Code uncode

State poll campaigning showed how tough EC’s job will be when it oversees 2024 national elections Voting for five state assemblies is over. Naturally, weeks since polls were announced on October 9 saw intense and...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/zulbZYg

Learn to communicate with the biosphere

By Narayani Ganesh When we speak of communication systems, we are likely referring to human-made, tech-enabled exchange of information between computers or between computers and humans, digital transfer of information, the internet, satellite communication and...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/59q7LQT

To be stress-free, adopt ‘take it easy’ policy

Authored by Pulkit Sharma Throughout the history of our evolution, stress has been a steady companion in its myriad forms. What we call ‘stress’ is a complex physical and psychological response of an individual to...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/FgM6BAS

Netazen’s charter

The politician’s UID markers. Sharper during elections  If you don’t know that netas are a unique species sent to earth by whichever god/s you believe in, or don’t, you must have lived under a rock; ...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/GKDwgM2

India-Australia two-plus-two dialogue: Focus on the Indo-Pacific and defence cooperation

The second India-Australia two plus two dialogue was held in New Delhi on the 20th November 2023. Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh and external affairs minister S Jaishankar co-chaired the two-plus-two dialogue with Australian defence minister...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/HgLSKRc

4 tunnels, 4 stories: Silkyara to Gaza to bad air to coal power

Four tunnels dominated headlines and our mind-space in recent times. Like toadstool fungi after a heavy day of rain, some of these dark tunnels grow unfettered and unrestrained around you or even within your brains...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/XcdzN6g

How did the 12th man perform in the World Cup final game?

In the thrilling world of cricket, there’s a consensus on the pivotal role played by the home crowd, often affectionately referred as 12th man. Their thunderous cheers act as the heartbeat of the game, providing...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/9uKbTtU

Smoke screen: The garam hawa of politics exports Punjab’s pollution to Haryana and vice versa

As the old saying goes, where there’s smoke there’s fire. But contrary to old sayings, common sense, and logic, in this instance the fire is in one place and the smoke is in quite a...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/iE7YS4Z

A padlocked gate in the middle of an open field

by Soma Chakravertty A long time back, I saw a padlocked, wooden gate in the middle of a vast, open field. A standalone gate. It got me thinking. Are we not somewhat like that padlocked...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/R3nrLmk

Investment Apps and healthy equity markets drive increased investments from India’s young investors

According to the latest BSE data, the number of accounts held by individuals aged 18-20 years has risen to 16.1 million as of September 30, 2023 from a mere 3.4 million as of March 2021....

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/aYljoPK

Mumbai attacks: Israel can learn from India’s resilience

Following the brutal terror attacks committed against Israel on October 7 by Hamas, it is hard not to refer to the attacks in Mumbai in 2008. These two terror attacks happened to democratic countries that...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/CKUSJBE

7/10, 26/11: Killing terrorism is tough but a crisis shows who your friends are

After the US withdrawal from Afghanistan and its pivot to the IndoPacific, and the Ukraine war, it seemed that the nation-state rivalries were back and terrorism had taken a backseat. However, the brutal Hamas attack...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/gvk2Q1N

Nowhere to hide…

The results of the Assembly elections of five states namely Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Mizoram will be declared within a week and there are predictions that Congress will have to taste fruits of...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/7Wiw6OT

What World Cup final teaches us about victory and defeat

“Still hurts,” confessed K L Rahul, who kept wickets and stacked up a respectable number of runs as a middle order batter, after the fierce battle for the World Cup ended with Australia beating India...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/P1FwL32

2023 will decide if Congress will be challenger number 1

In a week’s time, India will know who has triumphed in the winter assembly polls of 2023. In three of the five states going to the polls — Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh — Congress...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/di7Q2om

Beatles are back, but will AI change music for better or worse?

