Luxury Auto Rickshaw in Delhi

It might not be another palace on wheels, but a ride in Baldev Raj's three-wheeler will definitely be different from your usual auto rickshaw experience.

For, with TV, telephone, newspaper, fan and cold water facilities, DL-IR H3013 is perhaps the only luxury auto rickshaw in the city. 

What more, while Baldev does not charge extra for any of the facilities. one local call is free for all passengers from his mobile phones. he is also very particular about going by the meter.

While TV and telephone may be sheer luxuries, Baldev is also aware of his social responsibilities. he charges 10 per cent less from senior citizens and provides free service to the injured.

Apart from the facilities, a lot of detailing has gone into doing up the vehicle's interior: Curtains, little soft pillows, artificial flowers and even media reports on the luxury vehicle are on display.

According to Baldev, ever since he started plying the deluxe vehicle around two-and-a-half years ago (before that he drove 'ordinary' autos), all he has got is appreciation.

"People are very supportive. Some days back, somebody called me up from the US saying her son had traveled in my auto when in Delhi. It felt so wonderful.

There are instances when children fiddle with the accessories in the vehicle, but they are rare," says Baldev. 

Baldev has inspired many auto drivers in his locality.

-Times of India

  

Supersonic Cruise Missile (BrahMos)

India is moving towards joining the club of few countries having air-launched cruise missiles .

BrahMos is a stealth supersonic cruise missile that can be launched from submarines, ships, aircraft or land. It is a joint venture between Republic of India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Russian Federation'sNPO Mashinostroeyenia who have together formed BrahMos Aerospace Private Limited. The name BrahMos is a portmanteau formed from the names of two rivers, the Brahmaputra of India and the Moskva of Russia.

It is the world's fastest cruise missile in operation. The missile travels at speeds of Mach 2.8 to 3.0. It is three times faster than USA's subsonic Tomahawk missile and three-and-a-half times faster than the USA's subsonic Harpoon or the French Exocet cruise missiles.

An Air launched variant of Brahmos is planned which is expected to come out in 2012 and will make India the only country with supersonic cruise missiles in their army, navy, and air force. A hypersonic version of the missile is also presently under development with speed of Mach 7 to boost aerial fast strike capability. It is expected to be ready by 2016.

Though India had wanted the BrahMos to be based on a mid range cruise missile like P-700 Granit, Russia opted for the shorter range sister of the missile, P-800 Oniks, in order to comply with Missile Technology Control Regime restrictions, to which Russia is a signatory. Its propulsion is based on the Russian missile, and guidance has been developed by BrahMos Corp. The missile is expected to reach a total order worth of US$13 billion

The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) is soon expected to consider the proposal of the Defence Ministry to procure the air-launched version of the 290-km-range BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles for the Indian Air Force.

The proposal involves sanctioning of funds for the integration and testing of the BrahMos missile on the Russian-origin Su-30MKI of the IAF, they said.

As per the plans, the first test of the air-launched version of the supersonic cruise missile, developed jointly by India and Russia, is to be conducted by December-end.

Sources said two SU-30 MKI of the IAF would be modified indigenously by the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) at its Nasik facility where they will also be integrated with the aerial launcher developed by the BrahMos.


-Indian Air Force

Quotes for Life

• Having more money doesn't make you happier.

• The real satisfaction in your work comes from the people you help and the good you do in it.

• You can't make someone else happy.

• You can, however, make yourself happy.

• You can't make other people be the way you want them to be.

• You can, though, become the person you want to be.

• Simple pleasures like reading a book, listening to music, taking a walk, and petting a dog can bring so much delight into your life.

• Little act of kindness like giving a hug, sharing a smile, or helping someone in need can fill your heart with love.

• Little acts of happiness like laughing, singing and dancing can fill your soul with joy.

These things might be silly but each one can give a meaningful life. 

Living alone raises risk of death

Living alone may increase risk of mortality, cardiovascular death, according to a new study.
In an international study of stable outpatients at risk of or with arterial vascular disease (such as coronary disease or peripheral vascular disease), living alone was associated with an increased risk of death and cardiovascular death.

Social isolation may be associated with poor health consequences, and the risk associated with living alone is relevant because about 1 in 7 American adults lives alone.

