UmPireth

22nd Nov, 2016.. 10 PM in the night. So far good without hiccups. Reached Cochin airport almost on time prompting the airline staff to call me. Document check and immigration were all ok and the immigration officer was keen to know a lot about me and my trip.

Air Asia once again proved it's quality to be punctual and rose on time. It was a short haul flight to KL, just kissing 4 hours. The flight was empty that I could fully stretch and sleep in the 3 seater. Reached KL at 6 local time which is 2.5 hours ahead of India, the same time difference as that of Perth. My flight to Perth was in the next 4 hours and I used to time to finish off my packed breakfast and to charge my devices. As usual on time and there was a small thamasha with the Malaysian immigration people casting doubts on my photo in the passport. All his colleagues and senior was a Tamil and it was a 5 minute fun.

Boarded the flight which took off sharp at 10 local time. Had the preordered food and coffee after some sleep. Watched a movie, slept some more and got ready for landing. Landed in Perth bang on time. Immigration customs etc, everything got over so quick without any hiccups. Got a Vodafone SIM which was also useful in getting change. As soon as I came out of the airport, the bus was also available to reach my hostel.

City is hot, summer being active with 30 degrees C.. Bus fare is comparable to Bangalore's airport buses and I had to pay less than ₹ 250. Reached the hostel just about an hour post landing in Perth.

Hay Street Traveller's Inn

Hostel reception guy, a Singaporean was very kind and informative. Gave me a 4 Sharing room where the other guys were Italians on working holiday visa. Took me around the hostel and it was all so neatly organised. The hostel I had stayed in Adelaide was crowded and noisy. This was compact and spacious too, right in the city centre. He also explained me about places to visit and transportation options. Spent some in the hostel to familiarize myself and stepped out for my city visit. Since it was already 6 and places closed, embarked on a walking trip around the city.

 All major attractions were at walking distance.  Places of interest that I visited - Annalaksmi - a Tamil run Indian buffet type restaurant serving lunch and dinner. It was situated right on swan river front with a wonderful ambiance. Highlight of this restaurant is, you can pay how much ever you want and it was run by some spiritual trust. However my timings was always missing and I couldn't eat there, just drank coffee twice.

City is largely calm and sort of laid back. Swan river was big and nice. Slept early due to travel walking and little bit of tiredness.

Woke up in the morning on 24th, had breakfast and checked out. The Gujarati born New Zealander who was staying in the hostel pampered me with lot of eatables. Though I checked out from the hostel, plan was to use it till evening and it sort of worked :) kept the luggage in the office room and visited in the afternoon time to charge the phone and take a nap. To make use of my visit to Perth, covered Perth mint which was next to the hostel.

The gold discovery episode in Australia was explained and the highlight of the demonstration of love gold making. The gold metal (which is constantly recycled) is melted in 1200 degree furnace, poured into the dye and cooled. The resultant gold bar weighs some 6 kilos and worth around $350K..

The mint exhibition time was sort of odd due to which I missed lunch in annalakshmi. After a failed trip to annalakshmi, returned to hostel for charging and vacating. On the way to WACA which was the ultimate purpose, went to Swan river to touch the river. I couldn't believe that the river water was salty, maybe due to its close proximity to the sea.

Next stop was WACA conference call room which was little bit confusing due to the multiple gates. After a semi round around the stadium, reached well ahead of time. No one had reported yet and I was told to wait till the organiser arrived. Took a walk inside the stadium and felt elated of being there. Small ground and even the capacity was lesser. Like India, no big fences to safeguard the players from the crowd. After a while, participants started coming one by one.

After Matthews arrived, we assembled in the conference room by around 10 minutes to 6.. after the conference which lasted till 8:45, cleared my doubts with him and left for the airport. This time also, annalakshmi dinner was missed as I won't be able to reach before 9.. finished some snacks on the way and satisfied my hunger. Tried my luck in the casino and made some decent profit in poker. Could have continued more but the last bus to airport was at 11:30 and I didn't want to risk going in the next day early morning bus.

Reached airport at 00:00 hours and my flight was more than 6 hours hence. Was searching for a place to sleep and got one to relax myself. The flight to KL was slightly delayed and finally left at 7:30 local time, reaching KL at about 1 PM.. i wanted to take transit visa and enter KL city, as i get with free by the virtue of my Australian PR. however, i got delayed due to currency exchange etc and was finally able to take a bus only by around 2:30 PM.

