Burj Khalifa Tower..Dubai

In January 2004, Dubai announced Burj Khalifa to the world with the claim, ‘History Rising’. Six years on and history has most certainly ‘risen’. Burj Khalifa will soon be transformed into a vibrant community for thousands of residents, employees, hotel guests and tourists. Up to 12,000 people will live, work and play inside the world’s tallest building. The tower is the focal point of the 500-acre master planned community Downtown Burj Khalifa, which is widely described as the most prestigious square kilometre on earth. Burj Khalifa is the development’s crowing glory in every sense, a building that has pushed the boundaries of design and engineering further than many thought possible. Excavation work for the tower began soon after the announcement of its launch, with more than 60 contractors and consultants joining forces on a project of unprecedented scale and ambition. When construction work was at its most intense, more than 12,000 people from over 100 countries were working every day at the Burj Khalifa site. In total, Burj Khalifa took 22 million man hours to build. Mr. Mohamed Alabbar, Chairman, Emaar Properties, said Burj Khalifa was a shining example of global collaboration. “Burj Khalifa shows just what can be achieved when people from all over the world come together to strive for a common purpose.” Standing at more than 800 metres (2,625 ft), Burj Khalifa captivates audiences with its height. But its construction underground is equally worthy of fascination. More than 45,000 cubic metres (1.59 million cubic ft) of concrete, weighing more than 110,000 tonnes, make up the tower’s steel-reinforced foundations with 192 piles running to a depth of over 50 metres (164 ft). Work on Burj Khalifa’s superstructure began in March 2005, with the foundation work alone taking 12 months. The distinctive triple-buttressed outline of the Burj Khalifa was inspired by the desert lily Hymenocallis. Extensive seismic and wind tunnel testing was carried out to perfect the design of the tower. The triple-buttressed shape of Burj Khalifa allows it to manage the effect of wind vortices generated around the tower, as well as changes in atmospheric pressure between its base and spire. The main construction material of Burj Khalifa is reinforced concrete, specially designed to withstand the staggering pressures inherent in the world’s tallest building. In total, Burj Khalifa employs a record-breaking 330,000 cubic meters (11.6 million cubic feet) of concrete; 39,000 metric tonnes of reinforced steel; 103,000 sq m (1.1 million sq ft) of double glazed glass; and 15,500 sq m (166,800 sq ft) of embossed stainless steel. Once the lengthy construction work of its foundation was complete, the vertical ascent of Burj Khalifa was surprisingly fast. The first 100 levels of the tower were completed only 1,093 days after excavation started. A level was added every three days before the uppermost levels of the tower were reached. In November 2007, the concrete for the highest reinforced core walls of Burj Khalifa was pumped from ground level to a height of 601 metres (1,978 ft), breaking the previous record for concrete pumping held by Taipei 101. The pressure generated during the pumping work reached nearly 200 bars. Work on the glass and aluminium exterior cladding of Burj Khalifa started in May 2007 and was completed in September 2009. Nearly 400 skilled engineers were assigned to the project. At the outset, around 20-30 cladding panels were installed each day. The daily rate of installation reached 175 panels as the project neared completion. Burj Khalifa has set a new world record for the highest installation of an aluminium and glass façade, at 512 metres (1,679.8 ft). A staggering total of 24,348 panels cover a curtain wall area of 132,190 square metres (1.4 million sq ft). But the Burj Khalifa’s shimmering exterior is designed to minimise heat transmission into the building itself, therefore saving energy. Condensation from the panels is also collected and used for landscape irrigation. Burj Khalifa’s spire may resemble a needle at ground level, but in reality it is a colossal structure made up of 4,000 tonnes of structural steel. Nor is it exclusively ornamental, housing as it does communications equipment for the tower. With a total built up area of around 6 million square feet, Burj Khalifa is set to become a living, vibrant community in the heart of Dubai. Around 2 million square feet inside the tower is dedicated to luxury residential apartments, while more than 300,000 square feet is allocated for office space. That’s in addition to the sections of the tower taken up by the world-first Armani Hotel Dubai and the Armani Residences Dubai. Countless artworks by prominent Middle Eastern and international artists, including sculptures and various contemporary installations, adorn the interiors of Burj Khalifa and line Emaar Boulevard throughout Downtown Burj Khalifa. A total of 57 elevators and eight escalators serve people living, working and enjoying their leisure time inside the tower. Burj Khalifa has four swimming pools, a cigar lounge, residents’ lounge, the fine dining restaurant ‘At.mosphere’, and a variety of health and fitness facilities. Moreover, the tower’s 124th floor observation deck, ‘At the Top, Burj Khalifa’, offers 360-degree views of the city and is open to the public. Burj Khalifa features ‘The Offices’, a 12-storey annex of prime office space; ‘The Club’, a four-storey health and fitness centre; and ‘Armani/Pavilion’, an outdoor entertainment venue that opens onto the Burj Khalifa Lake and The Dubai Fountain, described as the world’s tallest ‘performing fountain’. Visitors to the ‘At The Top, Burj Khalifa’ observation deck can read the ‘I am Burj Khalifa’ legend once they reach the ‘From the earth to the sky’, section of the tour. Its opening stanza reads: “I am the power that lifts the world’s head proudly skywards, surpassing limits and expectations. Rising gracefully from the desert and honouring the city with a new glory, I am an extraordinary union of engineering and art, with every detail carefully considered and beautifully crafted...” “I am the heart of the city and its people, the marker that defines Emaar’s ambition and Dubai’s shining dream. More than just a moment in time, I define moments for future generations…” From the ‘‘From the earth to the sky’’, one can view Level 124 and the summit of Burj Khalifa at a near vertical angle.

