Homepage de Winson

New Year

2016-01-03T00:38:00.001+07:00

It's once again New Year's Eve. Lying pensively I wonder at the distant thumping music that does not allow me to sleep. Why all the celebrations? It was exactly the same last year, as many many new year eves before. People love the same still and are the same still. Is it a night any more, because of marketing genius to make it special to get the monies from the ordinary life. Or......

Thanks to age old conditioning the eve gives a psychological belief of RESET. ...for better with more confidence in timing to be auspicious. Having said that I reviewed my last set of resolution (some of which I had published on this blog few years back) and I am still no where near completion. Hmmm...Negativity and history points to the obvious dismaying projection. But then...That glimmer of hope...That this year will be better.... That hope on the face of appaling timeline... That hope...That ability to hope....is Precious.

So wishing you that hope, my best wishes to you for 20!6.

ZZzzzZZZzzzZZZZ..

2015-07-06T18:38:00.001+07:00

A very good morning to on all.

Let me ask you question first...may be a show of hands... how many of you enjoy sleeping.. Super...

. I am not alone.

Let me try to flatter you with some fact why sleep is good.... Yes...I mean real Good.

Let me start with a famous study published in the renowned journal named Neuron. This study was led by Lio Appel baum , and Philippe Mourrain at Stanfard university which form the starting point for many research on sleeps.

A group of researchers started by studying the larvae of a common see-through aquarium pet, the zebrafish. Like humans, zebrafish are active during the day and sleep at night. Unlike humans, zebrafish larvae are transparent, which allowed researchers to watch their brains as they slept. The researchers tagged the larvae neurons with a dye so that active neuron connections, or synapses, appeared green, whereas inactive ones appeared black.

What is neuron... its a cell which when get excited passed electric /chemical signal.. Neurons are the fundamental block which from the basis of human nervous system. It like you receive a stimulus... like winson has started speakin....brain sends signal through neurons...its time to take a 7 min power nap.

Comin back to the study, they tagged active neurons with green colour and inactive ones as black. what the researchers observed was that, during the sleep phase these neuron activity reduced. Some become inactive and some became more structured.. ...what does it mean in simple language is that, we collect lot of observation during the day...some are important...some are not so important... so while sleeping the brain tends to restructure itself with important memories... some data is backed up and some discarded. In a way sleep is like your memory managers...the key point is that the brain needs a downtime...to restructure, to reduce the clutter in the mind. Well, i was wondering though what happens if you sleep more than 8 hours..

“It allows the brain to recover from past experiences.” Without the synapse reduction that happens during sleep, he notes, the brain would not have the ability to continually take in and store new information.

Example from Harvard Medical School website, investigators have ruled that sleep deprivation was a significant factor in the 1979 nuclear accident at Three Mile Island, as well as the 1986 nuclear meltdown at Chernobyl.

There are many questions that arise:

1. If sleep is primarily about providing mental rest, why does people's brain remain so active during sleep?

2. If sleep is about providing the body with rest, why do couch potatoes need as much sleep as Olympic athletes?

3. If sleep hones cognitive functions, why does the intellectually lazy need as much sleep as the noble prize winning physicists?

According to scientists, memory is consolidated during sleep. Sleep provides brain cell with a period of downtime that is needed to convert information into learning. That change involves bio chemical messages being sent from nerve-cell projections called dendrites to the nucleus of the cells, and that process can take place only when new information isn’t coming in. This suggests that, sleeping styles among species may be merely linked to their different cognitive needs.

"What s fruit fly learns and what a whale learns and what a human learns may be very different indeed, so the amount of sleep and its structure within a day may be different in each species".

For Shakespeare, sleep was the "balm of the hurt minds". For Sigmund Freud, sleep provided platform for dreams, an outlet for the psyche to workout complex and dangerous feelings. Scientist today believe sleep consolidates learning and memory, and supports essential mental and physical functions. The theories have long disagreed about one another’s ideas, but most agree on one thing. "If nature makes people sleep away so much of their lives, the reason has to be something crucial".

“All the above...For... I Love sleep so much”

Dance of Democracy!

