Lately, because of the holiday season, I've been working from home a lot, or I've had days off. So to keep things from getting too quiet around the house, I usually turn on the TV. Now, if you're at home in the mornings, you probably know that nothing interesting comes on until 10am when Price Is Right comes on. But before that, I can never find anything interesting, so the default background show for me is the Today Show.
Have you ever seen this show? It's been on for so long, I'm sure you've seen at least one episode. It's a pretty innocuous show. I mean, strange weathermen is about the only thing I take away from the show. The thing that gets me though is the infomercials throughout. Infomercials, you say? Well, ya. The show is riddled with plugs for various products. The plugs are disguised as tips on the latest fashion trends or gift giving trends or whatever, but they're essentially advertisements for the products. And you thought Queer Eye and The Apprentice was obnoxious with its product placements? (which are paid for by the way)
Seriously, I'm surprised people haven't asked about how much NBC makes off this show just by selling plug spots. Whether it's make-up, jeans, or jewelry, they make sure to tell you the brand name, how much it costs, and where you can get the item. All while housewives across America are sitting engrossed. Seems like NBC has a strategy here...Today Show, The Apprentice, and Queer Eye are all produced by NBC....
And the other thing...what up with Katie Couric? She's always throwing in some double-entedre or some comment to show that she's down with the times. She randomly threw in the term Chrismukkah and I was like, huh? She seems to try too hard with her jokes and catch-phrases. Maybe it's just too early in the morning for her.
Anyways, get up early one day and watch a few minutes of the show...you'll see what I mean.
Thursday, January 06, 2005
Wednesday, January 05, 2005
More socio-policital developments
While my heart sinks every time I read about the latest news from the tsunami affect areas there are certain things which make me nod my head in approval. The latest is that Germany is pledging some $674 million in long-term aid while Australia will provide $765 million in loans and grants. As the world has begun to realize the enormity of devastation in the area, it's heartening to see that nations around the world are finding ways to help. What's more important than money however is the logistical support that is being provided. The American military is playing a central role in that. As far what I wrote about India in my last post, it's still true, but when looking at the bigger picture, it's clear that international ties in every direction will become stronger. And more than India playing a key role in the region, I think it's key that nations from all over recognize that there is indeed a world community at the ready to help when needed.
The only unfortunate part about this is that such international relationship building occured only after such tragedy. But as I'm sure everyone has experienced, it's during the worst times when you realize what true friends and neighbors are. Let's hope that ten years from now, what we remember about this tragedy is that it brought nations together politically and brought people together across every divide. And hopefully, these ties that bind remain well after the images have disappeared from our TV screens.
The only unfortunate part about this is that such international relationship building occured only after such tragedy. But as I'm sure everyone has experienced, it's during the worst times when you realize what true friends and neighbors are. Let's hope that ten years from now, what we remember about this tragedy is that it brought nations together politically and brought people together across every divide. And hopefully, these ties that bind remain well after the images have disappeared from our TV screens.
Tuesday, January 04, 2005
India flexing its regional muscle
I was talking to someone over the weekend about the Tsunami and they mentioned that it was so bad that India is refusing aid from other countries. I didn't want to start an argument then so I didn't say anything in response to that comment, but since this is my space, I'll respond right here.
On the surface, it would seem pretty haughty for India to refuse help from other countries, but upon further consideration, it's about the best thing that India can do given the situation and given the history of India's desire to be self-relient. Looking back on India's history, much of it's economic development was designed to ensure that it could be self-relient. Some of the methods have led to slower growth, but the motives were pretty clear - India could build its own factories and grow its own food.
Now with the current situation, it's clear that India wants to flex its muscles in the region. Although China has a larger population, India is really the powerhouse in this portion of Asia. By refusing outside aid, the Indian government is saying that they can take care of their own. Moreover, by promising aid to other affected countries, New Delhi is saying that they will look out for their neighbors even in times of great need and despair.
This is sort of what the United States did after WWII. It's because of U.S. aid that Europe got back on its feet then. It's because of U.S. support that both Germany and Japan grew to be economic powerhouses. Of course, the entire picture is much more complex than that, but the bottom line is that the U.S. took on a role of lifting up affected nations and getting them back on their feet.
Now, India isn't provided nearly the amount of support that the U.S. did back in the 40s, 50s, and 60s, but the message is clear. We're big boys now and we'll look out for our own as well as for our neighbors.
