AWESOME: October 2014

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Engg students join imporatant survey

Engineering students please join this survey
http://www.teqipsfss.in/choose-survey.php

Monday, October 27, 2014

Photos of the day - October 26, 2014

Bizarre CGI Video Goes Viral

An odd but impressive video popped up on Vimeo recently, and we can't stop watching it. It's a CGI (computer-generated imagery) rendering of a horizontally rotating column knocking over and pushing around what looks like humans. The video is titled "I've fallen, and I can't get up!" It was uploaded by Dave Fothergill, a visual-effects artist from the U.K. Why can't we take our eyes off this? Because it's almost hypnotic!

Soon after the release of the original silent version, which has gone viral, an Internet entrepreneur, Andy Baio, got his hands on it and added his own horrifying sound effects to go along with the visuals.

Like many bizarre online works of art, the video was posted to Reddit, where commenters weighed in with their thoughts, such as "This is the most oddly-satisfying thing I've ever seen!" and "It's like watching a hundred euphoria enabled ragdolls."

Fothergill says he used a special-effects plug-in called Miarmy, which was designed to create crowd simulations. If you need me, I'll be staring at this for the rest of the day — it gets better every time I watch it!

Texas Teen Dies Days After Special Early High School Graduation

Back in January, 17-year-old high school senior Lynzee Ford of Kilgore, Texas, was diagnosed with a nontreatable form of leukemia. Her friends rallied around her, even fixing her mother's home to be wheelchair-friendly. Then, after months of battling the disease with multiple rounds of chemotherapy, doctors informed Lynzee that she had only a few months to live. When her friends heard that she might not make it to graduation, they put together her own special early graduation. So on Monday, with the entire student body in attendance, Lynzee got to wear her cap and gown and accept a high school diploma. Principal Gregg Brown was the keynote speaker and said of the teen, "Lynzee is a very special young lady here at Kilgore High School and is loved by us all, and she wanted to graduate from here, and we wanted to make sure that happened."

During the graduation speeches, Lynzee's teacher and assistant softball coach, Kathy Mehringer, shared a special memory of a talk they had following practice: "That day you became the teacher and I became the student, and you showed me what it's like to have family and to have dreams. And this is your day, this is an awesome day: your graduation day. I love you."

Her friends didn't stop there. They began to plan a special early prom in November for Lynzee, but sadly she passed away Thursday night. Thanks to the school adminstration and her friends, Lynzee was able to call herself a high school graduate. A GiveForward donation page was set up to help her parents with medical expenses.

Turn Up The Heat: Active Volcano Hikes

Hiking can be a calming, therapeutic adventure. But for some, hiking and climbing is about the thrill, reaching new and death-defying heights that make life more exciting. And with all the outdoors has to offer, there is plenty opportunity to test your limits.

Previously, we discussed the most dangerous hikes that take many lives and require practiced survival skills to complete. The difficult trails require a fit body and mind to complete. But, what if you could feel dangerous and hike a bit easier? Well, Mother Nature has you covered. A booming, hazardous volcano is just the ticket. Sounds crazy right? But actually, many active volcanoes are very safe to climb. Visitors flock from all ends of the world to see the deep craters, colorful fires, steaming ash and hot lava.

The trick is to know the dangers a volcano poses. Many active sites are closed off to the public, or have designated areas for crater viewing. The regularly active volcanoes are monitored and scientists attempt to predict future explosions. With many tragedies in the past, modern science hopes to keep tabs on the activity happening at the planet’s crust, but, some eruptions still can come as a surprise. So while some of these summits are easy to reach, the danger posed by climbing an active volcano is definitely not for the faint of heart.

Worthless Exercises You Probably Do

http://www.thepostgame.com/blog/list/201303/6-worthless-exercises-you-probably-do?utm_source=Taboola&utm_medium=bgr&utm_term=thelistinternational&utm_campaign=TheListInternational

Lava Iris 504Q+ updated to Android 4.4.2 KitKat

Lava launched the Iris 504Q+ back in April this year. Three months down the line, the Indian smartphone vendor has rolled out an Android 4.4.2 KitKat update for the mid-range device.

The KitKat update brings a new dialer app, improved battery life, and a tweaked user interface among others. Your phone will get a notification for the Android update. Alternatively, you can head over to Settings, About phone, and System updates. You will also need a memory card to download the Android update.