Having reaching KL sentral close to 4 PM, didnt have much time, but for a small stroll around the city and a light supper. The place was full of Tamil people. while the tamil population in Malaysia was only around some 10%. Took the return bus at around 6 PM, which was slightly neck to neck due to the traffic that usual in a friday evening. After immigration and security check, reached the gate comfortably and boarded the flight. the 3.5 hours journey from KL to Cochin was bit adventurous (read: shaky) due to the numerous air pockets that existed in the sector.  Reached Cochin on time, by around 10:15 PM local time and cleared immigration formalities in a short while. My train was 2 hours later from Alwaye station and it got me till Salem. Couple of more trains, to Jolarpettai and Bangalore and reached home at 1:30 for lunch.

The Great goes to the Great

Day -1

My travelogue starts with my packing.. Flight was at 7 in the morning of Nov, the 15^th and the earlier night kept my totally awake. The company had booked tickets in a way that I can check in just 1 bag of 23 kgs. Hence, I need to dump as much as possible in that and fortunately, I had a sky bag just fit to be carried as cabin baggage. On feeling happy that the checkin bag weights just under 23kgs, here comes the first debacle, he handle broke off L.. Still, I was content with the vertical handle and continued the packing. Booked Ola cab for the journey to airport and had multiple calls with the driver to guide him to my apartment. I switched myself into an awesome Jeans & a nice looking t-shirt, both presented by a cute friend of mine.. I loved myself in that..

My father wanted to come with me to the airport, (or maybe I wanted?), but later dropped the plan.. Finally, I stepped out of the house and seconds before I could board the elevator, here comes the next debacle. The other handle of the bag broke too L and I was with no other option to travel with it. While attempting to lift it into the elevator, received the third blow. The broken handle lever got stuck in my tee and made a small hole. Alas.. worried about it for few seconds and moved on. As though this is not enough, on coming to basement, the cab was missing and the driver claims that he is right outside.. cancelled the cab and booked another, but the same cab got booked again. But, he came this time and I finally left the house bidding good bye to father..

Day 0 (15^th Nov)

Reached airport well ahead of time and close all formalities in order. My packing was perfect not to cause any issues in checkin and boarding. The flight was delayed by few minutes and I boarded the plane without any other hassles. Not to miss, had a short nap in the waiting time. British Airways flight it is.. and I could only get a middle seat in the rear. Spent most of the time sleeping and watching movies for a short while. Alcohol available aplenty, but I chose to pamper myself with lot of chocolates, cookies & some chips. 11 hours air time it was and I finally landed at 12:45 PM local time. It took quite a bit of time in walking to the immigration counter, given the mighty Healthrow airport and its Terminal 5 was so vast. Immigration counter was long, but it was being served fast. A cab pickup was booked by the company and they were continuously calling me, though I didn’t pick their call J. Finally, it took an hour for me to collect my baggage and get to my cab. The cab driver – a young guy was upset about his 1 hour wait, but it was not in my control. It took more than 70 minutes for me to reach the hotel and I experienced my first glances of London, its streets and Sunday traffic.

Settled myself, into the hotel, a cute nice small room with all basic facilities. Connected to wifi and informed friends on my arrival. A shocker message was waiting for me and put me off completely.

After taking a brief gap, stepped out into the cold evening and glanced at the surrounding. Made some small purchases and bought a SIM card too. Got a rhyming no.. 07598987089 from O2. Tried to made Masala oats in the electric kettle and ended up spooling it.. Activated the new SIM and went to sleep. Jet lag was chasing me and I was very sleepy even at 6PM..

Territorial Army questions - Exam held on 10th Aug 2014

Part I

1. Write an 300 words essay on any of the below topics:  (25 marks)
(a) Indo Bangladesh relations and present scenario
(b) China's growing influence in South China sea
(c) US pulling out troops from Afganisthan
(d) Maoist issue in India
(e) National Integration

2. Write about the role of Territorial Army and the number of units within Territorial Army (5 marks)

3. An essay given and the following questions are to be answered:
(a) Take notes with headings and sub-headings. (5 marks)
(b) Write a summary of 80 words with the above words. (5 marks)

Part II

Objective type questions with 4 choices, no negative marking - 1 march each. (60 marks)

