The most effective way of extracting a post (or embarrassing) is to put a tag on him. I was running away all this while from this tag business, but when Ajit has tagged me this post, its my turn to tag few.
Total Number of books I own:
Never bothered to count them (though when I was in the hostels I used to count them once in a while just to know the number books i have lost). Must be more than hundred.
Last Book I brought:
The Green Mile by Stephen King.
Last book I read:
The Lost World by Michael Crichton. This was on my reading list for a long time. Though I havent seen the movie but the details with which this book is written, I can imagine all scenes.
Five books that influenced me a lot:
May not be a unique list, but still...
- Surely youre joking Mr. Feynman:
A totally different approach to tell your autobiography; The book mainly comprises of anecdotes. But still it manages to covey how you could be curious character and a physicist at the same time. How you can learn things more effectively by experimenting rather by learning theory.
- Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach:
Tells the story of how you can pursue and achieve your dream, become perfectionist. In the process the very people living together can become against you. The joy is in sharing and not keeping secret what you know.
- The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho:
A fable about following your dream. "when you really want something to happen, the whole universe conspires so that your wish comes true". This is the core of the novel's philosophy and a motif that echoes behind Coelho's writing all through "The Alchemist". And isn't it true that the whole of humankind desperately wants to believe the old king when he says that the greatest lie in the world is that at some point we lose the ability to control our lives, and become the pawns of fate.
- Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson:
I hope to own the entire collection someday
- The Road Less Traveled: - M. Scott Peck
There are few more which I had liked at various times, "Harry Potter" and "The Lord of the Rings" for the sheer imagination, "Jeffery Archer" and "John Grishm" for the story telling, "The Godfather" by Mario Puzzo, "Sherlock Holmes" by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, "The Da Vinci Code", "Malgudi Days" and few others. I will update this list as i keep remembering.
Tag few(five) people and make them do this:
Sameer,
Milind,
Gary.
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Abhishek Bachchcan would be the one guy who would be saying "I need a break" too often. Earlier when his movies used to bomb at the box-office for more movies, and now when he is seen in almost every alternate big-budget movie for a break from hectic schedule.
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When the courts opened today, many were eagerly awaiting the results. Few had already guessed of what would be the possible out-come. His family was also around for the results. At 9.00 a.m. sharp court opened. Everybody, present in the court to witness the end of bitter trial that was fought fiercely, was busy discussing about the probable outcome. However to few it was clear as to who would go on to win. Normally tensed lawyers were also casual and chatting jubilantly. However there was little tension, curiosity and eagerness.
Finally the preceding judge arrived and everybody took their place. The vociferous court room suddenly became silent. The judge looked at his papers and ordered that he should be brought in the witness box from the prison. The supervising officer looked at his subordinate they exchanged glances, had little conversation as to who would step forward and break the news. Finally officer went up to the judges place and spoke something in his ears. The judge shook his face as if he could not believe the news but then he< could not do much. Slight flutter and enquiring glances were exchanged amongst those present in the court-room.
As the officer got back to his place judge looked up, composed his face, knowing everybody was eager to know this new latest development, spoke finally. "As we come to close of this fiery trial, I have mixed feelings. I am glad that this trial came to an end, but then it had taken long time to complete, Perhaps the longest. I acquit him of all charges, under the circumstances he did what anybody could have done best. It was wrong that he was charged for.... but that doesn't matter now". There was huge uproar amongst his supporters. The judge silenced them and continued "However, as I said, the court has taken perhaps too long a time to come to an end, and with a heavy heart and deepest feelings, though I hate to say all this, He had cardiac attack and in spite of all medical attention, he passed away few minutes back, I request you all to please maintain silence for a minute to pay respect and homage to the departed soul".
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Steve Jobs, the CEO of Apple computes and pixar animation studios, delivered this fine speech to the students of Stanford University at their commencement ceremony. Read it. It is really wonderful.
Link: http://news-service.stanford.edu/news/2005/june15/jobs-061505.html
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I was on the railway station, waiting for the train to come. The train was little late or rather I had reached the station early. Sometimes sitting alone on the station without anybody for company or for a casual chat becomes boring. So to spend time, I have this peculiar habit of putting my thoughts together and predicting the probable next moves of people around. Though I never had much success, but certainly it gives a different angle or view of thinking. I then start thinking on the lines of the fellow under my observation, and to my surprise, few times the fellow really does what I had thought. There is so much to learn, and so much to understand.
The thing I wanted to write about was while I was waiting for the train, there were two kids, mostly in first standard or so, waiting for some train. I felt how dumb I was when I was a kid. I could not even pronounce English and these kids were talking fluent English. One peddler selling balloons, flute, toys etc, was playing and showcasing things he had to these kids in a hope that they will be tempted and he would be able to make some sale. But one of the kids told him "Bhayya aage jaao, yahaan pe koi kuchh nahi kharidega", and after he had left, the other kid told his parents "We have driven that peddler away; he was trying to sell his goods to us". That was little odd behavior as normally I had seen kids demanding whatever they see, and if you dont buy it they start with their potent weapon, crying.
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Jack St. Clair Kilby, the inventor of monolithic integrated circuit, passed away on June 20, 2005, in Dallas following a brief battle with cancer. There are few men whose insights and professional accomplishments have changed the world. Jack Kilby is one of these men. His invention of the monolithic integrated circuit - the microchip - some 45 years ago at Texas Instruments (TI) laid the conceptual and technical foundation for the entire field of modern microelectronics. It was this breakthrough that made possible the sophisticated high-speed computers and large-capacity semiconductor memories of today's information age.
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I had decided to change the mobile phone and came out with this: New Nokia 3230.
The main features I was looking were
- FM Receiver (Not that I use itregularly, but just in case I am bored off)
- A big and wide screen (I am a fan of larger displays, they just give a wonderful feeling)
- Good battery life (Nokia always satisfied this condition)
Apart from these few other considerations included polyphonic ring tones, medium budget, loud speaker, and off-course the ability to make and receive calls.
For a list of phone features read http://www.nokia.com/nokia/0,6771,65363,00.html
Somehow I need to learn resisting temptations, the bills are shooting up really high.
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Today my cell-phone showed me that it has reached 100 hour mark for making calls. Not that it stops the phone from working, thats a whopping 18,000 rupees I have spent on calling till now.
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Yesterday certainly will be one of the most remembered days of my life. The electricity power to our house was cut due to non-payment of bills over past few months. Since I was busy in all day meetings, I asked my roomies to get it restored. The silliest, lame, pathetic, and the most irritating excuse I received was I have to read important mails hence I won't be able to do it today.
