Losing my Virginity

When you are handed a 600 page autobiography of an entrepreneur, who you haven’t heard much about (I am talking about India) at first, you may wonder whether such a piece is worth even leafing through. Who has the time to read so much?

But not to worry! "Losing my virginity" is an entertaining page-turner from the beginning to the end. It is fascinating to read about what a dyslexic man with no college education could create for himself. He started with a loan from his parents and aunt of about 8000 pounds Now, apart from Virgin Atlantic, the Virgin Group owns Virgin Cola, Virgin Brides, Virgin trains, Virgin Money, Virgin Cinemas, Virgin Mega-stores and scores of other ventures. It’s crazy!!!! It has an honest approach to it, where Branson reveals much about himself. Branson's tale is novel, and is filled with instances of courage and it will also give you some great laughs!

The other thing I like about Branson is that he can identify that something is going wrong and there is a better way of doing things. He then simply goes ahead and does it. He makes it seem too simple. At age 16, Branson started a student's magazine and then ventured into music, which was a big hit. Apart from this, he swam several miles to safety during a violent storm, off the coast of Mexico. His near death experiences in the hot-air balloon are very gripping to read about. He signed Janet Jackson, the Rolling Stones, Mike Oldfield, and Phil Collins. A arranged a rescue flight into Baghdad before the start of the Gulf War (I never thought a corporate could get involved in all of this!) He had to sell Virgin Records, his baby – when it was at its height to save Virgin Atlantic. Tussle between British Airways and Virgin Atlantic was slightly stretched but Virgin Atlantic finally emerged victorious. This part will make you not want to fly British Airways again!

In the end there is no grandfatherly advice to the youth. Instead, I was left with a deep sense of admiration and a constant mulling over his adventures. It’s inspiring!

Proud of you, Dr Kane!

Former Vice-Chancellor of M S University of Baroda Dr. Anil Kane has been elected the President of the World Wind Energy Association (WWEA), a global voice representing wind energy organisations from all continents. Dr Kane, who is also the Chairman of the Indian Wind Energy Association (IWEA), was unanimously elected for a period of two years at the association's fourth general assembly in Melbourne early this month, an IWEA release said here.
WWEA, which has more than 200 members from 72 countries, works for complete substitution of fossil and nuclear sources by renewable energies with wind energy as one cornerstone by providing a platform for the communication of all wind energy actors world-wide.

At the general assembly, the WWEA also honoured India by bestowing it the World Wind Energy Award - 2005. India is said to be the fourth largest in wind power installations in the world.

OMG Harry Potter!!!!!

Its Harry Potter season again!! When did it end?!?! Harry Potter series has dominated the top selling books list and now the latest movie - "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" will top the movie charts and keep the Potter-mania alive.

WHAT A MOVIE!!!!! It's scenery is compared to the Lord of the Rings (if actually not better!!) The special effects are something. The story line - has been established since long - is excellent. Amita and I took Ashkirat for the movie - to celebrate his birthday, and entire theater was FULL of children. INOX tried its best to dampen the atmosphere by playing the worst collection of Hindi songs before the start of the movie. But once the movie started the atmosphere was electric. Ever 5 minutes the theater would erupt into applauses. The Quidditch World Cup Stadium was some sight!! The fight between Harry Potter and the Dragon made me jump onto my seat and cry with happiness in the end (and I wasn't the only one!) It seemed as everyone in the theater had read the book, and the movie has done full justice to the book and that made the entire experience even more magical!

I would give this movie 4.991 stars out of 5. Dumbledore was better in the previous movies, and Harry and Hermione could have been better in a couple of scenes. Thatz the best critique anyone can give the movie. But if you are not a Harry Potter fan, then please do not enter the theater without a Harry Potter fan, and without getting a detailed story update till the start of the movie. The movie goes at a fast pace and you don't want to miss any of the critical elements.

I have to see the movie again, at least a couple of times this week!

"Speed Of Sound"

This is exactly how I feel right now:

How long before I get in?
Before it starts, before I begin?
How long before you decide?
Before I know what it feels like?
Where To, where do I go?
If you never try, then you'll never know.
How long do I have to climb,
Up on the side of this mountain of mine?

