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In 1962, This Man Saved The World By Preventing A 3rd World War….

August 22, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

Vasili Alexandrovich Arkhipov, a Soviet Navy Officer, single-handedly saved the entire world from an upcoming devastating fate. Arkhipov, then 36, did something that was beyond atrocious for an officer of his rank. He disobeyed orders!

Here’s a quick summary:

1. In 1962, Arkhipov was onboard of B-59, a nuclear-armed attack submarine of USSR in the Caribbean sea.2. A US battleship started throwing depth charges to make B-59 surface.3. The Captain of B-59, thinking a war has began, ordered to launch the nuclear torpedo.

4. Arkhipov strongly opposed and convinced the Captain to surface and wait.

5. And stopped what could have been the beginning of a nuclear war between US and USSR eventually turning into 3rd World War.

And that one act stopped a worldwide nuclear war from starting, which would have easily destroyed anything of the shredded humanity that we were left with after World War II.

The background:

The time was 1960’s, only about one and a half decades after WWII, and the entire world was already dreading another World War, this time armed with nuclear weapons. Politically divided into two groups led by the USA and the USSR, most of the countries of the world were engaged in the Cold War. And the international waters were full of ships and submarines from both parties, ready to pounce on a moment’s notice.

Fact Source

Cuban Missile Crisis:

In 1962, the then Soviet President Nikita Khrushchev and Cuban President Fidel Castro reached a “secret” agreement to deploy Soviet ballistic missiles in Cuba, to protect both countries against the USA’s advances. It was also a defense mechanism against the American Jupiter ballistic missiles placed in Italy and Turkey, which could have destroyed Moscow within a quarter of an hour. Needless to say, the USA didn’t quite like this arrangement, and a 13-day long confrontation in late October of 1962 began between the USSR and the USA.

About the man:

Vasili Arkhipov was the second commanding officer onboard of the nuclear-armed Soviet submarine B-59 in the Caribbean sea. Before that, he was an executive officer of the ballistic missile submarine K-19, infamously known as “Hiroshima” for the number of accidents it suffered. He, alongwith the crew of the submarine, saved K-19 from a nuclear meltdown after its only coolant reactor failed. Arkhipov suffered severe radiation injuries in the same incident, which killed most of the crew.

Here’s what happened:

– B-59, a nuclear-armed Soviet sub headed towards Cuba
B-59, as a part of a group of 4 attack submarines of the USSR, each armed with 22 torpedoes, one of which was a nuclear torpedo, made way towards Cuba in October 1962.

– The Captain had the authority to launch the nuclear torpedo
The Captains of submarines had the permission to fire the nuclear weapon if a situation arises, with only the consent of the political officer. They would not have to wait for orders from headquarters in Moscow.

– A US battleship began throwing depth charges
On 27th October, USS Beale, an American destroyer, begun throwing depth charges in the sea to make the Soviet submarines surface. Meanwhile in an attempt to hide from the Americans, B-59 was too deep under the sea to receive any radio signal, either from Moscow or from the American ships.

– B-59’s Captain ordered to launch the nuclear torpedo
B-59’s Captain Savitsky thought the depth charges were a result of a war already broken out, and ordered the nuclear torpedo to be launched.

– Arkhipov opposed the decision
Now, though, rules said he only needed his political officer’s consent, who was more than willing, the presence of Arkhipov onboard changed the game. Due to his earlier contribution onboard of K-19, Arkhipov had a say in the matter.

– He made the Captain wait
As you can guess, he said no. He also convinced the Captain eventually to surface and await orders from Moscow, and made the biggest save of the world!

The later life of Arkhipov:

Arkhipov served in the Soviet Navy till mid-1980’s. He was promoted to the position of rear admiral in 1975, and died in 1998, at the age of 73, largely due to the nuclear radiation he was subjected to while onboard of K-19. In 2002, Robert McNamara, the then US Secretary of Defense, said in an interview with the Guardian,”We came very, very close,” while talking about the Cuban missile crisis,”closer than we knew at the time.”

Had it not been for Arkhipov, I would probably not even be here to write about this, or you, reading this article!

Source….Anwesha Maiti

http://www.storypick.com

Natarajan

Madras …then and now….

August 22, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

Change has always been beautiful and always will be. You go down the memory lane while seeing the old photos and reminiscing the time that passed by. And it may be anything – school friends, best friend or your hometown. Can you imagine how much of an impact it would create if the photos were merged into one and you couldn’t help but notice the stark difference and revel in that moment?