1. Who is the CEO of Infosys - Vishal Sikka
2. Which of these sportsmen is not associated with Shooting - Jayanta Talukdar / Pooja Ghatkar / Jitu Rai / Abhinav Bindra
3. Kholongchu Hydro-electric project is a joint venture between India and which country - Bhutan / Myanmar / Nepal / xxx
4. Which country is the world's largest producer of coconuts - The Philippines 
5. Purpose of Minimum export price - to check price rise / to promote exports / to discourage exports / to help producers
6. Which of these include Foreign reserves - Gold / Foreign Currency / SDRs / All of the above
7. Which group of countries are pushing for UNSC reforms - G4 / G20 / G11 / xxx
8. Wealthiest footballer in FIFA 2014 - Christine Galland / Lionel Messi / 
9. Which state won 20th senior National women’s football championship title - Manipur / Mizoram
10. Baiji oil refinery is in which country - Iraq / China / Syria / xxx
11. Modern Slavery Bill is passed by which country - UK / USA / Russia / France
12. Felipe VI is the king of which country - Spain / Swedon / UK / France
13. India-born plant scientist Sanjay Rajaram chosen for 2014 World Food Prize associated with - Wheat / Rice / Barley / Soyabeen
14. Yudh Abhyas is a joint military exercise between India and - US / China / Japan / Russia
15. Which Inidan airlines joined with Star Alliance, the world's largest global airline alliance - Air India / Jet Airways / Go Air / Indigo
16. World’s largest international maritime exercise - RIMPAC 2014 / Tropex
17. India ban milk & its products import from China till June 2015 for presence of Milamine / Urea / Magnesium Sulphate / Ammonia
18. Martian days - Mars' revolution period (the time it takes to make one orbit round the Sun) is 687 days
19. Who won three medals in successive ISSF Shooting World Cup - Jitu Rai
20. Femina Miss India 2014 - Koyal Rana
21. Technology Upgradation Funds Scheme (TUFS) is for which sector - Textile
22. Which of these states have not implemented Diaster Management Act, 2005
23. Country’s first shale gas exploratory well was dug by ONGC near Jambusar area, its in which state - Gujarat
24. Which country is due to adopt the euro zone from 1 January 2015 - Lithuania 
25. PYKKA scheme is introduced to promote youth and social development through sports at what level - Block & Panchayat level
26. Author of Hind Swaraj - MK Gandhi
27. French : France :: Dutch : Holland/Netherland
28. Australia : Kangaroo :: Siberia or Serbia : ?? Bear / Yak / Reindeer / Wolf
29. A Better India, A Better World is written by? NR Narayana Moorthy / Azim Premji / Rajiv Sikri / Padma Mahajan
30. HQ of WHO - Geneva  / Oslo / New York / ???
31. Tallest building in the world - Burj Khalifa / Eiffel Tower / Empire state city / xxx
32. Who replaced Ratan Tata in Tata Group - Cyrus Mistry
33. Two successive discounts of 10% will result in a discount of - 19% / 20% / 10% / ???
34. By selling @ 720, there is a loss of 25%, how much to sell for to make a gain of 25% - 1200
35. Which of these is only a star - Sun / Earth / Moon / Venus
36. Dudhwa National Park is in which state - UP (Uttar Pradesh) / UK / MP / xx
37. DVD full form - Digital Video Disc / Digital Versatile Disc / Dynamic Video Disc / Dynamic Versatile Disc 
38. Thomas cup is associated with which sport - Badmitton / Table Tennis / xxx / xxx
39. Shadow banking system - Non banking financial companies / Cooperative banks / Development banks / xxx
40. Comptroller and Auditor-General of India is appointed by the President of India / Chairman of Public Accounts Comm / xxx
41. What is special about 05th March 1931 - Gandhi–Irwin Pact 
42. Which lens is used in Periscope - Plane mirror / Concave mirror / xxx / xxx
43. Gulf of Mannar is located near which state - Tamil Nadu / Andhra / xxx / xxx
44. Public-Interest Litigation (PIL) is a Judicial Activism / Judicial intervention / xxx / xxx
45. Which aircraft carrier ship was recently added to Indian Navy - INS Vikramaditya
46. First Governor-General of free India - ??? Lord Mount Batten / C. Rajagopalachari
47. Martin Luther King, which country - USA
48. The Constitution of India came into effect on 26 January 1950
49. Which state does not have border with Myanmar - Assam / Arunachal Pradesh / Manipur / Nagaland
50. Catalyst is used for what purpose in a chemical reaction - to increase speed
51. Which authority conducts elections to Panchayats - The State Election Commissions (SECs)
52. Whose signature is available in Rs. 10 rupees currency note - RBI Governor
53. What is Fiscal policy - Public revenue and expenditure
54. Gwadar Port in operated by China in which country - Pakistan
55. Largest coffee producing state - Karnataka

Fill in the blanks

56. Territorial Army was established by   British    in   1917  

57. Capital of Brazil -   Brasilia  

58. Operation by US troops to kill Osama Bin Laden is   Operation Neptune Spear  

59. Secretary-General of the United Nations -   Ban Ki Moon  

60. Director-General of WTO -    Roberto Azevêdo  

Wanna know how our Porcupine couple did their Anniversary shopping in 2030?

SHOPPING ONLINE CALLS FOR AN EBAY CHECK - Click here.

Future of shopping - Imagination of shopping in 2030

(Blog entry for eBay contest - Future of Shopping in 2030)

Hystricid vowed to himself that he will somehow make his wedding anniversary the most memorable one. He is married to Ereth 4 years now and being a Porcupine with a shorter lifespan, he was wondering whether he will be alive for his next anniversary.