Look up, I look up at night,
Planets are moving at the speed of light.
Climb up, up in the trees,
every chance that you get,
is a chance you seize.
How long am I gonna stand,
with my head stuck under the sand?
I'll start before I can stop,
before I see things the right way up.

All that noise, and all that sound,
All those places I got found.
And birds go flying at the speed of sound,
to show you how it all began.
Birds came flying from the underground,
if you could see it then you'd understand?

Random

Only today I was watching a programme on the Discovery Channel - it was about one of life's greatest achievement - "flight". It took life into the air. Life started underwater, then on land, under the land, and then air. Probably Man's only role is to flourish and take life beyond! Probably we are the only, or the first/most developed intellegent life that exists. Life always finds a way to survive. Probably mankind is the important link between a dead Universe and Universe streaming with life. :)

'Sardarji Barah Baj gaye?!?!'

I got this as a forward from a friend. Thought I should share it on the blog. It can help clear a lot of misconceptions and it makes me proud of my identity.

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"I was standing at jalandhar station when my attention went towards a Sikh youth standing near me wearing a Black turban having a long beard and wearing a kirpan over his shirt. After a while, one local train arrived, which was totally packed. The Sikh youth tried to alight the train but failed to do so. Just then a voice was heard from the back coach 'Sardarji Barah Baj gaye' (Sir it's 12 o'clock!)

The Sikh youth looked over at that voice maker who was a young Mischievous type of person and instead of showing any anger made a smile towards him. The smile made was so enigmatic that it seemed as if some type of truth lies behind it. Not able to resist my temptation, I walked towards him and asked why did he smile at that person who teased him. The Sikh youth replied, 'He was not teasing me but was asking for my Help'. I was surprised with these words and he told me that there was a big history behind that which one should know. I was eager to know the History and the Sikh youth narrated:

During 17th Century, when Hindustan was ruled by Mughals, all the Hindu people were humiliated and were treated like animals. Mughals treated the Hindu women as there own property and were forcing all Hindus to accept Islam and even used to kill the people if they were refusing to accept.That time, our ninth Guru, Sri Guru Teg Bahadarji came forward, in response to a request of some Kashmir Pandits to fight against all these cruel activities.

Guruji told the Mughal emperor that if he could succeed in converting him to Islam, all the Hindus would accept the same. But, if he failed, he should stop all those activities. The Mughal emperor happily agreed to that but even after lots of torture to Guruji and his fellow members he failed to convert him to Islam and Guruji along with his other four fellow members, were tortured and sacrificed their lives in Chandni Chowk. Since the Mughals were unable to convert them to Islam they were assassinated.

Thus Guruji sacrificed his life for the protection of Hindu religion. Can anybody lay down his life and that too for the protection of another religion? This is the reason he is still remembered as "Hind Ki Chaddar", shield of India. For the sake of whom he had sacrificed his life, none of them came forward to lift his body, fearing that they would also be assassinated.

Seeing this incident our 10th Guruji, Sri Guru Gobind Singhji (Son of Guru Teg Bahadarji) founder of khalsa made a resolution that he would convert his followers to such human beings who would not be able to hide themselves and could be easily located in thousands. At the start, the Sikhs were very few in numbers as they were fighting against the Mughal emperors. At that time, Nadir Shah raided Delhi in the year 1739 and looted Hindustan and was carrying lot of Hindustan treasures and nearly 2200 Hindu women along with him. The news spread like a fire and was heard by Sardar Jassa Singh who was the Commander of the Sikh army at that time. He decided to attack Nadir Shah's Kafila on the same midnight. He did so and rescued all the Hindu women and they were safely sent to their homes.

It didn't happen only once but thereafter whenever any Abdaalis or Iranis had attacked and looted Hindustan and were trying to carry the treasures and Hindu women along with them for selling them in Abdal markets, the Sikh army although fewer in numbers but were brave hearted and attacked them at midnight, 12 o'clock and rescued women.