For years, India has been trying to cement its status as regional powerhouse, but nothing has really solidified it. Even the IT boom hasn't made India as big a powerhouse as could be. So perhaps in the face of tragedy, India will be able to establish itself on the table with the big boys. Who knows where this will lead...permanent UN Security Council seat? More leverage in WTO talks? I think the coming months will be very enlightening for people interested in seeing where Indian power heads. Hopefully New Delhi can back up its promises and hopefully it helps to solidify the country's place with the traditional world powers.
On the surface, it would seem pretty haughty for India to refuse help from other countries, but upon further consideration, it's about the best thing that India can do given the situation and given the history of India's desire to be self-relient. Looking back on India's history, much of it's economic development was designed to ensure that it could be self-relient. Some of the methods have led to slower growth, but the motives were pretty clear - India could build its own factories and grow its own food.
Now with the current situation, it's clear that India wants to flex its muscles in the region. Although China has a larger population, India is really the powerhouse in this portion of Asia. By refusing outside aid, the Indian government is saying that they can take care of their own. Moreover, by promising aid to other affected countries, New Delhi is saying that they will look out for their neighbors even in times of great need and despair.
This is sort of what the United States did after WWII. It's because of U.S. aid that Europe got back on its feet then. It's because of U.S. support that both Germany and Japan grew to be economic powerhouses. Of course, the entire picture is much more complex than that, but the bottom line is that the U.S. took on a role of lifting up affected nations and getting them back on their feet.
Now, India isn't provided nearly the amount of support that the U.S. did back in the 40s, 50s, and 60s, but the message is clear. We're big boys now and we'll look out for our own as well as for our neighbors.
For years, India has been trying to cement its status as regional powerhouse, but nothing has really solidified it. Even the IT boom hasn't made India as big a powerhouse as could be. So perhaps in the face of tragedy, India will be able to establish itself on the table with the big boys. Who knows where this will lead...permanent UN Security Council seat? More leverage in WTO talks? I think the coming months will be very enlightening for people interested in seeing where Indian power heads. Hopefully New Delhi can back up its promises and hopefully it helps to solidify the country's place with the traditional world powers.
Monday, January 03, 2005
Resolutions
Following up on my review of 2004, it's now time to talk about New Year's resolutions. I've never been huge on resolutions, but I usually try to look back on the past year and see what I could change, based on the biggest things which happened in my life.
For example, in 2003, my wife would always joke with me about the amount of coffee I drink (1 or 2 cups a day). So she dared me to go without coffee. So I agreed that I would skip the coffee for a month. Yes, I know, it's a pretty silly resolution, but I've realized that resolutions are best when realistic and time constrained. Moreover, resolutions will likely not work if the aim is to change a fundamental habit. It's gotta be something you would do at any time of the year and something which you can do happily.
So what do I aim to do in the coming year? Take at least 100 photographs a month.
Huh? Ya, that's right, I want to take more photos. How did I come to this decision? Well, 2004 had so much going on in our lives, that I just wanted to document it all for posterity. Additionally, my father-in-law found a cache of old photographs from when my wife was young. The photographs weren't just from special events, they documented the little things in life. Like my wife playing with her younger brother when he was still in diapers. Just another reason for me to take more photographs.
And finally, I always tell myself that I need to get out more, have my camera with me, and take a few shots that I can be proud of. Whether those shots include family and friends or whether they're landscape shots, they will be valuable to us later in life.
So there it is. I aim to take at least 100 photographs a month. They won't be pictures of my big toe. They'll be photos which my family and friends can look back on and smile.
For example, in 2003, my wife would always joke with me about the amount of coffee I drink (1 or 2 cups a day). So she dared me to go without coffee. So I agreed that I would skip the coffee for a month. Yes, I know, it's a pretty silly resolution, but I've realized that resolutions are best when realistic and time constrained. Moreover, resolutions will likely not work if the aim is to change a fundamental habit. It's gotta be something you would do at any time of the year and something which you can do happily.
So what do I aim to do in the coming year? Take at least 100 photographs a month.
Huh? Ya, that's right, I want to take more photos. How did I come to this decision? Well, 2004 had so much going on in our lives, that I just wanted to document it all for posterity. Additionally, my father-in-law found a cache of old photographs from when my wife was young. The photographs weren't just from special events, they documented the little things in life. Like my wife playing with her younger brother when he was still in diapers. Just another reason for me to take more photographs.