This Indian photographer, Raunaq Mangottil, has clicked photographs of Chennai. And these are not just photographs that hold aesthetic value, but it makes you realise the change that city has undergone over the years. When you look at it, you would realise that so many things have changed but even then, some things haven’t.

1. Statue of Thomas Munro, Park Town

Then: Thomas Munro, an official of East India Company who came to Chennai in 1789 and was responsible for Ryotwari system. After he died, his statue was made here.

Now: One of the blissful places of Chennai now. Free from traffic, this area is now taken care of by the military.

2. The Hindu Office

Then: The balcony of this office was used to keep a check on the test match scores, as can be seen in the picture.

Now: The never ending traffic has put an end to that.

3. Spencer Plaza Signal, Mount Road

Then: Bullock carts were a common sight then and the Kashmir Art Palace, the Old Curiosity Shop, and Agurchand Mansion leading to the LIC Building is quite evident.

Now: Only frustrating one-ways.

4. Corporation Of Madras

Then: This was constructed in a Neoclassical style and stands to be one of the finest structures of Chennai.

Now: Passers-by are not allowed and is now shielded by Metro Construction blue sheets.

5. Higginbotham’s & Poompuhar

Then: This one was for all book lovers. This was India’s then largest bookstore. The building next to Higginbotham’s is Poompuhar, the popular textile shop.

Now: Though the bookstore is there even now, you’re most likely to be pulled over by the cops because of parking problems. It has a brilliant English-language selection, including Lonely Planet books, and a good range of maps now.

6. Casino Theater

Then: Mount Road was a cart track leading from Fort St.George to St.Thomas Town, as well as functioning as a heavenly treat for film buffs.

Now: Unfortunately, a terribly managed and a lost landmark now.

7. Chennai Central

Then: This station was relatively a calm place. People used cycles for commuting other than the much acclaimed Ambassador cars then.

Now: It is filled with the ever increasing population, but it stands majestic even now.

8. Egmore Station

Then: Madras Egmore was previously called the Egmore Redoubt, a place to store ammunition for the Britishers.

Now: Still retains its old charm, but with an added advantage of CCTV Cameras and round-the-clock security.

9. Rajaji Salai

Then: This was one of the main commercial centers of Chennai. Walking on this road used to be a pure bliss.

Now: Traffic runs incessantly between SBI Buildings and Burma Bazaar now.

See, he hasn’t just rummaged through the internet for old pictures. It is a brilliant collection which is guaranteed to make you go nostalgic.

News Source: I am Madras

Source….Aparajta Mishra….www.storypick.com

Natarajan

India Is Home To The World’s First Completely Solar-Powered Airport….

August 22, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

One of the world’s three biggest polluters just took a big step toward reducing its greenhouse emissions and embracing renewable energy sources.

India’s fourth-largest airport, the Cochin International Airport in the southern city of Kochi, announced on Tuesday that it is now “absolutely energy neutral,” The Economic Times reports. The airport is co-funded and operated by the Indian government through a public-private partnership.

The airport’s energy neutrality is possible thanks to a 12-megawatt solar system consisting of more than 46,000 panels installed on a 50-acre site. The system can generate up to 60,000 units of electricity daily.

According to Al Jazeera America, the project took six months to build and cost $10 million, which the airport anticipates it will recover within five years. The panels are expected to last 25 years.

The Cochin airport’s solar panels as seen from above in Kochi, India in the southern state of Kerala.

The panels were designed and installed by Bosch Ltd., which has a five-year partnership with the airport, according to Catch News.

The airport began testing solar energy in March 2013, when it installed a small solar plant on the arrival terminal’s rooftop, according to The Economic Times.

The project has been seen as a model for the rest of India, and the government is urging other airports to follow suit.

India’s goal is to ramp up solar capacity to 100 gigawatts by 2022. Its current capacity is four gigawatts.

India has a broader goal to derive 15 percent of its energy from renewable sources by 2022, with 3 percent coming exclusively from solar. Earlier this summer, the government rolled out new incentives to encourage developers to turn to renewable energy.

Source…..Joseph ErbentrautChicago Editor, The Huffington Post,….www.huffingtonpost.com

Natarajan

August 22, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

I love small airports. I believe they are wonderful creations of God, made solely for the purpose of teaching big airports a thing or two about how airports are meant to be.

