1. In the weightlessness of space a frozen pea will explode if it comes in contact with Pepsi.

2. The increased electricity used by modern appliances is causing a shift in the Earth's magnetic field. By the year 2327, the North Pole will be located in mid Kansas, while the South Pole will be just off the coast of East Africa.

3. The idea for "tribbles" in "Star Trek" came from gerbils, since some gerbils are actually born pregnant.

4. Male rhesus monkeys often hang from tree branches by their amazing prehensile penises.

5. Johnny Plessey batted .331 for the Cleveland Spiders in 1891, even though he spent the entire season batting with a rolled up, lacquered copy of the Toledo Post Dispatch.

6. Smearing a small amount of dog feces on an insect bite will relieve the itching and swelling.

7. The Boeing 747 is capable of flying upside down if it weren't for the fact that the wings would shear off when trying to roll it over.

8. The trucking company Elvis Presley worked at as a young man was owned by Frank Sinatra.

9. The only golf course on the island of Tonga has 15 holes, and there's no penalty if a monkey steals your golf ball.

10. Legislation passed during WWI making it illegal to say "gesundheit" to a sneezer was never repealed.

11. Manatees possess vocal chords which give them the ability to speak like humans, but don't do so because they have no ears with which to hear the sound.

12. SCUBA divers cannot pass gas at depths of 12.33 feet or below.

13. Catfish are the only animals that naturally have an ODD number of whiskers.

14. Replying more than 100 times to the same piece of spam email will overwhelm the sender's system and interfere with their ability to send any more spam.

15. Polar bears can eat as many as 86 penguins in a single sitting.

16. The first McDonald's restaurant opened for business in 1952 in Edinburgh, Scotland, and featured the McHaggis sandwich.

17. The Air Force's F117 fighter uses aerodynamics discovered during research into how bumblebees fly.

18. You can get blood from a stone, but only if contains at least 18.17 percent bauxite.

19. Silly Putty was "discovered" as the residue left behind after the first latex condoms were produced. It's not widely publicized for obvious reasons.

20. Approximately one sixth of your life is spent on Wednesdays.

21. The skin needed for elbow transplants must be taken from the scrotum of a cadaver.

22. The sport of jai alai originated from a game played by Incan priests who held cats by their tails and swung at leather balls. The cats would instinctively grab at the ball with their claws, thus enabling players to catch them.

23. A cat's purr has the same romance enhancing frequency as the voice of singer Barry White.

24. The typewriter was invented by Hungarian immigrant Qwert Yuiop, who left his "signature" on the keyboard.

25. The volume of water that the Giant Sequoia tree consumes in a 24hour period contains enough suspended minerals to pave 17.3 feet of a 4lane concrete freeway.

26. King Henry VIII slept with a gigantic axe.

27. Because printed materials are being replaced by CDROM, microfiche and the Internet, libraries that previously sank into their foundations under the weight of their books are now in danger of collapsing in extremely high winds.

28. In 1843, a Parisian street mime got stuck in his imaginary box and consequently died of starvation.

29. Touchtone telephone keypads were originally planned to have buttons for Police and Fire Departments, but they were replaced with * and # when the project was cancelled in favor of developing the 911 system.

30. Human saliva has a boiling point three times that of regular water.

31. Calvin, of the "Calvin and Hobbes" comic strip, was patterned after President Calvin Coolidge, who had a pet tiger as a boy.

32. Watching an hour long soap opera burns more calories than watching a three hour baseball game.

33. Until 1978, Camel cigarettes contained minute particles of real camels.

34. You can actually sharpen the blades on a pencil sharpener by wrapping your pencils in aluminum foil before inserting them.

35. To human taste buds, Zima is virtually indistinguishable from zebra urine.

36. Seven out of every ten hockey playing. Canadians will lose a tooth during a game. For Canadians who don't play hockey, that figure drops to five out of ten.

37. A dog's naked behind leaves absolutely no bacteria when pressed against carpet.

38. A team of University of Virginia researchers released a study promoting the practice of picking one's nose, claiming that the health benefits of keeping nasal passages free from infectious blockages far outweigh the negative social connotations.

39. Among items left behind at Osama bin Laden's headquarters in Afghanistan were 27 issues of Mad Magazine. Al Qaeda members have admitted that bin Laden is reportedly an avid reader.

