Sunday, December 11, 2011

Train Travels in Wrong Direction


A train full of commuters travelling from Tirupati to Varnasi went 980 km in the wrong direction before passengers realized what was happening. It was only when the trained pulled into Warangal, a central Indian city on an entirely different route, that they realized something was wrong. The error in route was caused due to incorrect entry of destination code, sending the train five hours away from its destination. “Though the journey was agonising, we thank our stars that the train did not run into another train,”' an angry passenger said.

Some of the staff, who were apparently sleeping on that leg of the journey, said that they did not catch the mistake since it was a special service to Varnasi, and they were unfamiliar with the route. At Warangal station, the superintendent took corrective measures, bringing the train back to where it should have been for its onward journey to Varanasi.

Sunday, July 31, 2011

Nokia slips from 1st to 3rd place in smartphone sales


Apple and Samsung Electronics ended struggling Nokia's 15-year reign at the top of the smartphone sales rankings in the second quarter, researchers said on Friday.
Nokia has dominated the smartphone market ever since its 1996 launch of the Communicator model, but competition from its two nearest rivals and a slump in its own sales sent it straight from first to third place in the three months to June as growth in the sector starts to slow.
Apple sold a record 20.3 million iPhones in the quarter despite the fact that its iPhone 4 model is now more than a year old. Usually success of smartphone models does not last so long.
Apple unveiled its sales last week, but on Friday analysts also estimated Samsung sold 19 million smartphones in the quarter, well ahead of Nokia's 16.7 million as it was able to benefit from booming demand with smartphones using Google's Android software.

Thursday, July 28, 2011

Top Ten Longest Bridges in the World

Here’s the list of longest bridges in the world. Bridges is an important part of human life. Without any bridges, some areas in the earth will remain isolated from other areas. Bridges is also one of the achievement of human technology. With advanced technologies, people can build long bridges with strong construction. So Let’s take a look at those longest bridges in the world.
1. Lake Pontchartrain Causeway, Louisiana, US

Lake Pontchartrain Causeway consists of two parallel bridges that are the world’s longest bridge in total length. This bridge across Lake Pontchartrain in southern Louisiana. Total length of the two bridges is 23.87 miles (38.42 km) long. The bridges are supported by 9,500 concrete pilings. The two bridges feature bascule spans over the navigation channel 8 miles (13 km) south of the north shore. The southern terminus of the Causeway is in Metairie, Louisiana, a suburb of New Orleans. The northern terminus is at Mandeville, Louisiana.
2. Donghai Bridge, China
Donghai Bridge (East Sea Grand Bridge) is the longest cross-sea bridge in the world and the longest bridge in Asia. The bridge was completed on December 10, 2005. Has a total length of 32.5 kilometers (20.2 miles) and connects Shanghai and the water offshore Yangshan port in China. Most of the bridge parts are low-level bridge. There are also cable stayed to allow travel large ships. The widest span of the bridge is 420 m.
3. King Fahd Causeway, Saudi Arabia
King Fahd Causeway is a dike-bridge combination connecting Khobar, Saudi Arabia, with Bahrain, the island state. A construction agreement signed on July 8, 1981 by King Fahd of Saudi Arabia and Sheikh Isa bin Salman al-Khalifa of Bharain. Construction continued until 1986, when combination by several bridges and dams have been completed. The causeway was officially opened on November 25, 1986.
4. Chesapeake Bay Bridge, Maryland,US
Chesapeake Bay Bridge (commonly known as the Bay Bridge) is a dual-span bridge in Maryland, US. It connects the East and West Coast regions. Length is 4.3 miles (7km), the original span was the world’s longest over-water steel structure when opened in 1952. The bridge is officially called the William Preston Lane Jr. Memorial Bridge after William Preston Lane, Jr. who was governor of Maryland, implemented its construction.
5. Vasco da Gama Bridge, Portugal
The Vasco da Gama Bridge (Portuguese: Ponte Vasco da Gama) is a cable bridge that spanned on the Tagus River near Lisbon, capital of Portugal. This is the longest bridge in Europe (including viaducts), with a total length of 17.2 km (10.7 miles), including 0.829 km (0.5 miles) the main bridge, 11.5 km (7.1 miles) in viaducts, and 4.8 km (3.0 miles) on a special access road. The goal is to reduce the density in the city of Lisbon.
6. Penang Bridge, Malaysia
Penang Bridge is a highway that connects Gelugor in Penang island and Seberang Prai on the mainland of Malaysia on the Malay Peninsula. The bridge is also linked to North-South Expressway in Prai and Jelutong Expressway in Penang. Officially opened to public traffic on September 14, 1995. Total length of the bridge is 13.5 km (8.4 miles).
7. Rio-Niteroi Bridge, Brazil
Rio-Niteroi Bridge is a bridge with a concrete structure that connects the cities of Rio de Janerio and Niteroi in Brazil. The symbolic construction started on August 23, 1968, in the presence of Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, in his first visit to Brazil. Construction jobs began in January 1969, and opened on March 4, 1974. The official name is “President Costa e Silva Bridge”, in honor of Brazilian president who ordered its construction.
8. Confederation Bridge, Canada
Confederation Bridge (French: Pont de la Confederation) is a bridge spanning the Abegweit Passage of Northumberland Strait, linking Prince Edward Island with the mainland of New Brunkswick, Canada. This is commonly referred as the “Fixed Link” by residents of Prince Edward Island prior to its official name. Construction lasted from the fall of 1993 until the spring of 1997, with $ 1.3 billion cost. This bridge with a length of 12.9 kilometers (8 miles) was opened on May 31, 1997.
9. San Mateo-Hayward Bridge, California, US
San Mateo-Hayward Bridge (commonly called San Mateo Bridge) is a bridge crossing California’s San Francisco Bay in the United States which connects San Francisco Peninsula with the East Bay. The bridge is owned by the state of California, and managed by Caltrans.
10. Seven Mile Bridge, Florida, US
The Seven Mile Bridge in the Florida Keys, located between the Gulf of Mexico and Florida Strait, connecting Key Vaca (Marathon, Florida) in the Middle Keys to Little Duck Key in the Lower Keys. Among the longest bridges have been built in the world, this is one of many major bridges in the US, where this track is called the Overseas Highway.