We may just be flying a bit too close to the sun. Earlier this year, Paul McCartney caused a flutter while talking about the last Beatles song, ‘Now And Then’ (released this month and already...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/MkEKPa2

Pakistan’s knee-jerk expulsion of refugees is a pressure tactic that won’t work

There was much exultation in Pakistan over the Taliban victory in Afghanistan in August 2021. It was the culmination of Pakistan’s two-decade long covert support to the Taliban despite being part of the US ‘war...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/ZdIo2tn

Combination of mucosa-exposure device and computer-aided detection for adenoma detection during colonoscopy: A randomised trial

Summary of the study: The study looked at ways to improve the detection of abnormal growths in the colon, like adenomas, during colonoscopy, a test used for colorectal cancer screening. Adenomas can potentially turn into...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/aiuMxPs

The four-part Sam saga

Startup boards will be more cautious. Founders will pack boards with their pals. So, boards will become echo chambers. And Satya Nadella played it smart Somewhere in Hollywood, a writer is probably already working on...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/9rjTBXO

How much is too much in gaza?

Israel-Hamas conflict has exposed West’s hypocrisy on zero tolerance for terror and human rights. Ironically, bombing of civilians has revived the Two-State solution When I was chair of UNSC Counterterrorism Committee in early 2022, I...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/VO7fCIg

Magnetic attraction: A therapy that oughtn’t to work, but does– in defiance of rationality

Magnet therapy? What’s that? We asked the two friends of ours who suggested we try this as a means of relieving Bunny of the excruciating leg pain she’d endured for over three months. During our...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/zAV7tIs

Today, I’ll try not to ridicule your actions

“I’ve made a ceaseless effort not to ridicule, not to bewail, not to scorn human actions but to understand them,” these words of Dutch philosopher Baruch Spinoza can transform the texture of the world and...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/56UGA8t

Bye Sam, hello Sam

Altman’s return as OpenAI’s boss tells a story much larger than high drama at a sexy startup Sam Altman returned to OpenAI. The board that sacked him less than a week back was, in effect,...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/ofZzhsB

How to move from past pain to present peace

By Swami Bhoomananda Tirtha Everyone has a past and also a future. Between the past and the future lies the present. We must always be concerned with this present. Life implies interactions. In the whole...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/xcKw3Ha

Play it pianissimo

You can strike any chord Depends on your forte Dahling, what can we acquire now that we have our Balinese island, 10th Buggati, and 100th Birkin bag?’ The answer could be an art case piano....

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/bAWCvd4

Guru Nanak’s Path To Finding True Joy

By Anandmurti Gurumaa In his bani, Guru Nanak Dev expresses his love for Ram as nirgun, one who is beyond attributes. Nirgun means not possessing the three qualities – rajas, tamas and sattva. These qualities...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/TjH4L8V

How about scaling up Diwali celebrations and making it a community affair?

As we gear up for the grand inauguration of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya on January 22, 2024, I find myself contemplating a rather offbeat thought that might just add an extra layer of brilliance...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/vskIeGl

Desi roleplaying: Vivek Ramaswamy is rocking Indian uncle-ness

For every desi-kid raised in the US, bullied for the crime of simply being an achiever, laughed at simply for having their hair parted a certain way, Vivek Ramaswamy is running this race for you....

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/kNYgdo0

Deadly Wire: Electrocution deaths are all too common. Why are authorities, discoms insulated from accountability?

A 23-year-old woman and her nine-month-old baby were charred to death in Bengaluru’s Whitefield area, electrocuted by a section of an 11kV power cable that had snapped and lay casually on the footpath, metres away...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/tAu5hZz

The Chainsaw Man: Why Argentine voters’ choice of a president holds economic policy lessons for all countries

In a rational-choice model, voters’ judgment of the social consequences of an election outcome creates a feedback mechanism that moves a country towards progress and prosperity. But decade after decade of economic mismanagement can push...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/9ad7tEy

From solo screen to social stream: India’s TV evolution

In 1982, India saw a dramatic transformation in its television landscape, paralleling the excitement levels that surrounded the unveiling of the first iPhone by Steve Jobs. The country imported a staggering 50,000 colour televisions in...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/Gs1ilHn

The two imposters: Triumph and disaster

Narayani Ganesh Call it winning and losing, triumph and disaster or defeat, success and failure – basically these terms refer to a situation wherein you perceive the outcome of a certain activity as being one...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/cA9QEXp