40. Urine from male cape water buffaloes is so flammable that some tribes use it for lantern fuel.

41. At the first World Cup championship in Uruguay, 1930, the soccer balls were actually monkey skulls wrapped in paper and leather.

42. Every Labrador retriever dreams about bananas.

43. If you put a bee in a film canister for two hours, it will go blind and leave behind its weight in honey.

44. Due to the angle at which the optic nerve enters the brain, staring at a blue surface during sex greatly increases the intensity of orgasms.

45. Never hold your nose and cover your mouth when sneezing, as it can blow out your eyeballs.

46. Centuries ago, purchasing real estate often required having one or more limbs amputated in order to prevent the purchaser from running away to avoid repayment of the loan. Hence an expensive purchase was said to cost "an arm and a leg."

47. When Mahatma Gandhi died, an autopsy revealed five gold Krugerrands in his small intestine.

48. Aardvarks are allergic to radishes, but only during summer months.

49. If you part your hair on the right side, you were born to be carnivorous. If you part it on the left, your physical and psychological makeup is that of a vegetarian.

50. When immersed in liquid, a dead sparrow will make a sound like a crying baby.

51. In WWII the US military planned to airdrop over France propaganda in the form of Playboy magazine, with coded messages hidden in the models' turnons and turnoffs. The plan was scrapped because of a staple shortage due to rationing of metal.

52. Although difficult, it's possible to start a fire by rapidly rubbing together two Cool Ranch Doritos.

53. Napoleon's favorite type of wood was knotty chestnut.

54. The world's smartest pig, owned by a mathematics teacher in Madison, WI, memorized the multiplication tables up to 12.

55. Due to the natural "momentum" of the ocean, saltwater fish cannot swim backwards.

56. In ancient Greece, children of wealthy families were dipped in olive oil at birth to keep them hairless throughout their lives.

57. It is nearly three miles farther to fly from Amarillo, Texas to Louisville, Kentucky than it is to return from Louisville to Amarillo.

58. The "nine lives" attributed to cats is probably due to their having nine primary whiskers.

59. The original inspiration for Barbie dolls comes from dolls developed by German propagandists in the late 1930s to impress young girls with the ideal notions of Aryan features. The proportions for Barbie were actually based on those of Eva Braun.

60. The Venezuelan brown bat can detect and dodge individual raindrops in midflight, arriving safely back at his cave completely dry.

61. Coca Cola was the favored drink of Pharaoh Ramses. An inscription found in his tomb, when translated, was found to be almost identical to the recipe used today.

1. People who ride on roller coasters have a higher chance of having a blood           clot in the brain.

2. Black bears are not always black they can be brown, cinnamon, yellow and          sometimes white.

3. People with blue eyes see better in dark.

4. Each year 30,000 people are seriously injured by exercise equipment.

5. The placement of a donkey?s eyes in its head enables it to see all four feet.

6. The sun is 330330 times larger than the earth.

7. The cow gives nearly 200000 glass of milk in her lifetime.

8. There are more female than male millionaires in the U.S.A.

9. A male baboon can kill a leopard.

10. When a person dies, hearing is usually the first sense to go.

11. Bill gates house was designed using Macintosh computer.

12. Nearly 22,000 cheques will be deducted from the wrong account over the             next hour.

13. Almost all varieties of breakfast cereals are made from grass.

14. Some lions mates over 50 times a day.

15. American did not commonly use forks until after the civil war.

16. The most productive day of the week is Tuesday.

17. In the 1930?s America track star Jesse Owens used to race against horses         and dogs to earn a living.

18. There is a great mushroom in Oregon that is 2,400 years old. It Covers 3.4          square miles of land and is still growing.

