An old man goes to the Wizard to ask him if he can remove a curse he has been living with for the last 50 years. The wizard says, “Maybe, but you will have to tell me the exact words that were used to put the curse on you.” The old man says without hesitation, “I now pronounce you man and wife.”
SOURCE:::: joke a day.com
Natarajan
John Martin says his passion for flying has given him “the best life in the world”. Source: Supplied
AT 82, John Martin is not your typical frequent flyer — but he’s quite possibly one the proudest.
During his 50 years of flying, which he celebrated on July 19 this year, Mr Martin has notched up 148 flights to New York, 138 to London and almost three million miles in the air — and he shows no signs of having his wings clipped just yet.
Mr Martin who spent 20 years as News Editor at WIN Television in Wollongong, has dedicated his life to flying anywhere and everywhere and making it his mission to reach 1000 flights on Qantas.
And rest assured, with his 959th flight scheduled for the 2nd December, he’s going to get there … “because dropping dead is not really in my top ten”, he says, “the bucket list does not include it!”.
The veteran traveller says his friends keep giving him brochures on retirement homes and suggesting the time has come for him to slow down, but he’s got too many flights planned.
“I say to my doctor, who I have a great relationship with, ‘I don’t think I’m ready for it, I’m too busy, I can’t really spare the time for retirement living,” he toldnews.com.au on a recent flight. “I’ve got mountains to climb, things to do and flights to take’ and he says ‘John you will know when the time has come and there are worse things than having the time of your life and dropping dead.’”
John Martin names his favourite Qantas aircraft as the WH-EBK. Source: Supplied
He travels all over the world to pursue his twin loves of theatre and flying.
“I made my money as a news editor, it was a good salary and a good job and I spent most of it with the tax office and Qantas, and it gave me, I think, the best life in the world. The things I’ve done, the places I’ve been, it’s been wonderful!
And while his body might be showing the signs of old age, his mind is still as sharp as a tack.
Mr Martin can name every one of the 278 different aircraft he’s flown on — and the ones he hasn’t.
He records the registration of every single flying kangaroo aircraft he flies on and will always try and book on aircraft that he has never flown on before.
“The one I want the most is VH-OQA — Qantas’ first A380 called Nancy Bird Walton, I’d like that one,” he says of the aircraft that has so far escaped him.
In fact, Mr Martin loves flying so much that he often flies Sydney to Perth or Melbourne and back again in the one day — simply for the joy of the flight and to say G’Day to all his friends in the Qantas lounge.
Mr Martin was presented with the keys to Qantas’ 75th Boeing 737-800. Source: Supplied
“I love Perth on the A332, I’ll go over on the 8.15am, spend a couple of hours in Perth then come back at night. To me, that is a great thing to do when you retire.”
He says he loves everything about flying, the movies, talking to the crew about the aircraft and it’s history and can’t understand why people find flying a hassle.
“People don’t like airports, but I’m the one in a million who does, I love sitting in the airport watching planes coming in and going out, pushing back. They’re all interesting to me.
Mr Martin, who has never married and never had children often flies to a destination and back on Christmas Day because he considers Qantas his family — and says they put on a great Christmas lunch in the lounge.
He was chuffed to be presented with the keys to Qantas’ 75th Boeing 737-800 last week, a retro-inspired aircraft which featured exactly the same livery as the inaugural B747 flight he flew on in 1971.
But he says the key to his long life is his passion for flight.
Qantas pilot Alex Passerini present John Martin with the keys. Source: Supplied
“This is (flight number) 958 and I would think given a reasonable chance, I’ll reach the 1000 and we’ll probably get an A380 and go under the Harbour Bridge or loop the loop,” he joked.
“I would have liked to have done the 1000 in the 50th year, because it was neat and it was tidy and somehow it was me. 1000 flights is the next goal, if it’s going to happen, it will happen and I think it will.
“But then again, I could be dead tomorrow and if that’s the case, I’ve had a wonderful life.”
But don’t think Qantas’ most enthusiastic flyer will be taking any Frequent Flyer points with him.
“I tend to use the (points) before they get too big, because if I died before I used them, it would kill me, it would be the end of the world, I mean going up to heaven with Frequent Flyer Points unused! The man upstairs says you can’t use them for the last trip, so there’s just no way.”