So, he wanted to make the most out of the anniversary that fell on 16^th Sep 2030. Earlier, shopping was always a nightmare due to the stories he heard from his grandfathers & great grandfathers, particularly when it comes to anniversary and important events. However, Ereth, coming from an educated Porcupine clan in North America tried to change his perception by introducing him to ebay.in. Hystricid’s experiences with ebay.in had changed his entire perception about shopping.

1. Those days, selecting a favourite Mobile or Tablet was not that easy.  
   
   One has to read lot of reviews, take opinions from friends etc before zeroing in on the right choice. But now, the ebay app loaded in Ereth’s mobile was able to make patterns out of her mobile usage, analyse the features she frequently used and suggested the best mobile model that was available. Since her health condition doesn’t allow her to use Wi-fi, the model best known for its FG (Future generation) capability was suggested. It even kept track of their family bank balance to suggest which mobile was available for their budget. Thanks to social media linkage, reviews of friends and friends of friends were automatically considered for such suggestion.
2. For shopping Fashion items these days, they couldn’t even think of going to an showroom or shop, checking sizes or using the trial room.
   
   Both Hystricid & Ereth had their profile stored in ebay site whereby on a click of a button, they could see how they look in a particular outfit. The info of clothes previously tried (soft try!!) was stored and it was used to suggest latest trending fashion. So, they go to ebay site, choose a dress, see how they look in that, make custom changes in colour, design etc and just order online. Images can also be posted in social media sites to take opinions of friends before ordering an item. Whats more, ebay site also came with the feature of auto size determination which was collected based on the data captured during annual medical checkup. 
3. When they set up their new house last year, they had to purchase quite a lot of Audio & home Entertainment devices.
   
   But for ebay, they would have really gone mad. The design made by their architect was fed into ebay site which was used to consolidate the options into a handful few. Based on the house size, colours chosen, wood work, construction material etc, all the devices were suggested viz., LED TV, home theatre, audio, video etc. Even the gaming console was chosen based on their daughter’s age and ebay was thoughful in offering games that a girl will like. To top all of these, ebay was very useful in selecting the security system that was required for the risk level persistent in their locality. The motto of ebay was simple – tell me how, where & what your home is, we’ll take care of the rest..
4. Cutest part of ebay was they hadn’t need to worry about replacing furniture, kitchenware or other Home appliances.
   
   Once these home & living items become aged, ebay gets an automatic trigger and will approach its customers with possible replacement choices. Same was the case with music instruments (provided you originally bought one) and items like lamps, fans etc. Even the well-educated Ereth used to wonder as to how ebay gets info about fused light or broken piano or the need for a new fitness instrument. ebay used to know about the abnormality even before the household members. Later she realized that ebay had invested a lot in technology & communication, tied up with medical stores etc that they were able to retain their customers even amidst heavy competition.
5. When so much technological advancements being possible in all these items, it was so simple even for a dumb mind like Hystricid to understand about trends in shopping Data storage items.
   
   It was just some fifteen years back that concepts like Cloud, SaaS were kicking on. Ebay became the pioneer shopping giant to cash on that and it has helped the whole world both in terms of savings as well as containing e-wastes. The storage of almost all possible systems were so interconnected such that more than 90% of the data storage devices that got produced was being consumed without much wastage. In simple words, one never need to worry about data storage, they can use some memory available somewhere in this universe, but just pay based on usage.
6. All kudos to eBay in making Jewellery and diamond items available to all. Ebay learnt that there were only 2 ways of making a product affordable – increase supply or reduce wastage in its cost of sales. Since supply was an external factor, ebay worked on reducing the costs involved in its production to consumption.
   
   By making the manufacturer directly speak with the consumer & in making the consumer decide exactly what is wanted, the cost was kept at the lowest point. The image capturing technology used for apparels was used in jewellery as well enabling Ereth & Hystricid to choose the perfect jewellery they wanted. Being socially responsible, ebay even tied up with customs authorities & the central banker in assisting them to manage their policies & regulations better. That’s why Hystricid was never worried about satisfying Ereth with her favourite jewellery as he knew ebay is the Go-to place for the best and affordable jewellery.
7. In spite of various options available, Hystricid had decided what to surprise Ereth with in this anniversary – Yup, he wanted to gift a latest and coolest camcorder. Again, thanks to ebay’s collection of Cameras.
   
   To ensure that the buyer zeros in on the right model, ebay had the “Social media mining” utility which was very unique and a patented one. It involved consideration of 5 factors to suggest the best model – (a) usage level of shooting devices by Hystricid & Ereth, gathered from their data storage for photos & videos (b) their photo graphical abilities as seen in the quality of photos uploaded in social media (c) budget based on income and debt (d) reviews of models fitting the first 3 parameters; and (e) based on age, valentine shopping, adventure trip bookings & gynecological visits, ebay could reasonably guess forthcoming occasions and hence, could suggest a model based on that. 
8. It was no wonder that ebay could bring in revolutions in the above categories which were in its core portfolio. 
   