Israel: Silencing critics new form of McCarthyism

I am appalled that art historian Ranjit Hoskote had to resign from the finding committee of Documenta 16, a prestigious German art exhibition, after being accused of anti-semitism. His so-called crime was signing a petition...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/RnXyqaB

As Tier 2-3 cities join exodus abroad, it’s time to focus on ‘Study in India’

Last year, the number of Indian students taking admission abroad exceeded 750,000, marking a remarkable 50% increase from 2021. Notably, more than one-third of these students chose the US, indicating a substantial 35% surge compared...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/7nArHZu

Beyond band-aids: A lasting solution to procrastination through Covey’s wisdom

In the vast landscape of personal development, few adversaries loom as large as the elusive and tenacious procrastination monster. We’ve all been there – staring down a to-do list that seems to grow longer with...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/DMScx8P

Insurance inclusion on a fast-track

In the recent summit, many financial sector leaders converged to exchange the future shape of the BFSI sector. Banks having achieved a formidable inclusion in India, the insurance sector is now gearing up for outreach....

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/XvxuGTW

Marching for marriage

In December, if all goes to plan, a largish group of men, mostly in their 30s, some college-educated, and largely from farming households in south Karnataka district Mandya – a poorly developed but not poor...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/EWOngda

Searching for the perfect way to live, share, care

How utopian thinkers challenge traditional notions of family Everyday Utopia : What 2000 Years of Wild Experiments Can Teach Us About the Good Life by Kristen Ghodsee shows how, across time and space, people have tried to...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/S5XDUWL

Do we really have any free will?

Rajiv Vij I don’t think so. Free will is the ability to decide and act free from any influence of past events or the environment. It implies complete freedom to make absolutely any choice. We...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/sHtr8YA

Frustration, the game spoiler

When did you last feel frustrated in life? Take some time to recall that moment, the day and the situation in which you experienced frustration. I am sure it would be one such circumstance when...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/yJjhu94

Ivys To IITs: Academic tolerance of diverse opinions on hot button issues is under threat. That’s a terrible thing

The extent to which the current Israel-Hamas war is testing universities’ commitment to freedom of expression has been startling, especially in the US. Given how long this conflict has been heatedly debated on campuses, passionate...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/vNaQ5W2

Master The Art Of Designing Your Destiny

Nayaswami Devarshi In Autobiography of a Yogi, Paramhansa Yogananda quotes the advice given by his guru Swami Sri Yukteswar, “Forget the past. The vanished lives of all men are dark with many shames. Human conduct...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/LG2EjZQ

Rivals, Partners: Biden-Xi meeting in San Francisco reflects how deep economic links act as checks on geopolitical fights

The summit of the 21-member APEC in San Francisco was yesterday overshadowed by a bilateral meeting. US president Joe Biden had his second face-to-face meeting with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping. The strategic rivalry between...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/E06KA5P

Afterlife of songs: Rahman’s remake of a Bengali classic should tell us there’s nothing wrong with reinterpreting music

There is karaoke, there is antakshari, there are covers, remakes, remixes. The afterlife of many songs is much richer and larger than is imaginable in their own moment. But by its very nature this process...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/ITQ1Dfy

Does Philosophical Reflection Still Hold Value?

By Pranav Khullar Does philosophical reflection still have value in this modern, technological world whose contours are being shaped by scientific, robotic Intelligence? Is philosophic seeking, the ‘love of wisdom’, only a search for a...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/HpPyLAc

Evolving relationships between teachers and students in today’s educational landscape

The relationships between teachers and students in today’s world continue to evolve with the changing dynamics in education, societal norms, and technological advancements. There are some key aspects characterizing these relationships: Respect and Professionalism: There’s...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/X2dCW4q

Prophet’s lessons on peace in promised land

By Farida Khanam Palestine is the holy site of three major Abrahamic religions. For the Jews, Palestine is the ‘Promised Land’ as mentioned in the Bible. Christiansregard this land as holy because Jesus Christ was...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/24cYyf8

Anthems Aweigh! — or Anthem Sanskar?

