Aleem’s Weblog

Entries from July 2008

Indoor Skydiving

July 28, 2008 · 3 Comments

A couple weeks back I had the chance to experience the Indoor Skydiving with some of my office colleagues. It was an amazing experience. I had seen this on TV many times but never actually had a chance to do it myself till now. There is new Skydiving Center opening up in Abu Dhabi and we got an official invitation for that.

Indoor Skydiving involves a vertical wind tunnel which generates air from 80 MPH – 140 MPH in a vertical chamber and you can perform a “body flight” in the chamber in-door. It is safe and specially good for people afraid of height since you only float a few feet (4-8) above the safety net and ofcourse there is an instructor to assist you as well :)

From Wikipedia

A vertical wind tunnel (VWT) is a wind tunnel which moves air up in a vertical column. It is a recreational wind tunnel, frequently advertised as “indoor skydiving” or “bodyflight”. It is also a popular training tool for skydivers.

Vertical wind tunnels enable human beings to fly in air without planes or parachutes, through the force of wind being generated vertically. Wind moves upwards at approximately 120 mph, the terminal velocity of a falling human body belly-downwards, although this can vary from person to person. A vertical wind tunnel is frequently called ‘indoor skydiving’ due to the popularity of vertical wind tunnels among skydivers, who report that the sensation is extremely similar to skydiving. The human body ‘floats’ in midair in a vertical wind tunnel, and this is called ‘bodyflight’ or ‘body flight’. more

Unfortunately, I only have some blurred pictures taken from a mobile phone but not any good pictures and since it was a trial, they did’nt give us the video etc as well. Maybe I’ll go some time later when the place actually opens up with everything.

Categories: Dubai · Personal Thoughts

Interview @ PakSpectator

July 14, 2008 · Leave a Comment

I was interviewed by PakSpectator today. I think they are on bandwagon for taking the interviews. Interestingly Haroon Saeed had his interview published today as well. I am not sure if he recommended me or PakSpectator observed my fame from somewhere else :)

Categories: General · Internet Buzz · Personal Thoughts

Usman Qutab going to Microsoft

July 14, 2008 · 1 Comment

I have been away from the blog for some time and there has been a lot happening. Usman Qutab was here in Dubai last month for Microsoft Interviews and we had a great time together.

The good news is that he got selected as SDET in Windows Live Team. I think he will be moving to vancouver first and then to seattle. Usman is the first person from our group (infact our batch) to be selected for Microsoft.

Congrats Usman, may you prosper further in your life. Keep us posted about your work and exciting stuff you will be working on.

Categories: Microsoft · Personal Thoughts

Heart Surgery Pioneer Died

July 14, 2008 · Leave a Comment

Michael E. DeBakey, 99, the father of modern cardiovascular surgery, who invented scores of medical procedures and instruments, developed the Mobile Army Surgical Hospital and established what later became the Veterans Affairs hospital system, died July 11 at Methodist Hospital in Houston. The hospital did not release the cause of death, but he had undergone heart surgery in 2006.

DeBakey stopped performing surgery at age 90, after more than 60,000 operations spanning a 70-year medical career.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/12/AR2008071201922.html

Categories: General · Personal Thoughts