Small airports are refreshingly cosy. They don’t hurry you. If you are late, which in my case is almost always, there is someone willing to help you through with some good, old fashioned hollering. (“Hey, Bill, this gentleman has forgotten his luggage, can you run him home in your car while I hold the gates open?”)

At small airports, owing to the plethora of electronic equipment and assorted connectors in my hand baggage, I always get extra attention (“Ooh, what do we have here–let’s have a look-see, shall we?”), which never fails to make me feel special. Invariably, this allows me to catch up with the security officer about the weather, and thereafter guide him by way of a series of manipulative answers to ask me what I teach at Bournemouth University. When he does, I lie through my teeth and say, “Nanotechnology.” I always go for nanotechnology because nobody is impressed with journalism or journalists these days, and, between you and me, there isn’t much future for either.

The other reason I love small airports is because they come with small planes. Small planes are utterly charming, if you ask me. They have an individuality that big planes lack. You get to walk up to them and board, which makes the whole experience up close and very personal. You get to notice that the panting blonde who is waving you on to the plane is the same blonde who checked in your luggage when you arrived and the same blonde who scanned your boarding pass a minute ago. You get to see the dirt marks on the nose of the plane and the places where the paint is beginning to peel. If you plan the boarding carefully, you might even get to run your hands on the fuselage a bit. This is something you never get to do with big planes. Who amongst us can claim to have scratched the underbelly of an Airbus or a Boeing? No one, I bet.

When you walk into the cabin of small planes, you get to duck your head a bit and feel tall and powerful. This is good for the morale, particularly for short people, who never get to feel tall and powerful otherwise. If Napoleon had flown Flybe even once, I am certain the world would have been spared much bloodshed. In small planes, you can also peer over the pilot’s shoulder and say, “Aha, gotcha, you doodler!” After that, if you are the worrying kind, you could check with the flight attendant if the plane did indeed stop at your destination (“Excuse me, miss, but could you tell the pilot I want to get down in Edinburgh?”). I always do this because it is good to confirm things, and also because it reminds me of a more innocent time when everybody went everywhere by bus and you routinely passed on similar instructions to the driver.

Once you’re inside, small planes allow you to connect to the world in a manner big planes cannot. The flight attendants are less robotic, almost awkward, at times on the edge of a fumble. You see everyday traffic through your window as you taxi. When you take off, you receive a free back massage, thanks to the frantic reverberations of a small engine struggling against the big pull. The best part is that you get to see the world passing beneath you in a Google Earth kind of way. And if you have seated yourself in the fore of the plane slightly ahead of the wings (in my opinion, the seventh or eighth row is best for this), you can press your nose to the window and watch the propellers whirring close to your face. Call me macabre, but there is something distinctly primal and thrilling about that sight. Big planes and big airports? No, it is not the same.

Chindu Sreedharan teaches journalism at Bournemouth University, England. He is the author of Epic Retold.

Source…..Dr Chindu Sreedharan …..www.huffingtonpost.com

Natarajan

Room for Tea…

August 22, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

Parsi mint tea with brun maska

Taj Mahal Tea House in Bandra is a bright and airy space serving 40 varieties of tea

Amid a mix of old residential buildings, small eateries and ice-cream parlours, a grand bungalow painted in royal blue and pristine white has been making heads turn in an arterial street in Bandra. So although it opened on Independence Day weekend, people around already recognise the Taj Mahal Tea House. It appears to have been plucked straight out of Pondicherry’s French colony but the intended theme, we are told, is all things Indian and all things tea.

This becomes more obvious on the inside, which looks like an ornate, life-sized version of the brand’s blue-gold-beige tea box. Floral turquoise tiles have been introduced into the original floor of the bungalow. The walls are painted in rough, textured beige and gold. Cushions, wall art and staff uniforms also follow roughly the same colour theme.Hindustan Unilever sees this as a natural extension of its 49-year-old brand in the experiential space.
It serves some 40 varieties of tea. The Indian part of the tea menu includes references to Goan, Parsi, Rajasthani and Kashmiri traditions. The beverages have a base of Taj Mahal tea and milk infused with different combinations of spices. The pick of the lot is the Parsi mint tea which is not unlike the tea still served at the cafeteria in Colaba’s Cusrow Baug. It teams well with a serving of butter-slathered brun maska and homemade jam. Like most things that are good for your health, the karipatta or curry leaf tea is an acquired taste. The too-milky base does not help it. On the other hand, the recommended food pairing for this – a breadupma made with crunchy croutons – is quite pleasant.