   Even shopping of Groceries became simpler with the RFID technologies & consumption capturing techniques of ebay. Just add the items to be covered under automatic replenishment and allow ebay to analyse the usage pattern. As and when the stock reaches reordering levels, at a set periodicity, the groceries will be shipped to your houses. Based on the confirmation of receipt, automatic payment will also happen to the shipper. Those days grandparents of Hystricid & Ereth used to fight about who will shop groceries, but with this technology, that activity itself was completely eliminated.

OK readers, now that we got so much enlightened reading the luxurious world that Hystricid & Ereth live in, shouldn't we wish the couple too??

Please join me in a wishing a happy wedding anniversary to them !!!

TA exam questins - Aug 18 2013

Disclaimer: I'm not sure whehter it is allowed to post the exam questions here, in a public forum. Though I havent confirmed anywhere that the questions will not be made public, if anyone / any authority has concerns in publishing these, I shall have it removed.

Exam pattern..
Section 1, Part A: An essay for about 300 words in any of the given topics. Total 30 marks, min pass mark - 12 (40%)
Section 1, Part B: 10 questions in Objective type nautre, each carrying 1 mark. 5 questions based on a paragraph & 5 questions on finding Antonym for a given word in the sentence. Total 10 marks, min pass mark - 4 (40%)
Section 2, 60 Objective type questions each carrying 1 mark. Total 60 marks, min pass mark - 24 (40%)
Qualifying mark is an agreegate 50 marks in all these sections put toghether. No negative mark for incorrect answers.

Section 1 - Part A - Essay options. Choose 1 & write an essay for 300 words (30 marks)
1. Role of Indian Army in the rescue work in Uttarkhand post the flood & calamity situation there.
2. Election in Pakistan
3. Penalty levied on Ranbaxy by US
4. Stand off between China and India in Lakadh border
5. Coal allocation methodology & related reports from CAG

Section 1 - Part B for 10 marks, Questions not detailed here.

Section 2 - 60 Objective type questions with 4 answer choices, each question carrying 1 mark (60 marks). Order of questions are not in the same order as they appeared in the exam.
1. In which state is Guly of Mannar located (TN / Andhra / Karnataka / Kerala)
2. Quit India movement was started in which year?
3. Doldrums ....?
4. Which lens is used in Periscope (Concave lens / Concave miror / Plane mirror / None of these_
5. Rain shadow effect is associated with? (Orygraphic rainfall / Conventional rainfall / Cyclonic rainfall / Frontal rainfall)
6. KWH (Kilo Watt-hour) is an unit of measuring (Electric Power / Electric Energy / Option 3 / Option 4)
7. Metail constitutent of Chlrophyil?
8. First indian to circumnavigate world solo in a sail boat?
9. Which one of these is NOT a true fruit? (Apple / Dates / Grapes / Plums)
10. Kovvada Nucler power plant is in which state (Karnataka / Andhra / Tamil nadu / Odisha)
11. Oral rehydration therapy is given for which disease (Tuberclosis, Tetanus, Typhoid, Cholera)
12. Ancient Buddhist literate is in which language (Sanskrit / Pali / Brahmi / ???)
13. What is the nick name of the tiger found in the mascot of Indian National games (shera / ??? / Raju / Ammu)
14. In which year did India win its first ever Olympic gold medal?
15. Dada Saheb Palke award is given for excellence in which field (Cinema / Dance / Literature / Art)
16. Arya Bhata lived in thh courtf of (Ashoka / Vikramaditya / Harsha Vardhana / ???)
17. Raja Rammohan Roy formed which movement (Arya Samoj / Brahma Samoj / Theosophyical society / ???)
18. Who was the first Governal General of free India (Mount Batten / Rajagopalachary / ??? / ???)
19. What are the lines that connect places with equal rainfall called as (Isobars / Isotherms / Isohytes / Meridian)
20. Where is metabolic waste urea collected in ur body (Lievr, Kidney, ???, Pancreas)
21. Action of bile jucie upon fats is known as
22. Nature of nerve impulse is
23. Which country does Lance Armstrong belong to?
24. Which country does Marin Luther King belong to?
25. Angkor Vat, a Vishnu temple is located in which country (Cambodia, China, Japan, Ceylon)
26. In which year did India play its 1st ever test cricket match?
27. No. of gold won by PT Usha in 1986 Seoul Asian Games (1/2/3/4)
28. Who was the leader of Reformation movement?
29. Which planet is known as the Evening Star - Mercury, Mars, Pluto, Venus
30. Capital of Ice land
31. Paris is situated in the bank of which river (Thames / Siene / Danube / ???)
32. Volcano Kilimanjaro is located in which country (China / Japan / Kenya / Tanzania)
33. Mac Mohan line is the border line between which two countries?
34. Saurav Ganguly made his first ODI debut on which date/year?
35. Amarnath shrine is in which state?
36. Sodium is kept under which substance (Petrol / Kerosne / Alochol / Water)
37. Who won the Best actor award in National films festival in 2012?
38. Which of these countries is not a permanent member in UN Security council (France / Germany / China / Russia)
39. Who came as runners up in ICC world cup Mens (2013)? (India / England / West Indies / Sri Lanka)
40. Which of the below devices is used to measure air pressure (Hydrometer / Anemcometer / BArometer / Thermometer)
41. Which device is used to watch from being in a submarine?
42. Who is the Chairman of Planning Commission ?
43. Which of these is not a mammal (Whale / Shark / Dolphin / ???)
44. Who takes oath for a President (Vice President / CJI / Speaker / ???)
45. Which state is connected to China by Nathula Pass?
46. Largest producer of Coffee in India (Karnataka / Assam / Tamil nadu / Kerala)
47. Red soil is fertile to cultivate which crop (Wheat / Cotton / Jute / ???)
48. Which is the highest award in India for dance, art and literature (Bharat ratna / Padma awards / Gallantry awards / None of these)
49. Which of these is not a Rabi crop (Wheat / Cereals / Pulses / Maize)
50. Which of these is an example of PIL (Judicial activism / Judicial review / Judical intervention / Judicial xxx)
51. On which date did Indian constitution come into force?
52. Milk is not a good source of which of the following items (Protiens / Carbohydrates / Vitamin C / ???)
53. Some question of how soap is able to remove dirt
54. Waves that are capable of creating heat energy (IR rays / Microwave / Gamma rays / ???)
55. White revolution refers to what?
56. Which of these about South Sudan is not correct (Capital is Juba / It is the first African post-colonial nation / some river passes thro sudan, enters Egypt before going into med sea / indian peacekeepers are stationed there)
57. Some question on PH7, how it turns acedic when aerated
58. Some question on Indian freedom movement
59.
60.