The Iris 504Q+ was launched for Rs 13,990. As far as specifications are concerned, the smartphone flaunts a 5-inch 720p display and is powered by a 1.3GHz quad-core processor paired with 1GB of RAM. Also included, is 8GB of internal storage that can be expanded to up to 32GB using a microSD card.

The device also features a 10-megapixel rear camera with a Sony Exmor RS Sensor, a 2-megapixel front-facing camera and a 2,000mAh battery which the company claims is good enough for 200 hours on standby mode. Connectivity options include dual-SIM card slots, 3G support, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth 3.0 lava-iris-504q-plus

Lava Iris X5 selfie smartphone featuring a 5-megapixel front-facing camera and flash launched, priced at Rs 8,799

A couple of weeks back, Lava revealed that it would be launching its first selfie smartphone. Today, the Indian smartphone vendor has launched the Iris X5 with a 5-megapixel front-facing camera. The smartphone priced at Rs 8,799 is available on Amazon India as well as retail stores across the country.

The Iris X5’s USP is its 5-megapixel BSI+ Auto Focus front-facing camera with a wide angle lens and an LED flash. At the back, it has an 8-megapixel primary camera.

The smartphone also features a 5-inch HD (1280×720 pixels) display and is powered by a 1.2GHz quad-core processor paired with 1GB of RAM. Also included is 8GB internal storage that can be further expanded up to 32GB using a microSD card, and a 2,100mAh battery.

Connectivity options include dual-SIM connectivity, 3G support, Bluetooth 3.0, and on the software front, it runs on Android 4.4 KitKat out of the box.

This trend of smartphones with 5-megapixel front-facing camera has seen Karbonn launching the Titanium S19 selfie smartphone in India for Rs 8,999. Microsoft is expected to unveil the Lumia 730 Windows Phone smartphone, and Xiaomi too will soon be launching the Redmi Note phablet, which is priced at Rs 9,999.

Features	Lava Iris X5	Karbonn Titanium S19
Display	5-inch 720p	5-inch 720p
Processor	1.2GHz quad-core	1.3GHz quad-core
RAM	1GB	1GB
Storage	8GB expandable	8GB expandable
Front Camera	5-megapixel	5-megapixel
Rear Camera	8-megapixel	13-megapixel
Battery	2,100mAh	2,000mAh
Android OS	4.4 KitKat	4.4 KitKat
Price	Rs 8,799	Rs 8,999

Lava Xtron Z704 voice calling tablet with Android KitKat and quad-core processor launched, priced at Rs 6,499

After releasing the Iris X5 selfie smartphone last month, Lava has now added to its Xtron series a new tablet called the Xtron Z704. The tablet is priced at Rs 6,499 and is now available for sale across online and brick-and-mortar stores.

With respect to specifications, the Xtron Z704 comes with a 7-inch multi-touch HD display with 1024 x 600 pixel resolution. It is powered by 1.3GHz quad-core chipset paired with 1GB of RAM. The device has 16GB of internal storage that can be expanded up to 32GB using a microSD card.

The phone sports a 2-megapixel rear camera and a VGA camera in the front. Connectivity options include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, EDGE and GPS. The phone runs on Android 4.4 KitKat and packs a 4000mAh battery which as per the company’s claim can deliver up to 300 hours of standby time and 10 hours of talk time.

At this pricing point, the device is slated to compete with Lenovo Idea Tab A1000 and HP 7 Plus tablet.

Features	Lava Xtron Z704	Lenovo Idea Tab A1000	HP 7 Plus
Display	7-inch display	7-inch display	7-inch display
Processor	1.3GHz quad-core	1.2GHz dual-core	1GHz quad-core
RAM	1GB	1GB	1GB
Storage	16GB expandable	4GB expandable	8GB expandable
Camera	2-megapixel/VGA	0.3-megapixel front facing	2-megapixel/VGA
Battery	4000mAh	3500mAh	2800mAh
OS	Android 4.4 KitKat	Android 4.1 Jelly Bean	Android 4.2 Jelly Bean
Price	Rs 6,499	Rs 6,499	Rs 6,100

Lava to move smartphone manufacturing from China to India: Report

Lava is said to be planning on shifting its manufacturing base from China to India. According to the Economic Times, one of the major factors behind this shift is PM Narendra Modi’s “Make-in-India” initiative.