2015-07-06T18:35:00.001+07:00

A very good afternoon to you.

Well it’s the election time in India. The biggest Dance of Democracy as many newspapers name it. There are many parties in the fray and we are everyday exposed to the cacophony of why we should vote for A party.. I am sure you are familiar with friends on Facebook with allegiances to certain A party and trying to make an influence on us why we should vote for his/her party.

And now that, I have extra attention today, I thought I should respect it, by sharing my view about..How not to Vote. I wish to keep in front of you 3-4 points that I request you to at least think about.

1. Donot be traditional.

I want to share you a story… once upon a time, there was monk . The monk used to meditate often… but had a problem . the monastery had lot of rat around it and these mouse used to create irritating sounds while the monk was meditating thereby creating distractions… so the monk bought a cat and kept it in his meditation room and then he managed to solved the issue of keeping the mouse away… many years passed by and finally the monk died. Now when the next monk came to replace him, he also started to keep a cat …and it became a tradition and not knowing why the cat was ther in the first place.….

The point is: try not be a traditionalist. Facts change, scenarios change, aspirations change and may be traditional thinking may not apply for today’s scenario.

Many of us, are traditionalist and still continue to vote based on how our parent voted. I am no way saying that ; not to listen to the elderly but donot blind follow tradition without validating the choice with the present scenario.

2. Fear:

There are parties claiming that, if their opposition comes, it will be a rule of

1. Majoritarianism or the opposite

2. Minority appeasement

Majoritarians can mean majoritarianism of religion, caste,sub caste,

When I see certain survey on how people vote( by caste,by religion) …its is appalling… religion wise, within caste wise…all the way to sub caste…what not!.. I always wonder why the fear?

Well, the idea of India ( for that matter even world) is often associated with pluralism. from the existence of time, you would always see instance of people try to prey on the human emotion (majoritarian or otherwise) and create the fear of the other…. Hitler tried, Osama tried and sophisticated group called allied forces tried it.

Now, my question to you : with all these effort … Has the world or Has India become any less plural or less diverse…..in all time time since time… time was born???

The answer is NO…. World or India will always be diverse. There will be religons, there will be caste , there will be sects… there will various competing and opposite views…. The point is anyone who stand by incorporating fear by projecting the other as dangerous based on caste, religion, sect knows very well its not achievable. Pluralism is to stay. Don’t buy argument for any party that stands on capitalizing in the fear that they build and they try to solve.

So… what work against fear : Knowledge….Faith.

3. Truth…. Whose truth.

Every other day a party comes with some fact sheet… and next day the opposition come with claim… fact sheet is not correct… no party can be absolved of giving undisputable facts… facts within a context and vested interest are delivered to us in a self appreciating manner …

I would propose, you to make your deciosn with out fear and based on the truth of you.. each one truth… what are my challenges today to growth? What IS important for me , my family and my future generations?

4.Liquor,money. We have esteemed crowd.. …I take it take it as granted that we are much evolved we don’t fall to such cheap gimmicks, but I request you to sensitive people that are part of our lives and are not that evolved..

In Summary: I truly believe that current political representatives/parties are an image of what we are and if you are not convinced about what I said just now, please consider to not vote based on tradition, others truth and mostly importantly fear.

Annyeonghaseyo!!!!

2014-02-03T12:55:00.003+07:00

TM : Project 04 : Presented on Feb 02 2014

Annyeonghaseyo!!!!

I can see the blunt faces…a justified expression….Well, Annyeonghaseo means Hello in Korean. Fellow Toastmaster and Future would be toastmasters, let me take you on a short visit to Korea…Specifically Korean Cinema. Well, Being from the Land of Bollywood, Kolly, tolly and other woods in India...I have a strong interest and have been fascinated by the silver screen...during my extended stay in Bangkok. I got introduced to Asian movie; Thai, Japanese and Korean and of which Korean movies I must stay has cast spell on me..

First of all, let me start with a question: what are the words that pop up in your mind when you think about Indian cinema…Bollywood…Tollywodd..what ever woods of India..