SOURCE::::www.news.com.au
Natarajan
Malaysia Airlines creates a stir with its latest promotion. Picture Simon Cross Source: News Corp Australia
MALAYSIA airlines has been slammed for its latest tweet that promotes its end of year specials. The tweet was criticised for its poor choice of words, which read, “Want to go somewhere, but don’t know where?”
Critics say the tweet was insensitive, following a devastating year for the airline that saw them lose two planes resulting in the deaths of hundreds of passengers.
Flight MH370 disappeared between Kuala Lumpur and Beijing on 8 March with 230 passengers on-board including 6 Australians. The plane is still missing.
Flight MH17 was shot down four months later by rebels over the Ukraine killing all 298 of its passengers. It
MH370 and MH17 where are we now?
Want to go somewhere, but don’t know where? Our Year-End Specials might just help! #keepflyinghttp://t.co/aHt4yRykzd pic.twitter.com/k6hEOZb42s
— Malaysia Airlines (@MAS) November 27, 2014
Twitter users responded to the airline’s tweet with astonishment criticising its poor choice of words.
The airline has run into controversy before with another inappropriate promotion earlier in the year that asked Australian and New Zealand travellers to enter a competition named, “My Ultimate Bucket List.”
Malaysia Airlines released the following statement regarding the incident.
“A recent tweet posted regarding our Year-End Specials was intended to inspire travelers during this holiday period to explore destinations and deals Malaysia Airlines is offering. Unfortunately, it unintentionally caused offence to some, and we have since removed the tweet.”
SOURCE:::: news.com.au
Natarajan
| According to most scientists, we are fast approaching a global food shortage. The amount of land used for agriculture is just not enough to meet the food demands of the global urban population. That is why creative means must be found to grow food in limited spaces. Nowhere is that problem more profound and noticeable than places like Singapore, where very little land is available. What did they do? They started farming UPWARDS… |
SOURCE:::You Tube and Ba-bamail.com
Natarajan
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Cal was out driving in the country, seeing how his new car handled the curvy roads at high speeds. As he rounded a corner, one of his tires blew.
When he got out of the car to change the tire, he noticed that he had stopped in front of the state mental asylum. There was also a man sitting on the brick wall in front of the facility. The driver went about his business, not paying any attention to the guy on the fence. He first took his tire iron and jack out of the car, and got the car jacked up. Then, he removed the hubcap. Next, he removed the six lug nuts, and placed them in the hubcap for safekeeping. About this time, the guy on the fence decided to start a conversation. This startled the driver, and he reeled around quickly, knocking over the hubcap, and the lug nuts fell into the sewer drain. The driver gets angry with the guy on the fence, shouting, “Now look what you made me do. Now I’m going to have to walk to town to buy some new lug nuts. Just go back inside and leave me be.” The guy on the fence says, “Why don’t you just take one lug nut from each of your other three wheels, and use them on this one. That should hold it steady enough for you to drive the car to the auto parts store.” The driver asks, “That’s a brilliant idea…then why are you here?” The guy on the fence replies, “I’m just crazy, not stupid.” SOURCE::::: joke a day.comNatarajan
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November morning sky at Old Scituate Light in Scituate, Massachusetts, USA.
.Photo by Daniel Levy Photography.
You can see more of Daniel’s photos here
SOURCE::::www.earthsky.org
Natarajan
Gustave Eiffel’s apartment had a lot of things going for it: beautiful furnishings, a grand piano, and its prime location were major highlights. And that’s before the fact that it was located on the third level of the tower he designed. After all, what’s the point of bringing such an architectural masterpiece into being if you don’t have a cool place to crash in it?
After the Eiffel Tower opened in 1889, Eiffel himself would entertain some of the greatest scientific minds in his pied-à-terre high above Paris. For many years, Eiffel’s apartment was off limits to tourists, but you can peer into it today and see what it was like in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
It’s the final week for our Aviation History Month articles, and this week we are looking at airlines between 1980 and 2000.
1989 saw a Qantas Boeing 747, fly non-stop from London to Sydney, setting a world record for a four engine jet, after having flown 11,000 miles in 20 hours. During the first half of the 1990’s, the industry suffered world recession, and in 1991, international passenger numbers dropped for the first time. The financial difficulties were aggravated by airlines over-ordering aircraft in the boom years of the late 1980s.