And finally, I always tell myself that I need to get out more, have my camera with me, and take a few shots that I can be proud of. Whether those shots include family and friends or whether they're landscape shots, they will be valuable to us later in life.
So there it is. I aim to take at least 100 photographs a month. They won't be pictures of my big toe. They'll be photos which my family and friends can look back on and smile.
Sunday, January 02, 2005
In Review
So it's been a few days since my last post. I've been asking friends to help raise money to donate to Tsunami Relief. I'll be donating to to the International Red Cross via my employer since they match 100%. I'm still watching CNN constantly and my heart just breaks every time I let the latest stories sink in.
Anyways, I feel a bit more like thinking over the past year and what it has meant for me. Earlier in the summer I wrote about being fat and happy. I was basically being thankful for having a great life, a great wife, great friends, and just about everything one could ask for. After so much tragedy over the past week, I am just that more thankful for what we've been given. So I'll refrain from being even sappier. We can all agree that such time to reflect lets us really appreciate all the little things which make our lives more worthwhile.
With that said, 2004 had so many things which made my life interesting. Of course there are been huge changes like buying a house and getting a dog, but the year is made up of more than big events.
Anyways, I feel a bit more like thinking over the past year and what it has meant for me. Earlier in the summer I wrote about being fat and happy. I was basically being thankful for having a great life, a great wife, great friends, and just about everything one could ask for. After so much tragedy over the past week, I am just that more thankful for what we've been given. So I'll refrain from being even sappier. We can all agree that such time to reflect lets us really appreciate all the little things which make our lives more worthwhile.
With that said, 2004 had so many things which made my life interesting. Of course there are been huge changes like buying a house and getting a dog, but the year is made up of more than big events.
- Music
I must say that this has been the year of my return to music. I used to be quite the music junkie back in college and a couple of years after that. But the past couple years have been rather unmusical. Yes, there’s been good music, but nothing to make me want to write. This year I discovered so much music I don’t know what to put on my MP3 player first.
UK Asian music. I’m not quite sure what term to use when talking about this music, but it covers music which Adil Ray plays during his show on the BBC Asian Network and that which Bobby and Nihal play on BBC1. I haven’t written about this in quite a while, but I certainly haven’t forgotten about it. Artists like Raghav, Jay Sean, Mehsopuria, and of course, Zeus have shown me that there is quite a lot in store for Indian music in the coming years. These guys have taken their cultural backgrounds and music they grew up with, and flipped it to create great fusions.
Rock. Man I used to hate hip-hop and would only listen to rock music. Over the years, I’ve fallen out of love with the new rock music out there. This year I’ve re-discovered my love and passion for guitar, bass, and drums. Some of the highlights for me have been Franz Ferdinand, Modest Mouse, The Killers, and to top it all off…a new U2 album. Can I just say how much I love U2? I’m much less of a freaky fanatic when it comes to U2, but the new album has breathed life back into geezer rock :) But seriously, there is such good rock music out there right now, I wish I could name it all. Last year may have been a break out year for garage bands like The Strokes and the White Stripes, but it’s only this year that I’ve realized that it was just the beginning of a new era of great rock.
Hip-Hop. Can I get a holla for Kanye West? Sure, his album is very pop, but you know what? I don’t care. I’ve talked to friends about his album and it certainly has its faults, but it’s still a great listen. Not only are his beats catchy, he’s got some interesting lyrics which make you want to listen again and again. Plus, he’s clearly had influence on some other artists through his production work. Can I get another holla for Mos Def and Talib Kweli? Both came out with new albums this year. While Kweli has been consistently been putting out great musc, it’s been a long time for Mos since he’s been busy with his acting career. Both albums are great spins and if you haven’t heard them, you’re missing out. I wish I had the space to talk about all of the other Hip-Hoppers which have put out more stuff this year or those which I’ve just discovered…the whole Quannum Crew (Lyrics Born, DJ Shadow, etc) and The Roots are just two of them.