Yes: Dance Sequence, Movie stars, flowers hitting each other…ahaa.. I can see the smile…Let me share a few things that pops in my mind when I think about Korean cinema.

Just like our India movies are synonyms with Dance sequences, larger than life stories, dialoguebaazi, Mainstream Korean movies themes are:

1. Emotions …Mushiness…lovy dovy types/Tragedy/Revenge..

2. Finesse in expression ; skill in capturing these a human sensitivities/emotions..

3. Technicality: Cinematography/screenplay

4. Understatedness.

1.Mushiness: off course noting much to say…if you are in love ; Love of any type, meaning, oneway, twoway, triangle, well, I stop there, as I missed my geometry class after triangle… There is this bitter-sweetness of their first love, nostalgia…there are loads of movies…which can ….what can I say….wife is sitting here…I would just say: samajdaron ke liye ishare kaffe hain.

2.Fineness of expression: well most of our communication is verbal in our Indian movies; there is a strong emphasis on dialogue baazi ; We are so used to indian directors always looking to provide a different kind of movie…that we often overlook to opportunities in obvious…

Imagine a movie that has 40% verbal content of an Indian movie, but stress even more on communication through expression…movies are leisurely paced with myriad tools of cinematic expression. Korean cinema through its honest depiction of the human emotions like cruelty/love/tragedy. You get to experience a sense of basic elemental expressionism..i just recollect a scene from the movie “pieta”…it a tragic movie …I wonder why did I watch…Surely this movie will leave you disturbed…

The movie is about a orphan loan shark(a person appointed to recover loan amount…He is cruel and way to collect money was that he taken an accidental insurance policy for which he is the nominee…so If some one is not able to payback.. he make the persona a handicapped and collect the insurance policy amount.

there is a scene where a loan colletor comes to guy who is sitting with his aged mother in small dirty machine room filled with metal scraps etc… when the son sees the loan collector shadow and sensing what’s next to come… he just give his aged mom a mirror and makes her admire her beauty…and walk toward the silhouette..obviously the next scene is followed by a scream….Well I wont recommend you this movie despite it winning best movie award at various movie festivals… The feeling when you watch this movie is as if your skin is being pulled out…

3. Cinematography: Korean movie directors have strong emphasis of wallpapering of each shot…very often you realize(esp.. in Mushy movies) each shot…is a dream… closeups…wide angle shot… Imagine a 70 mm screen of just 2 hands 2 hands secretively trying to hold each other in crowd full of anonymity..

In romantic movie you will see many painting like shots .. imagine that you are with you loved on on bench in peferct solitude with a background noice of stream river flowing nearby…and faint background of Mozart composition.

To conclude: I propose you all, to give a try , and watch Korean movies…There are many themes like,love, tragedy, war, revenge, salvation .. Few movie names I could share with you are

-Theclassic,
-you are my sunshine,
-takuguki
-Sympathy for Lady Vengeance…

you will find list of movies on Wikipedia or koreanfilm.org and try to feel first had the

1.Asthetic sophistication,
2.understadness and

3.richness of human expressionisms.

Contrasts of India

2013-09-24T13:15:00.001+07:00

Being an Indian myself , India still fascinated me with contrast and Paradoxes... thought I should list some... Guess will update this post often over a period of time.

- Millionaire and slum dogs live side by side.

- 95% movie's on Love ; but Love marriages are still a tough subject to be negotiated.

- Helipad in Bus stations.

- Practicing Religion and Corruption.

- Low cost mirage and high margins.

- NDTV 24x7 and AajTak ( NewsChannel)

- Most Number of Miss world and lower rate of per capita Consumption of cosmetics.

PS: i wonder if i am comparing Apples to Oranges.

Train # 6526 - Island express

2009-12-26T19:42:00.014+07:00

"Island express" a name which allways to come with a sweet travel plans. I am back on this train after 10 years I guess. I am quite sure that This is name is known to every Malayalee guy in Bangalore since its connecting link for thousands of bangaloreans to kerala:

I can't stop wondering (flashback ) of the plans we used to make..

