No, I am not visiting Scotland. But may be some time in future. Noting down a few things pointed out by Probuddha , fellow Cranfield admit.
Anyone planning for scotland , and intrested in landscape scenery make sure you visit Isle of Skye.
Other than edinburgh and the whiskey experience, Isle of skye is a must for scenery/photography lovers. 'Lochness' seems dab after
visiting skye Parts of Lord of the rings was shot in skye -- 'Uig' is the village.
Stay at 'skye backpackers' . at gbp 15 per night per person, it far exceeds any other hotel/ cottage priced at >35gbp in terms of
cleaniness and location
People into whiskey must pay pilgrimage to the talisker distillery at carbost, skye (not to be confused with the talisker village in skye).
the guided tour is about an hour and you can enjoy free samples after the tour :)
If driving, A80 from skye, lochlass and glassgow is fantastic.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Harry Potter and Order of Phoenix - Misses
http://ruddhi-travelogue.blogspot.com/2010/07/i-am-big-fan-of-harry-potter-have-read.html
Harry Potter and Order of Phoenix - Misses
I am a big fan of Harry Potter, have read all the books numerous times and watched the movies numerous times as well. I like to read a particular book and then watch the movie to understand how the directors take out the best parts of the books and put it in a 2 - 3 hour movie. I believe the job is really tough. The author of the book might also be required to ensure that the movie has covered all the important parts for the sequel to be released and understood by the movie public.
Harry Potter, for those who do not yet know him, is a young wizard, a Boy who survived the killing curse of The Dark Lord Voldermort. Hogwarts is the school of magic where ....
Read more on the blog.
If you are a fan, this blog is a good place to discuss.
Harry Potter and Order of Phoenix - Misses
I am a big fan of Harry Potter, have read all the books numerous times and watched the movies numerous times as well. I like to read a particular book and then watch the movie to understand how the directors take out the best parts of the books and put it in a 2 - 3 hour movie. I believe the job is really tough. The author of the book might also be required to ensure that the movie has covered all the important parts for the sequel to be released and understood by the movie public.
Harry Potter, for those who do not yet know him, is a young wizard, a Boy who survived the killing curse of The Dark Lord Voldermort. Hogwarts is the school of magic where ....
Read more on the blog.
If you are a fan, this blog is a good place to discuss.
Monday, July 12, 2010
When in London , go for Cherrypicking, Strawberry picking et al at Garsons
http://ruddhi-travelogue.blogspot.com/2010/07/pick-your-own-crop-and-fruits-garsons.html
. ... drove from Farnborough to Esher to a place named as ‘Garsons’. They have a huge farm where a lot of crops and fruits are grown. They have an excellent range of vegetables variety from cauliflower and beans to green peas and potatoes. They also grow fruits– Strawberries, Gooseberries, Blackcurrant, Raspberries, Blackberries, Cherries and a lot more. The farm grows 5 types of flowers. Here, you can handpick the fruits and vegetables that you want, and take them home (obviously at a price), though its still fun to pick what you want. ....
Read the complete experience at Ruddhi's Blog
A good experience indeed. Would love to go for a picnic at such a place sometime.
. ... drove from Farnborough to Esher to a place named as ‘Garsons’. They have a huge farm where a lot of crops and fruits are grown. They have an excellent range of vegetables variety from cauliflower and beans to green peas and potatoes. They also grow fruits– Strawberries, Gooseberries, Blackcurrant, Raspberries, Blackberries, Cherries and a lot more. The farm grows 5 types of flowers. Here, you can handpick the fruits and vegetables that you want, and take them home (obviously at a price), though its still fun to pick what you want. ....
Read the complete experience at Ruddhi's Blog
A good experience indeed. Would love to go for a picnic at such a place sometime.
Tuesday, July 06, 2010
Books for Sale
One of my friends left for the US and handed me a huge carton of books to be disposed. So selling them online here. If you are in Bangalore please contact me at dezter@gmail.com with your phone number so that I can call you up and fix a time for the deal.
Books are listed in the spreadsheet below :
http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AmNFxW5FNavGdExESHZSUEVzU3dmWHQzY0czSE1TQUE&authkey=CJ6Qu6sN&hl=en#gid=0
If you are situated outside Bangalore and still want any of these books, still mail me your contact number, will try to work out a deal.
Books are listed in the spreadsheet below :
http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AmNFxW5FNavGdExESHZSUEVzU3dmWHQzY0czSE1TQUE&authkey=CJ6Qu6sN&hl=en#gid=0
If you are situated outside Bangalore and still want any of these books, still mail me your contact number, will try to work out a deal.
