32. Tungaska Event

Hi All
Did you know that an explosion about 1000 times as strong as the Hiroshima bomb rocked the earth just 100 years ago - on June 30 1908 - years before the World Wars? And the culprit was not any superpower country but good old Mother Nature?
The Tungaska event is described as the strongest significant meteorite airburst (the comet / meteorite / whatever it was ... just about kissed the earth that day) exploded with an energy equivalent of 10 to 15 Megaton of TNT (believe me, you dont want to be anywhere near when that happens). The saving grace was that it occured over a remote part of Siberia with minimal population in those days. It is said that if the explosion occured just 4 minutes later, it would have occured over St. Petersburg - completely destroying the Russian capital. Even in those days, the signs of the explosion were picked up as far as Great Britain.
Read more here ...

Have a safe time ...
Best Regards

31. Oil and Gas Industry Information Links

Hi All

Came across a very good question on LinkedIN today related to study resources for beginners to the Oil and Gas industry. Thanks to Mr. Jesse Pickard who initated this question and to 15 people who have given some excellent resources for study.

I am bookmarking this question - hope you are too ...

Best Regards
Gautam

In memory of the immortal Queen

Hi All
I havent posted anything here since the start of this year and my apologies to all of you for the delay. Today is the 150th anniversary of the martyrdom of one of the greatest patriots - Rani Laxmibai of Jhansi. Which Indian has not been moved as a child by the story of this Queen riding to her death with her child tied behind her back?

There are some moments, words, events which never fail to touch the innermost chords of one's heart. Try listening to Lata Mangeshkar as she sings "Ae mere watan ke logo ..." or a rendition of "Vande Mataram" from the film Anand Math (hope I am right about the name of the film - its been a very long time since I saw it) and write to me if they dont move you to tears ... (the challenge doesnt hold if you are not Indian or dont know Hindi ofcourse). If there is a poem that has the same effect, it has to be Subhadra Kumari Chauhan's "Khoob Ladhi Mardani" ... Which school-child's imagination has not been stirred by those lines - which Indian girl has not wanted to stand on stage with the sword raised and proclaim "Main apni Jhansi nahi doongi !" (" I will not give my Jhansi").

Well before I get all mushy about this, here are a few links you might like:

• The Wiki site on Rani Laxmibai
• A biography at Freeindia dot org
• A blog article about her early life
• An inspiring portrait of the valiant Queen.

Those of you who are in Pune today (17 June 2008) may want to attend this program (at 6 pm at the Abasaheb Garware College auditorium) organised by the Maharashtra Education Society (MES), in collaboration with the Swantantryasamarache Shatakottar Suvarna Mahotsav Samiti, an association formed to celebrate the golden jubilee of 1857 freedom fighters.

Best wishes all and have a good time, till we meet again ...

Best regards

Gautam