The menu also has white and green teas, oolongs and cold teas. We tried the warm jasmine pearl tea, which is soothing but perhaps best suited for the end of an evening. The pink jasmine lemonade tilts heavily on the sweeter side. The menu mentions the two coffees that are also available, like an afterthought. The all-day food offerings are served starting as early as 7.30 am. While the fluffy omelette with toastedbesan bread – the tea house’s own creation – is a winner, the sandwich with cucumber, rucola and aubergine filling makes no impact. A cup of tea is priced around Rs 150, while a pot could cost up to Rs 200. Prices for food including breakfast and main courses range from Rs 150-650 per serving.

India, and certainly Mumbai, loves its tea. Tea lounges have mushroomed as a posh alternative to the scores of tea stalls on any street side. They are a welcome addition to an arena crowded with identical, unappealing coffee shops. There is famously Tea Centre in Churchgate, Cha Bar or Wagh Bakri tea lounge. More recently, XVII Tea Room in Bandra and Burma Burma in Fort have entered the market in Mumbai.
The experience at the new tea house is planned to feel like a home, not a tough ask in what used to be someone’s home. The bungalow’s thick wooden ceiling, archways and patio have been restored. There is what is called the sun room, a bright-airy section just by the entrance with a couple of chairs and stacks of newspapers and magazines. The main area has conventional dining tables. The other segments provide copious nooks for those who need time and room to themselves. Anyone looking to join one’s friends here on a busy day might have a hard time finding them in this meandering tea house.

A variety of unique seating is spread throughout the 3,500 sq. ft. lounge – including arm chairs, rocking chairs and big one-seater sofas. Such a set-up could find takers in a city starved of living and breathing space. A patio with large tables is ideal for big groups. A standout feature is the music room, where the decor includes Niladri Kumar’s sitar, Zakir Hussain’s tabla, other memorabilia and an area for music performance or poetry readings. Bookshelves are sprinkled across the space. There is a chess board too. Hindustani and Carnatic classical are also the choice of background music in the lounge.
Other walls showcase Brooke Bond ads from the 1960s, one of which features a young Zeenat Aman, painstakingly sourced from eBay and Chor Bazaar. The final section of the lounge is for the retailing of tea leaves, breads, biscuits and muffins. Fans of the beverage may be tickled by the quotes hung in frames and printed on napkins. For instance, Jane Austen’s ‘Indeed I would rather have nothing but tea’ or Chaim Potok’s ‘Come let us have some tea and continue to talk about happy things.’

Source….Ranjita Ganesan…www.business-standard.com

Natarajan

67,000 people have already signed up for this one-time opportunity from NASA …I have done Today !!!

August 22, 2015August 22, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

This is onetime opportunity… Your Name could fly aboard NASA’s Mars Mission….

natarajan

I just sent my name to fly aboard NASA’s Mars mission, InSight, scheduled for launch March 2016!
The InSight lander will listen to the heartbeat of Mars to find out how the rocky planets formed.
View my boarding pass: http://mars.nasa.gov/syn/insight/?cn=238690663577
Get your own boarding pass on NASA’s #JourneyToMars!
Send your name here:
http://go.usa.gov/3Aj3G

Natarajan

Source….KEN KREMER….www.universe today .com and http://www.businessinsider.com

Natarajan

20 Incredible Facts About Indian Railways That You Probably Did Not Know …

August 21, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

Do you know everything about the next train you will catch? Or the next station you will visit? Here are 20 facts about the Indian Railways you might not be aware of.

Indian Railways – the lifeline of transport system in our country, is evidently a huge setup, and an organization with numerous branches. With a dedicated ministry and budget in its name, railways help large portions of the country’s population in running their daily businesses successfully. However, there are a few things you probably don’t know about our trains and how the entire system works. Read on, and maybe you can remember them; or simply be awed every-time you pass by something even remotely related to the railways.

1. Indian Railways is the largest railways network to be operated by a single government and is the world’s third largest network with a total length of 127,760 kms.