2-Step. If you don’t know what this music is, I’m not sure how to describe it…it’s sometimes referred to as UK Garage. It actually refers to the beat, but two of the best artists I know who put the beat to great use are Dizzy Rascal and The Streets. Both artists are from the UK (thus UK Garage) and both use these stark, bare bones beats to back up their stories. Dizzy’s on the freaky side of hip-hop, The Streets are on the dirty side of rock. If you’re looking for some really innovative music outside of the regular genres that get airplay on US radio stations, check these two artists out for a taste of a whole different world. - Politics
It would be an understatement to say that 2004 was a big political year. Not only were there presidential elections here in the US, there was a parliamentary election in India. My work with Young India over the past year has really helped me to take a step away from the political maneuverings and see the political landscape for what it is. I’ve been able to connect many dots. I’ve been able to develop a much more robust opinion on issues. Most importantly, I’ve forced myself to look at many aspects of an issue before deciding on my opinion. I’ve found that most political thought just scratches the surface of real, meaningful policy. While people on both the left and right love to point out flaws with the others’ thoughts, policies and actions, it’s clear that neither side has much holistic sensibility and no desire to come up with policy which actually addresses political realities while looking to create new realities. In 2005, I plan to be involved in many of the policy ventures which Young India is planning and I’m looking forward to further developing the political side of my brain. - Love
Ok, what isn’t made better with a little love? This past year has seen a lot of love develop (and progress) amongst my friends. Two friends got married and in the progress many of us in the wedding party became much closer friends. Two other friends have found significant others and I can’t help but smile when I talk or chat with them. It’s easy to be cynical about falling in love. After all, most of us have played the games, looked for some fun or for some commitment, and found the wrong thing at the wrong time. But it’s those times when the stars seem to align that make it most worthwhile. Of course, let’s not forget the new ruler of our house: Junior, our golden retriever puppy. I’ve written more than once about animals and he’s basically the reason I’ve come to think so much more of the creatures around us (well, him and Rajah too). He’s been a handful these first few months, but it’s been more than worthwhile.
So this is an entirely too long post. Let's leave it at that and get back to things at hand. If you haven't asked our friends and family to contribute money towards Tsunami Relief efforts, please do so. We've all heard staggering numbers and seen the mind-numbing footage. Take a moment and donate whatever you can. Please.
Wednesday, December 29, 2004
Matching donations for Tsunami Relief
In case your employer doesn't match you donations, I've found (via Tiffinbox) that Sulekha will match your donations made to the Association for India's Development. Both are great orginizations. Here's more information:
http://www.sulekha.com/aidtsunami/
http://www.sulekha.com/aidtsunami/
Year in Review - Another time
While I was on the plane betwen here and Singapore I typed up some of my thoughts about the past year. Most of those thoughts were quite upbeat. It doesn't seem quite right to post such things now that the images from South and Southeast Asia are flooding my mind.
I have to say that the past year has been very good to myself and my family. I've rarely had anything to frown about. There have been so many things which have made our year memorable and so many things which we'll cherish. But you know, I'm going to leave it for right now. I may post those thoughts in the new year, but for right now, let's leave it at that.
By the way, when you're looking to donate for disaster relief efforts, check to see if your employer will match your contributions. Most big companies will find some way to match. If they don't, ask your HR department if they can do that in this special case. My company not only matches our donations 100%, they exempt donations to Tsunami relief from our annual limit of $1000 matching (per employee)...they did the same after the Gujarat earthquake.
I have to say that the past year has been very good to myself and my family. I've rarely had anything to frown about. There have been so many things which have made our year memorable and so many things which we'll cherish. But you know, I'm going to leave it for right now. I may post those thoughts in the new year, but for right now, let's leave it at that.
By the way, when you're looking to donate for disaster relief efforts, check to see if your employer will match your contributions. Most big companies will find some way to match. If they don't, ask your HR department if they can do that in this special case. My company not only matches our donations 100%, they exempt donations to Tsunami relief from our annual limit of $1000 matching (per employee)...they did the same after the Gujarat earthquake.
Monday, December 27, 2004
Fair Elections
Before the election, I wrote about some fundamental problems with the American Elections system. The NY Times has a short op-ed today about setting standard for fair elections. I'm happy to see that some people are still concerned about the process of voting. It's also encouraing to know that there is such a thing as the Election Assitance Commission, but I hope this commission doesn't just come up with half-baked suggestions which don't address the fundamental problems.
It's amazing to think that news about fair elections in Ukraine and Iraq hasn't gotten people more riled up about fair elections here. Let's hope the pressure remains and real solutions are brought forward to ensure fair voting during the upcoming mid-term congressional elections.