Hu-Man and the Masters of the Universe

Hu-Man and the Masters of the Universe

While the whole world was happily celebrating the 12th new year of Twenty Third century, the participants of this unique kind of conference could not get a reason to cheer. It was really sad that inspite of the conference completing its 9th consecutive day, there was no meaningful direction to move forward. The options tabled for consideration reached a whopping count of 1980, but all of them lacked in one aspect or the other. Though all of the participants were immensely knowledgeable and none other than powerful Gods worshipped by people of different religions, a logical decision point was not coming through. Apart from Gods of major religions viz. Christianly, Hinduism and Islam, it had representations from religions such as Judaism, Baha'i Faith etc, which made the conference very special and unique.

The last such conference was held more than quarter million years ago and it resulted in the evolution of modern humans from Homo sapiens (aka moneys) during the Middle Paleolithic era. All further transformations in mankind post that were just an offshoot, including the changes in the human mind-set during Upper Paleolithic period and the beginning of cultural variations. The current task before the participating Gods was to find ways and means to make the human race take on the threat facing the world. While quite a few human prophecies from various sects were certain of global destruction by 2012, there was no manuscript predicting the next big threat in the ongoing 23rd century. As per the divine bye-laws, a massive manmade destruction was to happen by the end of the current century solely contributed by supernatural factors and this conference was aimed at avoiding such a catastrophe.

In line with Mayan civilization and the prophecy of Kalki, mother Earth faced the wrath of an enormous Gamma Ray Burst (GRB) in 2012, caused by the star WR104 some 7,000 light years away from earth. Though GRBs are the most powerful explosions that could occur in the universe, the mighty Gods had then joined together and it became an easy decision for the consortium of Gods to reduce WR104’s impact and shield the earth. The situation is quite different between 2012 and now as the control they had over natural forces cannot be deployed to combat the manmade calamities waiting to occur. Given that most countries possessed nuclear bombs and the twin super-powers – China & India capable of detonating Hydrogen bomb, a war threat was very much in the cards. Hence, the Gods wanted to find some novel way to make the mankind self-sufficient so that they can adapt themselves against the potential turmoil.