Photo Source: able2know

The annual tally is 8421 million passengers on 9991 trains connecting 7,172 stations across the country. The number of daily passengers on the railways is said to be larger than the population of some countries. It also carries 1014.15 million tons of freight annually.

2. Indian Railways owned the longest railway platform in the world at Kharagpur with a length of 2,733 feet. Now, breaking the record, Gorakhpur station has recently taken its place with a span of 4,430 feet.

Photo Source: indiarailinfo

3. Two historical railway elements are included in the UNESCO’ World Heritage site list – the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, and the Indian Mountain Railways.

Photo Source: Wikipedia

The Indian Mountain Railways includes three railways – the Darjeeling Himalayan Railways, Nilgiri Mountain Railways and Kalka Shimla Railway. All three trains have been functional for some 100 years. The Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus is a classic fusion of Gothic art with Indian architecture.

4. Indian Railways has five luxury trains.

Photo Source: Indian Transport Portal

These are:

Royal Rajasthan on Wheels,
Palace on Wheels (Rajasthan),
The Golden Chariot (Karnataka and Goa),
The Maharajas’ Express (begins in Delhi but the itinerary differs) and
The Deccan Odyssey (begins in Maharashtra but itinerary differs).

They are the pride of Indian Railways as they hold an eminent position among the luxury trains of the world. Palace on Wheels is the oldest one of them.

5. The Vivek Express (Dibrugarh to Kanyakumari) travels a distance of 4273 km, which is the longest run in the railways. The shortest run is taken by a few scheduled services between Nagpur and Ajni – a total of 3 kms. –

Photo Source: kochigallan

6. Srirampur and Belapur are two different stations in Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra. They are both situated at the same point on the railway route, but are located on opposite sides of the track.

Source: Indiarailinfo

7. Mathura junction has the maximum number of routes emerging from it.

Photo Source: snipview

7 of them include – Broad Gauge (BG) line to Agra Cantt, BG line to Bharatpur, BG line to Alwar, BG line to Delhi, Metre Gauge (MG) line to Achnera, MG line to Vrindavan and MG line to Hathras.

8. The resonance frequency of the suspension for the coaches is kept as close as possible to 72 bpm or 1.2 Hz while designing.

Photo Source: rcf.indiangovernment

The human body is most comfortable at 1.2 Hz frequency as it’s one of the most fundamental frequencies of our bodies (normal heartbeat) – which is why people sleep soundly in trains.

9. The railways functions on an operating ratio of 94%, that is, it spends 94 paisa on every rupee that it earns. –

Photo Source: asianeer

The amount of Rs. 4 saved from every Rs. 100 earned is minuscule and the revenues of the railways have been suffering because of the negligible revision of prices.

10. The diamond crossing (dubbed so by railways themselves), in Nagpur, is one-of-its-kind, from where trains go East, West, North and South.

Photo Source: IRFCA

11. The Indian Railways is constructing the world’s highest rail bridge over Chenab.

Source: consumersprotection

The bridge will be 1,315 meters long and will use up to 25,000 tonnes of steel. The idea was initially conceived in 2008 but the project was paused due to safety concerns. The work, however, began in 2010 and it is expected to be completed this year.

12. The longest tunnel in the country is Pir Panjal Railway tunnel in Jammu and Kashmir which is 11.25 kms long. –

Photo Source: Kashmirlife

13. The busiest junction in the country is Howrah junction in Kolkata with as many as 974 trains stopping there daily.

Photo Source: trekearth

14. All the electric appliances (fans, lights) in rail coaches function at 110 volts instead of the Indian standard 220 volts. It is a very effective counter-measure against thieves!

Photo Source: noisypilgrims 15. The mascot for Indian Railways is Bholu, or Bholu the guard elephant, which was designed by National Institute of Design. It was unveiled on 16th April 2002. –

16. The oldest working Indian locomotive still in use is the Fairy Queen, which worked with a steam engine. –

Photo Source: plustoursIndia

It was built in 1855. After retiring in 1909, it was relaunched in 1997 and operates as a tourist train between Delhi and Alwar. It travels at a speed 40 km/h.

17. The Indian Railways is the world’s eighth largest employer with a total of 1.4 million employees.

–

Photo Source: Flickr

18. Computerized reservations began in New Delhi in 1986.

Photo Source: Blogspot

19. Indian Railways launched an awareness campaign train on World AIDS Day, December 1, 2007, called the Red Ribbon Express.