It's amazing to think that news about fair elections in Ukraine and Iraq hasn't gotten people more riled up about fair elections here. Let's hope the pressure remains and real solutions are brought forward to ensure fair voting during the upcoming mid-term congressional elections.
Tsunamis
There's not much to say about this other than to express shock and horror. I've been working from home today and have constantly watched the news for updates. Some of the footage is really just unbelieveable. It's like watching a summer movie blockbuster, but once you realize that it's all real, you're just left speechless.
Here's a great map of the affected areas.
If you'd like, you can donate to the Red Cross here.
Here's a great map of the affected areas.
If you'd like, you can donate to the Red Cross here.
Sunday, December 26, 2004
Malls & the Eight Hour Layover
We got back from Singapore a couple of days ago. Happy Christmas!
So I'll refrain from an extended description of every last thing we did in Singapore (All 5 regular readers of this blog will remember, with pain, the posts about Europe and wince). I reserve the right to post about Singapore in the future, but I'll try to keep it associated with interesting photos I took while there.
So I'll just post a couple of thoughts about Singapore right now before moving on to the annual review of the past year. Maybe I'll even have some resolutions!
Two of the things Singapore is known for (at least in my mind) are the shopping and the airport layover. If you've ever travelled to India you may be quite familiar with the 8-hour layover. I never really gave this much thought until this trip.
By coincidence, a couple of our friends stopped in Singapore for 8 hours while we were there. So we picked them up from the airport and took them to a few spots where they could eat some great food and get an idea of the shopping. While taking them around, I realized that this is exactly what the Singapore government wants and this is exactly why the 8-hour layover even exists.
Think about it. Travellers going to other countries don't think anything of this layover. They don't think they're visiting Singapore. In fact, they're really just visiting India or some other country in Asia. But the reality is that in their short stop in the country, most people will spend at least a few bucks that they weren't planning to spend. Whether it's on food or shopping, Singapore still wins. Our friends spent over a hundred Sing dollars in just a few hours. If every transit passenger spends just S$10 while there, it's a huge plus for the country. And the government doesn't even need to convince people to visit the country, they've just had the national carrier schedule their flights to encourage people to spend a few hours looking around.
And as far as the shopping malls go? I'm convinced there are so many malls in Singapore because of the heat and humidity. Seriously, why would anyone wants to spend time in the oppresively thick air when they could stroll around the comfortable confines of one of the thousands to shopping malls? Hong Kong seems to be the same way.
So next time you find yourself stuck in the Changi Airport in Singapore waiting for your next flight, think about what the government wants you to do. Shop and eat.
So I'll refrain from an extended description of every last thing we did in Singapore (All 5 regular readers of this blog will remember, with pain, the posts about Europe and wince). I reserve the right to post about Singapore in the future, but I'll try to keep it associated with interesting photos I took while there.
So I'll just post a couple of thoughts about Singapore right now before moving on to the annual review of the past year. Maybe I'll even have some resolutions!
Two of the things Singapore is known for (at least in my mind) are the shopping and the airport layover. If you've ever travelled to India you may be quite familiar with the 8-hour layover. I never really gave this much thought until this trip.
By coincidence, a couple of our friends stopped in Singapore for 8 hours while we were there. So we picked them up from the airport and took them to a few spots where they could eat some great food and get an idea of the shopping. While taking them around, I realized that this is exactly what the Singapore government wants and this is exactly why the 8-hour layover even exists.
Think about it. Travellers going to other countries don't think anything of this layover. They don't think they're visiting Singapore. In fact, they're really just visiting India or some other country in Asia. But the reality is that in their short stop in the country, most people will spend at least a few bucks that they weren't planning to spend. Whether it's on food or shopping, Singapore still wins. Our friends spent over a hundred Sing dollars in just a few hours. If every transit passenger spends just S$10 while there, it's a huge plus for the country. And the government doesn't even need to convince people to visit the country, they've just had the national carrier schedule their flights to encourage people to spend a few hours looking around.
And as far as the shopping malls go? I'm convinced there are so many malls in Singapore because of the heat and humidity. Seriously, why would anyone wants to spend time in the oppresively thick air when they could stroll around the comfortable confines of one of the thousands to shopping malls? Hong Kong seems to be the same way.
So next time you find yourself stuck in the Changi Airport in Singapore waiting for your next flight, think about what the government wants you to do. Shop and eat.