However, in 1993, The 1,000th Boeing 747 came off the production line 26 years after the first 747 was built. By 1997, all EU airlines were given unlimited rights to serve airports in other member states after the European Commission approved new regulations to liberalise air travel within the EU.
Virgin Atlantic
On June 22, 1984, the airline launched its inaugural flight from London Gatwick to Newark, consisting mainly of celebrities and media. The airline celebrated its 1,000,000thpassenger only 4 years afterwards, and in 1999, Richard Branson sold a 49% stake in the company to Singapore Airlines, which was later acquired by Delta Airlines.
Virgin Atlantic inaugural flight, 1984 [Image by Virgin Atlantic]
Emirates
The airline commenced operations on October 25, 1985, departing Dubai International Airport for Karachi in Pakistan. The airline began operations to Karachi, New Delhi and Bombay using Airbus A300 and Boeing 737 leased aircraft from Pakistan International Airlines. In 1992, the airline became the first to install video entertainment systems in all of its classes throughout its fleet, and in 1995 when the airline celebrated its tenth birthday; it could already boast 34 locations in the Middle East, Far East and Europe.
Emirates inaugural flight 1985. [Image by Gulf News]
Ryanair
The airline was established in 1985 with a share capital of £1 and 25 employees, using only a 15-seater Embraer EMB 110 Bandeirante aircraft. By 1990, Ryanair dropped its Business Class product and closed the Frequent Flyer Club, to re-launch as Europe’s first low fares airline, using only Boeing 737 aircraft. 1992 saw more than one million passengers carried in a year for the first time. The airline stopped serving meals and served only snacks instead, leading to the birth of the ‘peanut airline’.
Ryanair ATR 42-300. [Image by airliners.net]
Air China
Air China was established in 1988 after the Chinese Government decided to split the operating divisions of Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) into six separate airlines, including Air China. The carrier was given chief responsibility for intercontinental flights, and took over the CAAC’s long haul aircraft and routes, including its Boeing 747s, 767s and 707s. In 2001, Air China acquired China Southwest Airlines following a merger plan.
Air China A340
Jet Airways
Jet Airways was incorporated in 1993 as an air taxi operator with a fleet of four leased Boeing 737-300 aircraft from Malaysia Airlines. The operator became a scheduled airline in 1995, after the Air Corporations Act was abolished, and began its first international operation in March 2004, from Chennai to Colombo.
Jet Airways A340, 2005, with 1993-2007 livery. [Image by Adrian Pingstone
SOURCE:::: Poppy Marello in http://www.routesonline.com
Natarajan
Every year, Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), a leading networking organisation specialising in higher education, draws up a list of the best student cities in the world.
To be considered for ranking, each of these cities must meet two basic criteria: a population of at least 2,50,000 and at least two higher education institutions featured in the QS university rankings.
While nearly 116 cities were considered for the rankings, Top 50 cities were selected.
To arrive at this year’s list, the organisation used 18 different indicators which were then combined to score under five key categories — university rankings, student mix, desirability, employer activity and affordability. With 100 points for each category, the overall score was rated out of 500.
While QS has released a list of Top 50 best student cities, we bring you the Top 10.
10. Seoul, South Korea
Overall score: 372 out of 500
Number of universities ranked by QS: 14
Average tuition fees: US$6,300 (Approx 3,89,600 INR)
Mercer Cost of Living rank: 14th (out of 214)
Top ranked institutions: Seoul National University (SNU); Korea University
Known for its active social life, it isn’t surprising to find Seoul in the list of best student cities in the world.
With 14 top ranked universities, the city scores high among university rankings and employer activity, as per the QS rankings for ‘Best Student Cities 2015’.
9. Toronto, Canada
Overall score: 375 out of 500
Number of universities ranked by QS: 3
Average tuition fees: US$21,700 (Approx 13,41,990 INR)
Mercer Cost of Living rank: 101st (out of 214)
Top ranked institutions: University of Toronto; York University
In ninth place is Toronto.
The city leads for its desirability factor (quality of life), and scores a straight 100 toppling cities like Sydney and Tokyo that score 98 and 95 under the desirability index.