According to the report, Lava will spend Rs 500 crore in the next three years, as it shifts its manufacturing base to India. The company will use its Noida plant, which is currently used for repairs, to manufacture new devices. It will initially invest Rs 20-30 crore, and the plant will have the capacity to manufacture up to 200,000 units a month. This is set to be ramped up to one million by March 2016.

In a chat with ET, Hari Om Rai, Chairman and Managing Director of Lava International said, “We are just about to finalize six places in three states to accommodate the entire ecosystem around handset manufacturing, one of which will house the company’s plant as well.”

“The central government is giving 25 percent subsidy and various state governments are offering VAT-free operations, among others,” he added.

Modi’s initiative is aimed at making it easy for manufacturers to set up their base in the country and make India a preferred alternative to China for manufacturing purposes. The focus is on creating more job opportunities and subsequently aid in the country’s growth.

The publication further adds that in addition to Lava, other manufacturers like Intex, Micromax and Karbonn too are looking at shifting their manufacturing to India.

Lava is currently the fourth biggest smartphone vendor in India lagging behind Samsung, Micromax, and Karbonn. According to a recent IDC report, Samsung held 29 percent of the market share, Micromax 18 percent, Karbonn eight percent, and Lava six percent. In addition to building its own branded smartphones, Lava is one of Google’s partners who will soon launch an Android One smartphone. It is also one of Microsoft’s partners and has launched Windows tablet and smartphones under its Xolo brand

investigate

The gathering of information from an unwilling participant is a tricky process. Whether you're part of an internal investigation into corporate crime or you're trying to find out if your teenager is lying about smoking that pot, many of the techniques in this wikiHow can help you. Every situation is different, though, so make sure to really tailor your approach. Just get started with Step 1 to learn how to interrogate successfully and accurately.

Part 1 of 4: Acting the Part

1
Act friendly and casual. Studies and empirical evidence have consistently shown that the best way to get a confession from a subject is to make them feel comfortable with you. They need to trust you. You will not get this if you act like the evil Nazi in some Hollywood movie or a Bruce Willis style cop. Act like someone who's generally easy going and just trying to do their job, and you'll be much more sympathetic to the person you're interrogating: the first step in getting them to trust you.

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2
Act in control. This doesn't mean ruling with an iron fist. It just means that you need to appear professional, organized, confident, and like you're calling the shots. This lets your subject think that you're the one with the power to get them out of trouble...or into worse trouble if they get on your bad side.
3
Be calm. Allowing the subject to see you angry or distressed communicates that he or she can affect your emotions. Don't allow that to happen, and strive to appear calm and collected in all your interactions with the subject.
4
Don't use Good Cop-Bad Cop. This is a well known technique, common to media, and people will be able to see what you're doing. This will raise their suspicion, which you don't want to do. Sticking to Good Cop-Good Cop will get you a lot further.

Part 2 of 4: Developing a Relationship

1
Show them kindness. Have you heard the story about the terrorist that gave up information just because his interrogator gave him a special cookie (he was diabetic and couldn't have normal cookies)? This is not an isolated case. Be polite, kind, and at least appear genuinely invested in their comfort and well-being. This will make them more willing to open up.
2
Talk to them about other subjects. Talk to your subject about casual topics that don't have anything to do with the investigation. This can give you the opportunity to bond and understand each other more, making the more willing to talk and helping you to understand how they think and what they value.
- For example, ask them about where they grew up and then say you always wanted to travel there. Then ask them questions about what it was like, what they'd recommend, etc.
3
Get to know them. Ask them questions about themselves and generally get them to talk about what they like, what they think, and what matters to them. This information will similarly make them more open and give you leverage.
4
Help them with something unrelated. Identify an unrelated need that they have that you can fulfill in exchange for information. Maybe their kid needs medical help and you can help them file for government assistance. Maybe their little brother is doing poorly in school but your teenager is an ace academic and could provide tutoring. If you can identify something that is more important to them than the information, then that's all you need once they trust you.
5
Ask them their opinions. Getting someone to talk about their opinions on related subjects or on the investigation itself can reveal how they think, but it's also easy to get them to slip and give up more information than they realized. Ask them things like who they think caused the problem or what they would do in your position. Ask them what they think about stealing or whatever your investigation is about. If you're good at reading between the lines, you'll be surprised about how much you can learn.
6
Be their advocate. They need to see you as the person that's going to protect them and do the best thing for them, but only if they can give you what you need. I mean, you still have to do your job, right? So if they just give you the information so your boss gets off your back, then you can start helping them figure out how to reach the best outcome. This means letting them see the threat of a worse outcome, and offering them a better one. Threatening them and "pulling rank" will instantly undo or prevent the use of this extremely useful technique.