-Counting days as 'after 2 days I will be on this train.
-Imagining the unique vibration (cradling of train) which will make as fall asleep.
-Wondering if any cute girl will be their in the compartment.
-Awaiting the sweet fried banana breakfast at palghat station.
-Watching the bharathapuzha river flowing alongside early in the morning.
-Sitting firm when the train passes over the ottapalam bridge( to avoid the train loosing balance and falling into the river).
-Musical thump of the train.

Guess I will goto sleep now. Hope I can capture the Bharathapuzha river early morning and railside kerala beauty.

Some other characteristics :

Need to book the seats 45 to 90 days in advance.
Has more than 20+ bogie's
Guess its one of the most profitable rail routes

-some history from WIKI..Click here

The day I almost miss 2 flights...

2009-12-10T02:47:00.004+07:00

Its obvious from above that, I miss the first one. Where do I start. Do i start with... How did I miss the first one or my Figments of my imagination or wandering thought or should I say insights or winsonomics.
Today I had to travel from Bangkok to Delhi on work. My flight was at 720hrs. People who know me already would have guessed the reason for missing my first flight. Now I feel I was late(as I have gold card and have been checking in 30 to 40 mins before departure) thought there should be any issue today as well. Some thing about me is that I love to be a JIT person; that is I love to be Just In Time(more accurate is I don't want to wait. With the negative aspect added: Others can wait for me but I can't. The JIT thing is like a close one day cricket match, with mix of suspense & thrill and once I accomplish; the feelings is as great. If I remove the negative aspect its very disciplined system. Just like an ATC managing a Runway. So I miss my flight(for the first time in my life) for which I am solely resposible. Since I have no meetings today I was safe and I manage to change to the next evening flight. Offcourse I was feeling bad and took a taxi back home and while getting down gave my finger between the doors. God its hurts like hell. It still aches but at that time I could see stars in the day. Not to waste my time I went was back at office. I have this case of inertia. Cant stop if I am loving it. Sleep in the morning! offcourse I love.

My next flight was scheduled at 1950. I leave office at 1715(again,..inertia effect), thought I shall leave at 1700). As per my calculation, i can be at the airport by 1800 being frequenter. I take a taxi near my office to goto home to pick my luggage and then off to airport. Guess what! It's the turn of the Bangkok Traffic Jam. I reach home at 1750,and in a moment was on my way to the airport. I ask the driver to take the expressway. The expressway starts smooth and within couple of minutes I find myself back of pile of cars.

The bottom line is I manage to get the flight. Thanks to checkin staff , my loyalty card on TG and no crowd at immigration. I check in at 1925 and was in by 1945. This was first time I ran inside airport and with my new shoes my legs were in an ordeal.
Coming to the musings; I wonder why do people take the car(looks like baggage of ego, personal space). I also suspect countries esp.. car making companies funds infrastructure project for. Roads & expressways. Why there are one or 2 skytrain when you have so many roads. I begin to admire the paris subway system so complex and roads with wide walkways with coffee terraces. Shouldn't we be spending time relishing the evening sun with a cup of coffee and reading your favourite author than slogging it out waiting to jump on the next piece of road. I guess traffics jams are not unique to bangkok alone.. But why the mass transit system like BRT in Delhi proposed by Sunita Narain are scrubbed off. I think we need to figure the thin line between personal indulgences/space and common good. I wonder will we be proactive or get into tight spot like today to decide.
I guess if my bosses read this blog I might get fired...by god: I decide to be 2.5 hours before at airport and i must start making use of the lounges. Now I guess I am half way between BKK and DEL.

I have one resolution decided 22 day ahead of 2010 ; That is ;
To be present in Airport 2.5 hours before a takeoff...

My Job is also about

2009-12-08T03:29:00.002+07:00

Vitamin Wheelgreat free widgetsWidgetboxMore info

Advise....Want some???

2009-12-08T02:56:00.007+07:00

I am sure you know the old joke; what is it in this world that you get for Free(Apart from Smile)...Advise...from colleagues, friends, almost everyone around you(esp if you are an Asian)...and if you have to pay for it..its called consultancy...