8. Montreal, Canada
Overall score: 380 out of 500
Number of universities ranked by QS: 3
Average tuition fees: US$14,300 (Approx 8,84,350 INR)
Mercer Cost of Living rank: NA
Top ranked institutions: McGill University; Universite de Montreal; Concordia University
The cultural capital of Canada, Montreal scores the highest in the list for its ‘student mix’.
According to QS, the city provides a host of professional and internship opportunities, thus adding to its ’employer activity’, both domestically and internationally.
7. Tokyo, Japan
Overall score: 385 out of 500
Number of universities ranked by QS: 12
Average tuition fees: US$7,700 (Approx 4,76,190 INR)
Mercer Cost of Living rank: 7th (out of 214)
Top ranked institutions: University of Tokyo; Tokyo Institute of Technology
According to QS, the city scores well on the ‘desirability’ index which comprises factors such as safety, quality of living, tolerance, transparency and pollution.
6. Boston, Massachusetts
Overall score: 386 out of 500
Number of universities ranked by QS: 7
Average tuition fees: US$43,900 (Approx 27,14,900 INR)
Mercer Cost of Living rank: 109th (out of 214)
Top ranked institutions: Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT); Harvard University; Boston University
With top ranked institutions like the MIT, Harvard and Boston University, the city naturally attracts student population from across the world.
Add to it, positive employer activity and need-based funding, Boston makes for an attractive education destination.
5. Hong Kong, Asia
Overall score: 387 out of 500
Number of universities ranked by QS: 7
Average tuition fees: US$13,000 (Approx 8,03,960 INR)
Mercer Cost of Living rank: 3rd (out of 214)
Top ranked institutions: University of Hong Kong (HKU), Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST)
The city races up two places from last year’s rankings to emerge fifth on the list.
According to QS, what worked in its favour is its “diverse student community, high rating from graduate employers, and a strong overall score in the ‘desirability’ category”.
4. Sydney, Australia
Overall score: 388 out of 500
Number of universities ranked by QS: Five
Top ranked institutions: The University of Sydney; The University of New South Wales (UNSW)
Average tuition fees: US$28,600
Mercer Cost of Living rank: 26th (out of 214)
According to QS, the city scores high on student mix (consider factors like student diversity, social inclusion and tolerance), desirability (quality of life) and employer activity’.
3. London, United Kingdom
Overall score: 392 out of 500
Number of universities ranked by QS: 18
Average tuition fees: US$22,100 (Approx 13,66,730 INR)
Mercer Cost of Living rank: 12th (out of 214)
Top ranked institutions: Imperial College London, UCL (University College London); King’s College London (KCL); London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)
According to an estimate from the UK’s National Union of Students (NUS), the average annual cost of living in England (excluding London) for students is £12,056 (US$19,490).
The financial city largely attracts students who want to make a mark in the corporate world — London scored 100 under the ’employer activity’ index.
With so many world class universities combined with the affordability factor, the city favours both home and international students.
2. Melbourne, Australia
Overall score: 397 out of 500
Number of universities ranked by QS: Seven
Mercer Cost of Living rank: 33rd (out of 214)
Average tuition fees: US$22,700 (Approx 14,02,240 INR)
Top ranked institutions: University of Melbourne, Monash University, Deakin University
With eight top ranked institutions, the Australian city has moved up three places from last year’s rankings to feature on the second place.
According to QS, Melbourne has the highest ‘student mix’ — calculated based on the relative size and diversity of each city’s student population, as well as levels of social inclusion and tolerance.
It also ranked best for ’employer activity’ and ‘desirability’ (quality of living).
1. Paris, France
Overall score: 412 out of 500
Number of universities ranked by QS: 17
Average tuition fees: US$2,400 (Approx 1, 48, 250 INR)
Mercer Cost of Living rank: 27th (out of 214)
For the third consecutive year, the city has topped the QS Best Student Cities index.
With 17 top ranked universities, Paris offered tough competition to London, which has 18 universities to its credit.
According to QS, students in Paris enjoy extensive access to leading academics, with top universities featuring a better teacher to student ratio.
SOURCE:::: http://www.rediff.com
Natarajan
Take off with Natarajan 