Rare coin valued at 2.3 million pounds..

MIAMI (Reuters) – A rare 1913 U.S. coin once owned by an Egyptian king and later featured in a famous U.S. TV detective series was sold for more than $3.7 million (2.3 million pounds) in a public auction in Florida, the auctioneers said on Friday.
The so-called Liberty Head nickel, one of only five known of that specific date and design, was sold "in spirited bidding" to a private East Coast coin collector in Orlando late on Thursday, said Greg Rohan, president of Dallas, Texas-based Heritage Auctions. The buyer wished to remain anonymous.
The $3,737,500 price for the five-cent coin included a 15 percent buyer's premium.
"It is probably the most famous United States rare coin," Rohan said in a statement.
Once part of the coin collection owned by Egypt's King Farouk, who was deposed in 1952, the Liberty nickel changed hands several times and featured as part of the plot in a 1973 episode of the well-known CBS TV series "Hawaii Five-O."
The value of the rare coin, which was made at the Philadelphia Mint with the Miss Liberty design, crossed the million dollar mark in 2003.

Happy New Year 2010!!

Another year has past.Another year has come.There would be new aspiration,new dreams to follow,new resolutions and it's because it's New Year.Everyone of us has a dreams in life.I for one has a dreams in life...that our place where we live now (EARTH)..peace will reign,progress will continue and people will help each other...No more typhoons or disaster,no more corruptions,no more crimes..Love and peace will reign...but one thing I remind you..If you have a problem,don't be a problem,and if you cannot solve your problem,don't blame others!!I hope everyone will have a blessful and fruitul new year to come.Happy New Year to All!!

China unveils fastest link train for two Modern Cities..

