Today I learnt that:

1. Google launched "Quiet place project" - a place where you can pour all your thoughts or heart-ache, but no one would be able to see/agree/disagree/like or comment on it. I already installed it and it seems nice, but I can replace this with a blog, which is not available to view by others. So, let's see how this project spans out.
2. Operation Research includes the decision making process with the help of mathematical modelling. Well, as per the author of a book on this topic, operations research is not as easy as it seems because of the human factor, which can literally make the mathematical model useless.
3. Ricky Ponting is the 3rd person in the history of Test Cricket to reach 13000 Runs. He is next to Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid.
4. NDTV Indian of the Year award 2011 went to Anna Hazare and Arvind Kejriwal.
5. India is now the sixth nation to have a nuclear submarine. It has bought it from Russia and named it INS Chakra. According to the news article, Russia abandoned the project long ago due to lack of funds, but India infused around $1 billion to start the project again in partnership. This is not the first time India has bought a nuclear submarine. In 1993-94, India bought it from Russia but lack of use and training led to gradual depreciation of that submarine. Also, it is said that it can outrun any Pakistani or Chinese submarine as of date.
6. Sachin Tendulkar has won the ICC Cricketer of the Year only once in his lifetime - 2010.
7. In a world survey, Prince Williams has won the award for most popular person in the world beating Barrack Obama and Steve Jobs.
8. RBI (Reserver Bank of India) has cut the CRR (Cash reserve ratio) by 0.5 basis points. This means that the Indian banks would have to keep lesser money deposited with RBI, and hence can lend more money to the customers. This would result in lesser interest rates or lesser EMI on loans. Home/Auto loan EMIs won't be affected in the short term as per RBI. The news was accepted very well among the investors, resulting in a 250 point hike in Sensex.
9. Mango is a smartphone launched by Microsoft and is based on windows 7.5
10. Online retailer giant, Amazon, is planning to enter India and set up its first base in Hyderabad.
11. Mumbai Blasts (13/7) masterminds have been arrested from Bihar. They belong to Indian Mujaheedin.