Wonder why it so easy to Advise to others and Advising self is complicated... Guess the reasons could be when we are in problem..... the issue could be the problem shows it self as a jigsaw with many interconnected complication...or is it difficulty in prioritizing the complication ....The advisors most often see one complication and not to live with implication of choice; guess that makes it easier!!...but one silver lining is positive gesture of Help/care...

Guess i goto bed a bit smarter tonite...

Living in Intoxication

2009-11-17T01:52:00.006+07:00

Definition Intoxication: "overpowering exhilaration or excitement of the mind or emotions."
Definition Drunk "being in a temporary state in which one's physical and mental faculties are impaired by an excess of alcoholic drink".

Ever wonder why people want to get intoxicated with Wine, Love, Work or anything...A state of indecision, a state of loosened controll over self... a state of letting go and leting one self to be controlled by destiny, others or a state of fearing of letting go!. Wonder if i should call it stress release or lack of guts for decision , pure pleasure. The pleasure aspect is strange combination of fire n Ice....guess, i am cranky already to write this post at 2:13 in the night... Intoxicated with ....

Winsonville

2009-11-12T19:06:00.008+07:00

Few days back, I joined Farmville( Game on Facebook). Normally i am not a gaming guy(yet!), i just joined this to get a feeling of farming since i am into similar industry. The concept of the game is you have virtual farm where you grow vegetables/fruit/grains as well as have cows/chicken!...You do the normal chores as plowing/seeding/harvesting/milking associated with maintaining farm...

Initially my Winsonville(as i name it) was break activity and to transforming your day dream of what i could do with my farm, Imagining walking into my farm with fruit trees around(idea from My Girl and Gladiator) with small 3 block of plowed land... it was nice to imagine having a farm ,simple life, growing some trees and flower and rest in your small tent reading your favorite author...Invited some friends, who could be good neighbours... life seem to be good..

But now, i have been bitten by the competition thing..now want to attain new level, extend my farm size and have been taking my steps as, inviting anyone to be the neighbours, buying up machinery, looking to grows crops which are profitable interms of coins,experience,levels in shortest time... why am I getting pulled into a futile rat race???

Common , I dint join this for territorial expansion, competing with anyone...why cant i be a simple farmer with few neighbors(to gossip), small cultivation of my favorite fruits and Veggies of my choice and have creative farm...I wonder!

The Sky & The Tree

2009-11-12T18:02:00.002+07:00

Favorite Car still !!

2009-04-05T16:12:00.006+07:00

From the days of walking through the industrial estate of HMT opposite to Kendra Vidyalaya 01 in Jalahalli, gazing(drooling ..is the right word) over the Rover standard SD1 2000 parked in one of the factory...my interest for car has changed from one to another. Ranging from Tata Indica, Matiz, Palio, Gypsy in India to Mercedes, BMW 3 X5, Jag's XK XJ, Modena, Camry, Civic, Aston Martin etc.. Sometimes the choice is based on emotives like, style, way it carries it self, ruggedness, machine, mileage,Performance, visibility around ...
Infact the taste have been changing; for example: Tata Safari was THE car, but then when i saw, Ford Escape... i felt the later more refined... now since Indica is my regular taxi, it longer carried the 'stuff' when it was launched (guess my only comparison then was a Zen). From Rover SDK to the present Fiat Linea or Chrysler 300. There has been a long list and off course more to come.
But I wonder, What if i were to stick with one car? which car would that be? which car would retain its status with onslaught of new car...Many concepts that we cannot even imagine!!.. well it’s a difficult question ...and after reflecting on each car...
I guess that would be:
Maruti Gypsy.....coz, i still love to own,drive it!
PS: only time will tell ;)

Being a lesser and a Greater Fool

2009-01-06T04:56:00.009+07:00

Couple of days back i visited one of my relatives. This is a home of voracious readers...as soon as i entered their territory, i attacked the section which is a mini library...After going through the names..i choose two books...one… a book on Sales by ‘Ziglar’ and another from my favorite Author 'Paulo Coelho' titled 'Like the flowing river'...

