Amazing University TUM

University life: stressful or fun?

In the Technical University of Munich, also known as TUM, they sure know how to make students enjoy their days at school. Instead of using regular stairs they have installed two giant tubes or better said slides from the 4th floor to the ground floor of their Faculty building for Math and Computer Science.

Mr Bean's Olympic appearance

Rowan Atkinson's comic creation Mr Bean made an appearance as a keyboard player at the London 2012 opening ceremony.

Sir Simon Rattle conducted the London Symphony Orchestra in a tribute to the film Chariots of Fire.

I love books which increase my knowledge

I love which increase my knowledge.. Not all books are good to read, some can seriously misguide you. Be careful in choosing yours one and make sure you spend your time for the right one which enlighten you at the end rather misguide you.

Computing giant Microsoft reported loss for the firast time in history

Computing giant Microsoft has made the first quarterly loss in its history after it wrote off some of the value of its online advertising business.

The loss came after it wrote down the value of Aquantive by $6.2bn (£3.94bn; 5bn euros), which failed to bring the profits expected by Microsoft.
That led to a $492m loss in the three months to the end of June, compared with a profit of $5.9bn a year ago.
The company has not made a loss since it joined the stock market in 1986.
It took over Aquantive in 2007 but it struggled to compete with rival Google.
Microsoft paid $6.3bn for Aquantive.
Microsoft is doing well in other areas, despite the decline in popularity of its Windows operating system, which dominated the personal computer market for years.
Revenue for the three months to June rose by 4% to $18.06bn.

Facebook getting fake "likes" from fake profiles

A BBC investigation suggests companies are wasting large sums of money on adverts to gain "likes" from Facebook members who have no real interest in their products.





It also appears many account holders who click on the links have lied about their personal details.
A security expert has said some of the profiles appeared to be "fakes" run by computer programs to spread spam.
Facebook said it had "not seen evidence of a significant problem".
"Likes" are highly valued by many leading brands' marketing departments.
Once a user has clicked on a link the company it belongs to can then post content on their news feed, send them messages and alert their friends to the connection.
Facebook makes money by charging companies a fee to show adverts designed to attract new "likes".
Some companies have attracted millions of "likes".
But the BBC has been contacted by one marketing consultant who has warned clients to be wary of their value, and carried out an experiment that backed up his concerns.
The vast majority of Facebook's revenues come from advertising and its performance will be scrutinised when it releases its financial results on 26 July - the first such report since its flotation.
Detecting fakes
Facebook played down the issue of fake profiles.
"We've not seen evidence of a significant problem," said a spokesman.
"Neither has it been raised by the many advertisers who are enjoying positive results from using Facebook.
"All of these companies have access to Facebook's analytics which allow them to see the identities of people who have liked their pages, yet this has not been flagged as an issue.
"A very small percentage of users do open accounts using pseudonyms but this is against our rules and we use automated systems as well as user reports to help us detect them."
Courtesy: BBC News

Amazing book shelf

Save our environent and reduce your carbon footprints

Save our Environment and reduce your carbon footprints. We always speak about nations and countries when it comes to environmental responsibility. Its not just the responsibility of any one government, community or organization rather it demands the combine effort all of the users of Earth. The pace by which we are consuming and absorbing our environment is increasing day by day and if the pace stays same we are completely ignoring our future generation.
Take a small steps, even though they does not make a big difference but believe me its just a start for a big change awaited.

Amazing balloons

Hamilton Pool Preserve

Hamilton Pool Preserve is a natural pool that was created when the dome of an underground river collapsed due to massive erosion thousands of years ago. The pool is located about 23 miles (37 km) west of Austin, Texas off Highway 71. Since the 1960s, Hamilton Pool has been a favorite summer swimming spot.

The human limits of roller coasters

According to the statistics, you are far more likely to die by lightning strike than in a roller coaster accident.