Sunday, December 19, 2004
Redemption, Singaporean Style
When writing about Singapore, I realize I'm not encouraging people to come here. Afterall, I've pretty much said they've got wierd laws, no freedom, and not much diversity. But, I had to say there is definitely a few great things about coming here. Well, for me, there's one more - in-laws - but I doubt many people are married to ex-Singaporeans. So I'll try to redeem myself in the eyes of Singaporeans everywhere.
Anyways, the tops on the list for coming here: FOOD.
I cannot get enough of the food here. There are so many cultures here tat you can find amazing mish-mashes of food that end up tasting great. While you may not find people mixing with each other, nobody has a problem eating food from other cultures. Moreover, various elements from different cuisines have been combined in ways to create great flavors that please the palate. Spicy, Sour, Sweet, Salty, Crunchy, Hot, Cold..you name it, you got it.
Now that Singaporean food is getting more popular in the US, it's easier to find it there, but it's a bit odd eating such food in a nice restaurant. Afterall, in Singapore that same food is served in food courts and hawker centers. Just imagine if Sbarro's and McDonald's were fine dining restaurants and you paid $3.50 for fries, $8.50 for a Big Mac, and you were given cloth napkins upon being seated. If only we could get cheap Singaporean food in the US....I'd swear off all other cuisine including Indian!
BTW, a hawker center is a uniquely Singaporean thing. It's basically a big covered space with many, many stalls with different types of food. Sort of like a food court, but not in the mall and generally a bit grimy. Anyways, they have the best food since it's quite authentic and really cheap.
Another great thing here is the shopping. The prices aren't nearly as good as they used to be. Electronics are no longer cheap here. But there is still some good shopping left here. Mainly for women (as usual), but even guys can do a little shopping for clothes and shoes and come away with good deals. Too bad the dollar is so weak, otherwise the deals would be even better!
And finally, Singapore is the perfect hopping point for travel in the South East Asia. It's kind of like going to London and getting cheap flights to mainland Europe. In Singapore, you can go to any travel agent in any mall and they'll have a catalog of different vacation packages. You can hop over to Bangkok for 6 days with flight, hotel, and breakfast included for less then SG$500 (about US$350). Not bad. Last time we were here we went to a resort town in South Malaysia for a couple of days for something like $90 a person.
Anyways, this should give you an idea of some of the good things about Singapore. I will now ask the government agent to stop pointing a gun at my head :)
Anyways, the tops on the list for coming here: FOOD.
I cannot get enough of the food here. There are so many cultures here tat you can find amazing mish-mashes of food that end up tasting great. While you may not find people mixing with each other, nobody has a problem eating food from other cultures. Moreover, various elements from different cuisines have been combined in ways to create great flavors that please the palate. Spicy, Sour, Sweet, Salty, Crunchy, Hot, Cold..you name it, you got it.
Now that Singaporean food is getting more popular in the US, it's easier to find it there, but it's a bit odd eating such food in a nice restaurant. Afterall, in Singapore that same food is served in food courts and hawker centers. Just imagine if Sbarro's and McDonald's were fine dining restaurants and you paid $3.50 for fries, $8.50 for a Big Mac, and you were given cloth napkins upon being seated. If only we could get cheap Singaporean food in the US....I'd swear off all other cuisine including Indian!
BTW, a hawker center is a uniquely Singaporean thing. It's basically a big covered space with many, many stalls with different types of food. Sort of like a food court, but not in the mall and generally a bit grimy. Anyways, they have the best food since it's quite authentic and really cheap.
Another great thing here is the shopping. The prices aren't nearly as good as they used to be. Electronics are no longer cheap here. But there is still some good shopping left here. Mainly for women (as usual), but even guys can do a little shopping for clothes and shoes and come away with good deals. Too bad the dollar is so weak, otherwise the deals would be even better!
And finally, Singapore is the perfect hopping point for travel in the South East Asia. It's kind of like going to London and getting cheap flights to mainland Europe. In Singapore, you can go to any travel agent in any mall and they'll have a catalog of different vacation packages. You can hop over to Bangkok for 6 days with flight, hotel, and breakfast included for less then SG$500 (about US$350). Not bad. Last time we were here we went to a resort town in South Malaysia for a couple of days for something like $90 a person.