So it’s down to four national anthems in the World Cup cricket, with India, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand making it to the semi-finals. We will be down to two anthems by Sunday for...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/b2iH89m

Rediscovering authentic masculinity: A modern man’s journey

What does it mean to be a good man in today’s world? The answer to this age-old question has become increasingly complex as traditional gender roles have given way to a more fluid landscape. The...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/m0xu9Jj

Layering failure

Modi in Telangana last week said GOI will soon set up a sub-committee to sub-categorise reservation for scheduled castes, with the aim of empowering the Madiga community. There’s a vexed history to this. Following agitation...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/l94RyNk

Also ran in Iran

New Delhi’s ties with Tehran need new thinking given the Islamic Republic’s current geostrategy The Israel-Hamas conflict has added another layer of complexity to India’s West Asia engagement. In focus are India’s relations with Iran....

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/S07WxQX

Mithai with risks: The fest in the festive is decidedly shaky

The festive season is upon us and that means we must love one another and I hate people who don’t show ‘the love’. It is also the season for giving and that is an ordeal...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/OFY8jlA

Self-realisation is easy as well as tough

By Acharya Shri Mahashraman Jain Agams state, ‘Je egam janai, se savvam janai’ – the one who knows his soul, knows everyone. This Selfrealisation is the biggest achievement of life. And who can attain ist?...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/hxD34Vl

Advent of modern & contemporary masters at Art Mumbai

In an advent of Modern and contemporary Masters, London graduate and young curator Sanya Malik of  Black Cube debuts at Art Mumbai (16th to 19th)  with a suite of sculptures and watercolours  by modern and contemporary masters...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/F5d2LZq

What’s in a rah-rah name?

“Rachin… Rachin…” the crowd chants at Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy stadium, the ring and rhyme echoing the cries for India’s batting legend Sachin. They are cheering for New Zealand’s rising star who is a “local boy”....

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/XiMOrwx

Afghanistan shows why cricket’s global footprint needs to expand

Afghanistan failed to make it to the knock-out stage of the cricket World Cup, but they stoked throbbing life and high drama into the tournament with their incandescent performances. In the first week, with crowds...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/5DbryJg

Let’s not go crackers over bans every Diwali. Leave fireworks policy to states

The Supreme Court has done well to refuse a blanket ban on all firecrackers in India. Its recent order reminding states to prohibit the manufacture and sale of joined firecrackers and those containing barium is...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/ITMKind

Keep your promise: SC does well backing personal guarantees in IBC cases

Indian banks have traditionally used personal guarantees of company promoters as insurance to offset limited institutional recourse to debt recovery. A personal guarantor stands surety through a legal contract. Based on early experience of the...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/nIz17Be

Your Envy shows the way

Do reply to this question honestly – Have you ever felt envious of someone or something? If yes, this is good news as well as bad news. Yes, the very fact that you experienced envy...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/B5EHFVa

Tell bosses, not workers

NRN’s 70-hour workweek thesis ignores the vital role of capital in labour productivity. Govts, industry leaders need to invest heavily in sectors with high employment intensity A recent interview with the veteran entrepreneur NR Narayana...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/ED7ov9p

Adani is building a Port, Sri Lanka is trying to sail again

President Wickremesinghe wants to repair the foreign policy damage wrought by his predecessor and attract investments from US and India. But China remains a force to reckon with The United States this week announced plans...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/nAWHvDy

Alternative Angrezis: The so-called ‘English’ language has a number of different avatars

It’s been said that England and America are separated by the Atlantic Ocean and a common language. There is English English, the Queen’s English which is now the King’s English, and there is American English,...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/sT9Zmi6

Deepavali’s recipe for a life well-lived

By Brahma Kumari Shivani Traditionally, Deepavali celebrates the return of Prince Ram to Ayodhya after 14 years in exile. A sea of diyas were lit to welcome him as he ascended the throne. Metaphorically, it...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/meVaP0n

Reserving poverty

Expanding quotas will not help Bihar end poverty. But GOI can help through finance commission Bihar on Tuesday presented granular economic data based on the state’s caste survey. There were no surprises. The most important...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/vKcyXS1