I requested my cousin if he could lend the books to me which i shall return it to him by March during my next visit to the city. He agree to lend and said..."The one who borrows a book is a Fool'...Caught off guard being called a Fool, I immediately retaliated(being defensive)…I am not borrowing but i am taking it(well, taking advantage of being a close relative...off course i shall return this books by March)....but he continued... 'and the one who borrows and returns the book is a greater Fool'...I had no argument to counter and also didn't want to pursue to counter as it leads nowhere ....

Now that I have been reading this book from Paulo Coelho...I have come to understand the weight of my cousins Argument...After all.... When you are reading your favorite author....NEVER borrow but buy and own it...coz, you don’t want to return...

Mis-match!

2008-03-22T18:30:00.006+07:00

Many time, we are in place we are in team of two to do an common task...like in cricket...2 batsmen or a couple dancing or doubles partner in tennis,...where your indivual performance counts but also the action in resonant rhythm to deliver 1+1=3 ...you come across situation you are playing well than the other or vice versa...so in situation where in you are not in good as the other and other is blazing away...what do you do????i remember once a cricket comentator said..when Sachin Tendulkar is blazing from one side...what can the batsmen on the other end do? ....Just watch the magic happening and enjoy the moment....

Stranger than Fiction

2008-03-18T01:26:00.005+07:00

I was watching the movie "stranger than fiction" ..a movie wherein an authors fiction is someone's real life... sad part is that the writer is a 'tragedy' writer...hmm...wonder if our destiny has already been written...is the author a tragedy writer, an optimist ? or an drama writer? is the author of our lives like a movie story writer, who has filled our lives with sweet ,sour, bitter, spicy tinges.... can i answer this question now, though i am 27 as of today ? what more is to come ? is the sweet or the happy part over ? (just as in movie, where the begining is live with humour and later becomes serious with a plot/struggle)?...Just as sometime, when things do not go in our wishfull ways, sould we take up the cliche phrase "Let Go"...we also do point it on destiny /fate as some one had already written that in our individual fictions...we have some many targets to reach...same with many people.. how each ones target crisscrosses is mystery...we try to be there at many places...be many persons...when i pose this questions to myself i wonder...why question? just, Live your present...

As Emma Thompson's character puts it in "Stranger Than Fiction,"

"Sometimes, when we lose ourselves in fear and despair, in routine and constancy, in hopelessness and tragedy, we can thank God for Bavarian sugar cookies, and fortunately, when there aren’t any cookies we can still find reassurance in a familiar hand on our skin, or a kind and loving gesture, or a subtle encouragement, or a loving embrace, or an offer of comfort, not to mention hospital gurneys, and nose-plugs, and uneaten danish, and soft spoken secrets, and Fender Stratocasters, and maybe the occasional piece of fiction. And we must remember that all these things, the nuances, the anomalies, the subtleties, which we assume only accessorize our days are in fact here for a much larger and much nobler cause. They are here to save our lives. I know the idea seems strange. But I also know that it just so happens to be true"

Keep in Touch...

2007-12-13T11:57:00.000+07:00

Today I met my engineering college friends (to be precise 2: coz, they are twin brothers) after 6years, and also part from a friend whom I might not be seeing for a long time (cynically thinking)…then I wonder, I would have thought the same, six years back too when we finish our course and each one was at an exit point ready to go their own ways chasing his or her destiny… No assurances or guarantees that we meet except for the cliché phrase “Keep in Touch”… only feeling that was guaranteed was/is the Hope to meet. As an old saying goes,…meets and depart are ways of life, but depart and meet are hopes of life… so guys, catch you soon…

Top of the world

2007-11-17T02:31:00.000+07:00

Yep, i am on top of the world...This is one important ( not so ordinary ...if humbly put) moment of my Life..... Today the November 17, 2007...02: 32 AM ( Bangkok time)...Google thinks that, The most relevant weblink concerning the word "WINSON" which happens to be my name is in it's entire information world database is provided by my Blog "Homepage de Winson".

Page rank of 1 of about 739,000 for winson. (0.22 seconds) ...

Cheers....n Thank you, Google....

Eureka!!!