Some of the wish lists presented by various Gods over the last 9 days were in fact promising and even chosen for third and fourth rounds of discussion. However, they were subjected to the compulsion that only one of the proposals could be implemented. Some prominent ones among them were…

“You are all aware that around 71.29% of earth’s surface area is made up of water, with around 25 Million sq.km coming under water just in the last couple of centuries due to Global warming and other factors. Firstly, thanks for the confidence bestowed upon me in increasing my scope of operations and I now wish to make these water bodies livable and breathable for humans, thereby assisting them in case of an exodus” – Lord Poseidon, Greek god, # 291

“My contribution in our combat against the killer GRB - WR104 in 2012 may be recalled at this moment and the immaculate performance rating and other incentives I got then. For the current crisis, I can provide a set of wings to all humans and also impart them with a crash course on flying.” – Garuda, Hindu god, # 1508

“Let us not think primitively like how we were taught in our childhood days. Humans have improved a lot and the time is not far when they will come and occupy our place also. The most critical pieces in that are Externet, micro-mobile, thumb-pad, Mindbook etc which have made telecommunication an integral part of their lives like food and water. If we were to make them go up few notches higher, we should design them with inbuilt communication facilities so that they can speak with anyone anywhere thro telepathy without the use of any device.” – Sarasvati, Hindu Goddess, # 244

“I’ve been successful in controlling epidemics and pandemics in most part of the world and my track record has successfully improved over the centuries. For the current threat, I can make people possess extraordinary health conditions, which could even withstand nuclear radiations.” – Hotei, Japanese Shinto god, # 1609

“I’m of the opinion that the threat before us could not be a war involving Weapons of Mass Destruction, but shortage of food and water for the 20 billion people population. We can make the people capable of eating things beyond the presently edible ones and thus, save them from hunger and starvation. I once fed 5,000 people with just five barley loaves and two fish, and still had 12 baskets of loaves and fish left. Even the mortals the same thing down under; local governments out there print fresh currency if they are not able to do anything meaningful to bridge the demand - supply gap.” – Jesus Christ, # 888.

“When we had to protect the people in 2012, we just had planet earth to shielf, but now the case is different. We have people living even in other planets such as Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn and in addition, the moons of Earth, Jupiter and Saturn as well, making our tasks further difficult. Given all these complexities, let us create livable planets outside Solar system so that people can move there. I suggest that the planets and comets in and around Kupier belt, which is under my direct control, can be used for this purpose, considering its proximity to earth.” JaMaMa, Modern Goddess, # 9

Thoughts like the above kept on flowing, but none of them could get the required majority for being concluded. When radiation proof health was proposed, few participants raised doubt on its practical possibility quoting the multiple epidemics that were witnessed in the world’s history. Some even sought apologies of the concerned health minister in whose regime 30 million plus deaths occurred due to HIV/AIDS, until a cure for this disease was invented in 2019 by an Indian scientist. When Lord Poseidon proposed Water bodies as a place to live, it was termed as an ineligible place to live citing the Tsunami risks they are prone to. For the proposal of moving people out of Solar system into a different terrestrial body, JaMaMa was vetoed out with an allegation that she was attempting to create market for her huge unsalable real estate holdings in Kupier Belt.

At this crucial juncture, came the voice of Allah, who cannot be seen in any meetings, but can only be heard and presence felt. Instead of the Gods deciding how to make the humans combat the unknown, impending danger, Allah wanted the final selection from within the tabled proposals to come from humans themselves quoting that they might know what they want better. This was well accepted by almost all the participants and the only question that remained was how to get a human for a discussion on this. Doctrine of Divinity charted soon after the resurrection of Jesus explicitly prohibits involvement of humans in any matters related to celestial issues. After a small debate, it was decided to call upon a knowledgeable soul currently serving in heaven so that they are within the boundaries of Doctrine of Divinity. It didn’t much time to select such a person and it turned out to be a multifaceted person, who was an aerospace engineer, professor, scientist, served as a senior government functionary, involved in developing warfare, author, poet and received various awards and honours. He had been granted direct entry into heaven, somewhere in the first half of 21st century after leading a long satisfying life in earth, where he was known as Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam.

Having heard the subject matter of the conference and the various proposals tabled, Dr. Kalam spent some time in understanding each one of them. When he started speaking, there was wide spread keenness among the participants as they were eager to know which one of their proposal will get selected. He thanked the Gods for their efforts in saving the human race and said he wanted to approach the issue differently.

“Without any doubt, each one of these proposals can save humans from the impending danger and pave way for future generations. But, what is the surety that there won’t be yet another danger to be encountered after this? Humans have indeed enriched their knowledge and reached heights which were not possible during my times. However, at the end of the day, we have lost more than what we achieved. Our communication facilities are top class, but we are not able to sit and speak with our parents and family when it is really needed. The seven course meal we eat today may give better nutrition and taste than what we used to get earlier, but the happiness and peace we had while eating then is not available today. Present day computers possess high levels of Artificial Intelligence and are capable of doing most human functions of their own, but they come at the cost of depleting all the native powers of human brains. Average life of humans which was at 67 during my days has grown to 85+ now with the advent of modern powerful medicines. We didn’t have all these medical facilities earlier, but a healthy lifestyle with lesser pollution levels ensured a happy life without medicines.