Anyways, this should give you an idea of some of the good things about Singapore. I will now ask the government agent to stop pointing a gun at my head :)
Saturday, December 18, 2004
Forced diversity
I've only been here in Singapore a few days, but there is one new thing I've noticed since arriving. While there is great ethnic diversity here (Chinese, Malay, Hokkien, Indian, etc), there is very, very little cultural diversity. Not to say that every city in the US is culturally diverse, but I've always figured that when there is high ethnic diversity, cultural diversity follows, especially after a few generations.
But in Singapore? Far from.
The only mixing of races I've seen so far has been American (more correctly Caucasian) ex-pats dating locals. There really isn't much else. Chinese folk stick with Chinese folk. Malays stick with Malays, etc.
And I don't think this phenomenon is linked to new immigrants. Singapore seems to have relatively little permanent immigration. Those that move here tend to fill labor intense jobs, but they are here only on temporary visas. This lack of cultural mixing is amongst people who have been raised here. And that's what puzzles me.
So connected to my previous posts about the Singaporean government's parental attitude, the only place where I see any attempt to learn about other cultures is in the newspaper or connected to governmental programs. I suspect the debates in newspapers are something which the government "encourages", otherwise I doubt we'd even see that in the papers. Regardless of the reason for including it in the op/ed pages, this seems very contrived.
The types of things I've seen in papers are op/ed pieces about Non-Muslims and Muslims getting along better (preventing "extremism" is one of the government's new published goals). I suppose wanting to get along better with people of different backgrounds seems only natural for Americans, but it's really wierd here. Like I said, it seems like only the government wants this. They support ethnic diversity amongst neighborhoods by forcing a mininum diversity in apartment buildings (e.g., if there are too many Chinese living in a specific building, more Chinese can't buy places there). They support various programs to get people together in public ways.
But in everyday life? The most common places for Singaporeans to congregate are the mall and food court. In these places, both young and old only mingle with people of the same ethnicity. One would expect school children to have friends from all backgrounds, but that doesn't seem to be the case.
My point here? Well, there's not much of one. Just that even though the government goes to great lengths to support cultural diversity, the people of Singapore seem to have turned their backs on the slightest notion. Considering the amount of ethnic diversity crammed into a place as small as Singapore, this is very wierd, especially for an American who has lived in relatively diverse places all his life.
But in Singapore? Far from.
The only mixing of races I've seen so far has been American (more correctly Caucasian) ex-pats dating locals. There really isn't much else. Chinese folk stick with Chinese folk. Malays stick with Malays, etc.
And I don't think this phenomenon is linked to new immigrants. Singapore seems to have relatively little permanent immigration. Those that move here tend to fill labor intense jobs, but they are here only on temporary visas. This lack of cultural mixing is amongst people who have been raised here. And that's what puzzles me.
So connected to my previous posts about the Singaporean government's parental attitude, the only place where I see any attempt to learn about other cultures is in the newspaper or connected to governmental programs. I suspect the debates in newspapers are something which the government "encourages", otherwise I doubt we'd even see that in the papers. Regardless of the reason for including it in the op/ed pages, this seems very contrived.
The types of things I've seen in papers are op/ed pieces about Non-Muslims and Muslims getting along better (preventing "extremism" is one of the government's new published goals). I suppose wanting to get along better with people of different backgrounds seems only natural for Americans, but it's really wierd here. Like I said, it seems like only the government wants this. They support ethnic diversity amongst neighborhoods by forcing a mininum diversity in apartment buildings (e.g., if there are too many Chinese living in a specific building, more Chinese can't buy places there). They support various programs to get people together in public ways.
But in everyday life? The most common places for Singaporeans to congregate are the mall and food court. In these places, both young and old only mingle with people of the same ethnicity. One would expect school children to have friends from all backgrounds, but that doesn't seem to be the case.
My point here? Well, there's not much of one. Just that even though the government goes to great lengths to support cultural diversity, the people of Singapore seem to have turned their backs on the slightest notion. Considering the amount of ethnic diversity crammed into a place as small as Singapore, this is very wierd, especially for an American who has lived in relatively diverse places all his life.
Friday, December 17, 2004
Goodbye Democracy, hello....Dictatorship?
It's the holiday season, and what better way to celebrate than to go to a hot and humid country where you can get jailtime and caning for spitting our your gum in an inappropriate place...yes, it's the country we all love...Singapore. My wife is from here so this is really a family visit.
I've written before about the Singapore government here and here. so I won't go on about that, but I will post a few more thoughts about what has caught my eye. I'm only here for a week this time so you won't have to get too bored with my constant writing about the place.
