But then again, so was Elvis – multiple times!  OK, I ain't nothing but a Houndblog, and I'm not above using a cheap shill to hook Bamboo Nation into the latest WPC news.

All joking aside, Microsoft delivered some serious star quality in the form of Sir Richard Branson this morning.  Sharing his vision for getting us around the world in 80 seconds via space plane, Sir Richard graciously bowed to applause from Microsoft partners who had no doubt suffered multi-day excusions from South Africa, Australia, and other far-flung locales.  Following a high-excitement video experience courtesy of Virgin Galactic, Branson responded to a number of interview questions and queries from the audience while regaling the massive crowd with business lessons from his music, airline, and other entrepreneurial endeavors.  His delivery, which ranged from the profane to the professorial, raised the level of educational and moral awareness in the crowd with such tidbits as:

• The term "bollocks" (as in "Never Mind the Bollocks," for the geriatric rock crowd) can mean "priest" as well as … the other, more common, usage;

• Many forms of sharks have become endagered, and steps are being taken to save them through the efforts of Branson and others;
• The world's governments are woefully unprepared to solve the largest problems without the aid of smart business people; and
• Branson has enlisted the help of a "diplomatic A-Team" that includes Desmond Tutu, Nelson Mandela, and Kofi Annan to assist countries in solving some of the most pressing problems.

The final bit of wisdom delivered by Branson was that he never entered a business endeavor motivated by monetary return.  He simply did what he loved and what he thought was right with the right level of passion, and money and success always followed.

Sounds like a good recipe for success for any startup.