In the UK, the odds of being killed on an amusement ride are 300 million to one, whereas the odds of being killed by lightning are 10 million to one. In the US, around 1.7 billion rides are taken by nearly 300 million people each year, and from 1994 to 2004, the country reported an average of just four deaths per year. Comparatively, an average of 39 people die each year in the US from being struck by lightning.
Thanks to safety regulations and industry compliance, roller coasters manage to maintain a fairly sound safety record despite pushing the human body to exhilarating extremes.
The most extreme
The Formula Rossa in the Abu Dhabi theme park Ferrari World is the fastest roller coaster in the world, reaching speeds of 149mph. Aided by hydraulic power, it accelerates from 0 to 62mph in two seconds. Built by the Liechtenstein manufacturer Intamin, the ride’s track was modelled after the Italian racetrack Autodromo Nazionale Monza, located north of Milan, which hosts the Formula One Italian Grand Prix motor racing championsh
ip every year.
Playing it safe
Over the centuries, roller coasters have become both more exciting and safer. The first roller coasters may have been Russian ice slides built in the late 16th Century. Compare that with today’s ultra-sophisticated, ultra-precise, carefully-engineered coasters, which are bigger, faster and more death-defying (or at least marketed that way) than ever before. Regulations have also increased dramatically – especially considering that some countries, such as the US, had no regulations at all until the 1960s.
Roller coaster regulation varies from country to country. For instance, in Singapore, the Building and Construction Authority, an agency of the federal Ministry of National Development, oversees amusement ride safety. In the US, on the other hand, the federal government only regulates rides at travelling carnivals and fairs, while state governments regulate stationary parks. Rules vary at the local level, too. Florida, home to Walt Disney World, for example, has state officials who inspect rides at theme parks with fewer than 1,000 employees, but the state relies on large parks like Disney World and Universal Studios to regulate themselves.
Coutesy: BBC Travel

Majlis Al Jinn - World second largest underground chamber

Stretching from the lunar-like Hajar Mountains in the north to lush and temperate city of Salalah in the south, the Sultanate of Oman -- with its year-round sunshine and a stable economy -- is one of the lesser-known treasures of the Arabian Peninsula.

 

 

But above the ground is only half of the story. Oman is hollowed out with incredible natural underground playgrounds, including the second largest underground chamber in the world, called Majlis Al Jinn, or “Spirits’ meeting place”.  Although currently shut indefinitely to the public  for redevelopment, there are plenty of others that are suitable for beginners and experienced spelunkers.
Al Hoota Cave, located at near Jabal Shams mountain near the northeastern town of Al Hamra, is the only cave that has daily organised tours which are suitable for all adults and older children (book in advance). Al Hoota is a two million year old complex comprising two lakes (one an impressive 800m long) and a series of huge underground caverns. Oman’s underground world teems with life, and you will be sharing the depths with more than 100 species of animals including bats, hunter spiders and water beetles, as well as a rare type of blind fish called garra barreimiae. The 45 minute tour whisks you round 10% of the 4.5km long cavern, long enough for you to get a sense of the majesty hidden below your feet.
If a guided tour is too tame, Hoti Cave is a 2.7km tunnel also near Al Hamra that runs under the Hajar Mountains. There are two entrances, Al Fallah and Al Hota; access to the former is reached by a 20 minute fairly easy hike to the large entrance beneath the Hajar cliff’s overhang, while the latter should only be attempted by experienced spelunkers who have a guide, safety gear and other climbing equipment. Once inside you will need torches and a sense of adventure, the hardest part is getting there. The tunnel, whichever way you get there, is worth the scramble. The rock strata, stalactites and stalagmites below reveal the ancient history of the area, through their distinctive red, yellow and pink coloured bands, formed as different sediments settled over the millennia and compressed into rock. Eager explorers can continue 1km on through the tunnel to a huge underground cavern called “Cairn Hall”, said to be full of bats.
Despite Oman being arid most of the year, the country is pockmarked with wadis (river beds) which can flood very quickly when it rains. To see some of the country’s serious water power up close head to Muqal Cave at Wadi Bani Khalid A’Sharqiyah near Sur in Muscat. This is one of the area’s greenest wadis, with plenty of natural pools and waterfalls to cool off in. The entrance to the cave is a small lateral slit in the rock face; make sure you take torches to see the underground rivers and falls that lie hidden inside the actual cave. This is an easier cave to explore than Hoti Cave, but still difficult to find without a guide.
For a more relaxed experience, Ettein Cave, around 10km from Salalah, is made up of two enormous chambers and is the largest and most well-known cave in the southern region of Oman. The entrance is an easy walk halfway up a hillside off the main Salalah-Ettein road; take a picnic and enjoy the lush green scenery. Anyone who is relatively fit should be able to attempt this one, and once inside the gigantic cave expect to see the colossal stalagmites -- watch out for the odd creepy crawly!
Practicalities
One of the reasons why Oman is still so unspoilt and its caves mostly left for individual exploration is that there is a shortage of organised information about most of these sites. Most caves in Oman are not signposted or marked and will not be regulated in any way, which makes you feel like the first one to discover them. To get the best out of your adventure always book through a local guide or tour operator.
Omani tour companies, such as Gulf Leisure or Alanaka Tours, can create bespoke trips, depending on what region you are looking to visit and how much effort you want to put in to getting underground. Most caves detailed above can be explored on day trips from Muscat city, but for a more of a wilderness or eco-experience, combine them with a camping trip.
Courtesy: BBC Travel