So before anything else, let me just say we had a great start to our trip. We got bumped up to business class for the whole journey here. Yay! After settling into our economy class seats, a flight attendent came by and gave us new boarding passes and asked us to move up to the front of the plane. Now, I've sat in business class twice before. Once was on a very short hop from San Jose to LAX. Pretty useless since the flight's only 40 minutes. The other time was on a New York to London flight. That was more enjoyable, but it's still a relatively short flight. But business class on a 19 hour flight?! Word.
And on our Hong Kong to Singapore leg our seats were upstairs in the hump of the 747 jumbo jet. I've always wondered what's upstairs in the jumbo jet. Now I know. In this case, it was nothing different then downstairs business class, but it was still cool being up there. I've heard rumors about other planes having lounges for the extra rich, but who knows. I'm just happy to have sat up there once.
Man, it's gonna a pain sitting in economy on the way back. And it's gonna be even worse losing my United Premier status after this year is up...I've gotten used to not waiting in line and getting better seats when possible.
You may now leave comments about how spoiled I am.
I've written before about the Singapore government here and here. so I won't go on about that, but I will post a few more thoughts about what has caught my eye. I'm only here for a week this time so you won't have to get too bored with my constant writing about the place.
So before anything else, let me just say we had a great start to our trip. We got bumped up to business class for the whole journey here. Yay! After settling into our economy class seats, a flight attendent came by and gave us new boarding passes and asked us to move up to the front of the plane. Now, I've sat in business class twice before. Once was on a very short hop from San Jose to LAX. Pretty useless since the flight's only 40 minutes. The other time was on a New York to London flight. That was more enjoyable, but it's still a relatively short flight. But business class on a 19 hour flight?! Word.
And on our Hong Kong to Singapore leg our seats were upstairs in the hump of the 747 jumbo jet. I've always wondered what's upstairs in the jumbo jet. Now I know. In this case, it was nothing different then downstairs business class, but it was still cool being up there. I've heard rumors about other planes having lounges for the extra rich, but who knows. I'm just happy to have sat up there once.
Man, it's gonna a pain sitting in economy on the way back. And it's gonna be even worse losing my United Premier status after this year is up...I've gotten used to not waiting in line and getting better seats when possible.
You may now leave comments about how spoiled I am.
Sunday, December 12, 2004
Anthropomorphizing our Animal friends
I've written previously about being a dog owner. In short, once you own a dog, you start talking about wierd things and start talking about your puppy like it's your child. And in all honestly, taking care of and training a puppy seems very much like having a child, albiet it with less responsibility and complications. These comparisons can go all the way to trying to read into your dog's personality and assigning human traits to what they naturally do. This is obviously a pretty common thing to do. Afterall, we tend to find the human-ness in everything.
And so, reading something like this article about gorillas in a zoo performing a "wake" is all the more interesting. To be honest, I got the chills while reading this. (Note: The chills weren't from the fact that animals were doing this, but the fact that it was about a community death...that always gives me the chills for some reason). In any case, this is just another example of animals doing things that humans do. Many members of the primate family do things like we do. Whether it's performing death rites or everyday cleaning, we're much closer to animals than we think.
This story just adds to the list of reasons to read into what our pets do. They may not have self awareness about what they're doing, but they rituals, activities, reactions, and personalities are tied into some basic traits of being animals. If you've ever owned a pet, this is probably very comforting. If you can't relate, then I ask you to imagine watching a gorilla wake in person and tell me if it would move you or not.
And so, reading something like this article about gorillas in a zoo performing a "wake" is all the more interesting. To be honest, I got the chills while reading this. (Note: The chills weren't from the fact that animals were doing this, but the fact that it was about a community death...that always gives me the chills for some reason). In any case, this is just another example of animals doing things that humans do. Many members of the primate family do things like we do. Whether it's performing death rites or everyday cleaning, we're much closer to animals than we think.
This story just adds to the list of reasons to read into what our pets do. They may not have self awareness about what they're doing, but they rituals, activities, reactions, and personalities are tied into some basic traits of being animals. If you've ever owned a pet, this is probably very comforting. If you can't relate, then I ask you to imagine watching a gorilla wake in person and tell me if it would move you or not.
Welcome to the Family
Just a quick note about the start of two more blogs (which I will now follow incessantly)...a couple of my friends have decided to dip their toes in the blogosphere. Let's hope they continue to write:
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