2007-09-01T11:05:00.000+07:00

Last weekend, i caught up with some old n close friends @ my friends new appartment ( + reason to open some wine)...We came to bangkok as part of our studies and now we end up working in BKK...

We see that, our lifestyles has changed from the days of university and now...Flashback wonders us on the things that we used to do ....You can imagine a typical students room..how,we have devised our very own indegenious systems to keep the room clean...let me list a few...

--Keep your glasses/plates/spoons in the refrigertor after use... no need to wash...
--If you have opened a can of Rosgollas, then keep the can in plate with water..so no Ants...
--Keep the flowers in the comode.
--Keep the expensive perfumes in the refrigertor.
--Keep you football jersey/Boots/Socks after playing for "Air Wash(Hang it in open air)" prior to wash.
--etc etc...cant remember nw...you can add if you remember...

Obvioulsy Thing are different now....gone are the days of Flowers/Morning football....

First among Equals

2007-08-20T11:06:00.000+07:00

Are all people equal? Is a Egalitarian society pragmatic?

I once met a young army captain (in his early 30s), he said to me pointing at a old sergeant standing guard outside his door. That man is far too old to me, does that mean, I keep him on my head. We all believe in the generic rule of ‘each human life is invaluable and priceless’ then , why is it that , everyone cannot get a life insurance policy over one million euro. Guess there is a value commanded by each person, depending on how critical he/she is to the society.

Last year, there has been a military coup ( Thai Rak Thai – TRT, led by Thakshin Shinawatra was overthrown), following mass protest against then Prime minister (Thakshin Shinawatra) alleging corruption, tax evasion etc. In Thailand, there seem to be a rift between 2 sections Anti- Thaksin (majority constitute urban Bangkokians-30%) and Pro Thaksin / TRT (mainly supported by the rural massed accounting up to 70%). Due to TRT policies that were focused on the non bangkokian (so called populist policy) like 30 baht(1 USD) medical insurance, local entrepreneurship project (OTOP) etc..TRT was very popular among the non urban and also people originating from these section, but based in the capital. The TRT had a vote share of 70 % plus, and was in a commanding position and by number, cannot be replaced…Majority (number) rules…

In comparison, urban bangkokian are well educated and relatively adding the chunk of economic value. Post coup, the TRT has been banned and member barred from entering politics for 5 years. Now that the party (representing the majority) has been officially wiped off…The smaller parties are going to come in to power. Implying that small percentage of urbaners ( so called educated /modern/sophisticated) class going to run the country.

Is that Fair? Or Should the numbers(valid stake holders) decide the fate of the country (irrespective of the quality of numbers) ? Numbers would matter in the world of the equals, which is not the case. Again, economic value(a sign of the smart ones), commands the say. On the face of it may seem a anti-capitalist cliché (few rich running the masses) but I guess, that seems to be the eventual reality in all walks of life.

I guess, Democracy /egalitarian society is mirage....

Annyeonghaseyo!!!!

2007-06-25T10:43:00.000+07:00

Being from the Land of Bollywoood, Kolly, tolly and other woods in India...I have a strong interest and have been fascinated by the silver screen...well going to movie was not that Easy in India till by end of schooling for obvious reasons(except for the sat/Sunday movie on our Doordarshan)...Have started seeing film from my college days…most of them by logistically bunking classes and being in the theatre...

Once having come to Thailand, watching movie has been easier and more comfortable and more variety...Being in Thailand, Have got chance to watch many South east Asian Movies ( Thai, Japanese and Korean) ..of which Korean movies and even series(shhhh) have cast a spell on me...I would rate Korean film industry as one of the leaders in this part of world with movies with High caliber of Technique, People, Storyline, Art...., I would rather say that they are exceptional in portraying emotions/Melodrama...Movies are classy, elegant and beware the love stories are too mushy....
Coming to the series, the ones I have managed to see are 3-4 way love triangles…but are too mushy again…This would be good market for the teens and will be far from the Mother-Daughter in law types(saas –Bahu)…Ekta Kapoor ..hey, are you listening.??
So People , if you haven’t seen one…go n get one ...
Below are few movies I would recommend that I have seen...
Movies:
Taegukgi: The Brotherhood of war –(2004)
You Are My Sunshine (2005)

Sympathy for Lady Vengeance (2005)

Series:
Spring Waltz

Alone in Love

Love Letter
Also you can get a good list of movies/Series in here:
Wikipedia – Korean Cinema

Korean Drama

A Coffee shop story...