BEIJING (AFP) – China on Saturday unveiled what it billed as the fastest rail link in the world -- a train connecting the modern cities of Guangzhou and Wuhan at an average speed of 350 kilometres (217 miles) an hour.
The super-high-speed train reduces the 1,069 kilometre journey to a three hour ride and cuts the previous journey time by more than seven and a half hours, the official Xinhua news agency said.
Work on the project began in 2005 as part of plans to expand a high-speed network aimed at eventually linking Guangzhou, a business hub in southern China near Hong Kong, with the capital Beijing, Xinhua added.
"The train can go 394.2 kilometres per hour, it's the fastest train in operation in the world," Zhang Shuguang, head of the transport bureau at the railways ministry, told Xinhua.
Test runs for the service began earlier in December and the link officially went into service when the first scheduled train left the eastern metropolis of Wuhan on Saturday.
By comparison, the average for high-speed trains in Japan was 243 kilometres per hour while in France it was 277 kilometres per hour, said Xu Fangliang, general engineer in charge of designing the link, according to Xinhua.
Beijing has an ambitious rail development programme aimed at increasing the national network from the current 86,000 kilometres to 120,000 kilometres, making it the most extensive rail system outside the United States.
China unveiled its first high-speed line at the time of the Beijing Olympics in 2008 -- a service linking the capital with the port city of Tianjin.
In September, officials said they planned to build 42 high-speed lines by 2012 in a massive system overhaul as part of efforts to spur economic growth amid the global downturn.
The network uses technology developed in co-operation with foreign firms such as Siemens, Bombardier and Alstom.

Simple Noche Buena at Offshore..

Another Christmas has past..4 years na ako d2 sa KSA nagpasko..ang hirap kaya ng buhay ko..but anyway let get straight to the point..Last night we had a party at offshore,where I was working..it was a very simple one but for me..it was very memorable.My kabayans have planned this things a week ago to have this party.I was very excited to join as it was my first time to join Christmas party in offshore..We don't prepare much food but the point is..we share what we had even if in a little way..Foods are good and delicious and everybody was enjoying..Take a look of the pose of this people.I was the one who photograpph them..Merry Christmas everyone!!

What will you do if your phone is soaked in Water..

This happened to mine. whatever you do immediately take your phone battery out. the reason why our phones stop working after its in the water is because you try to turn it on again without letting it dry and the battery shorts the phone. now u have to be patient this is the ONLY WAY. You have to put your phone in a bag of rice..i know this sounds crazy but the rice sucks up all the moisture..leave it there for 2-3 days...WITHOUT turning the phone off..that is crucial. and then try to leave it on something warm like a tv...i did this and i turned my blackberry on and it works PERFECT. I swear it was even sitting in water for over 30 secs. GOOD LUCK..and whatever you do..DO NOT CHECK TO SEE IF IT WORKS...wait at least 2.5 full days. Good luck guys..

Monster Icebergs breaking it's drift closer to Australia..

SYDNEY (AFP) – An island-sized iceberg is breaking up as it drifts closer to Australia, producing hundreds of smaller slabs spread over a massive area of ocean, experts said Monday.
The 140-square-kilometre (54-square-mile) block of ice, known as B17B, was seen some 1,700 kilometres (1,054 miles) south-southwest of Australia's western coast on December 9, prompting a maritime alert for vessels in the area.
But as it has tracked further north and east the iceberg has shrunk to some 115 square kilometres -- still formidable at about twice the size of Manhattan.
"There are now many more smaller icebergs calving off B17B, measuring up to several kilometres in length, and spread over more than a thousand kilometres of ocean," said Australian Antarctic Division glaciologist Neal Young.
Young, who has tracked B17B using satellite images from NASA and the European Space Agency, said the iceberg was some 400 square kilometres in area and 40 metres high when it first broke off from Antarctica.
"If you didn't know about the early picture you would still say it's a monster," Young told AFP.
Young said he expected B17B to totally dissolve but was unable to predict when this would happen.
"Might be two weeks, might be several weeks. The key thing at the moment is it's getting thinner," he said.
"It's got its feet in what it thinks is warm water -- about six to eight degrees Celsius (45 F) -- we think that's freezing cold but for an iceberg that's quite warm.
"So it's thinning from the bottom and that's what's going to lead to it breaking up."
The iceberg, which calved from the eastern end of the Ross Ice Shelf nearly 10 years ago, is expected to continue tracking in a more easterly direction.
Australian authorities last week issued a shipping alert over the possible hazard from icebergs.