Part 3 of 4: Asking Questions Correctly

1
Use closed questions. Closed questions can only be answered with yes, no, or a specific answer. If someone is trying to avoid answering questions, use these sorts of questions and insist on a direct answer. Closed questions sound like:
- "Who did...", "What did...", "When did...", "Did you...", "Can you...", etc.
2
Use open questions. Open questions are questions that cannot be answered with a "yes" or "no". These types of questions are useful in getting people to say more, possibly slip, and certainly in getting more details or a fuller picture of a situation. Open questions sound like:
- "Explain how...","Why did...", "What happened...", "How did...", etc.
3
Use funnel questions. Funnel questions start broad and seem fairly safe to answer but slowly narrow down to the information you really want. You can often start funnel questions with questions you already know the answer to. This type of question gets someone into the rhythm of answering and makes them more likely to slip.
- For example: "Did you know about the theft last night?", "Who was at the office last night?", "When did they leave?", "When did you leave?", etc.
4
Use descriptive questions. When you ask certain types of questions, like when you're trying to get details about a situation or catch someone in a lie, use descriptive language. Use words like "tell", "describe", or "show" to get person telling a story and giving specific details. The recollection of details tends to allow information to slip out.
5
Use analytical questions. Questions that ask someone how they think about something beyond the surface level can not only cause them to uncover information, it can also help you understand how they think and ways that you might be able to coax more information from them. Ask them questions like "Why would someone steal those files?" and read into their reactions.
6
Don't use leading questions. These questions betray your assumptions about what happened and can lead your subject to give untruthful answers just to please you or get out of trouble. This may seem helpful, but you want the truth. If you're interrogating or discussing someone who's actually innocent, you'll end up hurting your own investigation and prolonging the problem.
- For example: "Laurel is very untrustworthy, don't you think?"

Part 4 of 4: Using Other Tools

1
Use silence. Silence can be a powerful tool. Drop silences in after then answer some questions or if they're being tight-lipped, and just look at them. Conjure up that face your mom used to give you when you did something wrong and she knew. Just..stare at them with that face and wait. Most Westerners are conditioned to be uncomfortable during silence and will end it by saying whatever they can, sometimes letting information slip.
2
Use props. This is a somewhat shady technique and can get you into trouble with the law if you're caught using it, but use things like full file-folders, photo negatives, plastic bags with swabs in them, SD cards, video tapes, and other props to make your subject think you have evidence that you don't. Don't say anything about the props, just let your subject see that you have them and then give them the chance to confess. They will think it's in their best interest.
3
Use preknowledge. One technique is to make your subject think you already know everything. Go in with some basic information, the more the better, and tell them that while you have everything you need to complete your investigation, you are required to hear them confirm the details. Ask them questions you already know the answer to, and phrase it with the answer in the question ("You were in the office at 9:10 am on the 17th, correct?"). Then lead to the information you don't know and leave the the opening to fill in the gaps ("Now, what I just don't understand is the information I have here about the files you handed over. Can you explain why you did this? I feel like you must have had a good reason.").
4
Avoid techniques like torture and severe intimidation. You should at all costs avoid the techniques that are more common these days, where interrogators use threats, severe intimidation, or what can amount to torture in order to get the info you want. These techniques actually have been show to affect you as much as them, and you want to avoid long-term psychological issues.

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Tips

Let everything you do have a reason.
Have a camera present in the room (real or fake)
Check out some of the links below for specific interrogation techniques.

Warnings

Understand that interrogating someone usually requires imprisonment. As a citizen, it's illegal for you to hold someone against his or her will. You could face false imprisonment charges down the line.
Do not torture the subject. The victim will tell you whatever you want to hear, just to make the torture stop. Any intel you get isn't likely to be accurate.

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