19. Jimmy Carter is the first USA president to have born in hospital.

20. Elephants are the only animals that cannot jump.

21. Cleopatra married two of her brothers.

22. Human birth control pill works on gorillas.

23. The right lung takes in more air than the left.

24. It is illegal to own a red car in shanghai china.

25. A hard-boiled egg will spin. An uncooked or soft-boiled egg will not.

26. Astronauts cannot burp in space.

27. The snowiest city in the USA is Blue Canyon, California.

28. Lake Nicaragua in Nicaragua is the only fresh water lake in the world that         has sharks.

29. Kite flying is a professional sport in Thailand.

30. The great warrior Genghis khan died in bed while having sex.

31. No matter how cold it gets gasoline will not freeze.

32. SNAILS have 14175 teeth laid along 135 rows on their tongue.

33. A BUTTERFLY has 12,000 eyes.

34. Dolphins sleep with 1 eye open.

35. A BLUE WHALE can eat as much as 3 tones of food everyday, but at the           same time can live without food for 6 months.

36. The EARTH has over 12,00,000 species of animals, 3,00,000 species of               plants & 1,00,000 other species.

37. The fierce DINOSAUR was TYRANNOSAURS which has sixty long &               sharp teeth, used to attack & eat other dinosaurs.

38. DEMETRIO was a mammal like REPTILE with a snail on its back. This           acted as a radiator to cool the body of the animal.

39. CASSOWARY is one of the dangerous BIRDS that can kill a man or animal       by tearing off with its dagger like claw.

40. The SWAN has over 25,000 feathers in its body.

41. OSTRICH eats pebbles to help digestion by grinding up the ingested food.

42. POLAR BEAR can look clumsy & slow but during chase on ice, can reach         25 miles / hr of speed.

43. KIWIS are the only birds, which hunt by sense of smell.

44. ELEPHANT teeth can weigh as much as 9 pounds.

45. OWL is the only bird, which can rotate its head to 270 degrees.

46. In the last 4000 years, no new animals have been domesticated.

47. On average, people fear spiders more than they do death.

48. The cigarette lighter was invented before the match.

49. Like fingerprints, everyone's tongue print is different.

50. Tapeworms range in size from about 0.04 inch to more than 50 feet in                 length.

51. German Shepherds bite humans more than any other breed of dog.

52. A female mackerel lays about 500,000 eggs at one time.

53. Crane sleeps standing on one leg.

54. Shark cannot see, they are very sensitive to sound.

55. Sneezing stops heart beat for a second and then continues.

56. Shape of the backbone is important to have sufficient breathing.

57. Tortoise has very sharp teeth it can rip open the stomach of whale with its           teeth.

Financial Literacy Education

PNC is your comprehensive source of financial aid and personal finance education. Learn to minimize college debt by making smart financial choices. Sample a single multimedia module or take the entire course.

As a college student, you already know that college can be a demanding experience. From maintaining your grades to making new friends, each day presents its own challenges. But for many students, college also presents a very real financial challenge. In fact, attending college is one of the single largest expenses most adults will ever have. If you receive financial aid, you know that the amount of aid your receive is often determined by factors you can't control, like your parents' income, the cost of your school, and how each school calculates financial need. But once you arrive on campus, you're in total control of your spending decisions, perhaps for the first time.

Choosing the Right Loan

Choosing the right loan is important for minimizing overall education cost.

Student loan choices can make a real difference in both cost and convenience. Federal loans may offer loan forgiveness options in which some or even the entire loan is repaid based on the work students do after college while private loans may offer discounts off the interest rate.

That said, once federal loan limits are maxed out, private loans can be a sensible choice - as long as you pick the right one.

Before choosing any education loan, make sure you can answer the following questions:

Is the loan a federal or a private loan? Federal loans should be the first choice.

What is the loan interest rate? Private loan interest rates typically vary depending on the borrower and co-signer credit history. Private loans are often subject to credit approval and other required criteria.

Will you be required to make loan payments or pay interest while you are enrolled? Paying interest while in school is a good idea, but ideally it should be an option, not a requirement.

If you do not pay interest while enrolled, how often will interest be capitalized or added to the remaining principal on your loan? The more frequent the capitalization, the more expensive the loan is likely to be (provided you are comparing with another loan with the same interest rate).

Will the lender also be the ongoing loan servicer or will the loan be sold or transferred for service once it is made?

Who will be your servicer?

How easy is it to access the lender and servicer by web, phone or in-person? If you have questions, you need an easy way to get answers.

How Are Federal Loans Repaid?

You can repay your loans by sending monthly checks to your loan servicer or you can set up monthly automated payments deducted from your bank account. Automated payments reduce the chances of a missed payment, which can mean additional fees and higher interest rates. Some lenders and loan servicers offer an interest rate discount if you set up automated payments from a bank account.