KISS, my cook

Keep It Simple, Sir is my recipe, dear Abhijit B Anything involving more than seven ingredients and four processes makes me reach for the food delivery app. The tension multiplies when the recipe is allegedly...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/ofIeByn

The war of words in India on the Israel – Palestine conflict

The Israel – Palestine conflict is being played out in India as a war of words between the national government and a group of other players. The latter includes many state governments, self-professed intellectuals, political...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/uRr6cfl

Free but not free: Petition asking for striking down CrPC provision that delays freeing the acquitted must get SC, GOI nod

The Supreme Court is hearing a plea that argues Section 437A of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) is unconstitutional. SC has sought GOI’s response. This is a morethan-welcome petition. Section 437A requires those acquitted to...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/H0zi36J

Raise the bar: In praising Madras HC judge, CJI has hopefully motivated trial court & HC judges to be more courageous

CJI Chandrachud’s high praise on Monday for Justice Anand Venkatesh of Madras HC should encourage high court and trial court judges to be less apprehensive about ruling on cases involving alleged corruption by legislators. As...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/N7hR0Vd

Pause, Tel Aviv: A month on from Hamas’s terror strike, Israel’s unpopular PM must recalibrate military strategy

A month since Hamas’s terror attack on October 7 and Israel’s military response, it’s clear that bombing Gaza can’t go on indefinitely. Israel’s stated military goal in Gaza is to finish off Hamas as a...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/JsejB6v

Money on the move: Decoding the future of international private banking hubs

The private banking landscape is undergoing a transformation fueled by technological advancements, evolving client preferences, shifting regulations, and emerging geopolitical dynamics. Key players in this reconfiguration include Singapore, Switzerland, Dubai, Hong Kong, the UK, and...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/CULJEf0

You are a seed that is bound to become a tree

By Osho There is no need for you to make any arrangements for the ultimate goal to happen; nature has already made everything. You are a seed and if you allow nature, the whole blueprint...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/ZYLBag7

Is Math a magic or logic?

Mathematics has always been a subject of fascination, and some may even say that it possesses an almost magical quality. The question we often ask, “Is math magic or is it merely a product of...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/r4OxJlh

Cooking for comfort in a crisis time

The first known case of Covid-19 is from December 2019, which means it was circulating in Wuhan that November. Four years ago. I first noticed that the pandemic was getting to me when Cheyenne, who...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/JBR18Cf

Watch OTT? Yes, but without getting involved!

I was passing through a hectic phase and the usual grind. I needed relief as deep breathing and related techniques weren’t working. “Watch a movie” a friend suggested. “It will take your mind off work....

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/awXYMQ5

Behind the haze: When air quality influences votes, changes will follow

Over the week, authorities in Delhi and Mumbai pulled out all stops to combat dangerous levels of air pollution. The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board announced measures that would curtail some kinds of industrial activity and...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/D1Uqwy5

Ukraine, Gaza are our Kurukshetra now

By Jug Suraiya With cruel irony, vivid televised images from two far-flung battlelines, one in Ukraine, the other in Gaza, are flashed across the world, highlighting savage death and destruction in a display that belies...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/RpVADcM

Transparency and AI– why is India still hesitating to regulate AI applications?

In the last week, two significant developments in the Artificial Intelligence discourse from the United States brought back the focus on concerns of transparency in AI systems. The first development is a research study by...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/ia3RKS9

Credit & Risk

A common thread running through different phases of India’s economic policy has been the dependence on domestic savings to grow, which has lowered the risk of financial instability. Within India, it is households that provide...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/7bEKWAP

Managing yourself: Peter Drucker’s insights on personal productivity

In the realm of personal productivity and effective self-management, one name shines as an enduring source of wisdom and insight: Peter Drucker. Widely hailed as the “father of modern management,” Drucker’s ideas have transcended the...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/yx74EKZ

Your atman is fearless, how about you?

By Ashok Vohra All schools of Indic philosophy with the sole exception of the materialist school, Charvaka, believe that Atman, soul, is eternal and imperishable. Explaining the nature of Atman, Krishn says in the Bhagwad...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/Oety2Hb