Epidemiological evidence suggests that social isolation may alter neurohormonal-mediated emotional stress, influence health behavior and effect access to health care, which may result in association with or acquisition of, cardiovascular risk, according to the study background.

Jacob A Udell, M.D., M.P.H., of Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, and colleagues examined whether living alone was associated with increased mortality and cardiovascular (CV) risk in the global REduction of Atherothrombosis for Continued Health (REACH) Registry. Among 44,573 REACH participants, 8,594 (19%) lived alone.

Living alone was associated with higher four-year mortality (14.1% vs. 11.1%) and cardiovascular death (8.6% vs. 6.8%), according to the study results.

Based on age, living alone was associated with an increased risk of death among those patients 45 to 65 years old compared with those living with others (7.7% vs. 5.7%), and among those participants 66 to 80 years old (13.2% vs. 12.3%).

However, among patients older than 80 years, living alone was not associated with an increased risk of mortality compared with those living with others (24.6% vs. 28.4%).

“In conclusion, living alone was independently associated with an increased risk of mortality and CV death in an international cohort of stable middle-aged outpatients with or at risk of atherothrombosis,” the researchers concluded.

“Younger individuals who live alone may have a less favorable course than all but the most elderly individuals following development of CV disease, and this observation warrants confirmation in further studies,” they noted.

The study was published Online First by Archives of Internal Medicine, a JAMA Network publication.

Amazing Golden Gate Bridge

This is one of the most Beautiful and most Photographed bridges in the world. It crosses the Golden Gate strait and connects the city of San Francisco with the Country of Marin to the North.

Official website: http://goldengatebridge.org/

This is a Suspension Bridge, the suspension bridge consists of two large main cables that are suspended from high towers secured to the banks. This type of bridge is ideal for carrying traffic across wide stretches of water. These bridges are very strong, this is why all the world's largest bridges are suspension bridges.

Captured from a Plane

On 75th Birthday

Extreme equipment's, Stones, Concrete and Steel cables alone do not make a bridge. These super structures owe their conception and construction to man's determination to overcome obstacles. Bridges typify man's ability to make the seemingly impossible tasks, possible.

Far flung across rivers and valleys, bridges link cities, unite countries and symbolize man's desire to span the globe. This is why, a bridge continues to be a source of inspiration for people around the world.

2012 Champions League Twenty20 (Teams)

The 2012 Champions League Twenty20 will be the fourth edition of the Champions League Twenty20, an international Twenty20 cricket tournament. It will be held from 10 to 28 October 2012.

clt20

Venues

The organisers were considering hosting the matches at five venues: Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bangalore and New Delhi. The final would be played in either Chennai or New Delhi while the opening ceremony was likely to be in Kolkata. Matches played by the Chennai Super Kings would be held in Chennai. This was later put in doubt due to the possibility of monsoons and Durga Puja celebrations and the organisers are now considering South Africa as the host. The teams that qualified through the Indian Premier League were opposed to this idea as it would likely affect their revenue, which is dependent on television viewership.

Qualification

Representation from Australia changes to teams from the Big Bash League, which replaced their previous premier Twenty20 tournament and features new city-based teams instead of the previous first-class teams.

This tournament will feature a team from Pakistan for the first time, as they will participate in the qualifying tournament. Pakistan's participation had not been considered for past seasons of the tournament due to the hostility between India and Pakistan since the 2008 Mumbai attacks. The attacks were also responsible for the cancellation of the planned first season of the tournament in 2008, for which a Pakistan team had qualified.

• Qualified Teams

• Qualifying Stage

The tournament will feature a qualifying stage, introduced in the 2011 tournament. The qualifying stage will be played from 10 to 12 October.

Transit of Venus in this CENTURY

This Tuesday/Wednesday will be last Transit of Venus in this CENTURY - next in 2117. Don't miss it!

And before it happens again, the Earth will change beyond recognition

It won't happen again until December 2117. On June 5/6th, 2012, Venus will transit the face of the Sun in an event of both historical and observational importance. The best places to watch are in the south Pacific, but travel is not required

Check on map where will be visible → http://goo.gl/iSDsT
Watch NASA video → http://goo.gl/ARlC1
See picture from the last transit → http://goo.gl/JGpWX

Image Credit: NASA/JPL

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