There are several different options for structuring the amount of your monthly payments on federal loans:

Standard Repayment Schedule: You pay a fixed amount throughout your repayment period, which is usually up to 10 years. If you can handle the monthly payments, which start higher than other options but remain the same throughout repayment, this plan enables you to pay off your loan as soon as possible. This option is typically the least expensive repayment option overall, since you pay less interest.

Graduated Repayment Schedule: This schedule begins with a lower monthly payment amount than the Standard Schedule and then increases the amount on a periodic

Student Loans for College

Wells Fargo GraduateSM Loan

A Wells Fargo Graduate Loan is designed for graduate students who are seeking MBA, law, or other graduate degrees, and who want to qualify for a loan on their own without a cosigner.

Cover the cost of education, including tuition, fees, books, living expenses, and more.

Benefits:

• Make no payments until six months after leaving school.
• Pay no application, origination, or early repayment fees.
• Select a competitive fixed or variable interest rate option.
• Reduce your loan cost with our interest rate discounts.
• Most students can qualify on his or her own without a cosigner. However, a cosigner may potentially help you get a lower interest rate.

MedCAP® Loan for Health Professionals

A Wells Fargo MedCAP Loan is designed for students in medical, nursing, dental, and other health-related programs.

Cover cost of education, including tuition, books, lab supplies, computers, or living expenses.1

Benefits:

• Make no payments until six months after leaving school (up to 60 months for M.D. and D.O. students).
• Pay no application, origination, or early repayment fees.
• Select a competitive fixed or variable interest rate option.
• Reduce your loan cost with our interest rate discounts.
• Most students can qualify on his or her own without a cosigner. However, a cosigner may potentially help you get a lower interest rate.

For More DetailsClick Here

Uncle Sam has pushed another bank out of the $1.2 trillion student loan sector.

JPMorgan Chase, which has been steadily backing out of the classroom over the past few years, said yesterday it would exit student loans on Oct. 12.

Since 2010, when Congress allowed Washington to lend directly to students, government loans have grown to dominate the business — owning an 80-percent-plus market share.

From 2011 to 2012, Uncle Sam wrote 93 percent of the $105 billion student loans originated, according to Consumer Bankers Association.

Reflecting that change, Jamie Dimon’s JPM has seen revenue from student loans fall from $6.9 billion in 2008 to a pedestrian $200 million, according to bank officials.

It is not clear how the exit of the country’s No. 1 bank from student loan will affect students.

JPMorgan has informed some 200 universities and colleges via memo that it was heading for the exits.

Last year, JPMorgan said it would no longer offer student loans to non-customers.

Government loans under the Direct Loan program come with lower interest rates and are guaranteed to all students.

Private bank loans require better credit scores.

With the pressure from Washington, Dimon views student loans as a marginal money maker.

The entire private lending industry has shrunk by nearly 75 percent, with student lending totaling roughly $6 billion in 2012 compared to a robust $23 billion in 2008, public data show.

Bank of America exited student lending in 2009, followed a year later by Citigroup. Last year, US Bancorp exited the game.

Student loans have grown 20 percent over the 17 months through May 2013, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which in July estimated total outstanding student loan debt stood at $1.2 trillion.

In addition to pressure from Washington, banks could also be tempted to exit student loans because of risk. Some industry observers have described student loans as the next bubble given the growing cost of college tuition and spiking rates.

“The biggest concern we see is loans are more restrictive while education has become more expensive,” said George Janas, president of Consumer Debt Counselors.

Indeed, since 1980, college tuition and fees have swelled by 1,100 percent — four times the rate of inflation, according to CBA.

Janas said that the decline of private lenders could make it more difficult for student loan borrowers to obtain a loan but also noted that a lot of borrowers aren’t understanding the risk associated with obtaining school debt.

JPMorgan told the colleges and universities it works with that it will still continue to service applications in the pipeline.

Sallie Mae, Wells Fargo and Discover are the top three lenders in the private student lending arena.

In the wake of JPMorgan’s announcement, Wells said that it would continue to be a student lender

“We are committed to the private student lending business and offering products and services that help customers succeed financially,” John Rasmussen,Wells Fargo head of Education Financial Services, asserted in a statement.