2007-05-22T16:15:00.000+07:00

Couple of days back. Me along with my friends were sitting in a coffee shop on a Sunday afternoon and catching up on each other life...the coffee shop was unusually not crowded on hot Sunday afternoon...there were some girls too sitting outside and sipping their coffee and catching up on their weekly doze of gossips( I guess!!)...

All of Sudden one girl got up and ran hastily towards the service counter, asked for something...The guy at the service counter directed her to the jug of water beside our table. She hastily pour some water into plastic disposable glass and ran out... Seeing the urgency, we thought, may be one of her friends desperately needs some water...but it so happen that , she took the glass of water to the dog drinking water from stream of water from a leak..

We were all amazed and smiling at each other with sarcasm. Is everything ok with her? In the 6 billion plus world, a considerable population does not have even access to the water that the dog was having? Judgmental question's like...is she too crazy/ too sensitive? Why is she behaving like a Kid? Then we thought, May be she want's to have a better life for things around her & she tries to add her bit...I guess that these small things, that we often turn a blind eye too, sometimes challenges our sensitivities...Though I am not adding positive or negative points for each one's individual behavior…but I was wondering, could we have a world where people are sensitive to adding value with the means they can, to the life around….....

Why dont the Indian Media go and get the Cricket World Cup???

2007-03-25T20:55:00.000+07:00

Fact accepted : India is out of the world cup..

But then, this is a Game... I don’t think, India wasn't playing good either to be in the top 5 , except for the series in West Indies...C'mon, media is just getting into cheap act of ripping people and the team....getting max viewer ship by doing brick bashing (case analysis, discussions, and debates) as that would get them some cheap money. Just because in India this is a major sport, passionate fans who watch 8-10 hrs (time is not a luxury for them…obviously)…Does that mean they are the owners of cricket in India and have the right to do demonstration on street with burning effigies, blackening cricketers posters etc....Can the media or these people provide the solution?

If you see the ads in the ground...Hero Honda CBZ, Indian Oil.. Does anybody knows these brands outside India… Cricket is sport which keep this 500+ million people glued. Definitely the market is big and media and businesses are just there to make use of this and improve their income statements…

The Indian people and Indian media should not take the world cup for granted. I would strongly suggest, India(people and media) should accept this defeat with Humility, instead of brick bashing, and cheap demonstration on street... This reflects poorly on Indian’s as emotionally immature people...Its shame that Indian media is happy to give the multiplication effect to these unfortunate events...

Let us trust and have confidence in the Indian cricket board and team and let them decide, what should be done next...NOT the lay man or media... This is not the end of cricket for India...Lets be humble , and accept the fact and take this as a wakeup call and learn the lesson and move forward...

My latest Investment: YAMAHA F310

2007-03-05T23:11:00.000+07:00

DETAILS:
Top: Spruce
Back / Sides: Mahogany
Neck: Nato
Fretboard: Rosewood
Bridge: Sonokeling
Frets: 20
Hardware: Open Chrome Tuners
Finishes: Natural Gloss

A beautiful Poem by my friend Pooja

2007-03-02T13:32:00.000+07:00

Zindagi Khoobsurat Hai (Life is Beautiful)

Shishu ki mohak muskaan mein
Panchchiyon ki unchi udaan mein
Jharne ki madhur kal kal mein
Ghungroo ki surili jhankar meinZindagi
khoobsurat hai

Pitaa ki pyaari dular mein
Maa ke aam ke aachar mein
Daadi ki unginat aashish mein
Bhai se mithi nokjhonk mein
Zindagi khoobsurat hai

Kabhi naa rukne vali raftar mein
Bitey samay ki yaad mein
Bin thake umeed se aage badhne mein
Aane vali sabhi tareekhon mein
Zindagi khoobsurat hai

--Pooja Nagpal