While you’ve made all living creatures with just desire for their basic necessities such as hunger, thirst, shelter and love, why is that humans alone come with all possible needs? No other species will get happiness by killing fellow species for mortal benefits, except humans. If you, mighty Gods would allow me to offer my suggestion, kindly do not add anything more to humans, but just remove the greed part in them. They will be happier and safe in the planets you’ve created by leading a simple self-content life functioning cordially nature with nature and fellow human beings.”

There was complete silence in the hall when Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam finished his speech and stood with closed hands and bowed head. Though no word was uttered amongst them, everyone was aware that the lengthy conference had received a meaningful and logical answer for them to work upon.

Territorial Army Exam held on 10th Feb 2013

This is a recollection of whatever questions I could remember from the Territorial army exam that I attended on 10th Feb 2013. Am not sure whether it is legal to showcase the question set here. But since I didn't agree or was instructed to otherwise, I choose to put it up for the benefit of TA aspirants. If in case, there is any objection raised to publication of these contents, this blog post will be removed.

Exam format - 100 marks divided into 2 sections. Section A has got two parts & Section B one part. A pass would require 40% in each of the parts & 50% in aggregate. There is NO negative marking.

Section A - Part 1 (30 marks) - Essay on 300 words on any one of the following topics (topics given in brief):
a. Short note on FDI, covering FDI in Multi brand retail
b. Kudangulam project & the activities of NGO around it
c to e. There were 3 other choices, which I couldn't remember.

Section A - Part 2 (10 marks): An essay in English was given and 10 questions based on the essay. the questions would test your English ability, interpretation, reading skills etc.

Section B - Objective type questions with 4 answer choices (60 marks): (Order of questions not as given below)

1. Who invented Mercury thermometer
2. Convert 30 degree Celsius in Fahrenheit
3. Who was the first woman president of Indian National Congress?
4. Who is the Supreme commander of Armed forces
5. Who is the current Chief of Army Staff of Indian Army
6. For which two disciplines did Marie curie get Nobel Prize?
7. Which dynasty was ruling during French revolution?
8. Tehri dam is on which river?
9. How many nominated members does Rajya Sabha have?
10. Lack of immunity in caused due to deficiency of what in blood?
11. What is Currency devaluation?
12. Which one of these is biodegradable (Paper, DDT, Polythene, xxx)
13. Constitution of India was enacted based on which Act?
14. Which one of these is a macronutrient?
15. Coin dropped in pond will look slant due to which phenomenon?
16. Which of these processes is like Desalination of salt water?
17. Where was INSTC meeting held in 2012?
18. Which of these is not an official language in UNO?
19. Which of these is a metal metal/element?
20. People with Colour blindness cannot see which of these colours?
21. What is the national bird of India
22. Which mosquito causes malaria?
23. First European country to have trade settlements in India?
24. Who was rated as most powerful Indian woman in 2012
25. Who founded Hindu college in Kolkata?
26. Who wrote the book "A life in politics"
27. Blood pressure measures the pressure of blood in which part?
28. How many bones are there in human skeleton?
29. Who won the Orange cup on IPL 2012?
30. What is Greenhouse effect?
31. Indus valley civilisation belongs to which period?
32. Which was the script used in Indus valley civilisation?
33. Who started Khilafat movement?
34. Ornithology is study of what?
35. RH factor was first observed in which race?
36. Saka era is associated with which ruler?
37. Count of vertebrates in human skeleton?
38. What is the white fibre that connects muscles & bones?
39. Who topped the medals tally in winter youth Olympics 2012?
40. When was Delhi made capital of India?
41. What are the major raw materials for making soap?
42. Which one of these is used for Galvanisation of iron?
43. Leading tobacco producing state in India
44. Who won Sultan azlan hockey cup on 2012?
45. Which discipline did Sir Sherwood Rowland, who died in 2012 belong to?
46. Who completed the construction of Qutab minor?
47. Who was the first Mughal invader into India?
48. Author of the book "Pakistan on the Brink: The Future of America, Pakistan, and Afghanistan".
49. What are those carrying disease spreading viruses called?
50. What is suffrage?
51. What is the effect of an external force hitting an object?
52. Who coined the term / used the theory "Survival of the fittest"
53. Author of the book "Anna: 13 Days That Awakened India".
54. Effect of open fridge being kept open in a closed room
55. Which country was termed as the Most failed state in 2012?
56. Which of these are Kharib crops?

Balance 4 questions on nutrients, proteins, metals, elements, pathogens, diseases etc.

All the best!!!

Cheers,

Gowrishankar.