Saturday, July 03, 2010
Interim CAP on Tier-1 and Tier-2 Visas for UK implemented
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/newsfragments/27-intro-limit-for-t1-pbs
Few highlights:
1. A total of 5400 Tier-1 visas will be issued, equally divided into monthly installments, from July 2010 till April 2011. The limit will be a little low in July (318 to be precise), but will be 635 for remaining months from Aug till March 2011.
2. Quoted from UKBA site - "The UK Border Agency will operate the system on a first come first served basis with a limit placed on the number of Tier 1 General Visa applications considered in any one month. If an application is submitted after the limit for a month is reached, the application will be held and considered in the following months limit. Applications will continue to be accepted during the period in which the limit has been reached; however the UKBA will not process the application until the next month. Applications will be held in a queue by order of the date on which they were received. Applications in the queue will be processed when the following month's limit is opened. If application numbers look as though they will exceed the total limit for the whole of the interim period, the UKBA will notify the individual at the time of application. Details of waiting time will be announced on the UK Border Agency Website."
3. Those already in UK in another immigration category will not be included in this limit. (Good news !) . So those who want to switch to PSW, or from Tier-2 will be exempt from this limit. Reason being, the rationale behind all this is to limit immigration, and since these people have already migrated, no point in limiting them.
4. However, the points needed for Tier-1 will go up from 95 (75 for age/income/uk exp/education+ 10 for english language + 10 for maintenance) to 100 now !!! Might be a little difficult who just managed to get only 95. This applies for all Tier-1 applicants, even those who are switching from Tier-2 or Tier-4 (to PSW)
5. UKBA expects that the overall applications and visa issued should be on the same levels as last year, as during the same period around 5000 visas were issues. However, the number might go down because of increase in required points.
6. It is estimated that, if assuming applications fall in line with the fall in Tier 1 and 2 grants, UKBA fee income would drop by £920,000. The range here is £510,000 per annum in the lower scenario and £1,320,000 per annum in the upper scenario;
Read more on Tier-1 visa
See how points are awarded in Tier-1
Read more on Tier-1 Guidance
Few highlights:
1. A total of 5400 Tier-1 visas will be issued, equally divided into monthly installments, from July 2010 till April 2011. The limit will be a little low in July (318 to be precise), but will be 635 for remaining months from Aug till March 2011.
2. Quoted from UKBA site - "The UK Border Agency will operate the system on a first come first served basis with a limit placed on the number of Tier 1 General Visa applications considered in any one month. If an application is submitted after the limit for a month is reached, the application will be held and considered in the following months limit. Applications will continue to be accepted during the period in which the limit has been reached; however the UKBA will not process the application until the next month. Applications will be held in a queue by order of the date on which they were received. Applications in the queue will be processed when the following month's limit is opened. If application numbers look as though they will exceed the total limit for the whole of the interim period, the UKBA will notify the individual at the time of application. Details of waiting time will be announced on the UK Border Agency Website."
3. Those already in UK in another immigration category will not be included in this limit. (Good news !) . So those who want to switch to PSW, or from Tier-2 will be exempt from this limit. Reason being, the rationale behind all this is to limit immigration, and since these people have already migrated, no point in limiting them.
4. However, the points needed for Tier-1 will go up from 95 (75 for age/income/uk exp/education+ 10 for english language + 10 for maintenance) to 100 now !!! Might be a little difficult who just managed to get only 95. This applies for all Tier-1 applicants, even those who are switching from Tier-2 or Tier-4 (to PSW)
5. UKBA expects that the overall applications and visa issued should be on the same levels as last year, as during the same period around 5000 visas were issues. However, the number might go down because of increase in required points.
6. It is estimated that, if assuming applications fall in line with the fall in Tier 1 and 2 grants, UKBA fee income would drop by £920,000. The range here is £510,000 per annum in the lower scenario and £1,320,000 per annum in the upper scenario;
Read more on Tier-1 visa
See how points are awarded in Tier-1
Read more on Tier-1 Guidance
Sunday, June 27, 2010
UK to impose annual cap on immigrants from non-EU countries
A move, that is likely to affect highly skilled workers from non-EU countries of which Indians make the major chunk, the UK government is ready to announce an annual cap on such workers.