Student Loans for International and Study Abroad Students

If you are looking for a student loan to fund your international education, we can help. Whether you are an international student in the US or a US student studying abroad – finding a student loan doesn't have to be difficult and with our student loan comparison tool you can find the right loan in seconds – and then apply online.

Why International Student Loans?

Studying overseas is expensive, and many students struggle to fund their international studies. Scholarships and grants are available, but they are very competitive and rarely cover all of your expenses. A loan can cover up to the total cost of attendance, as determined by your school, minus any other aid received.

Here are just a few of the costs your international student loan will cover:

• Tuition 
• Room and board 
• Books and supplies 
• Travel and transportation
• Health insurance
• Living expenses

 Even if you already have been awarded financial aid, you may find that you are still coming up short. In cases like these, international student loans can cover the difference – or they can cover the total cost of your education.

International Student Loans

IEFA has partnered with the leading provider of international student loan programs to provide students around the world with financial aid options to fund their education abroad. Through this site, you will gain access to the only loan comparison tool designed specifically for international students. Simply enter in your information to the loan widget and you will be shown the loan options that are available to you. There are up to 8 lenders who are currently providing financial aid to international students, and more will be added as time goes by so start searching today!

How do I apply for a student loan?

You can compare lenders and apply right online. Instant approval of your loan can be as quick as a few weeks.Click here to start your loan application.

Who is eligible to apply for international student loans?

Students who are not U.S. citizens or non-citizen permanent residents and who are attending an eligible U.S. college or university. Borrowers are required to have a creditworthy cosigner who is a U.S. citizen or a non-citizen permanent resident. Students who are not U.S. citizens or non-citizen permanent residents and who are attending schools outside the U.S. are not currently eligible for our loans.

I'm a non-US citizen nor a US-permanent resident studying in a destination outside the US, am I eligible for a loan?

Unfortunately, our loan programs are for international students from anywhere in the world studying in the United States, or for US students studying abroad. We do not currently have a program for international students studying elsewhere in the world, even with a US co-signer.

When I take out a student loan, how much do I pay back and when?

The interest rate and repayment will depend on the loan option and lender you select. After you select the loan that works best for you, you will need to review the terms or contact the lender directly with your questions. The interest rate is calculated based on an index plus a margin that will add an additional percentage interest rate depending on your cosigner's creditworthiness. Based on their creditworthiness, an additional interest rate will be added to the index which will be the total interest rate you owe and at that point you can determine whether you'd like to proceed. Every lender's range varies so it is important to do the loan comparison and review the interest rate and repayment terms.

For more detailsClick here

For More DetailsClick Here

Indian Award Winner...

Ø Ashoka Chakra:                                               Naik Nar Bahadur Thapa, Havildar Bachittar                                                                                       Singh, Flt Lt Suhas Biswas, 1952

Ø Ashoka Chakra Award to a civilian:               D.K. Jatar (posthumous) and M.C Dixit

Ø Bharat Ratna:                                                  Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, C. Rajagopalachari,                                                                               and C. V. Raman, 1954

Ø Commandeur of the Order of Arts and Letters:      Mrinal SenDr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan

Ø Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters:             Sivaji Ganesan

Ø Dadasaheb Phalke Award:                                        Devika Rani, 1969

Ø Duff Cooper:                                                              Nirad C. Chaudhuri, 1966

Ø Dronacharya Award:                                                  O.M. Nambiar , Om Prakash Bhardwaj ,                                                                                               Bhalchandra Bhaskar Bhagwat , 1985

Ø Dr. B. C. Roy Award:                                                Dr. J. G. Jolly, 1981

Ø Golden Globe Award:                                               A R Rahman, 2009

Ø Grammy Award:                                                       Pandit Ravishankar, 1967

Ø Jamnalal Bajaj Award:                                            Jugatram Dave, Satish Chandra Das Gupta,                                                                                          1978

Ø Jnanpith Award:                                                    G. Sankara Kurup, 1965

Ø Kamal Kumari National Award:                           Sobha Brahma, 1991Arundhati Roy

Ø Man Booker Prize:                                               Arundhati Roy, 1997

Ø Miss World:                                                           Reita Faria, 1966

Ø Miss Asia Pacific:                                                Zeenat Aman, 1970