Sunday, July 24, 2011

Jagan Mahal in Hyderabad with 60 rooms across 42000sqft


A palatial house that Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy is building in Hyderabad is under the scanner of the CBI, which has been asked by Andhra Pradesh High Court to probe the politician's assets.
Two days ago, CBI sleuths visited a 52,263sqft site (well over an acre) in Hyderabad's upscale Banjara Hills where Jagan's five-storey mansion, valued at Rs 300 crore by local real estate players, is nearing completion.
According to real estate sources, the building plan shows several escalators, lifts, a 200-seat mini-theatre, a library, a gym, and squash, tennis and volleyball courts, apart from a three-floor underground car park.
A local contractor said he had been commissioned to supply 24 train wagonloads of marble from Rajasthan so that about 60 rooms and bathrooms, each the size of a single-bedroom flat, could be floored with marble.
Lotus Mahal, which local people have begun referring to as "Jagan Mahal", will sprawl over a 10,000sqft area. The total floor area across the five storeys is estimated at 42,000 sqft.
CBI officials said the plot had been bought by Jagan's front companies. It is made up of six original plots ' numbered 2, 3, 4, 6, 7 and 8 ' at HUDA Heights in Banjara Hills' Lotus Pond locality, they added.
Jagan owns about two-thirds of the property while his sister Sharmila Reddy owns the rest, the sources said. Going by current property rates, the price of the entire plot should be over Rs 30 crore.
Real estate sources said Lotus Mahal would have nearly 30 bedrooms apart from an office complex, 20 servants' quarters and a two-storey outhouse in the backyard.
A builder said that but for the Telangana agitation, the mansion's price would have been Rs 700 crore. "Even at the downswing rates, it is roughly valued at Rs 300 crore."

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Flying car dream to become a reality


For several years now, we have heard about the development of the first flying car. The future is here and that dream is now a reality. Terrafugia introduces the Transition Roadable Aircraft, a two seat vehicle that transitions from a car to a plane in about 30 seconds.

However, once this plane-car is made available, you will not be able to take off on public streets, only designated areas and you will need a pilot’s license. The vehicle will cost you about $250,000.

Saturday, July 16, 2011

Hyderabad girl to represent India at Miss Universe Contest


A 26-year-old student from the South Indian city of Hyderabad will represent India at the Miss Universe 2011 pageant later this year.
Vasuki Sunkavalli, who is currently studying in Delhi, was crowned the winner of the I Am She pageant in Mumbai on Friday night, the results of which were announced on Saturday.
Along with the title, Sunkavalli received a cash prize of Rs200,000 and an all-expenses-paid trip to Sao Paolo in Brazil to represent India at the Miss Universe 2011 pageant on September 12.

Scottish couple won $250M(1,1OO CRORES) jackpot in Lottery


The winners of Europe's biggest ever lottery jackpot see their future as "bright and golden" after winning 161,653,000 pounds ($260.58 million) in (IN INDIAN CURRENCY 1,1OO CRORES APPROXIMATELY) the Euromillions draw, they told a news conference on Friday.

Colin Weir, 64, and his wife Chris, 55, from the seaside resort of Largs, near Glasgow, plan to spend the money on travelling, new homes and driving lessons for their children.