Its going to be 24,100 for the period starting July 2010 till April 2011, when they want to finalize a permanent CAP. Well, it remains to be seen whether this will actually be implemented, as there has been a lot of opposition from industry and schools that hire and enroll a lot of fee-paying students from non-EU countries.
The economic times says - "However, the proposed annual cap is expected to face opposition from British companies struggling to recruit employees with the right skills. Campaign groups such as the Highly Skilled Migrants Forum have already announced that they will oppose such limits."
Personally, I fear this move. But since the CAP is just a 5% reduction in the number of migrants that came last year its nothing to worry. Real worry could be when next year, in April 2011 if they go on to reduce the number even lower. Getting a Tier-1 Visa would be then like winning a lottery. (As it happens when applying for H1 Visa to work in the US).
If that is not enough, there are talks of implementing bonds for students who come for education, which they need to pay for studying and will get it back only if they return.
I think this is CAP will just be temporary, and can not remain for long. As it is UK is having shortage of highly skilled workers. This seems to me as a knee-jerk reaction, and nothing else. What this move also serves is a fulfillment of promise made during elections. Come April 2011, when the move will be reviewed, it could be taken back. Remember what happened to the eligibility rules for Tier-1 in April 2010. First they changed the point based system (PBS) for Tier-1 to allow just masters degree holders to come to the UK in 2009 and then rolled it back in 2010 as they surely found no good in that. Well, that was the non-conservative government at that time, but I believe things will change as economy also recovers during early next year.
The Hindu says - "Leading British businesses are opposed to an artificial limit arguing that it would make it difficult for them to recruit the necessary skilled staff and damage the economy. Universities, who depend on fee-paying foreign students as the main source of their income, are also strongly opposed to such rigid restrictions."
[References]
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/services/travel/visa-power/UK-to-impose-annual-cap-on-immigrants-from-non-EU-countries/articleshow/5954003.cms
Its going to be 24,100 for the period starting July 2010 till April 2011, when they want to finalize a permanent CAP. Well, it remains to be seen whether this will actually be implemented, as there has been a lot of opposition from industry and schools that hire and enroll a lot of fee-paying students from non-EU countries.
The economic times says - "However, the proposed annual cap is expected to face opposition from British companies struggling to recruit employees with the right skills. Campaign groups such as the Highly Skilled Migrants Forum have already announced that they will oppose such limits."
Personally, I fear this move. But since the CAP is just a 5% reduction in the number of migrants that came last year its nothing to worry. Real worry could be when next year, in April 2011 if they go on to reduce the number even lower. Getting a Tier-1 Visa would be then like winning a lottery. (As it happens when applying for H1 Visa to work in the US).
If that is not enough, there are talks of implementing bonds for students who come for education, which they need to pay for studying and will get it back only if they return.
I think this is CAP will just be temporary, and can not remain for long. As it is UK is having shortage of highly skilled workers. This seems to me as a knee-jerk reaction, and nothing else. What this move also serves is a fulfillment of promise made during elections. Come April 2011, when the move will be reviewed, it could be taken back. Remember what happened to the eligibility rules for Tier-1 in April 2010. First they changed the point based system (PBS) for Tier-1 to allow just masters degree holders to come to the UK in 2009 and then rolled it back in 2010 as they surely found no good in that. Well, that was the non-conservative government at that time, but I believe things will change as economy also recovers during early next year.
The Hindu says - "Leading British businesses are opposed to an artificial limit arguing that it would make it difficult for them to recruit the necessary skilled staff and damage the economy. Universities, who depend on fee-paying foreign students as the main source of their income, are also strongly opposed to such rigid restrictions."
[References]
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/services/travel/visa-power/UK-to-impose-annual-cap-on-immigrants-from-non-EU-countries/articleshow/5954003.cms
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Book Review : New Moon - The twilight saga
http://ruddhi-travelogue.blogspot.com/2010/06/new-moon-twilight-saga-continues.html
Twilight saga is the story where all legends of vampires and werewolves become true. New Moon – The second part of the Twilight saga, is the story about the budding friendship between Bella and Jacob, the story where Bella finally meets the deadly royal vampires – Volturri. I liked this book the same as Twilight one, and here is a small synopsis of what the book has to offer.
Read the full review here.
Twilight saga is the story where all legends of vampires and werewolves become true. New Moon – The second part of the Twilight saga, is the story about the budding friendship between Bella and Jacob, the story where Bella finally meets the deadly royal vampires – Volturri. I liked this book the same as Twilight one, and here is a small synopsis of what the book has to offer.
Read the full review here.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)