specifically for the education sector. The education sector has witnessed 16 per cent growth in recent years and it is expected to continue with the upward trend. It is seen that as per the Economic Survey presented in Parliament, major reforms undertaken over the past year will allow real…

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Bitcoin Investment Doesn’t Have to Be Complicated? See These 4 Benefits

Loknath Das

When the co-founder of PayPal gives an endorsement, investors take notice. Bitcoin started out as an investment in which most people struggled to understand the mechanics and value. At its inception, the cryptocurrency’s only investors were technophiles ready to try out something revolutionary. Less than a decade later, Bitcoin has made huge strides in the investment universe and its value has soared to incredible heights. A $1,000 investment in Bitcoin in 2011 would be worth over $15,000,000 today — and it shows no sign of slowing down. In 2017 alone, Bitcoin has grown over…

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Eco-heaven: This resort on Marlon Brando’s island runs on seawater & coconut oil

Loknath Das

The tiny, palm-fringed atoll of Tetiaroa was once a favourite holiday spot for Tahitian royalty before the late American movie star fell in love with it while filming Mutiny on the Bounty in 1961 on islands close by. Brando married co-star Tarita Teriipaia and the couple raised a family on Tetiaroa, now home to a luxury eco-resort that bears the reclusive actor’s name and regularly pampers A-list clientele such as Leonardo DiCaprio, Johnny Depp and Barack Obama. Guests at The Brando help fund research projects by paying up to $10,000…

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New York opens a ‘temple’ for gay liberation icon Oscar Wilde. It’ll be open for wedding ceremonies

Loknath Das

A secular temple devoted to Oscar Wilde opened in the basement of a New York church Tuesday, crammed with devotional style religious art to honour a trailblazer of gay rights.Those involved in the project said it had been 20 years in the making but with transgender rights under threat from President Donald Trump’s administration and gays feeling more discrimination, it was more timely than ever. Conceived by artists David McDermott and Peter McGough at The Church of the Village, the space will be open to members of the public five days a…

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Technology could make us immortal. But there will be consequences.

Loknath Das

mmortality has gone secular. Unhooked from the realm of gods and angels, it’s now the subject of serious investment — both intellectual and financial — by philosophers, scientists, and the Silicon Valley set. Several hundred people have already chosen to be “cryopreserved” in preference to simply dying, as they wait for science to catch up and give them a second shot at life. But if we treat death as a problem, what are the ethical implications of the highly speculative “solutions” being mooted? Of course, we don’t currently have the means…

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