Source: Kochiservnet

20. India has eight Railway Museums – in Delhi, Pune, Kanpur, Mysore, Kolkata, Chennai, Ghum and Tiruchirappalli. Out of these, the National Railway Museum in Delhi is the largest rail museum in Asia.

Photo Source: dadstheway.wordpress.com

Source….Surabhi Katyal http://www.the betterindia.com

Natarajan

The Bridge at Q’eswachaka….Bridge Building at its Best…

August 21, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

Every year, local communities on either side of the Apurimac River Canyon use traditional Inka engineering techniques to rebuild the Q’eswachaka Bridge. The entire bridge is built in only three days. The bridge has been rebuilt in this same location continually since the time of the Inka.

This video was produced by Noonday Films for the National Museum of the American Indian exhibition, “The Great Inka Road: Engineering an Empire,” on view at the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C., from June 26, 2015,

WHAT DOES GANGNAM STYLE MEAN?…..

August 21, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

Gangnam” is an area in South Korea, specifically a small area in Seoul, South Korea, home to about 1% of the population of Seoul and is about the size of Manhattan. It is known for its wealthy, “new money”, inhabitants. (The region has only very recently become extremely upscale, with a gradual upswing in the last half century or so. Before that, there really wasn’t much there but farmland.)

How wealthy do you have to be to live in Gangnam? The average price of an apartment there costs around 3/4 of a million dollars per year. For reference, the average South Korean household’s annual income is about $40,000.

So “Gangnam Style” simply is referencing this sort of elite, “new money”, wealthy culture and lifestyle that has sprung up around the region. As pop critic Kim Zakka, who lives in Seoul, said “Gangnam inspires both envy and distaste. Gangnam residents are South Korea’s upper class, but South Koreans consider them self-interested, with no sense of nobility.”

Or, as Park Jae-sang (PSY, who himself was from a wealthy family and grew up close to Gangnam) said, Gangnam residents are seen as “good-looking because of plastic surgery, stylish because they can splurge on luxury goods, and slim thanks to yoga and personal trainers.” Sounds a bit like wealthy people from Los Angeles…

He further states,

People who are actually from Gangnam never proclaim that they are—it’s only the posers and wannabes that put on these airs and say that they are “Gangnam Style”—so this song is actually poking fun at those kinds of people who are trying so hard to be something that they’re not.

“Oppan Gangnam style” literally means “Older Brother has Gangnam style”. He’s not talking to his little sister, though. The “oppa” / “older brother” usage here is common in South Korea, not unlike “daddy” in certain parts of the US, but in this case specifically being a term that shows respect and affection- used by women about certain older men. Basically, it just means “boyfriend” or “close, guy friend who is older than you” in this sense, though can also be used to literally mean an older brother in your family.

Koreans also have a similar moniker for males to use instead of “oppa”- namely, “hyung”, meaning “older brother”, which can again be used to refer to your literal older brother or be used figuratively to refer to a slightly older male who you aren’t related, but you are close to. Similarly, there is an “older sister” nickname, “nuna”. These titles can also be used in addition to the person’s name itself, such as “Park oppa” or “Bong Cha nuna”. Again, this is all meant as a way to show affection and respect.

As to the name of the region, “Gangnam”, it literally translates to “South of the River”.

The Gangnam Style music video itself on YouTube seems destined to be the first video posted there to pass 1 billion views. As of the publishing of this article (December 7), it has received just over 900 million views, up close to 200 million views from about three weeks ago. So by the end of 2012, the Gangnam Style video should cross the 1 billion views threshold.

Probably the most amazing thing about this Gangnam Style fad is that, given that the video is 4 minutes and 12 seconds long, if all 900 million times it’s been viewed it was viewed to its completion (not even considering all the spinoffs and re-postings), that means approximately 63 million man-hours (or about the number of hours 30,288 workers spend working full time-40 hours a week, 52 weeks a year, with no holidays or vacation) have been spent watching a video of a guy mimicking riding a horse to a beat, with the vast majority of those who’ve watched it not understanding much of anything he’s saying.