After that time when there occurred a similar incidence, people started to contact the Sikh army for their help and Sikhs used to attack the raider's at Midnight, 12 o'clock. Nowadays, these "smart people" and some Sikh enemies who are afraid of Sikhs, have spread these words that at 12 o'clock, the Sikhs go out of their senses. This historic fact was the reason which made me smile over that person as I thought that his Mother or Sister would be in trouble and wants my help and was reminding me by saying off 'Sardarji Barah Baj Gaye'.

Thus Guruji sacrificed his life for the protection of Hindu religion. Can anybody lay down his life and that too for the protection of another religion? This is the reason he is still remembered as "Hind Ki Chaddar", shield of India. For the sake of whom he had sacrificed his life, none of them came forward to lift his body, fearing that they would also be assassinated.

Seeing this incident our 10th Guruji, Sri Guru Gobind Singhji (Son of Guru Teg Bahadarji) founder of khalsa made a resolution that he would convert his followers to such human beings who would not be able to hide themselves and could be easily located in thousands. At the start, the Sikhs were very few in numbers as they were fighting against the Mughal emperors. At that time, Nadir Shah raided Delhi in the year 1739 and looted Hindustan and was carrying lot of Hindustan treasures and nearly 2200 Hindu women along with him. The news spread like a fire and was heard by Sardar Jassa Singh who was the Commander of the Sikh army at that time. He decided to attack Nadir Shah's Kafila on the same midnight. He did so and rescued all the Hindu women and they were safely sent to their homes.

It didn't happen only once but thereafter whenever any Abdaalis or Iranis had attacked and looted Hindustan and were trying to carry the treasures and Hindu women along with them for selling them in Abdal markets, the Sikh army although fewer in numbers but were brave hearted and attacked them at midnight, 12 o'clock and rescued women.

After that time when there occurred a similar incidence, people started to contact the Sikh army for their help and Sikhs used to attack the raider's at Midnight, 12 o'clock. Nowadays, these "smart people" and some Sikh enemies who are afraid of Sikhs, have spread these words that at 12 o'clock, the Sikhs go out of their senses. This historic fact was the reason which made me smile over that person as I thought that his Mother or Sister would be in trouble and wants my help and was reminding me by saying off 'Sardarji Barah Baj Gaye'."

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Time pass

Which Hogwarts house will you be sorted into?

I was sorted into:

In-depth results are:

Gryffindor - 13
Ravenclaw - 11
Hufflepuff - 10
Slytherin - 8

I can't wait for Nov 18th release of Harry Potter movie!

If you have more free time on your hands then this is a good site for bindas time pass - http://blogthings.com/

The Keys to Your Heart

You are attracted to those who are unbridled, untrammeled, and free. In love, you feel the most alive when your lover is creative and never lets you feel bored. You'd like to your lover to think you are loyal and faithful... that you'll never change. You would be forced to break up with someone who was emotional, moody, and difficult to please. Your ideal relationship is lasting. You want a relationship that looks to the future... one you can grow with. Your risk of cheating is zero. You care about society and morality. You would never break a commitment. In this moment, you think of love as commitment. Love only works when both people are totally devoted.

What Are The Keys To Your Heart?

Googling & fear?!?!

This New York times articles that I got from a fellow nomader wonders if there is anyone that should not fear google, who's current and future offerings could affect businesses from etate agents, to retailers, to telecomms companies..

"Google is the realization of everything that we thought the Internet was going to be about but really wasn't until Google," said David B. Yoffie, a professor at Harvard Business School.

Google, the reigning giant of Web search, could extend its economic reach in the next few years as more people get high-speed Internet service and cell phones become full-fledged search tools, according to analysts. And ever-smarter software, they say, will cull and organize larger and larger digital storehouses of news, images, real estate listings and traffic reports, delivering results that are more like the advice of a trusted human expert.

The fact that Wal-mart is scared is probably because they know they don't offer the best deals. So, with all this technology I guess the consumer wins in the end. And Wal-mart was responsible for shutting a few businesses themselves, so now it is their turn to be "fit" enough to survive.

But its freakin' inspiring - what Google - one, single company is doing! Every now-n-then they keep coming out with something innovative and excellent!

Plus, I was never a big fan of real estate agents, and other such middle men; and reading Freakonomics has only reaffirmed my faith in the belief.