Ø Miss Universe:                                                   Sushmita Sen, 1994

Ø Mrs. World :                                                      Aditi Gowitrikar, 2001

Ø Miss Earth:                                                        Nicole Faria, 2010

Ø Miss Asia Pacific World:                                  Himangini Singh Yadu, 2012

Ø Nishan-e-Pakistan:                                           Morarji Desai, 1990

Ø Nobel Prize Winner:                                         Rabindranath Tagore, 1913

Ø Newbery Medal:                                              Dhan Gopal Mukerji, 1927

Ø Magsaysay Award:                                         Vinoba Bhave, 1958Satyajit Ray

Ø Oscar for Lifetime Achievement:                  Satyajit Ray

Ø Oscar Award:                                                 Bhanu Authaia , 1982

Ø Olympic Medal:                                            Khashaba Jadav, 1952

Ø Param Vir Chakra:                                      Major Som Nath Sharma, 1947

Ø Padma Vibhushan:                                      Satyendra Nath Bose, Nand Lal Bose, Zakir Hussain,                                                                         Balasaheb Gangadhar Kher, Jigme Dorji Wangchuk,                                                                           V. K. Krishna Menon in 1954

Ø Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna:                         Viswanathan Anand, 1991-92

Ø Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Award:                      Dr Pushkarnath, 1968

Ø Rabindra Puraskar:                                   Satinath Bhaduri and Niharranjan Ray, 1950

Ø Stalin Peace Prize:                                      Saifuddin Kitchlew, 1952

Ø Woman to win Gold Medal in Sports:      Kamaljeet Sandhu, 1970

Things to Know about India...

Fundamental Rights to Indian Citizens

Right to Equality

Right to Freedom

Right against Exploitation

Right to Freedom of Religion

Cultural and Educational Rights

Right to Constitutional Remedies

The Constitution of India containing 448 articles in 22 parts, 12 schedules and 118 amendments.

Ashok Stambh, the National Emblem of India has four Asiatic lions standing back to back. It symbolizing power, courage, pride, and confidence. Below the four lions, an elephant (of the east), a horse (of the south), a bull (of the west), and a lion (of the north). The animals are separated by wheels known as Dharma Chakras. The four animals were originally supposed to represent the four stages in the life of the Buddha.

Neelam Sanjiva Reddy is the only person to be elected to the office of the President of India unopposed.

At 64year, 67 days, Neelam Sanjiva Reddy became the youngest ever person to be elected as President of India.

Rajiv Gandhi at the age of 40 years, 72 days became the youngest Prime Minister of India.

India Gate and Rashtrapati Bhavan was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens.

Amar Jawan Jyoti was inaugurated by Mrs Indira Gandhi on 23rd republic day after India-Pakistan War.

Rashtrapati Bhavan has 4 floors and 360 rooms

President Sukarno , Indonesia was the first chief guest in Indian Republic Day, 1950

The Madras Regiment is the oldest exiting regiment in the Indian army formed in the 1750s.

Ashoka Chakra has 24 spokes

In the National Flag of India, the saffron color represents courage and sacrifice; white color represent truth, peace and purity; green color represent prosperity and the Ashok Chakra represents the Laws of Dharma Everest is named after Sir George Everest, a Welsh surveyor, geographer and Surveyor-General of India from 1830 to 1843. The highest post office in the world is in Hikkim, Himachal Pradesh, India at a height of 15,500 ft (4,700 m) (postal code 172114).

Kumbh Mela held every third year at one of the four places by rotation: Haridwar, Allahabad, Nasik and Ujjain

Madhya Pradesh has the largest forest cover in India at 77,700 square km

Uttar Pradesh (35,148,377) has the largest Scheduled Caste population

Uttar Pradesh is the state with maximum number of districts in India. It has a total of 70 districts.

Kachchh, Gujarat is the largest Districts of India by Territorial Area 45652 sq. km

India Gate is 42-metre tall

Rajiv Gandhi was the first Occupants of 7, Race Course Road the official residence of the Prime Minister of India

Jyoti Basu is the longest-serving Chief Minister of any state of India, served as the Chief Minister of West Bengal from 1977 to 2000.

Ganga is the longest and Brahmaputra is the widest river in India