Bonus Facts:

Gangnam Style has reportedly made Park Jae-sang (PSY, short for “Psycho”) over $8 million so far from digital downloads and YouTube advertising alone, but it has only made him about $60,000 from South Koreans buying the song. Despite the apparent lack of overt popularity in South Korea, PSY has been given a 4th Class Order of Cultural Merit by the South Korean Ministry of Culture for “increasing the world’s interest in Korea”.
Even more amazing than the Gangnam Style man-hours is that videos on Justin Bieber’s YouTube channel have been watched about 3.2 billion times. Even if we assume a very conservative average length of video of 2 minutes, on the Bieber channel alone (let alone all the spinoffs posted on YouTube and the Bieber videos posted elsewhere), we could well be looking at 106+ million man hours spent watching Bieber

At its peak, there were about 400,000 people working on the Apollo program, which ran from 1961 to 1972 and put a man on the Moon in 1969. We can get an approximate upper bound on man-hours during the Apollo program up to the Moon landing if we assumed all 400,000 people worked 40 hours a week every week from 1961 to Armstrong stepping on the Moon (which is a gross over exaggeration, as the program started with just 10,000 people and many involved had significantly lesser roles. Of course, I’d imagine many involved put in a lot more hours per week than 40, but it’s still probably a gross over estimate… work with me here people ;-)). This upper bound comes out at about 6.7 billion man hours. The real number is probably significantly less, but with this upper bound number and the Gangnam Style + the conservative estimate on Bieber’s YouTube channel man-hours watched, that would account for about 3% of the man hours needed to go from just barely being able to put a man in space, to putting a man on the Moon. If only we could harness the power of Bieber for good…
Incidentally, PSY just recently signed on with Schoolboy Records, the same label Justin Bieber is under. If they ever appear in a YouTube video together…

Source…www.todayifoundout.com

Natarajan

Jokes for the Day… Whole Day You Will Laugh …!!!

August 20, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

With no malice or prejudice towards any one!

Today is Jim’s birthday,
so his wife decides to surprise him, she takes him to a Strip Club.

At the club –

DOORMAN: Hey Jim! How are you?

WIFE: How does he know you?

JIM: We play Golf together!

BARTENDER: The usual beer Jim?

WIFE: And how does he know you?

JIM: He’s on the Bowling Team!

HOT STRIPPER: The special Lap Dance again, Jim?

The Wife storms out…… dragging Jim with her, into a taxi! 🚖

TAXI DRIVER: Hey Jimmy boy….You picked an ugly one this time…Same Hotel?

Today is Jim’s funeral.

………………..

n a ladies KITTY PARTY MEETING :
The host asked a question !
When did u last say I LOVE YOU to your husbands ??
One said..today..
other said…2 days back…..someone said…1 week back…

Host said ” Now, all of u send I LOVE YOU .. SMS to your husbands. Whoever gets AWESOME reply will get a SURPRISE GIFT..”.

Everyone sent I LOVE U msgs to their husbands.

After sometime, HUSBANDs’ replies are as below…..

1) SWEETY…. Is your health condition Ok???

2) Haven’t you cooked today too?

3) Darling, are you out of balance for money given for home maintenance?

4) What is the matter??

5) Are you dreaming or am I?

6)Did you like someone’s Jewelry in the function you attended today?

7) I am already tensed up in Office and now you are sending msgs like this… do u have brain??

8) How many times did I tell you not to watch those serials ?? 😛😛😛

9) Oho..did you meet with an accident again?

10) Should I pick kids from school today also?? 😀😀😀😀

and last one who won SURPRISE GIFT, msg is……..

11) who is this sending msg from my wife’s mobile???

.. dont laugh alone pass it on.

………………….

I don’t think you will stop laughing at this one..??

A man ordered for a voice automated robot car that does anything he tells it to do correctly without any error.

He got the car and started sending it on errands. He became very proud of what the car could do without mistakes.

One day, he was home and his wife told him to tell the car to go and pick the children from school as she was very tired.

The man agreed and said to the car…
Car, go and bring my children from school.

The car went and didn’t return in time as expected, they knew something must be wrong.

Several hours later and no car, the man became apprehensive.

He dressed up and got ready to lodge a report at the police station.

As he and his wife stepped outside they saw the car coming with an overload of children.

The car parked right in front of them and said… “These are your children sir..!”

In the car were their Landlady’s two daughters, his wife’s best friend’s daughter, his secretary’s son and their neighbour’s two sons.

The Wife said in full anger…
Don’t tell me all these are your children..??

The man asked her calmly…
First you tell me why our children are not in the car..??

Source…input from a friend of mine

Natarajan